Psychologist for neurodivergent children and adolescents · Bucharest and online
Neurodivergence
Some children and adolescents think, feel and learn differently. They need to be understood, not corrected.
ADHD, autism, dyslexia and the other forms of neurodivergence are not character flaws; they are different ways in which the brain processes the world. Often, however, before being understood, a neurodivergent child hears for years that they “don't try”, that they are “lazy” or that they are “doing it on purpose”, and over time they come to believe that they are the problem.
For parents, the road passes through worry, guilt, exhaustion and battles with the school. A diagnosis can bring relief, but also grief for the child they had imagined.
Areas of work
The child with ADHD
Inattention, impulsivity, restlessness, forgetfulness that piles up. Over time, the child can easily take on the identity of the “problem child”. Beyond the diagnosis made by the doctor, counselling helps the child understand the way they function and regain their self-confidence. Together with the family, we look for ways in which they can regulate their emotions and bring out their strengths.
The child on the autism spectrum
Some children perceive the world differently: sounds, lights or touch can be overwhelming, and the unwritten rules of relationships are hard to decipher. Many learn to seem “like the others”, with an effort that exhausts them. Psychological counselling does not set out to change them, but to offer them a space in which their different way of functioning can be understood by the child and the family, and in which anxiety and loneliness can be put into words and managed. When needed, I work with the psychiatrist.
Dyslexia and other learning difficulties
Dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia. The intelligent child who reads with difficulty, writes untidily or gets stuck on simple sums. Because they cannot be seen from the outside, these difficulties are often mistaken for laziness or lack of attention. For years, the child has felt that they must try harder than others for the same result. Counselling helps them stop experiencing themselves as a “defect” and strengthen their self-confidence.
Other forms of neurodivergence
Dyspraxia, language disorders, tics. Some cannot be seen from the outside; others are seen but misunderstood. In both cases, the child needs to understand the way they function and to value their gifts and their uniqueness. When needed, I work with the school and with other specialists.
When neurodivergence and giftedness meet
A child with ADHD or dyslexia can, at the same time, be gifted. The difficulties draw all the attention, and the child's intelligence goes unseen or is used up in the effort to compensate. They need eyes that can see both. Giftedness →
Diagnosis and the family
Receiving a diagnosis changes the way the family sees the child and itself. It can bring relief (“it wasn't our fault”), but also sadness, fear for the future or disagreement between the parents. Siblings may feel left in the shadow. Parents, too, need a space in which to think about their own emotions and their place alongside the child.
School
Classroom adjustments, the relationship with teachers, homework that becomes a battlefield, exclusion by classmates. Sometimes it helps to understand together, child, parents and school, what the child actually needs. I work both with the child's experience and with the parent's position in relation to the school.
If you recognise yourself here, write to me →
Who it is for
- Neurodivergent children and adolescents — a place where they can be themselves, without constantly being corrected
- Parents — individually or together, to understand their child and find their own place alongside them
What my experience is made of
I am a clinical psychologist licensed in Romania and a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in training.
How it works
- Write to me using the form below or by email. A few lines are enough; there is no need to explain everything.
- I reply within 1–2 working days and we arrange the time of the first meeting together.
- The first meeting, 45 minutes long, at the practice or online, is devoted to understanding the situation. Only then do we decide together whether and how to continue.
The framework
Sessions last 45 minutes and take place at my practice or online. I usually begin with a meeting with the parents, then work with the child or adolescent. For those under 18, the work always begins with the parents' consent. The diagnosis is made by the medical specialist; counselling is there to support and complement their recommendations. Fee: 250 lei / session.
First meeting
Write me a few lines about what brings you. There is no need to explain everything.
Or write to me directly at radutudorache@protonmail.com.
Psychological counselling does not replace a psychiatric consultation when one is needed.