ADHD Treatment in Boston
for adults & children
Never rushed, physician-led care.
Dr. Caroline Fu, DO
Harvard & Tufts Instructor
Adult & Child Psychiatrist
Personalized practice
Total privacy & discretion
When focus becomes your greatest obstacle — or when you're watching your child struggle despite their obvious intelligence — you deserve treatment that understands the full picture. ADHD affects the whole family, and effective care requires expertise across the lifespan.
The Only Concierge Clinic for ADHD in Boston
Dr. Caroline Fu, DO
Most ADHD care follows a familiar pattern: rushed appointments, medication adjustments without context, and the sense that your provider doesn't quite grasp what it's like to live in your head—or watch your child struggle in theirs. Our practice operates differently.
At Caroline Fu Psychiatry, we provide comprehensive ADHD care for adults and children who need more than a prescription. Our concierge approach combines psychiatrist-level expertise with the time and attention that complex brains deserve.
Or Call: 617-401-8838
The Concierge Difference at Caroline Fu Psychiatry
“How a doctor’s office used to be.”
Extended Diagnostic Evaluations
ADHD often looks different than textbook descriptions. In high-achieving adults, compensatory strategies can mask significant struggles. In children, symptoms may present as behavioral problems, anxiety, or academic underperformance rather than obvious hyperactivity. We take 60-90 minutes for initial evaluations, allowing us to understand not just symptoms but how ADHD manifests in specific lives, families, and contexts.
Dual Expertise in Adult and Child Psychiatry
Dr. Fu completed both psychiatry residency and child psychiatry fellowship training, providing specialized expertise across the lifespan. This matters because ADHD is often a family affair—when a child is diagnosed, parents frequently recognize patterns in themselves. We can evaluate and treat the whole family with consistent, coordinated care.
Direct Access, Not Gatekeepers
In a concierge model, you communicate directly with your psychiatrist. When a medication isn't working, when you need school documentation, when something changes—you're not navigating automated phone trees or waiting weeks for a callback.
Thoughtful Medication Management
ADHD medication is powerful when optimized correctly. Finding the right medication at the right dose requires attention to subtle differences: timing of effectiveness, side effects, impact on sleep and appetite, and how medication fits into daily rhythms. For children, we're especially attentive to growth, mood effects, and school-day coverage. We monitor and adjust until treatment genuinely works.
Curated Referral Network
ADHD treatment often benefits from additional support—executive function coaching, therapy, neuropsychological testing, educational advocacy, or tutoring. We maintain relationships with exceptional specialists serving both adults and children and coordinate care to ensure comprehensive support.
Now Accepting New Patients
We help adults & children navigate symptoms of ADHD with meds & therapy
Effective ADHD treatment combines multiple strategies tailored to individual and family needs. Research consistently shows that medication combined with behavioral approaches produces the best outcomes for both adults and children.
Adults
-
The disconnect between your capabilities and your output. Difficulty starting projects despite clear deadlines. Underperforming relative to your intelligence and credentials.
-
Chronic lateness that damages professional relationships. The paradox of needing urgency to function while that urgency creates stress.
-
Intense reactions that seem disproportionate. Rejection sensitivity that affects how you receive feedback. The emotional experience that others don't seem to share.
-
Partners who feel unheard. Difficulty maintaining domestic responsibilities. The added complexity of parenting children who may share your neurotype.
-
Previous treatment that helped somewhat but never felt quite right. Interest in re-evaluating a treatment approach established years ago.
Children
-
Bright children whose grades don't reflect their abilities. Difficulty completing homework despite understanding the material. Test performance that fluctuates inexplicably.
-
Impulsivity that leads to social difficulties. Trouble following multi-step instructions. Behavior that's misinterpreted as defiance or laziness.
-
Meltdowns over transitions or frustrations. Difficulty with emotional regulation that exceeds what's typical for age. Rejection sensitivity that affects friendships.
-
Difficulty reading social cues. Interrupting or dominating conversations. Trouble maintaining friendships despite wanting connection.
-
ADHD and anxiety frequently co-occur. School avoidance may reflect overwhelm rather than opposition.
-
Starting middle school or high school when demands increase. The shift to college when external structure disappears. Each transition reveals new challenges and opportunities.Item description
Now accepting new patients.
Comprehensive ADHD Treatment Approach
Medication Management
Stimulant medications remain first-line treatment, effectively managing symptoms in approximately 70-80% of patients across age groups. We also prescribe non-stimulant alternatives, and certain other medications when stimulants aren't appropriate or preferred. For children, we carefully consider factors like duration of action to cover school hours, weekends, and homework time. Finding optimal treatment often requires patience and systematic adjustment.
Therapy Integration
While we focus on psychiatric care, we recognize that medication alone rarely addresses the full picture. For adults, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps develop organizational strategies. For children, parent management training and behavioral interventions are often essential components of care. We coordinate with therapists who specialize in ADHD across age groups.
Executive Function Support
The practical challenges of ADHD—time blindness, task initiation, organization, homework completion—benefit from targeted coaching and skill-building. We help identify which executive function challenges most impact daily life and connect families with appropriate support.
School and Workplace Collaboration
For children, we provide documentation for 504 plans and IEPs and can communicate with school personnel when helpful. For adults, we help navigate workplace accommodations and documentation needs.
Or Call: 617-401-8838
Frequently Asked Questions about ADHD Treatment
Working with a physician offers unique advantages, including the ability to diagnose and treat underlying conditions that may be affecting your relationship.
-
Research consistently shows that the most effective ADHD treatment combines medication with behavioral approaches. Stimulant medications work for approximately 70-80% of patients across age groups, while non-stimulant options provide alternatives when needed. For children, parent training and school accommodations often enhance outcomes significantly.
-
ADHD can be reliably diagnosed in children as young as four, though diagnosis becomes more straightforward as children enter school settings where attention demands increase. We evaluate children and adolescents of all ages and tailor our approach to developmental stage.
-
Psychiatrists complete medical school plus specialized residency training in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. Dr. Fu's additional child psychiatry fellowship provides expertise specific to younger patients. This training allows us to prescribe the full range of medications, identify medical conditions that mimic ADHD, and manage co-occurring conditions like anxiety and depression
-
Our initial evaluations typically last 60-90 minutes. For adults, we review developmental history, academic and professional trajectory, and current functioning. For children, we gather information from parents and review any school reports or previous evaluations. We assess for co-occurring conditions and develop a comprehensive treatment plan. Some patients benefit from additional neuropsychological testing, which we can arrange.
-
Yes, when helpful. We provide documentation for 504 plans and IEPs and can communicate directly with school personnel when parents request this. Effective ADHD treatment for children often requires school collaboration.
-
Some individuals manage ADHD symptoms through behavioral strategies, lifestyle modifications, and coaching alone. For children, behavioral parent training can be effective for milder presentations. However, for most people with significant ADHD symptoms, medication substantially improves quality of life. We discuss all options and respect your preferences while providing honest guidance about what typically works.
-
Stimulant medications work by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain and typically produce noticeable effects within hours. Non-stimulants work through different mechanisms, take longer to show effects, but avoid some stimulant side effects. For children, non-stimulants may be preferred when there are concerns about appetite, sleep, or tics. We help determine which approach makes sense for each situation.
-
Absolutely. This is common—ADHD has strong genetic components, and a child's diagnosis often prompts parents to recognize patterns in themselves. We can evaluate and treat family members, which offers advantages in coordinating care and understanding family dynamics.
-
Partially. Our concierge practice operates outside of insurance networks, which allows for extended appointments and direct access. That doesn’t mean your insurance won’t cover our visits. Many patients submit receipts to their insurance for out-of-network reimbursement. We provide the documentation needed for this process.
Patients My Practice Commonly Treats
My practice is designed for patients who value expertise and personalized attention over cost savings.
High-Achieving Adults
Executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, physicians, and others whose careers demand sustained cognitive performance. You've developed impressive compensatory strategies, but they're no longer sustainable.
Children and Adolescents
From elementary school through college transition, we work with young people whose ADHD affects academic performance, social relationships, or emotional wellbeing.
Families Seeking Comprehensive Care
When ADHD affects multiple family members, coordinated care from a single provider who understands the whole picture offers significant advantages.
Those Seeking Medication Expertise
You want a psychiatrist who takes medication management seriously—who understands the nuances between formulations, who monitors carefully, who will persist until treatment genuinely works.
Recently Diagnosed Individuals
Whether diagnosis came through a child's evaluation or your own growing awareness, starting treatment means integrating new understanding with established patterns.
Begin Your ADHD Treatment Journey
Living with ADHD—or parenting a child with ADHD—doesn't mean accepting chronic underperformance, strained relationships, or the exhaustion of constantly compensating. Effective treatment exists, and finding the right provider matters.
To schedule a consultation, contact our office at 617-401-8838 or email Caroline@CarolineFuPsychiatry.com. We'll discuss your situation, answer questions about our approach, and determine whether our practice is the right fit for your family's needs.
Caroline Fu Psychiatry serves patients seeking ADHD treatment throughout Greater Boston, including:
Boston – Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End, Fenway, Downtown
Cambridge – Harvard Square, Kendall Square, Inman Square, Central Square
Somerville – Davis Square, Union Square, Porter Square area
Brookline – Coolidge Corner, Brookline Village, Washington Square
Newton – Newton Centre, Newton Corner, Newtonville, West Newton
Wellesley – Wellesley Hills, Wellesley Square
Greater Boston – Lexington, Belmont, Arlington, Watertown, Waltham
Telehealth appointments are available for patients throughout Massachusetts.
About Dr. Caroline Fu, DO
As a board-certified psychiatrist and a therapist, I offer comprehensive mental health care that integrates medication management and evidence-based psychotherapy.
My clinical experience spans multiple settings within the mental health system: Inpatient units, outpatient clinics, consultation-liaison services, and community mental health centers.
This diverse background gives me a top-down understanding of the American mental health system.
If you are feeling lost, we’ll find a path forward.