ADHD Evaluation & Treatment
Understanding ADHD, Differently
If you or your child are navigating the unique dynamics of a neurodivergent brain, finding a provider who truly understands is essential. Dr. Stacy Mallare is a doctorally prepared, board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner providing expert virtual care at Affirm Neuropsychiatry, specializing in strengths-based ADHD treatment, comprehensive evaluations, and tailored medication management for children, adolescents, and adults across Maryland.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I expect during a psychiatric evaluation for ADHD?
A comprehensive evaluation reviews your behavioral history, current daily challenges, and overall health — looking at how focus, executive dysfunction, or hyperactivity affect work, school, and relationships, not just a symptom checklist. Executive dysfunction simply means the brain’s “air traffic control” system has trouble organizing, starting, prioritizing, or following through on tasks — a neurobiological difference, not a lack of effort. Dr. Mallare uses validated rating scales — standardized questionnaires that measure symptoms objectively — to establish a clear baseline.
How do providers determine if medication is right for ADHD?
This decision is entirely collaborative. Dr. Mallare explains both stimulant and non-stimulant options and how each supports neurotransmitter regulation — the brain chemistry governing focus, motivation, and impulse control — then starts with conservative dosing, monitoring effectiveness closely.
What does a neurodiversity-affirming approach mean here?
ADHD is viewed as a natural variation in brain wiring, not a broken system. The goal is reducing the friction, anxiety, and burnout that come from masking or fitting neurotypical expectations — while protecting your self-esteem and building on your natural strengths.
How We Build Your Treatment Plan
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1. Initial Evaluation
A full history-taking session covering behavioral patterns, prior evaluations or diagnoses, co-occurring conditions, and how symptoms show up across settings, including home, school, and work.
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2. Collaborative Goal-Setting
You and Dr. Mallare identify what matters most to you: easing overwhelm at work, reducing conflict at home, or simply understanding yourself better. Treatment is built around your goals, not a generic protocol.
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3. Medication Discussion, If Appropriate
Options are explained clearly, including expected benefits, timeline, and possible side effects, so you can make an informed choice with no pressure either way.
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4. Ongoing Monitoring & Adjustment
Follow-up visits track how well the plan is working using objective rating scales alongside your own reporting, with dosage or medication adjustments made carefully over time.
What Recovery Can Look Like
“Recovery” with ADHD doesn’t mean symptoms disappearing — it means the friction between your brain and your daily life gets smaller. Many patients describe feeling more able to start and finish tasks without the constant self-criticism, less overwhelmed by transitions, and more able to show up as themselves without needing to mask. Progress is often gradual and non-linear, and check-ins along the way help fine-tune what’s working.
