When patients come into the office for a session, the conversation often turns at some point to how things are at work. Sure, we go over compliance with the treatment plan, whether it relates to cognitive approaches or medication, but to me that's simply not enough. I have always believed that every meeting with a patient is a therapy session in its own way, even if the patient is there ostensibly for medication management. [Read More]

Many parents look forward to the day when the school year is over, they can spend more time with their children and the challenges revolving around school take a respite for two to three months. Or, so it seems. It is tough getting up, and it is even tougher getting a child up and ready to take to school. But the structure of the school day would typically keep the kids on task and, barring some unforeseen circumstances, keep them out of contact for several hours. For many parents, the real fun only begins when the kids come home from school. [Read More]

Summertime is upon us. With it comes a variety of questions about how patients should take their medications during these months. Some patients ask about the necessity of taking ADHD medications when school is not in session. They wonder if it is alright to take time off from their medicine. I remind them that ADHD is a 24/7 condition. Just because school is out for the summer doesn't mean your ADHD will take the time off as well. Others ask about trying to taper down medications--often anti-depressants--during the summer. This is a strategy I am more willing to consider. For some, stress is lessened during the summer. The combination of less-structured time and longer days is more likely to make people feel good enough that they want to see how they might do off their medications. [Read More]