ADHD Adapted Counselling
Benefits of ADHD Adapted Counselling
You may have been diagnosed with ADHD, or you may suspect that you have it. Whether or not you have a formal diagnosis, you might wonder if seeking ADHD-adapted counseling would benefit you. The answer is that it very well could. Here are some benefits of how ADHD-adapted counseling can help. But first, what is ADHD-adapted counselling?
What is ADHD Adapted Counselling?
ADHD-adapted counselling or psychotherapy is neurodivergent affirming and delivered through an ADHD lens. And includes an understanding of the influence of brain-based symptoms associated with ADHD, and the need to modify both one’s approach and therapeutic intervention to include this. Like ADHD coaching, the focus in counselling may be on helping you develop individualized ADHD strategies and tools to improve everyday functioning and better manage your symptoms associated with ADHD. And/or it could be to address a mental health issue resulting from undiagnosed or misdiagnosed ADHD. This will often require the counselor or therapist to have a trauma-focused lens or understanding. Being misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all can put one at greater risk.
ADHDers socialized in a neurotypical world that has for years misunderstood, misinterpreted, and criticized their brain-based behaviors as being a result of poor self-control, a lack of discipline, stubbornness, bad manners, ignorance, and the list goes on, are at greater risk for mental health issues.
As an ADHD-informedd and trained counsellor and therapist, I understand that ADHD is a neurobiological or brain-based condition that will require doing things differently to achieve success. This is true for both the client and the therapist. For instance, I may need to provide multiple appointment reminders and accommodate scheduling issues using a different structure.
ADHD counselling with me is strength-based. This means that strengths are acknowledged and incorporated into creating new and individualized systems and action plans. When we’re using our strengths there is interest and interest makes it easier to get things done. This becomes an important part of the work.
An ADHD-informed and trained counsellor should be knowledgeable about what ADHD is and what it is not. I am well-versed in the interplay between ADHD and common mental health challenges. I can help you understand the role that ADHD could be playing in perpetual challenges or ongoing difficulties, and what part of the equation is not a result of ADHD. ADHD presents differently for each one of us, and not everyone with ADHD will struggle with the same issues. Action plans and solutions are tailor-made to address each client's unique needs and strengths.
Learning About ADHD
One of the first and most essential things ADHD-adapted counselling can do for you is to provide accurate and up-to-date information about ADHD that goes beyond the Diagnostic Criteria from the DSM-5. If you’ve been recently diagnosed, this can be invaluable in helping you to understand more about your ADHD, and the best interventions for you to address your ADHD brain-based symptoms or behaviors. This is the first necessary step toward making changes in your personal life, relationships, work and finances.
If you think you might have ADHD but haven’t been formally diagnosed yet, counselling can also help by providing assessment, information, and resources that can help you decide whether or not to seek a formal diagnosis.
Coping Strategies & Planning
Once you better understand ADHD and your specific brain-based symptoms, and how they show up in your life, ADHD counselling can help you develop strategies and tools tailored to your unique strengths and abilities to help you manage your most challenging symptoms to the optimal amount, and then facilitate acceptance of the rest. Acceptance, understanding, and self-compassion are important elements in the work that we will do.
Managing Stress, Anxiety & Emotion
For many people with ADHD, sensory and emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity can be the most troublesome ADHD symptoms to manage. Alone or together, these symptoms can create problems in communication, problems at work, and in relationships. Low self-esteem, stress, feelings of isolation, loneliness, depression, and anxiety can then result. This is a double whammy for those with ADHD.
ADHD adapted counselling can provide much-needed support and tools to help you achieve emotion regulation and manage rejection sensitivity while also addressing co-occurring stress, anxiety and depression that can result. Counselling is also able to address the trauma that many ADHDers will experience, or negative coping strategies like substance misuse, which tend to present more frequently for clients with ADHD.
If you’re living with ADHD or suspect you might have it, know that there is help available to you in the form of ADHD counselling. Book your free consultation with Tracey today.
