Appointments are available Monday to Friday.
PLEASE NOTE: Ruth offers phone and video sessions only.​
Appointments are available Monday to Friday.
PLEASE NOTE: Ruth offers phone and video sessions only.​
What Is ADHD?
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how your brain manages attention, impulses, and activity levels. It's not about laziness or lack of willpower. It's about how your brain is wired.
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For some people, ADHD means constant distraction—starting tasks but never finishing them, losing track of time, or forgetting important details no matter how hard they try to remember. For others, it's restlessness, impulsivity, or difficulty sitting still. Many people experience both.
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ADHD often creates secondary problems that feel just as difficult as the core symptoms—damaged relationships, chronic lateness, work struggles, low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression.
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The good news is that ADHD is manageable. With the right support, you can build systems that work with your brain instead of against it.
Understanding what type of ADHD you're dealing with—and what problems it's creating in your life—is a good place to start.
Inattentive Type
This type involves difficulty sustaining focus, following through on tasks, and staying organized. People often describe their mind as "foggy" or constantly wandering. Details slip through the cracks. Conversations feel hard to track. Deadlines sneak up unexpectedly, even when you meant to stay on top of things.
Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
This type shows up as restlessness, fidgeting, and difficulty staying still. There's often a sense of being "driven by a motor." Impulsivity can mean interrupting others, making quick decisions without thinking them through, or acting on urges that create problems later. Sitting through meetings or waiting your turn feels unbearable.
Combined Type
Most people with ADHD have both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. The combination creates a push-pull experience—your mind drifts while your body feels restless, or you hyperfocus intensely on one thing while everything else falls apart.
ADHD In Adults
Adult ADHD often looks different than childhood ADHD. The hyperactivity becomes internal restlessness. Organization and time management problems intensify as life gets more complex. Many adults weren't diagnosed as children and spent years thinking they were just "bad at life." They've internalized years of criticism and developed coping strategies that barely hold things together.
ADHD in Women and Girls
ADHD in women and girls is frequently missed because symptoms are often internalized rather than externalized. Instead of obvious hyperactivity, there's daydreaming, anxiety, or people-pleasing to compensate for disorganization. Many women aren't diagnosed until adulthood, after years of struggling silently and wondering why everything feels so much harder for them.
ADHD, Anxiety & Depression
ADHD rarely travels alone. The constant experience of falling short, forgetting things, or disappointing people often leads to anxiety and depression. Some people develop anxiety from always feeling unprepared. Others sink into depression after years of trying hard and still failing. Treatment needs to address all three conditions, not just one.
How Do I Know If I Have ADHD?
Many people wonder if what they're experiencing is actually ADHD or just normal forgetfulness and stress.
A formal diagnosis involves a visit to a medical doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist, but the following list of symptoms from the DSM-5 is a starting place to explore whether you may have ADHD. If you identify with several symptoms from either category—or both—it's worth talking to a professional who can conduct a thorough assessment.
Inattentive Type Symptoms
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Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities
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Often has trouble holding attention when spoken to, on tasks, or during activities
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Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or workplace duties (loses focus or gets sidetracked)
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Often has trouble organizing tasks and activities
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Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks requiring sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework)
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Often loses things necessary for tasks and activities (school materials, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, phone)
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Is often easily distracted, forgetful
Hyperactive-Impulsive Type Symptoms
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Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat
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Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected
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Often runs about or climbs in situations where it's not appropriate (in adolescents or adults, may be limited to feeling restless)
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Often unable to play or engage in leisure activities quietly
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Is often "on the go," acting as if "driven by a motor"
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Often talks excessively, excitably
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Often blurts out answers before questions have been completed
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Often has trouble waiting their turn
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Often interrupts or intrudes on others (butts into conversations or games)
The Cost Of Untreated ADHD
ADHD doesn't just make life harder—it creates a cascade of secondary problems that can feel impossible to untangle on your own.
At Work:
Missed deadlines and incomplete projects damage your reputation, even when you're working twice as hard as everyone else just to keep up. You might change jobs frequently because you can't sustain focus long-term or because workplace conflicts pile up. Colleagues see you as unreliable or careless, even though you care deeply about doing well.
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In Relationships:
Partners feel ignored or unimportant when you forget plans, zone out mid-conversation, or miss important dates. Your impulsive reactions create conflict you regret hours later. Friends stop inviting you because you cancel last-minute or show up late. You're seen as inconsiderate, even though the reality is you're overwhelmed and struggling to manage it all.
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With Self-Esteem:
Years of being called "lazy," "careless," "spacey," or "not living up to your potential" take a toll. You develop deep shame about not being able to do things others find simple. There's a constant internal narrative that you're not good enough, that you're broken, or that you'll never get it together no matter how hard you try.
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Daily Functioning:
Chronic lateness strains friendships and professional relationships. Financial problems develop from impulsive spending, forgotten bills, or disorganization. Your living space is chaotic, which adds to stress and makes it harder to function. Simple tasks—like grocery shopping, meal planning, or returning phone calls—feel monumental.
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Mental Health:
Anxiety builds from constantly feeling behind, unprepared, or about to be exposed as incompetent. Depression sets in after repeated failures and frustration. Some people turn to substances to self-medicate the restlessness, calm the racing thoughts, or numb the shame.
Getting Therapy Support For ADHD
If you're reading this, you've likely been managing ADHD on your own for a while.
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Maybe it's affecting your work performance, straining your relationships, or leaving you exhausted from constantly fighting your own brain. You probably have real strengths—creativity, hyperfocus, quick thinking—but the forgotten deadlines, missed plans, and chronic lateness keep sabotaging you. You've tried to push through, but the chaos keeps coming back.
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That's where our therapists can help.
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We use approaches that have strong research behind them—Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) adapted for ADHD, organizational coaching designed for how your brain actually works, emotional regulation strategies for rejection sensitivity, and practical systems that don't require you to suddenly become detail-oriented. We help you repair relationships damaged by ADHD patterns, address anxiety and depression that developed from years of struggle, and rebuild self-esteem after a lifetime of being called lazy or careless.
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Therapy doesn't 'cure' ADHD; it helps you understand how your brain works and
builds systems that work with it instead of against it,
so your ADHD stops sabotaging you and starts working in your favor.
Taking The Next Step
It's normal to feel unsure about reaching out for help with ADHD.
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Many people hesitate because they're worried they'll forget appointments,
anxious about yet another system that won't work,
or afraid a therapist won't understand that ADHD is real, not just being scattered or unmotivated.
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When you contact us, you'll speak with someone from our client care team who will
take the time to listen and understand what you've been dealing with.
They'll help match you with a therapist who fits your needs and preferences.
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From there, your therapist will move at a pace that feels manageable for you.
Our therapists are trained in treating ADHD and understand how exhausting it can feel
to constantly fight your own brain. Early sessions focus on getting to know you and understanding how ADHD shows up in your life. A few sessions later, you'll be building small, practical systems
to manage time, stay organized, regulate emotions, and rebuild relationships.
ADHD doesn't have to run your life. Let's work together!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I know if I have ADHD or if I'm just disorganized?
A. If disorganization, forgetfulness, or difficulty focusing has been a lifelong pattern—not just a recent stress response—and it's affecting multiple areas of your life (work, relationships, daily tasks), ADHD might be a factor. A thorough assessment can help clarify.
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Q. Can adults be diagnosed with ADHD, or is it just a childhood issue?
A. ADHD is a lifelong condition. Many adults weren't diagnosed as children, especially women, because symptoms were missed or misunderstood. Adult diagnosis is common and valid.
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Q. Do I need to be on medication to manage ADHD?
A. Not necessarily. Some people manage ADHD through therapy, coaching, and lifestyle strategies alone. Others find medication helpful. Your therapist can help you explore options and coordinate with a doctor if medication makes sense for you.
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Q. What kind of therapy works best for ADHD?
A. CBT adapted for ADHD, organizational coaching, emotional regulation training, and skill-building approaches all have strong support. Your therapist will tailor methods to your specific challenges.
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Q. Can therapy help with the anxiety and depression that come with ADHD?
A. Yes. ADHD often contributes to anxiety and depression, and effective therapy addresses all three. Treatment helps you manage ADHD symptoms while also working through the emotional toll they've taken.
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Q. What should I expect in my first therapy session for ADHD?
A. You'll talk about the challenges you're facing, where ADHD shows up most and what you're hoping will change. Your therapist will listen, explain how therapy works, and help you set realistic first goals.
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Q. How long does ADHD therapy usually take?
A. It depends on your goals. Some people notice improvements within weeks as they learn new strategies. Others work on deeper patterns—like rebuilding self-esteem or repairing relationships—over several months.
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Q. Is ADHD therapy covered by insurance?
A. Most insurance plans cover sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist or Social Worker. Check your plan under "psychotherapy" or "social work."
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Q. Do I need a doctor's referral to start ADHD therapy?
A. No. You can contact a therapist directly to begin. If you need a formal diagnosis or medication evaluation, your therapist can help coordinate that.
