Navigating Life as an ADHD Therapist:

As a therapist with ADHD, my journey is filled with the relentless pursuit of understanding how this neurodevelopmental, biological condition shapes my life and profession.

Knowing that ADHD is a neurological, biological and genetic disorder with no cure means that I will forever have to face my own struggles with managing my ADHD. Understanding this, I have learned to find compassion and patience with myself and am continuously learning how to adapt from what I think I am “supposed to do” toward, doing what works for me and my brain. Having the ability and flexibility to do what works for me is a privilege, and not something I have always had. Business aside, I truly believe and feel that my ADHD makes me the therapist I am today. Having ADHD allows me to be able to deeply empathize with my clients, while also helping me be more adaptive and creative in my work. 

My passion for therapy gives me multiple outlets of interventions and topics to “hyper focus” on. Which I believe further helps me be the therapist I am. Learning to accept my ADHD had given me so much freedom and removed a lot of fear about “masking” my symptoms in session. Because I work with a lot of women with ADHD when my ADHD shows up in our sessions, it typically provides an opportunity to laugh and acknowledge my humanness and allows my client to see/know that I am imperfect, which I feel is very valuable and important. 

Deciding to go back to college to become a therapist was terrifying. I had a lot of self doubt and worry about my ability to stay organized, remember my schedule/assignments, recall/remember information, my ability to keep up in class and on the homework. I was constantly nervous and stressed out.

My first semester was really challenging, and truthfully at the time I was very hard on and unaccepting of my ADHD. It empowered me to seek information and help, which led me to starting medication again. My personal choice to start medication again greatly impacted my quality of life. 

The combination of therapy, medication, and a commitment to self-discovery brought about significant improvements. My ability to retain information, focus during lectures, and stay organized underwent a transformation, albeit through trial and error. 

Midway into my first year, the pandemic hit. I was really worried that transitioning to online was going to negatively impact me. In some ways it did present new challenges, specifically in the area of focusing in class. Knowing that I find it challenging to focus on a lecture online, I again began to develop new skills to support myself and my desire to pay attention. As a student and as a therapist I developed a lot of self-awareness which helps me find ways to support myself in completing or achieving goals and tasks. 

Looking ahead as I build my private practice as an ADHD therapist, my aspirations extend beyond personal growth. I strive to become a center for spreading awareness about ADHD and creating a safe, accepting, and neurodivergent-affirming space for all those I encounter. The journey is ongoing, but with each step, I embrace the unique strengths that ADHD brings to my life and therapeutic practice.