Meet Marian, psychiatrist
“Within mental health care, there are some gems, and ADHDcentraal is definitely one of them!”
Can you explain what your position is and what you do like?
As a psychiatrist at ADHDcentraal, you will be involved in both the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD. On the diagnostics day, I work together with a psychologist and a nursing specialist. Within this multidisciplinary team, we ensure that the diagnostics are completed within one day. If the patient is diagnosed with ADHD, treatment can begin on the same day.
I see the patient again during the evaluation to assess whether the treatment is a good fit with the request for help. In consultation with the nursing specialist and psychologist, we evaluate the overall treatment plan and adjust it if necessary.
Why did you choose to work at ADHDcentraal?
When I started in psychiatry 25 years ago, everything was on a much smaller scale. You knew your colleagues and the patients personally. By now that has changed in many institutions and they have grown considerably. At ADHDcentraal this is fortunately not the case. I consciously looked for a job where I could provide personal and appropriate care, and I found that at ADHDcentraal. It is small-scale and friendly here; you know both the patients and your colleagues. We can offer truly personal and high-quality care here.
What does a workday of yours at ADHDcentraal look like?
I now work three days at ADHDcenter. Because they are short days, I can do other work around that. That combination is very nice and works for me. On a diagnosis day, I start at 11:30 a.m.. Then I see my first patient. I then see four in one day. I plan the evaluations around that, but you could also do that on another day. You can arrange this job flexibly yourself. You could do another job or your own practice alongside it, which is what makes it so ideal.
Do you have an example of a situation where you felt you could really make a difference for the patients of ADHDcentraal?
I have countless examples of situations where our treatment has had a huge impact. During evaluations, I regularly see patients who are in tears because of the positive changes they have experienced. We make a real difference in at least 90% of patients. Therefore, conducting evaluations is very rewarding work because patients are genuinely grateful and truly helped.
In psychiatry, progress is often a matter of millimeter work and takes a long time before significant improvements are visible. At ADHDcentraal, it’s different. Although our focus is on treating ADHD, addressing it often leads to the prevention of other symptoms. Treatment with us can be a turning point in a patient’s life!
What do you get the most energy from in your work at ADHDcentraal?
The dynamic with colleagues is a lot of fun. There is a relaxed and informal atmosphere. We create a living room feeling for the patients, and I experience the same warm atmosphere with all colleagues. At ADHDcentraal, we are leading in terms of knowledge and expertise around ADHD, and that gives me a lot of energy. It makes me proud and ensures that I can do my work with passion.
What would you give people who want to apply for a job at ADHDcentraal?
I would recommend taking a day to experience the atmosphere here and experience everything for yourself. It’s a great job to combine with another, broader position in psychiatry. That way you get the breadth of one job and the focus on one specific area at ADHDcentraal. It really is the perfect combination, which also benefits the patients tremendously.