Barbara Goodman
I am 57 years old and have worked in mental health as an RN for almost thirty years before becoming a nurse practitioner. I specialize in neurodivergence. As a neurodivergent individual myself and mother of five neurodivergent children this work is deeply personal to me.
Looking at things though a neurodivergent lens helps me find unique solutions to problems.
My mission is to help clients discover answers to their mental health questions, offer validation, and help them practice self-compassion and acceptance. I diagnose and treat autism, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, women's health issues, and bipolar disorder. I provide trauma informed LGBTQ+ affirming care to clients ages 5-65. I provide medication management and psychotherapy. I also can provide ESA letters. I help parents navigate the school system and provide requests for IEP and 504 plans in the schools. I provide support to parents, single moms, and moms of multiples.
First session
I hope they feel heard and validated when they leave. I work with my clients to help identify strengths and areas where they need support to develop a treatment plan that works best for them that may or may not include medication. We decide on how often they will need to meet and how long their sessions will be and come up with goals for therapy
Strengths
As a clinician, an autistic individual, and mother of autistic children I offer unique insight into autism and the anxiety, depression and ADHD that usually accompany it. I use a holistic approach incorporating nutrition, exercise, therapy and natural remedies into your treatment plan. I use a mix of CBT and solution focused psychotherapy. Looking at things though a neurodivergent lens helps me find unique solutions to problems. I am also very real and down to earth. I was born into a lower socioeconomic family. I use GoodRX to help me prescribe medications that are affordable.
Ideal clients
My clients are neurodivergent children and adolescents struggling in school, kids with disruptive dysregulated mood disorder or oppositional defiant disorder who need diagnosis, treatment and accommodations for school. My clients are adults who struggle with toxic work environments and need accommodations. My clients are also parents and single moms who need support, women struggling with menopause, and anyone struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD or bipolar.
Origin story
My whole life my mom told me I was weird. I started reading at age four but did not learn to ride a bike until I was eleven. I walked on my tiptoes. I did not know how to talk to people. I started out as an English major but developed a hyper fixation on nursing and changed majors. I struggled with anxiety and depression all my life because I never felt like I fit in. I had some care along the way that was less than ideal, so I thought "I can do better". So, here I am. I am passionate about helping people find answers and live their best lives
Ongoing work together
I use screening tools like the PHQ-9 to measure improvement in mood and the GAD-7 to measure improvement in anxiety. I like to see new patients every two weeks at first. When we find the right medicine, at the right dosage and symptoms stabilize I can move appointments out to once a month or once every 3-6 months for clients who are getting medication management only
Medication approach
It makes no sense to prescribe medication that the patient is unwilling to take. If a patient does not want to take medication, I support their decision and help find other evidence-based treatment modalities.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT therapy helps with negative thought spirals or catastrophizing. I have patients write down their negative thoughts, like "I am going to get fired because I made a mistake at work" and have them distance themselves from those thoughts and find evidence to support or negate them
Location
Virtual sessions