Finding the Right Support for You
ADHD and Therapy
Deciding to seek support for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a powerful step in regaining your sense of control.
In addition to managing core symptoms like inattention and impulsivity through medication, many adults with ADHD start therapy to help understand their brain wiring, develop new skills, and heal the emotional wounds left by years of feeling misunderstood.
There are various approaches for ADHD and therapy, so how do you know which one is right for you? Selecting the right therapy is a personal process that depends on your specific strengths, challenges, and goals. Understanding your options can help you make an informed and empowered choice for your mental health.
Defining Your Goals: What Do You Want From Therapy?
Effective therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The best approach depends on what you hope to achieve through ADHD and therapy. While there is an overlap, most therapeutic goals for adults with ADHD fall into two main categories: building practical skills to manage daily life and addressing the emotional impact of the condition.
Building Practical Skills for Executive Functioning
If your primary struggles are with disorganization, procrastination, time management, and follow-through, a skills-based therapy could be the most beneficial starting point. These therapies are structured, goal-oriented, and focused on tangible results.
Your psychotherapist or psychologist may recommend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT for ADHD is adapted to be highly practical and action-oriented, with various goals including:
- Creating Sustainable Systems: You will work collaboratively to build personalized systems for managing your schedule, organizing your space, and tracking tasks in a way that is compatible with an ADHD brain.
- Breaking Down Overwhelming Tasks: Procrastination is often fueled by feeling overwhelmed. CBT teaches you how to deconstruct large projects into small, manageable steps, making it easier to get started.
- Challenging Avoidance Behaviors: This therapy helps you identify the patterns of thought and anxiety that lead to avoidance and provides concrete strategies to overcome them.
Managing the Emotional Impact of ADHD
If your greatest challenges are emotional dysregulation, low self-esteem, intense reactions to criticism, or relationship difficulties, your recommendations for ADHD and therapy may be more focused on building and managing emotional skills.
For example, Mindfulness-Based Approaches are often effective for the internal experience of ADHD. The practice of mindfulness strengthens one’s ability to regulate attention and manage emotions, which can help you:
- Reduce Impulsivity: By creating a “pause” between an impulse and an action, mindfulness helps you make more conscious and deliberate choices.
- Lessen Emotional Reactivity: You learn to observe your feelings without being immediately swept away by them, which can reduce the intensity of mood swings and frustration.
A mental health professional may also recommend Dialectical Behavior Therapy to help with emotional regulation. While DBT is a comprehensive therapy, its core skills may be integrated into an ADHD treatment plan to help someone:
- Tolerate Distress: Learn how to navigate moments of intense emotional pain or frustration without resorting to impulsive or unhelpful behaviors.
- Improve Interpersonal Effectiveness: Develop skills for communicating your needs, setting boundaries, and navigating relationships more effectively.
How to Choose the Right Therapy for Your Needs
While a mental health professional can make their recommendations for your care based on their expertise in ADHD and therapy, it is also helpful to think about your needs as an individual. Ask yourself:
- What is my most significant daily challenge? Is it a pile of unfinished projects on your desk? Or maybe the feeling of emotional overwhelm after a minor setback? Understanding your key struggles can help you communicate your needs with a mental health professional.
- What have I tried before? If organizational apps and planners haven’t worked, a professional can help you understand your behavioral roadblocks. If you struggle to use the emotional regulation skills you’ve read about, a professional can provide guidance and practice.
- Do I need support for both skills and emotions? For many adults with ADHD, the answer is yes. An experienced mental health professional can create an integrated approach, blending modalities to meet all of your needs.
A Personalized Approach to ADHD and Therapy
Choosing your ideal ADHD treatment is not a decision that you have to make on your own. At Resilient Psychotherapy & Psychiatric Services, we have a deep understanding of adult ADHD and therapy, and we are prepared to guide you through your options to create an integrated, personalized plan that works best for you.
Your journey with ADHD and therapy is about more than just managing “deficits”—it’s about discovering your strengths and building a life of confidence and resilience. If you are ready to find the right support for your needs, please contact us today to schedule an appointment.