In-person in Sterling, VA and Online
Therapy for
High Achievers with ADHD
Is your life spiraling out of control?
Maybe you just had a big health scare due to chronic stress and poor self-care, or perhaps you repeatedly missed important deadlines despite your best efforts and your boss is not happy with you. Maybe you are cracking under the constant pressure to be perfect in all areas of your life, or perhaps your important relationships are breaking down. You may be struggling to complete your day-to-day activities, or simply not getting out of bed at all. Perhaps you’re feeling like a failure.
Whatever it is that you’re experiencing,
you’re beginning to notice the impact of this in every facet of your life:
- You are high achieving academically or professionally, but you struggle with things like regulating sleep, diet, self care, actually getting to class on time, losing your books, losing your student ID, forgetting an assignment altogether, and managing time.
- In school, classes that interested you were a slam dunk even if they were difficult. Boring classes you would come close to failing. If you wrote papers ahead of time, they just weren’t as good. You pulled all nighters but you cranked out A+ work that way- as long as you didn’t run out of time.
Doing well is important.
- You are constantly scrambling. You are determined to achieve your goals at the cost of your health and wellness. You can’t figure out how to rest. Because of untreated, or even undiagnosed, ADHD, you have to sacrifice a lot of time and energy to keep up. You are burned out.
- Your home life is closer to shambles than you ever want it to be.
- You have made it this far in life, because you were able to compensate- you have developed a robust system of coping mechanism to mask your executive dysfunction – no classes before 11, you taped lectures and listened to them while running, you typed out your class notes because it helped them stick in your brain.
- Maybe you have done super well in grade school and high school and was often top of your class, but you start having issues when you get into higher education, or move out on your own while having a full time job, or have kids, where there tends to be less externally imposed structure and much more demands.
- Your life is filled with chronic procrastination. You put off every assignment until the last possible second. You are a massive daydreamer. You can stare at an empty screen for literal hours and don’t realize how much time has passed.
However, panic and competition kept you motivated.
- When you are super stressed or backed into a corner, you kick into hyper focus and all of a sudden, you can do things really well. You wonder if you can sustain that as you age.
- You can do incredible things when you stress out of your mind and hyper-focus, like writing 3 seminar-length papers in a week and a half, but the crash after is really bad.
- You experience intense, overwhelming, “gun-to-the-head” anxiety.
- You are just “lazy” to people; nobody seem to understand your experience.
- You feel like you’re just on the verge of being found out to be a fraud. Lots of imposter syndrome and you feel empty.
You spent years trying to do so many things,
- then getting anxious because of all the things on your plate, then getting overwhelmed because you didn’t think you could do it all, then feeling depressed and guilty because you didn’t do all the things you wanted to do and felt like a failure.
- Perfectionism turned you into an workaholic with a severe burnout.
- Crippling fear of failure and letting people down have kept you going.
- You struggle to make and maintain close friends because you kinda just forget to stay in contact with people.
- Your impulsivity and habit of picking up and dropping hobbies along with your poor ability to track and detail things mean your finances are a disaster.
- You want to incorporate different and new pieces in your life to make it more whole – social life, relationships, dating, self care and growth, personal projects, finding interests, but you find it really hard.
- Maybe you experience anger issues, mood swings, and even become dependent on substances.
Please hear me when I say this:
ADHD Therapy can help!
It may feel impossible now, but you can feel more in control of your life. You can feel more confident in yourself. You can feel calm and peace. You can have work-life balance. You can work with your ADHD and harness its power. And I can help you get there.
ADHD Therapy with me helps you do 10 things:
- Equip you with the tools to manage your time and emotions better. You will not get overwhelmed so easily and become more stable. Therapy will bring a lot more peace to your life.
- Know how to set boundaries and prioritize what matters. Focus on what’s important and follow through.
- Learn how to handle stress and anxiety.
- Improve your relationships with your loved ones.
- Slow down and consider options to make decisions that you’re proud of and that align with your long-terms goals.
- Set strategies that play to your strengths and help you manage the challenges.
- Find a sense of calm and be more mindful.
- Improve self-esteem. You can take feedback without taking it personally. You can listen, learn, and improve without feeling attacked.
- Stay present and engaged. You’ll learn to be more connected to your loved ones and make your relationships stronger.
- Stop beating yourself up for mistakes. Learn how to be more forgiving and patient with yourself.
I’ll help you through this process,
tailoring each step to your unique needs and circumstances. My approach to ADHD therapy comes from a place of hope: believing that ADHD is not just a set of challenges to overcome, but also a unique way of thinking that, when properly managed, can lead to exceptional strengths and successes.
This belief is grounded in the idea that:
1. Individuals with ADHD often possess extraordinary creativity, problem-solving skills, and energy. Therapy helps them channel these strengths effectively, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for innovation and achievement.
2. ADHD therapy isn’t just about managing symptoms; it’s about personal growth and self-discovery. The journey through therapy can lead to greater self-awareness, improved self-esteem, and a deeper understanding of one’s abilities.
3. Therapy equips individuals with the tools to navigate life’s challenges with resilience. By learning to manage ADHD effectively, they can handle setbacks with a positive mindset and bounce back stronger than before.
4. With the right strategies, people with ADHD can achieve their full potential in both their personal and professional lives. Therapy helps them unlock this potential, allowing them to thrive rather than merely cope.
5. The optimistic approach emphasizes empowerment—helping individuals take control of their ADHD and use it to their advantage. They are encouraged to see themselves not as limited by their condition, but as capable of achieving great things because of the unique way their minds work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Therapy length will depend on your needs and goals. I constantly check in with you to make sure that your goals are met. While there is no guarantee, many of my clients feel better after 10 -15 weekly therapy sessions.
ADHD therapy sessions are designed to be supportive, structured, and highly personalized to address the specific challenges and strengths of the individual. An ADHD therapy session might involve:
- Building rapport and setting goals: the first few sessions are focused on building a trusting relationship between my client and me. I will take time to understand your life experiences, challenges, and goals. Together we will set achievable goals for therapy.
- Psychoeducation: I will help you understand your ADHD — what it is, how it affects the brain, and how it influences behavior and emotions. We will identify your strengths related to ADHD, such as creativity, energy, and problem-solving skills, and find ways to leverage these in your daily life.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques: I will help you recognize unhelpful thought patterns, such as negative self-talk or catastrophizing, replace them with more constructive thoughts. You will learn practical techniques to manage your behavior, like breaking tasks into smaller steps, etc.
- Skill training: If there is a need, I will help you learn about and implement effective time management skills, organization skills, impulse control strategies.
- Emotional regulation: therapy often includes techniques for managing strong emotions. This might involve mindfulness practices, deep breathing exercises, or learning to identify and label emotions. If you experience anxiety and/or depression, therapy will also address these issues.
- Building self-esteem and self-compassion: I will help you recognize your successes, however big or small, and build self-esteem. You will learn to be kinder to yourself when you encounter setbacks.
Overall, my ADHD therapy sessions are collaborative, goal-oriented, and tailored to you unique needs. We will talk, while focusing on practical solutions, emotional support, and empowering you to manage ADHD effectively in all areas of life.
Determining whether ADHD therapy is right for you involves a combination of self-reflection, recognizing your challenges, and understanding what therapy can offer. Do you identify with the symptoms of ADHD and how they manifest in your daily lives? If you have an ADHD diagnosis, some of the questions you may consider are:
- “Am I ready to make changes?” Are you motivated to learn new strategies and willing to put in the effort to implement them in your daily life? Do you feel ready to explore your ADHD in a safe, supportive environment and work toward managing it effectively?
- “Do I want to understand myself better?” Are you curious about how ADHD affects your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions? Would you like to learn how to leverage your strengths and mitigate the challenges that come with ADHD?
- “Am I looking for practical solutions?” Are you seeking practical, hands-on strategies to improve your focus, organization, time management, and emotional regulation?
- “Am I open to support and guidance?” Are you open to receiving feedback and guidance from a therapist who understands ADHD and can help you navigate its challenges?
- “Have I tried other methods without success?” Have you tried other methods (self-help, lifestyle changes) but still feel like you’re struggling?
If you answered yes to many of the questions above, ADHD therapy with me might be a good fit for you. Reach out today!
If you currently are not diagnosed with ADHD and you suspect you might have it, reach out and get in touch. I can help you with getting evaluated.
Reach out and set up your free 15-minute consultation. This meeting is a chance to discuss your needs, ask questions, and see if you feel comfortable. A good therapeutic relationship is key to effective therapy. I am happy to answer your questions. If we both feel that we are a good fit, we can then schedule our first session!
Ready to get started?
Don't face your struggles alone - get the help you deserve.
During your free 15-minute call, we’ll chat about what you’re looking for and make sure we’re a good fit for each other. If you’re ready to dive in, we’ll schedule our first session!
I’m so excited to chat and get to know you better!
