Kiesa Kelly, PhD, HSP

Professional help is often necessary for an accurate diagnosis, especially with multiple co-occurring conditions. Standardized assessments are informative, but what is most important is a thoughtful, nuanced clinical interview with a psychologist who knows what to ask and when to follow up to get below superficial symptoms and masked presentations.

What I enjoy most about this work is helping people better understand themselves so they can move from self-criticism to self-compassion. Older adults benefit from self-acceptance as much as teens. For women, LGBTQ+ folks, BIPOC, and other minoritzed groups who are more likely to carry harmful misdiagnoses, accurate assessments are an act of social justice.

My clinical interview is designed to ask the right questions, and follow up questions, to accurately understand the experiences of successful professionals, from engineers to psychotherapists, who have undiagnosed ADHD andor autism. It's not a matter of observing one's ability to make eye contact. Often we do because we have watched and learned. The question is: does it feel natural, second-nature, and comfortable? An accurate diagnosis can lead to self- understanding and self-acceptance, and the ability to finally let go of self-blame and shame. It can give access to workplace or educational accommodations that allow one to thrive more effortlessly. Being professionally successful doesn't mean you cannot have ADHD or autism, but it may mean that you have had to work harder to excel in a world that was not designed to meet your needs.