Adult Services – Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., Director
Center Director, Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized pioneer in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults. She was the editor of the first book for professionals on the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD — A Comprehensive Guide to ADD in Adults: Research, Diagnosis and Treatment — published in 1995. Subsequently, she has written Adventures in Fast Forward: Life, Love and Work for Adults with ADD, ADD in the Workplace, and was the contributing editor of Understanding Women with ADHD. With Judith Kolberg, professional organizer, she wrote ADD-friendly Ways to Organize Your Life.
Dr. Nadeau has worked closely with the Chesapeake Adult Services Team, training and supervising them in her ADHD treatment approach.
The Chesapeake Center offers services for adults including:
Consultation and assessment by Center Director Kathleen Nadeau
This is a 90 minute one-time consultation for the purpose of obtaining an uncomplicated ADHD diagnosis, for a second opinion in cases where ADHD has already been diagnosed, or consultation regarding current ADHD-related challenges. Consultations are appropriate for individuals that are already in treatment elsewhere or who only want a referral for medication treatment for ADHD and do not wish to have any ongoing treatment at the Chesapeake Center. If Dr. Nadeau feels other assessment or treatment is needed, she will make recommendations at the end of this consultation session.
Neuro-cognitive Psychotherapy
Dr. Nadeau is well-known for her practical, solution-focused approach to psychotherapy. Her treatment approach focuses on feelings and relationships, but also helps individuals to better manage their daily lives, better understand how they are affected by ADHD, and learn to make life decisions that will support them in functioning at their best. Dr. Nadeau has worked closely with her Adult Team to teach them this unique approach that blends the psychological with the practical.
Our psychotherapy focuses on self-concept, self-confidence, stress management, money management, daily life management, relationship issues and daily issues in on-the-job functioning. We also help parents learn to approach ADHD as a family, to better support all family members affected by ADHD and to find solutions to the daily conflicts that so often occur between parents and children with ADHD.
Psychological/Neuropsychological Testing
In uncomplicated ADHD cases, testing is not routinely recommended. Often, however, testing is advisable. In adults, ADHD rarely occurs in isolation. It is often found in combination with learning disabilities, anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. ADHD is frequently associated with eating disorders, sleep disorders and substance abuse disorders. In addition, other conditions can cause attentional problems that may be mis-diagnosed as ADHD. In the event that a clear and simple ADHD diagnosis cannot be made during your initial appointment at the Center, we may recommend testing to help us better understand what the underlying issues may be and what treatment program to put in place.
Services for College Students
Our treatment is focused to meet the needs of the individual student. In working with college students we offer help with self-advocacy, recommend accommodations, provide testing assessments required to document ADHD and LD, help students choose a major that is a good match for their strengths and interests, help students with course selection, help to develop good daily life management skills (time management, sleep habits, money management, organizing, study habits). When a student attends a school that is not a good match for them, we can assist in looking for schools that may be a better match. We can also help students find the support that they need from coaches and/or tutors.
Services for Graduate and Professional Students
Clinic Director Dr. Kathleen Nadeau has a strong interest and many years of experience in working with students in graduate and professional school. Her work with each individual student is focused on that student’s particular needs and can include assessment including neuropsychological testing when a thorough assessment of the student’s difficulties has not yet been done; assistance and coaching to complete a thesis, dissertation or major paper; ADHD-focused treatment to help the student develop better daily life management and study skills; advocating for the student that needs accommodations beyond the standard accommodations of extended time on tests and note takers.
Dr. Nadeau has been involved with a number of cases in which a professional student had been dismissed from a graduate or professional program, assisting them in working toward reinstatement in their program, or helping them to find another direction professionally.
Career Consultations and Assessments
ADHD often leads to difficulties in workplace functioning. Additionally, it is critically important for adults with ADHD to be well-matched to their career and current job. We work with young adults seeking to choose a career direction that is suited to their strengths, interests and needs. We also work with adults in mid-career to help them function better in their current position and to help them evaluate whether it is in their best interest to seek a different position or career field.
Career consultations may include testing to assess interests, abilities and personality type so that we can help you understand your talents, interests and needs.
We work with people that are unemployed, helping them to stay on track in an effective job search, and helping them assess which jobs may be a better match for their strengths, interests and challenges.
We also work with adults that are experiencing challenges in their current job, assisting them in finding ways to better communicate their needs to their supervisor, helping them to problem-solve on the job, and to reduce problematic workplace patterns that are impeding top workplace performance.
ADHD-focused Couples Therapy
ADHD issues can create a high level of stress in a romantic or marital relationship. ADHD-focused couples therapy can help couples reach an accepting understanding of the causes of their struggles and find ways to communicate and problem-solve without destructive conflict.
Because parents with ADHD often have children with ADHD, our couples therapy can also focus on parenting issues, if needed.