The mother grinned broadly and triumphantly when she announced that the psychiatrist had diagnosed her child with ADHD. "I knew it!" "No one would listen to me, but I knew it, and I was right!"
She continued on to say that she was so relieved to finally have a diagnosis and to finally know that there was a chemical imbalance in her child. Really??? But that dooms the child to have this disorder for the rest of his life. And that is better? Better than what?
Better than admitting it might be the parenting?
That was more than a year ago. Since then the child has been placed on almost every psychiatric medication known to man - without any reduction in symptoms. He is currently on four very serious medications. And he is only 7 years old.
But it's not the parenting...
What a high price we are willing to pay to avoid being wrong.
Did you suggest to the mother that her parenting may be the problem?
Posted by: felix | December 22, 2011 at 11:46 AM
Hi Felix,
A mentor of mine once said you have to, "meet people where they are". This is especially true when working with clients. If you confront them before you have established a therapeutic bond they will often become defensive and change therapists. I also have to find out what's behind this inability to embrace the possibility that it might be her parenting and address that fear or anxiety.
Posted by: Kellen | December 26, 2011 at 05:12 PM
Thanks Kellen, I understand and I wish you success.
Posted by: felix | December 27, 2011 at 01:22 PM