Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Dr. Sanam Hafiz: Unfolding Neuropsychology – From Holistic Profiling to Navigating Adulthood Challenges in Autism and Giftedness
Wed, 18 Dec 2024
Send us a textUnlock the secrets of the mind with our esteemed guest, Dr. Sanam Hafiz, a leading neuropsychologist renowned for her work in trauma, ADHD, learning difficulties, and autism. Join us as Dr. Hafiz unfolds her intriguing journey into neuropsychology, revealing a methodology that transcends traditional diagnostic approaches. She shares how she crafts a holistic profile for each individual by considering family history, environmental factors, and detailed collaborations with educators. Her insights offer a fresh perspective on the vital role genetics play in mental health, applicable to all ages.The conversation broadens to address the often-overlooked challenges faced by autistic individuals transitioning into adulthood. Hear compelling stories about the vulnerabilities in this journey, from the threat of online scams to everyday misunderstandings. Dr. Hafiz also guides us through essential safety measures and legal processes that can safeguard wellbeing. Finally, we dive into the nuanced intersection of giftedness and autism, examining the unique mental health challenges this overlap presents. Connect with Dr. Hafiz and engage in a dialogue that promotes a deeper understanding of these complex issues.https://tonymantor.comhttps://Facebook.com/tonymantorhttps://instagram.com/tonymantorhttps://twitter.com/tonymantorhttps://youtube.com/tonymantormusicintro/outro music bed written by T. WildWhy Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI)
What is the purpose of neuropsychological assessments?
I insist, look, if you don't follow some of these things, things are not going to change. But even if you implement three or four of the recommendations out of the 20 that I'm making, when you come see me back in 2025, you're going to see that you're a very different person than you are now. Because the change isn't going to happen overnight, but consistency is what matters.
What you said about our sound during this podcast is true for valuations and treatment as well. Consistency and a commitment to doing it day in, day out is what's going to make a big difference. And yes, a year and a half, two years later, people come back and they are like, they're born anew. But a lot of that, we just did the job of assessing them, diagnosing them and giving them the direction.
A lot of that is really on them. They do the work.
Once you diagnose them, you find them to be autistic, ADHD, or whatever the case may be. Do you help them find other areas that can help them expand, learn, and evolve so that they can keep moving forward with their life?
So we explain them what their diagnoses mean clinically, what the implications are, why there's so much of an overlap. They start to make those connections. When we give them the final report, we also give them resources. We give them resources such as psychiatrists who are in their neighborhood who take insurance.
We give them psychologists or therapists in their neighborhood who take their insurance with individuals who are on the spectrum of or have ADHD, we have resources in the community in New York City, entire agencies and charities that are dedicated to working with those populations. We refer them to a state agency if they're under the age of 18. There's a state agency called OPWDD.
It basically stands for Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities. It is funded by New York State. It's a federal agency. It's a state agency that gets federal funding and they can get set up for services and help basically throughout life. They get something called a Medicaid waiver and it allows them to access those services. Now, let me bring you back to that 25-year-old.
Now, let's say a 25-year-old, when they turned 18 or 20, they graduated from their school's special education program. They went to an adults with disabilities program, but they also graduated from there. You can't stay there indefinitely, right? And maybe they trained them to do some sort of a job. And so they have a job.
You know, something simplistic, perhaps, you know, they get mail from the office and they feel a sense of, you know, community and a sense of contribution to their life. But mom says, listen, I'm getting older and I'm worried that my son may have a job, but he can get taken. And these are real stories, by the way.
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