ADHD Therapy
Is ADHD Making Life Feel Difficult And Frustrating?
Do you or your child exhibit signs of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder—otherwise known as ADHD? Are ADHD-related challenges keeping you from achieving academic, professional, or personal goals?
ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental condition that affects the brain’s executive functioning abilities. This can lead to obstacles within your relationships and difficulty completing everyday tasks across contexts—whether you’re at school, work, home, or in social settings.
The executive functioning skills typically impacted by ADHD are:
- Self-Awareness – the reflective experience involved in understanding your feelings and emotions
- Inhibition – the ability to stop yourself from acting on impulse
- Working Memory – the ability to maintain visual imagery, inner dialogue, and a recollection of certain events
- Emotional Regulation – the skill set involved in understanding core emotions and managing your stress response
- Flexibility – a willingness to adapt to unexpected, unpredictable, or unwanted circumstances
- Motivation – a desire to complete a task
- Planning, Organization, Task Initiation, Goal-Directed Task Persistence, and Problem Solving – the process of identifying what needs to be done and which steps need to be taken to see the task through to completion
If you or your child struggle in any one of these areas, it’s likely you experience stress and overwhelm in everyday situations. As a result, you may have developed cognitive, emotional, and physiological symptoms related to ADHD that have impacted your self- esteem and sense of progress.
ADHD Often Co-Occurs With Other Mental Health And Developmental Issues
ADHD is largely the most common neurodevelopmental diagnosis, therefore, it can appear alongside other forms of neurodivergence. For instance, many signs of ADHD overlap with those of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such as emotional dysregulation and intolerance for changes in routine. If you or your child are autistic, you may wonder if an inability to focus, difficulty shifting focus (also known as hyper-focus) or keeping your attention on non-preferred tasks results from a different underlying condition.
Whether you have another diagnosis or struggle with co-occurring mental health issues, living with ADHD can lead to frustration, exhaustion, and isolation. Seemingly unable to keep up with your peers and accomplish everything that’s expected of you, you may not understand why you lack certain skills and how to be successful in a neurotypical world.
We are here for you and we understand the emotional, cognitive, and relational struggles created by ADHD. By working with Spectrum Connections Therapy in your ADHD treatment, you can learn more about how your brain works and learn the skills you need to thrive.
ADHD Impacts A Significant Portion Of The Population
The American Psychiatric Association estimates that around eight percent of children and almost three percent of adults have ADHD, making this a relatively prevalent diagnosis.
While studies continue to be done on its symptoms, treatments, and origins, some researchers suggest that ADHD has evolutionary benefits, often producing some of our greatest creative minds and problem-solvers. Because individuals with ADHD tend to maintain a strong and consistent focus on the subjects that interest them, it’s not uncommon for this population to acquire substantial expertise and prominence in their respective fields.
Contrary To Popular Belief, ADHD Affects Both Children And Adults
Typically, ADHD appears and is diagnosed in childhood, as school-aged children begin to encounter challenges with inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. These behaviors often interfere with a child’s academic performance, developmental progress, and socialization. Also, despite being bright and capable students, many of those with ADHD need a 504 plan or IEP (Individualized Education Plan) to ensure that they have the proper supports in place and accommodations needed to succeed in school.
Although ADHD is usually more apparent in childhood, adults can also struggle with symptoms. Oftentimes the struggles these adults had as children are mischaracterized or altogether overlooked until they receive the insight of a therapist. However, without treatment or awareness of their condition, adults with ADHD are likely to encounter challenges at work, in their relationships/marriages, or while juggling daily stressors and responsibilities.
Often clients come to us when they have reached a point of utter frustration and isolation. Having never fully assimilated to a neurotypical culture, these individuals believe that something is fundamentally “wrong” with them or that they have to change their behaviors in some way.
However, the goal of ADHD treatment at Spectrum Connections Therapy is not to change you but rather to help you live with more balance and less chaos. By accessing your unique strengths and perspectives in counseling, you or your child can develop lifelong skills for managing the obstacles associated with ADHD.
SCT Offers Customized And Informed ADHD Treatment
As a private practice specializing in neurodivergence, we seek to normalize and validate your experience living with ADHD. Using a skills-oriented approach, we will help you improve your executive functioning in the specific areas where it lags.
If you or your child struggle with other needs alongside ADHD—including Autism, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, anxiety, depression, tic disorders, Tourette Syndrome, OCD, or other symptoms—we will tailor therapy using evidence-based methods to meet your needs. In addition, if there is a co-occurring learning disability (such as dyslexia) intensifying the obstacles created by ADHD, we will create a skills- based treatment plan to ensure your success at school or work.
Building Skills And Fostering Self-Compassion Can Help You Change Your Outlook On Life With ADHD
Our experience working with neurodivergent populations gives us a big-picture perspective on what long-term success looks like when you’re living with ADHD. With the proper resources and accommodations, you can build your toolbox, manage disruptive symptoms, and harness the unique, capable qualities that your ADHD has instilled in you.
In addition, we are prepared to work with your support systems to ensure your success. If you’re a parent of a child with ADHD, we will help you understand how your child’s brain works and coach you in neurodivergent-specific parenting techniques. Also, if you’re in search of additional advocacy on behalf of your child, Dr. G’s background in special education enables her to collaborate with your child’s school on their individualized academic plan.
Just because your brain works differently, does not mean you have to conform to the status quo and minimize the neurodivergent traits that make you shine. In ADHD treatment at Spectrum Connections Therapy, we will work together to identify your strengths and celebrate the qualities that make you uniquely you.
Maybe You’re Interested In Treatment For ADHD, But You Don’t Know If Therapy Is Right For You…
Can’t I just take medication for ADHD?
We believe that counseling is the first line of defense for ADHD treatment. While medications exist that can target symptoms of ADHD, these medications only help for as long as you take them and often have unpleasant side effects. Alternatively, therapy can help you build lifelong skills to not only manage distress but to thrive with ADHD.
By working with a therapist who guides you in using your innate strengths and unique qualities, you can see that ADHD is not something to be alleviated with medication but rather something to be treated with curiosity, compassion, and empowerment. However, many individuals benefit from the combination of both medication and therapy. With your permission, we will work with your prescriber so that coordination of care informs our treatment with you or your child.
I don’t have the time or money for ADHD treatment—I can manage without therapy.
If you or your child struggle with disruptive and uncomfortable symptoms associated with ADHD, you deserve to have support and find lasting relief. We are invested in creating an effective ADHD treatment plan that works for you and your family with the goal of getting you through counseling as quickly as possible.
In addition, we partner with an insurance company to help cover the cost of ADHD treatment. Contact us to find out more about which provider we work with, and keep in mind that we are happy to provide a monthly superbill if applicable for your insurance provider.
Can you collaborate with my child’s school to create an IEP or 504 plan?
Absolutely. Given our background in special education and working with neurodivergent populations, we have lots of experience helping families implement educational plans that honor their children’s needs. If your child struggles with ADHD, Autism, learning disabilities, or other conditions that impact their academic performance, we will advocate on their behalf to ensure their success at school
ADHD Blog Posts:
How Social Anxiety Takes a Toll on Neurodivergent Folks
Social anxiety casts a wide net. It’s a type of anxiety that can practically paralyze you in social situations or even make you fearful when you think about social settings. But, for people living with autism, ADHD, and/or another form of neurodivergence, social anxiety can feel even more overwhelming. Unfortunately, anxiety is fairly common in
6 Tips to Help You Study with ADHD
While most people recognize ADHD as a condition that impacts children, they can often forget that you can’t grow out of it and it doesn’t “go away” during the teenage or adult years. When you’re a high school or college student, you still have to be able to deal with the effects of ADHD and
What is Stimming and Why Do Neurodivergent People Do It?
Life as a neurotypical person can be hard to navigate and overwhelming at times. That’s for someone who has zero difficulties regulating their behavior, moods, or environment around them. When you have neurodivergent differences, such as Autism Spectrum and/or ADHD, it can be hard to navigate the day-to-day and feel regulated and calm. A diagnosis
What Conditions are Neurodivergent?
It’s estimated that 15-20% of the global population is neurodivergent. While we can certainly get into the details of what neurodiversity truly means, in a nutshell, it refers to anyone with a condition that causes their brain to work a bit differently than a neurotypical brain. The neurodiversity movement promotes and accepts these differences and does
What is RSD with ADHD?
Rejection-Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is a condition that causes extreme emotional sensitivity and pain. That pain is caused by the perception of rejection or criticism, especially from friends and loved ones. It’s fair to say no one likes to experience rejection. As humans, we all want to be liked and accepted. So, when you feel like
How to Keep Work Anxiety from Affecting Your Weekends When You Are Neurodivergent
We all dread work from time to time. Whether you have too much on your plate at the moment or have ableism in the workplace, it can make you feel uneasy and unwilling to go to work. As a result, if you are neurodivergent, you may suffer even more from the “Sunday scaries.” In either event,
Improve Your Executive Functioning, Improve Your Life
Individualized treatment at Spectrum Connections Therapy honors your strengths and capabilities so that you can learn not just to survive—but thrive—with ADHD.
To touch base about how we can be of support with our ADHD therapy approach, please contact us for a FREE 20-minute phone consultation.
