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A stylized map of PSYPACT states across the United States with connected location markers
Can You See an Illinois Psychologist If You Live in Another State? 1000 667 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

Can You See an Illinois Psychologist If You Live in Another State?

PSYPACT lets a PSYPACT-authorized psychologist treat clients across 43 participating jurisdictions. What it covers, what it does not, and how to start.

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A person with a backpack pausing on a fallen log in a pine forest, looking back over their shoulder.
Life After a Late Autism or ADHD Diagnosis: Your First Twelve Months 1000 667 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

Life After a Late Autism or ADHD Diagnosis: Your First Twelve Months

In a 2023 U.S. survey, 55.9% of adults with current ADHD were diagnosed at 18 or older. A psychologist’s guide to the first twelve months after a late diagnosis.

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A hand filling in an insurance coverage form headed Are you Covered, with a calculator on the desk beside it.
What Therapy and Testing Cost in Ottawa, Illinois (and How Out-of-Network Benefits Work) 1000 667 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

What Therapy and Testing Cost in Ottawa, Illinois (and How Out-of-Network Benefits Work)

Fees at our Ottawa, IL practice run $120 to $295 per hour by service. What testing costs, how out-of-network benefits work, and what to ask your insurer.

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A child sitting cross-legged on a yellow blanket, fitting together large white jigsaw puzzle pieces on the floor.
What to Expect at Your Child’s First Therapy Session 1000 667 Dr. Terry
  • Dr. Terry

What to Expect at Your Child’s First Therapy Session

At our Ottawa, IL practice the first therapy session is a parent-only intake. What we ask, when your child comes in, and how soon families see change.

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Announcement graphic for Thrive Summit 2027 in Paris, April 1 to 4, 2027, at the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel. Headshots of Dr. Vinita Menon, PhD, NCSP and Dr. Melissa Terry, PhD, NCSP appear above their session title, The Missing Piece (PEACE): Parent Coaching as a Clinical Intervention for Improving Child and Family Outcomes. The Eiffel Tower and the Seine are in the background.
Parent Coaching in Paris: Dr. Menon and Dr. Terry to Present at Thrive Summit 2027 1080 1080 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

Parent Coaching in Paris: Dr. Menon and Dr. Terry to Present at Thrive Summit 2027

Dr. Vinita Menon and Dr. Melissa Terry will present parent coaching as a clinical intervention at Thrive Summit 2027 in Paris, April 1 to 4, 2027.

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An adult sitting with a cup of coffee, distracted and unable to relax due to anticipatory anxiety
You Finally Have a Free Weekend. So Why Can’t You Relax? 1000 667 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

You Finally Have a Free Weekend. So Why Can’t You Relax?

You cleared the whole Saturday. No plans, no obligations, nothing on the calendar. By 9 a.m. you’ve already checked your work email twice, mentally rehearsed a conversation that hasn’t happened yet, and started feeling vaguely…

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An autistic adult resting in a quiet room during autistic burnout
“Why Am I So Exhausted All the Time?” Autistic Burnout Isn’t Regular Burnout 1000 680 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

“Why Am I So Exhausted All the Time?” Autistic Burnout Isn’t Regular Burnout

You read the burnout articles. You took the vacation. You set the boundaries, deleted the app, bought the planner. And you’re still exhausted in a way that sleep doesn’t touch. If regular burnout advice keeps…

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A child completing an activity during psychological testing for children
Psychological Testing for Children: What Actually Happens, Step by Step 1000 667 Dr. Terry
  • Dr. Terry

Psychological Testing for Children: What Actually Happens, Step by Step

Somewhere between the teacher’s email and the pediatrician’s referral, you ended up here, googling what psychological testing for children actually involves and quietly wondering if you’re overreacting. You’re not. Wanting to understand your child better…

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A child sitting on the front steps with a backpack beside them, showing signs of back to school anxiety in kids
When “I Don’t Want to Go Back to School” Is More Than a Phase 1000 667 Dr. Terry
  • Dr. Terry

When “I Don’t Want to Go Back to School” Is More Than a Phase

“My stomach hurts.” It’s the third morning in a row, and the pediatrician already said nothing’s wrong. You’re standing in the kitchen doing quick math: is this a bug, a bid to stay home, or…

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An adult participating in an online ADHD therapy intensive.
7 Benefits of an ADHD Therapy Intensive Over Traditional Weekly Therapy 1000 667 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

7 Benefits of an ADHD Therapy Intensive Over Traditional Weekly Therapy

Here’s the Big Picture Weekly therapy’s seven-day gap is hard on ADHD memory and follow-through. Intensive sessions run close together, so momentum carries from one session into the next instead of resetting every week. Ninety-minute…

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Perfectionism Is Not a Personality Trait. It Is Anxiety With Good PR. 1792 1008 Dr. Terry
  • Dr. Terry

Perfectionism Is Not a Personality Trait. It Is Anxiety With Good PR.

“I’m not anxious. I just have high standards.” I hear some version of this regularly in my office. I see smart, capable, highly successful adults who would never describe themselves as anxious, but who also…

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You Know What You Need to Do. So Why Can’t You Do It? 1792 1008 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

You Know What You Need to Do. So Why Can’t You Do It?

You have a deadline. You know it. You have known it for two weeks. You have thought about it every single day. You have opened the document at least four times. And yet, here you…

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What Psychological Testing Actually Tells You (And Why It’s Not What You Might Think) 500 250 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

What Psychological Testing Actually Tells You (And Why It’s Not What You Might Think)

Most people who contact us about psychological testing for adults start the conversation the exact same way. I have wondered about this for a long time, but I just did not think it was worth…

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Nobody Told Me Advocating for My Kid Would Be This Hard 500 250 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

Nobody Told Me Advocating for My Kid Would Be This Hard

“I feel like I’m fighting everyone. The school, the insurance, sometimes even my own family. And I’m exhausted.” This is one of the most common things I hear from parents of neurodivergent children. It does…

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When Anxiety Looks Like Ambition 1792 1008 Dr. Terry
  • Dr. Terry

When Anxiety Looks Like Ambition

You’re the person who always follows up. Who triple-checks the email before hitting send. Who lies awake mentally rehearsing a conversation that probably won’t happen, or one that happened three weeks ago and still won’t leave.…

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Therapy Without Borders: What PSYPACT Means for Your Access to Specialized Care 1792 1008 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

Therapy Without Borders: What PSYPACT Means for Your Access to Specialized Care

You’ve finally done it. You’ve decided to seek support for the chronic burnout that’s been shadowing your career, or perhaps you’re looking for a specialist who truly understands the nuances of adult ADHD and autism.…

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“I Just Thought I Was Lazy”: What Late-Diagnosed ADHD and Autism in Women Actually Looks Like 500 250 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

“I Just Thought I Was Lazy”: What Late-Diagnosed ADHD and Autism in Women Actually Looks Like

“I’ve spent my whole life thinking I just needed to try harder.” I hear this constantly. Smart, capable women sitting across from me (or on the other side of a screen), describing decades of quietly…

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interoception
The Unseen Sense Behind “Unpredictable” Behavior 2560 1438 Dr. Terry
  • Dr. Terry

The Unseen Sense Behind “Unpredictable” Behavior

So many parents bring their kids to therapy with the same concern: My child’s meltdowns are so unpredictable. Some days they can handle a change in plans without much trouble. Other days, the exact same…

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a robot hand and a human hand reaching toward each other
AI Therapy vs. Human Therapy: What You Should Know 2560 1707 Carli Funderburk
  • Carli Funderburk

AI Therapy vs. Human Therapy: What You Should Know

Artificial intelligence is making waves in mental health care, and it’s hard to ignore! From chatbots that provide cognitive behavioral prompts to apps that simulate therapeutic conversations, AI tools are becoming more accessible and more…

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Person slumped over a desk exhausted representing burnout and the need for recovery and rest
Practical Steps to Recover from Burnout 225 224 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

Practical Steps to Recover from Burnout

Practical Steps to Recover from Burnout If you’ve been feeling constantly exhausted, irritable, or emotionally drained—like no amount of rest ever feels like enough—you may be experiencing burnout. For many adults juggling multiple roles at…

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Two people working together in a supportive therapy session representing the ADHD and autism therapy intensive partnership
What to Expect From an ADHD or Autism Therapy Intensive Partnership 917 917 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

What to Expect From an ADHD or Autism Therapy Intensive Partnership

Therapy Intensives Are a Partnership: Here’s How We Work Together If you’ve been feeling constantly on edge—struggling to focus at work, managing stress at home, or wondering if ADHD or autism could be part of…

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Winter holiday decorations representing the emotional pressures and joys of the holiday season
5 Ways to Protect Your Emotional Health During the Winter Holidays 1300 1390 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

5 Ways to Protect Your Emotional Health During the Winter Holidays

5 Ways to Protect Your Emotional Health During the Holidays The holidays are often described as “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for many adults, this season brings more stress than joy. Between…

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Therapist and client in a personalized session representing custom-designed ADHD and autism therapy intensives
Why My ADHD and Autism Therapy Intensives Are Designed with You in Mind 225 225 Dr. Menon
  • Dr. Menon

Why My ADHD and Autism Therapy Intensives Are Designed with You in Mind

Why My Therapy Intensives Are Designed with You in Mind When daily life feels like a constant juggling act—balancing work, relationships, and endless responsibilities—it can be hard to slow down long enough to truly care…

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ADHD testing for kids
Does My Kid Need ADHD Testing? 1707 2560 Dr. Terry
  • Dr. Terry

Does My Kid Need ADHD Testing?

They bounce off the walls. They can’t complete the five steps needed to get out the door in the morning without multiple reminders. But they can focus all day when it comes to a favorite…

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