Written by Luisa Kos
Table of contents
Understanding ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a common mental health condition that affects how people think, learn, and behave. It is often misunderstood and can present itself in different ways depending on the individual. People with ADHD may experience persistent symptoms, such as difficulty focusing, controlling impulses, or regulating their mood, and these symptoms can have a significant impact on both children and adults, especially in daily life.
It’s important to remember that ADHD is not a reflection of intelligence or ability. With the right treatment and support, individuals with ADHD can manage their symptoms and lead fulfilling lives. The Therapist Finder offers a range of ADHD services, connecting you with qualified therapists who can provide the support and therapy you need.
What is ADHD
- Maintaining attention on tasks
- Following instructions or completing projects
- Impulse control and emotional regulation
- Restlessness or excessive movement
- Forgetfulness and time management
ADHD Assessment - Getting An ADHD Diagnosis
If you suspect that you or a loved one may have ADHD, getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step toward receiving the appropriate mental health support. A diagnosis of ADHD is made based on a comprehensive evaluation of the individual’s medical history, a review of their symptoms, and sometimes, behavioural assessments. Diagnosing ADHD involves considering other mental health conditions that may share similar traits, such as mood disorders or oppositional defiant disorder. Here’s what you should know:
- The assessment process may involve a clinical interview to understand your medical history and personal experiences.
- Questionnaires and rating scales, often completed by the individual and caregivers, help gauge the severity of symptoms.
- Observing the individual’s behaviour in different environments may help highlight inattentive symptoms or impulsive symptoms that are key indicators of ADHD.
Once a diagnosis is made, treatment options, including behavioural interventions, can be explored to manage ADHD symptoms and improve quality of life. Early diagnosis is essential to ensure timely support and intervention, which can significantly improve an individual’s overall development.
Children & ADHD
Children with ADHD often face unique challenges, both at home and at school. They may struggle with following instructions, paying attention in class, and managing their impulses. These difficulties can lead to frustration, which may manifest as low self-esteem. It’s important for parents to seek early diagnosis, as behavioural interventions and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can significantly improve a child’s ability to manage their symptoms.
Parents should also consider enrolling their child in support groups to connect with other families facing similar challenges. ADHD support groups can offer helpful strategies and emotional support to both children and their families. These groups also encourage sharing experiences and resources, ensuring that children don’t have to navigate their mental health condition alone.
Adults & ADHD
ADHD doesn’t just affect children; it can persist into adulthood. Adults with ADHD may struggle with maintaining focus at work, managing time, or regulating their emotions, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and poor self-esteem. Additionally, adults with ADHD may be more prone to sleep disorders, which can exacerbate symptoms. ADHD can also present with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder, complicating its diagnosis and treatment.
Treatment for adults with ADHD often involves a combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle adjustments. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is particularly effective in addressing mood disorders and helping individuals create structure and routine in their lives. These strategies, along with ongoing mental health support, can help adults with ADHD thrive in both their personal and professional lives.
Therapies For ADHD Symptoms
Therapy plays an important role in managing ADHD. It helps individuals develop the necessary skills to cope with inattentive symptoms, impulsivity, and restlessness. Behavioural interventions, such as CBT, can help individuals gain better control over their emotions and behaviours. Therapies can also address mood disorders that often accompany ADHD, such as anxiety or depression.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is effective in helping individuals change negative thought patterns that affect their behaviour.
- Occupational therapy can provide sensory integration support and help with daily life tasks.
- Speech and language therapy is useful for individuals who struggle with communication and social skills.
By seeking appropriate therapy, individuals with ADHD can better manage their condition and lead more balanced lives.
Medication For ADHD
Medication is often a key component of ADHD treatment, particularly for individuals with moderate to severe symptoms. Stimulant medications are commonly prescribed to help manage impulsive symptoms and improve focus. However, it’s important to note that medication should always be used in combination with behavioural interventions, rather than as a sole treatment.
- Stimulants such as methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine are effective in managing focus and impulse control.
- Non-stimulant medications, such as atomoxetine, are an option for individuals who experience side effects from stimulants.
- Medications for ADHD are often prescribed alongside treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions, such as mood disorders or anxiety.
Medication can be highly effective in managing ADHD symptoms, but it should always be carefully monitored by a healthcare provider to ensure its efficacy and minimise potential side effects.
Self-Help Strategies For ADHD
While therapy and medication are essential for treating ADHD, individuals can also benefit from self-help strategies. By creating structure and routines, individuals with ADHD can reduce the chaos that often leads to careless mistakes and impulsive behaviour. These strategies can empower individuals to take control of their symptoms and improve their daily functioning.
- Establishing consistent routines can help with time management and reduce forgetfulness.
- Using visual aids, such as planners or reminders, can support organisation and task completion.
- Practising mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing, can help manage emotional regulation.
Implementing these strategies can complement professional treatment and improve quality of life for individuals with ADHD.
Get The Support You Need With The Therapist Finder
If you’re struggling with ADHD, don’t navigate this journey alone. The Therapist Finder connects you with experienced professionals who understand ADHD and are qualified to help. Whether you’re seeking therapy for yourself or your child, our directory offers a range of specialists who can provide tailored support. Explore therapists specialising in ADHD services in your area today and find the help you need to manage your symptoms and thrive.
Therapists who can help with ADHD
Tony Wilkinson
MBACP registered integrative transpersonal counsellor with over 22 years of clinical experience. He holds a Diploma in Integrative Transpersonal Counselling from Re-Vision and practises from Ealing (Wednesdays and Thursdays) and London Bridge (Mondays), with online availability at other times. Before retraining, Tony spent several years as a professional actor having trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. This background lends his practice a rich sensitivity to questions of identity, shame, and the nature of the self. He has particular expertise in men’s issues, shame, grief, and family trauma.
Rebecca Conway
It’s normal to need support with our mental health and wellbeing. Sometimes we need help to feel more at ease in a specific area of our lives, or perhaps to explore why we feel the way we do. Whatever your hopes are for therapy, I strive to create a safe and supportive space tailored for you. I am a Clinical Psychologist, which means I am trained to support people with different hopes, needs, and difficulties, by using a wide range of therapies. I work by first understanding more about you and what has brought you to therapy, before agreeing on a therapeutic approach which will best suit your individual needs. I can support you with a range of difficulties, including work with children, young people, and adults. I also have specialist skills in therapy for trauma, antenatal and postnatal support, and parenting. Evidence-based therapies I regularly apply in my work include Eye-Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Systemic Therapy. No matter what your hopes are for therapy, you are welcome to reach out for an initial consultation. After this, we will go into more depth to establish a personalised therapy plan for you.
Randeep Singh Basra
Whether you have experienced a setback which has knocked your confidence, or you have never felt confident as a person, I specialise in supporting people to improve how they feel about themselves. By overcoming anxiety and low mood, I can help you to be more relaxed and confident in yourself. My approach: I can help you to explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to help you understand how they impact mental health. I believe being compassionate and non-judgemental are key factors to me helping you to be as open and honest as you can. We will consider your cultural needs and the influence they have on your difficulties. We will work together collaboratively to work towards your goals and achieve long lasting change. I will ensure we go at your own pace and help you to build awareness of what is maintaining the difficulty. Whether that’s dealing with stress from work, unhealthy relationships, worry about loved ones or feeling demotivated, we will figure out ways to empower you to overcome them together. Who I can help: My speciality is to help you to recover your confidence if you have anxiety and depression. We may address low self-esteem (how you might see yourself negatively) if we agree it is an underlying cause. Facing this can be a difficult thing to do alone and we will work together to understand the impact of how you see yourself. I have developed my practice to accommodate for people with neurodivergence (ADHD and autism), for which I can make adaptations. I have experience working with new parents and I am passionate about helping them to achieve balance and feel good enough. What I can offer: I offer sessions in person at a dedicated space in Sidcup, or online using video call software. Throughout my work, I receive regular supervision with an experienced CBT Therapist to ensure I can deliver the best possible therapy. In the free 15 minute introductory call, I will ask you about your experiences and answer any questions you have. Do it for you! I understand that seeking help and going through the therapy process can be daunting and challenging, having used psychotherapy myself. Getting to know yourself better and making changes is the first step towards finding peace and achieving your potential. Rest assured that by starting therapy, you are taking steps to improve your mental health and set yourself free from what is holding you back.
Gemma Thomas
I offer Integrative, person-centred therapy. I have a detailed awareness of the impact of grief, anxiety, anger and stress. This is particularly true for (but not limited to) the workplace environment. I have an awareness and understanding of the issues impacting LGBTQIA people and neurodiverse individuals. I offer a personalised and trauma-informed service, tailored around your needs.
Jerri Prior
I’m an NHS award-winning, BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT) and Social Worker with over 15 years of experience supporting children, young people, adults, and families. People usually come to me when they’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward. This might be anxiety, low mood, stress, burnout, or difficulties linked to neurodiversity such as ADHD or autism. I use a range of evidence-based approaches including CBT, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and person-centred therapy. In simple terms, that means I tailor the work to you, rather than expecting you to fit into a fixed model. I’m known for building strong, trusting relationships quickly, whether I’m working with a child, a teenager, or an adult. Clients often say they feel understood early on, which helps us get to meaningful change faster. I also have a strong track record of positive outcomes, with consistent feedback and testimonials reflecting the impact of the work. See below: https://www.priormindset.com/testimonals/patient-and-nhs-service-testimonial-1 Alongside therapy, I support parents with behaviour, school refusal, and navigating systems like EHCPs, and I work with organisations to better support neurodiverse individuals.
James Crossland
I am an integrative counsellor and founder of Crossway Therapy, working with individuals and couples. I have experience supporting people through relationship and attachment difficulties, childhood trauma, and patterns rooted in early relational experiences. My work also includes anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, addiction and problematic behaviours, burnout, and major life transitions.
Before qualifying as a counsellor, I spent many years working as an international music producer. Having worked within creative and performance-driven industries, I understand the pressures of self-employment, uncertainty, perfectionism, creative blocks, and balancing ambition with wellbeing. This experience informs my work with creatives, freelancers, and professionals seeking greater fulfilment in both their personal and working lives.
Rebecca Cockayne
I’m Rebecca, an integrative therapist and coach who works with clients navigating confidence, identity, relationships, work stress, and emotional patterns that can feel hard to shift alone. I bring a calm, grounded presence to our work, and hold space for the parts of you that feel unseen, stuck, or uncertain while also gently supporting change. Before retraining in psychological therapies, I worked in high-pressure environments: first in banking, and later as a British diplomat. That experience deeply informs how I understand anxiety, burnout, performance pressure and identity struggles, especially for those in roles of responsibility. But our work doesn’t just stay in the world of achievement, it also explores attachment, emotion, family history, and the early relational experiences that shape how we move through the world. I’ve supported hundreds of clients internationally, across therapy, coaching, and EMDR. My approach is warm, attuned and thoughtful but also active, collaborative and grounded in evidence. I work well with people who are self-aware but feel stuck; who want to understand themselves more deeply and feel more like themselves in both their inner and outer worlds.
Daniel Henry-Welsh
Using an integrative approach, I tailor counselling to your individual needs, drawing on a range of therapeutic methods while building a genuine and trusting relationship. I offer both face-to-face and online counselling for adults, creating a flexible and accessible service that fits around modern life.
Maria Ángeles Fajardo Durán
Welcome to Honest Therapy. You may be experiencing low-mood and sadness; overwhelm or anxiety; you may be feeling stuck and unsure how to move forward; you may be faced with a challenging or new situation or maybe you are not feeling understood and experiencing low self-esteem. Working together, we will look at feelings, thoughts and behaviours, past and present, and explore how they connect to help you gain understanding and awareness, allowing us to work towards future goals that will contribute to enhance your wellbeing and thrive in life.
Dafina Ganeva
I started my psychotherapy career as a volunteer of the bereavement team in St.Christopher’s hospice.
Is There Any ADHD Treatment?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating ADHD. Each individual’s treatment plan should be personalised to meet their specific needs. In addition to therapy and medication, other forms of support may include lifestyle changes and involvement in support groups. For those with persistent symptoms, a combination of treatment options may be necessary to address the different aspects of ADHD.
Early intervention and treatment are essential to managing ADHD successfully. The right support, when provided early, can reduce the impact of ADHD on an individual’s life, allowing them to reach their full potential.
Supporting Children and Adults With ADHD
Supporting both children and adults with ADHD requires a holistic approach, considering all aspects of their mental health. This includes behavioural interventions, therapy, and lifestyle adjustments. By addressing not just the symptoms but also the underlying emotional challenges, individuals with ADHD can experience long-term improvements in their daily functioning.
For children, involving parents and caregivers in the treatment process can ensure that the strategies developed are implemented consistently at home. For adults, therapy and support groups can provide ongoing mental health support, helping them manage their symptoms in a way that fits with their lifestyle.
At The Therapist Finder, we can also help you find therapists who specialise in multiple disciplines – from ADHD & autism to anxiety and depression, getting the treatment you need has never been easier.
Need Help? Contact The Therapist Finder Now
If you or a loved one is struggling with ADHD, The Therapist Finder can help you connect with professionals who specialise in ADHD support. Browse our directory to find therapists who can provide the help and guidance you need. Reach out today and take the first step toward managing your ADHD symptoms and living a fulfilling life. Our dedicated team is here to support you every step of the way. Back to The Therapist Finder.