I provide psychotherapy services for adults and adolescents struggling with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD treatment will help you understand how this neurological condition affects your daily life, provide targeted interventions designed to limit the impact of inattentiveness, impulsivity and hyperactivity, and help you deal with unproductive feelings and beliefs about yourself accumulated over the years.
What is ADHD?
Many ADHD adults struggle with knowing what they are supposed to do, but have great difficulty actually doing it- like losing bills before paying them; forgetting to meet a friend somewhere; getting to work late; not meeting work deadlines, etc. As a result, people often see them as irresponsible or selfish and can’t understand why they don’t just do better. ADHD can cause a lot of frustration for the ADHD person, but also for family, friends, romantic partners, and coworkers.
The core symptoms of ADHD are excessive distractibility, impulsivity and restlessness. These can lead afflicted individuals to underachieve at school, at work, in relationships, and in other settings. ADHD symptoms fall broadly into two sub types: 1. Hyperactivity-impulsivity, and 2. Inattention-focus problems.
The hyperactivity symptoms include:
Fidgeting
Difficulty remaining seated for prolonged period of time
Being overly active
Difficulty doing things quietly
Often “on the go”
Talking excessively
The impulsivity symptoms include:
Blurting out answers
Difficulty waiting one’s turn
Disrupting or intruding on others
Choosing immediate rewards over long-term gains.
The inattentiveness-focus symptoms, include:
Making careless mistakes
Difficulty sustaining attention
Person doesn’t seem to listen
Poor follow-through
Difficulty organizing
Avoiding sustained mental effort
Losing things
Being easily distracted
Being forgetful
We don’t know exactly what causes ADHD. We do know that it tends to run in families, and therefore is at least genetically influenced. Furthermore, we have evidence that ADHD has biological bases. Numerous brain scan (MRI and PET) studies found differences between ADHD brain and non-ADHD brain, and these differences correlate with the symptoms that we see in ADHD. It is hypothesized at present that genetics, biological and environmental factors combine to cause the development of ADHD symptoms and deficits.
ADHD treatment for adults, teens and children often is medication. Medication makes it much easier to do what needs to be done, with less effort. However, the best ADHD treatment outcomes have been observed combining medication treatment with psychotherapy. In psychotherapy, clients learn about ADHD as a neurological condition, which helps to get rid of the unproductive blame and guilt that the person has accumulated over the years of struggle. A therapist works with the client to understand how ADHD has impacted the person’s life, and helps the person let go of unproductive feelings. In therapy, ADHD clients learn about strategies and skills that tend to be helpful- like time management, organization, prioritizing, etc. Identification of talents and strengths is one of the most important parts of the treatment. A full testing is often very helpful not just to confirm a diagnosis, but also to highlight the areas of strengths we can build on, and weaknesses that we have to work on. I collaborate with several neuropsychologists and psychologists to refer you for a full or partial testing for ADHD in Montreal.
I have been specializing in ADHD therapy for the past 10 years. My treatment methods combine cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, education, promoting strengths, teaching self-management skills, and changes in lifestyle. My neuroscience background gives me a unique advantage of being able to explain to you where the symptoms you experience come from, and why the techniques and strategies I am teaching you work. My psychopharmacology training also allows me to be able to explain how medications work, and help you decide if it may be a right choice for you.
Therapy fee is fixed at $180 per session (tax inclusive).
Are you struggling with focusing, forgetfulness, distractibility? Contact me today to see how psychotherapy can help you!
I offer a free 20 min phone consultation to answer any questions you may have about the process of therapy and the way I work.
