ADHD therapist for 9 year old boy
Hello BPN community - I am looking for a recommendation for a therapist for our 9 year old with ADHD, preferably in Berkeley, Albany, Oakland, or Richmond. It has taken months for Kaiser to agree to help cover therapy expenses, and of course the person we originally found to help our family, is now booked. As are many others we have tried. Does anyone know of a therapist who is willing to do in person sessions? Our son's ADHD issues include anger management problems, impulsiveness, and low tolerance for frustration. He is taking medication and it is helpful with school issues, but we need more support. Thanks- nb
Apr 21, 2022
Parent Replies
• Tatiana Guerreiro Ramos is a fantastic resource for ADHD. She is the Co-founder of Classroom Matters and advocates for families that need support around ADHD.
• Jenifer Matthews, MD is a pediatrician and acupuncturist at UCSF Oakland Children's Hospital and works with ADHD using both Chinese and Western medicine.
• At UCSF Osher Center in San Francisco, Sanford Newmark, MD is a renown ADHD focused doctor who leans into natural approaches to managing ADHD. He is actually quite famous for his wholistic approach.
If you have a son and he is middle school age, check out East Bay School for Boys. My son goes there largely because of his ADHD and it is the perfect fit for him—the smaller classes, and their approach to ADHD really works for him. They also have a scholarship program if you are on a tight budget.
Finally, I found the key to advocating for your child is a neuro-psych evaluation. It's not as scary as it sounds. Your pediatrician can refer you, but you may need be pushy as they aren't inexpensive and Kaiser is not going to hand them out like candy. During the evaluation the clinician will spend the better part of the day with your child, but in the end you will have a full report that you can point to when going full mamma/pappa bear on your child's school and/or Kaiser to get your child the support they need. It will unlock so many doors for you as a parent.