Updated Experience at Allied Psychological Services - Clinic Supervisor Nicole Lightman…read moreI'm updating my review after a troubling call with Nicole Lightman, clinical supervisor at Allied Psychological Services. The red flags during our conversation only confirmed the bias I experienced during my sons' evaluations and left me feeling unheard, dismissed, and emotionally exhausted.
Here's what happened:
Red Flag #1: "Let's talk because emails get misinterpreted."
Nicole opened the call by saying she wanted to meet because things "over email get misinterpreted."
But written communication allows clarity and accountability, which her team had been avoiding. That statement felt like an attempt to control the narrative rather than truly clarify it.
Red Flag #2: She only reviewed ONE child's file.
When we began the call, she laughed and said she had "mom brain," then admitted she had only read my older son's file, and hadn't even looked at my younger son's evaluation.
That's completely unprofessional, especially when I made it clear this concern was about both my sons.
Red Flag #3: She said, "We don't want to over-diagnose."
This is dangerous. It shows a bias toward under-diagnosing, especially when families like mine, BIPOC neurodivergent, and already facing systemic hurdles, are seeking understanding and support.
A clinic's priority should be accurate diagnosis, not avoiding one out of fear of "overdoing it."
Red Flag #4: "That's the language we use in the office."
When I brought up the cold, clinical, and biased language used in my sons' reports (i.e., accusing me of overreporting symptoms), she said "that's just how we write them."
This is false. I'm autistic and was diagnosed at this clinic, and my own report used empathetic, strengths-based language. Other parents I referred here also received respectful evaluations.
So why were my sons, evaluated with language that undermined and discredited our experience?
Red Flag #5: No accountability, she told me to file a grievance and It's ok she won't be mad.
Rather than apologize or offer to make things right, she said:
"I'm telling you, you should just go to another clinic and file a grievance with your insurance."
This wasn't resolution , this was dismissal.
She was essentially saying: We're biased, and we're not going to fix it , go somewhere else.
Red Flag #6: She implied speech = no Autism.
She claimed that because my sons can speak and communicate, they couldn't be on the spectrum.
This shows a lack of understanding of how Autism presents , especially in kids who mask or overperform in stressful settings.
I asked her: Why recommend interventions like occupational therapy, psychotherapy, neurofeedback, and school accommodations -- all aligned with Autism and ADHD , if you don't believe a diagnosis is appropriate?
She had no real answer.
Red Flag #7: Passive-aggressive praise and gaslighting.
When I explained how much it would mean for my sons to understand themselves through diagnosis, she said,
"Well, you've been such a great advocate for them."
It felt disingenuous and passive-aggressive , like she didn't want to say anything else.
No acknowledgment. No empathy. No apology.
Final Straw: I wanted to end the call.
By the end, I was emotionally drained and uncomfortable.
It was clear to me that this clinic and this supervisor knew bias was present , and had no plans to fix it.
That conversation, and the evaluations themselves, have caused medical trauma.
I went in looking for answers and support.
Instead, I left feeling silenced, dismissed, and retraumatized.
