Recently diagnosed with ADHD? Where do we go from here? Therapy for ADHD.

Several types of psychological therapies can help with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), especially when tailored to the client’s age, symptoms, and co-occurring issues.

1. Psychological Therapy for ADHD: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

1. Focus: Managing time, organizing tasks, reframing negative thought patterns.

2. Who it helps: Teens and adults with ADHD, especially those struggling with self-esteem or anxiety.

3. Why it works: ADHD isn’t just about attention—it often comes with emotional dysregulation and negative self-talk. CBT targets these directly.

What is CBT?

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was first started off as a therapy to be used to treat mood disorders, however today, It is now widely used to help with all kinds of emotional and behavioral challenges. The basic idea is that the way we think affects how we feel and act. We all have automatic thoughts—those snap judgments or beliefs that pop into our heads without us even realising it. But these thoughts can often be negative or distorted, like assuming the worst about yourself, others, or a situation. When left unchallenged, they can hold you back from reaching your goals, building good habits, or even just taking a chance on something new.

CBT helps people notice and challenge those unhelpful thought patterns. For example, if someone with ADHD often thinks, “If this isn’t perfect, it’s a failure,” or “I mess up everything I try,” cognitive therapy helps challenge internal statements with, “Is that really true?” Learning to shift those thoughts into something more realistic can lead to better focus, more follow-through, and less anxiety overall. It’s a practical and proven way to get out of your own way and start making real progress.

A hallmark symptom of ADHD is difficulty concentrating, which can make it challenging to maintain attention and focus on tasks. For example, cognitive biases - thoughts and beliefs that keep individuals from doing what they are doing - can play a huge role in shaping the way we view ourselves and the world around us (Kahneman, 1982). With our psychologist, we aim to identify and shape them into healthier perspectives.

Another example of how CBT can help in managing ADHD is targeting the secondary symptoms of ADHD, as well as its comorbidities. Comorbidities are other symptoms or diagnosis that can occur at the same time with the main condition. For example, if someone has ADHD and also has anxiety or depression, those are called comorbidities. They can make things more complicated because the conditions can affect each other. ADHD is a developmental disorder that typically begins in childhood and often persists into adulthood, causing ongoing difficulties in concentration, attention, and impulse control. It is estimated that around 60%–100% of children with ADHD also exhibit one or more comorbid disorders that often continue into adulthood. An accurate ADHD diagnosis is crucial, as it guides therapy and support, helping individuals understand their condition and access appropriate interventions.

Some comorbidities that occur with ADHD are neurodevelopmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as anxiety and depressive based disorders. Literature reviews and systematic reviews have highlighted the prevalence of comorbid mental health disorders in individuals with ADHD, emphasizing the need for comprehensive assessment and treatment. Ongoing psychiatric research continues to contribute to evidence-based therapies for ADHD. CBT helps challenge and rewire distorted thinking patterns as well as beliefs systems that have been perpetuated over time from experiences arising from ADHD symptoms. This often shapes certain depressive belief systems, where people internalize their struggles as personal failures rather than symptoms of a neurodevelopmental condition.

As such in therapy, we help clients better understand and manage not only their ADHD symptoms, but also help clients create a more positive sense of identity around their strengths and weaknesses. Through CBT, we can help clients better feel confident around managing their intrusive thoughts, as well as manage stress better. All of which plays a huge role in impacting the executive functioning.

Benefits of Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy offers a wide range of benefits for individuals living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). One of its most significant advantages is its ability to help people recognize and challenge the negative thought patterns that often accompany ADHD symptoms. By addressing these unhelpful beliefs, cognitive therapy empowers individuals to develop healthier coping strategies, leading to improved emotional regulation and reduced impulsivity in daily life.

Beyond emotional benefits, cognitive therapy also supports the development of essential life skills. Many people with ADHD struggle with time management, communication skills, and problem solving skills—areas that cognitive therapy directly targets. Through structured therapy sessions, individuals learn practical techniques to manage their time more effectively, communicate their needs clearly, and approach challenges with a problem-solving mindset. These improvements can make a noticeable difference in managing ADHD symptoms and navigating everyday life.

Cognitive therapy is also highly adaptable and can be used alongside ADHD medications, such as stimulant medications, to create a comprehensive treatment plan. By combining psychological treatments with medication, individuals can address both the biological and cognitive aspects of deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD, leading to better overall mental health outcomes. Ultimately, cognitive therapy is a cornerstone of ADHD therapy, helping people build resilience, improve communication, and gain greater control over their symptoms.

Group and Interpersonal Therapy for ADHD

Group therapy and interpersonal therapy are powerful tools in the treatment of ADHD, offering unique opportunities for growth, connection, and skill-building. In group therapy, individuals with ADHD come together in a supportive environment to share experiences, learn from one another, and practice essential social skills. This sense of community can be incredibly validating, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and providing a safe space to develop communication skills, listening skills, and emotional regulation.

Group therapy sessions often focus on real-life challenges, such as managing impulsivity, improving social skills, and navigating relationships with family members and peers. By working through these issues together, participants can gain new perspectives and practical strategies for managing ADHD symptoms in social settings.

Interpersonal therapy, on the other hand, takes a more individualized approach to addressing the impact of ADHD on personal relationships. This form of therapy helps individuals explore how ADHD symptoms affect their interactions with others and develop healthier patterns of communication and empathy. By learning to address personal issues and build stronger connections, individuals can improve their relationships with family members, friends, and colleagues.

Both group and interpersonal therapy can be integrated with other psychological treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy, to provide a holistic approach to managing ADHD. These therapies not only help individuals manage their symptoms but also foster deeper understanding, improved communication, and stronger social support networks.

2. Behavioral Therapy

• Focus: Reinforcing positive behaviors and reducing unwanted ones using rewards/consequences. Behavioral therapy plans are tailored to the needs of each individual child to ensure the most effective support.

• Who it helps: Children with ADHD, often involving parents and teachers.

• Why it works: Helps children build structure, routines, and self-regulation with consistent support.

Based on guidelines prescribed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, behavioral therapy was recommended as the first line treatment for the management of ADHD symptoms in young children. Behavioral therapy is one of several approaches used to treat ADHD in children, and the choice of therapy should be based on the needs of the individual child. Behavioral therapy aims at building external structures such as consistent routines, habits, rewards, as well as consequences (not to be mistaken as punishment). These are skill based habits that aim to help clients grow more holistically, unlike the temporary effects of medication. Through repetition and practice, it aims to help clients better manage symptoms of ADHD by reducing external pressures that could damper the executive functioning. Ongoing assessment is important to determine how much the treatment helps and to adjust strategies as needed.

It is important to note that some ADHD medications prescribed for children can have side effects such as decreased appetite.

3. Parent Training in Behaviour Management

• Focus: Teaching parents strategies to manage their child’s behavior and improve relationships.

• Who it helps: Parents of young children with ADHD.

• Why it works: ADHD symptoms are often more manageable when caregivers respond consistently and calmly.

As parents, it can be difficult when your child’s behavior feels problematic or disruptive. Through parent education, our aim is to support parents in better understanding how their child’s neurodevelopmental differences contribute to certain behaviors, and to help them develop more effective ways of coping with those behaviors.

By deepening your understanding of your child’s behavior, you may be better equipped to meet their core emotional needs—rather than simply reacting to the behaviors, which are often symptoms of unmanaged ADHD. Learning about the neurobiological underpinnings of ADHD allows parents to view their child’s behavior through a lens of compassion and insight, ultimately fostering a stronger and more supportive relationship that helps the child manage their neurodiversity.

Let’s look at an overly simplified example:

At night, you enter your child’s room and see them doing everything except their schoolwork. Out of good intentions, you begin reminding them to complete their tasks. What follows is a back-and-forth exchange that quickly escalates into a negative interaction.

In this scenario, your child’s inability to complete their homework could stem from various underlying challenges—such as difficulty sitting still for extended periods, struggles with emotional regulation, or even trouble focusing on the lines on the page. These issues are not the result of laziness or defiance, but rather reflect the real effort it takes for them to manage their biological and cognitive responses.

Now, imagine being a child who is genuinely trying to focus, while your body and brain constantly signal the urge to move or become distracted. It’s no surprise that this can lead to frustration and, eventually, acting out. Too often, we end up focusing only on the behavior (the acting out), rather than exploring the specific learning or sensory challenges that contribute to it.

As adults, we sometimes struggle to articulate our own difficulties—so it’s understandable that children might find it even harder to express what they’re going through. That’s why, in therapy, we specialize in helping children understand their challenges and communicate their need for support more effectively. Over time, this not only improves family dynamics but also reduces stress, leading to more consistent routines and better emotional regulation for everyone involved.

4. Mindfulness-Based Interventions

• Focus: Improving attention, emotional regulation, and impulse control through present-moment awareness.

• Who it helps: Teens and adults with ADHD.

• Why it works: Trains the brain to pause and reflect before reacting, which is crucial for impulsivity.

Imagine a racing-car brain—constantly on the go, easily distracted by exciting ideas, random thoughts, and sometimes even negative or intrusive ones. It can be incredibly challenging to stop that brain from reacting to everything in its path.

Mindfulness-based interventions are designed to help with this by training the brain to slow down. These are skill-based practices that support clients in managing their thoughts more effectively and becoming more intentional rather than reactive.

Our psychologists are trained to help clients identify their current level of mindfulness and build from there at a comfortable pace. It’s rarely helpful to simply tell someone to “just meditate.” Sometimes, the first step might be something as simple as doing a puzzle—gradually increasing their tolerance for low-stimulation activities.

We aim to meet clients wherever they are on their ADHD management journey, providing strategies that are practical, compassionate, and tailored to their unique needs.

5. ADHD Coaching & Skills Training

• Focus: Practical support with time management, organization, and goal-setting. ADHD coaching is a non-therapeutic, goal-oriented support option that helps individuals with ADHD use personalized coaching methods, such as reminders, rewards, and goal setting, to improve functioning and quality of life.

• Who it helps: Adolescents and adults with ADHD, especially those in school or work settings. Adults with ADHD often face unique challenges in managing symptoms, and adult ADHD therapy, which may include clinical psychology, CBT, and holistic strategies, is important for addressing these needs.

• Why it works: Helps bridge the gap between insight (what I should do) and action (what I actually do).

There are dozens of different apps and organisational tools available on the internet. One of the things we often say in therapy is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Sometimes, we can spend a lot of time trying to find the “right” tool and end up feeling demotivated. In therapy, we focus on identifying the barriers to using these tools and figuring out how to use them more effectively. Support groups can also be valuable resources for sharing experiences and practical tips with others facing similar challenges.

Our psychologists are here to help clients develop a better understanding of and relationship with organisational tools, while also learning to set realistic expectations. Often, time-blindness co-occurs with ADHD. This refers to the brain’s difficulty in accurately perceiving the passage of time—leading individuals to frequently underestimate or overestimate how long things take.

Our psychologist Tristan wrote a blog article on Time Blindness if you'd like to learn more

When self-expectations or goals are unrealistic or unachievable, this can lead to feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or negative self-talk. Speaking with a psychologist can help you explore your thought patterns and identify strengths and challenges in your organisational style. This can lead to improved skills and, in turn, greater self-confidence. These interventions can significantly enhance functioning in day to day life, making everyday activities more manageable and improving overall quality of life.

Managing ADHD Symptoms

Effectively managing ADHD symptoms requires a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that addresses both the cognitive and behavioral aspects of the condition. Cognitive therapy plays a central role by helping individuals identify and challenge negative thought patterns that can contribute to low self esteem and emotional dysregulation. By developing healthier ways of thinking, individuals can improve their ability to cope with everyday challenges and reduce symptoms of ADHD.

Behavioral therapy, including dialectical behavioral therapy, provides practical tools for managing impulsivity and enhancing emotional regulation. These therapies teach coping strategies that can be applied in real-world situations, helping individuals respond to stressors in more adaptive ways.

Organisational strategies are also essential for managing ADHD. Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps, using calendars and reminders, and establishing consistent routines can make a significant difference in time management and daily functioning. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and mindfulness meditation further support individuals by improving focus, attention, and self-awareness, making it easier to stay present and reduce distractibility.

For many, combining these psychological treatments with stimulant medications or other prescribed medications can offer the most effective symptom management. Working closely with a mental health professional, such as a clinical psychologist, ensures that each treatment plan is tailored to the individual’s unique needs and mental health concerns. With the right combination of therapies, coping skills, and support, individuals with ADHD can make meaningful progress in managing their symptoms and improving their overall quality of life.

If you have any questions about ADHD or time CBT, please reach out to our team here.