ADHD: what counselling support is available?

Through my work as a counsellor, I have supported many clients who experience ADHD and AuDHD. This has given me insight into some of the challenges people may experience and the different ways counselling can offer support.

When you contact a counsellor, you'll likely find them understanding, non-judgmental and considerate of your needs. In particular, a counsellor who has experience working with people with ADHD will understand the different ways ADHD can present and how this may affect you.

They can adapt the way they communicate to meet your needs, for example, by using your preferred method of communication and adjusting their pace or tone of voice. They may also understand how ADHD can affect things like memory, organisation and time management, whether that's keeping track of appointments or remembering what was discussed in a previous session.

Types of counselling support for ADHD

Everyone’s experience of ADHD is different, so the support that works for you may be different too. Here are some approaches that may help.

CBT

Managing ADHD can sometimes feel like trying to juggle too many things at once. Your mind might jump from one thought to the next, with tasks unfinished and attention scattered. You may feel overwhelmed, but you are not alone, and there are tools that you can learn to help. One approach for managing these challenges is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

With a CBT counsellor, you won't just be talking through your challenges – you'll be actively building practical skills that help you stay organised, manage distractions, and regain focus.

Depending on the client, there may be sessions on:

• sleep hygiene
• the 3-2-1 method to help with impulse control
• the 5-minute rule – working on a task for 5 minutes at a time
• SMART goals – breaking tasks down to become more achievable

Several grounding and relaxation exercises may be used to help a client emotionally regulate, stay in the here and now, in their body, and to relax a little. Everyone’s mind works differently, and a skilled counsellor experienced in these exercises can get to know the way your mind works and explore what could be suitable for you. This could include using the senses, visualisation techniques, body awareness or deep breathing.

The length of these exercises may be shortened to accommodate the client's needs, but this helps many people to learn to relax a little, slow down and become more self-aware.

Mindfulness

Grounding, relaxation and more self-awareness are aspects of mindfulness. If you can learn how to become grounded, you can become more aware of what is going on in your mind. Mindfulness involves paying attention to what is going on inside and outside of ourselves.

An important part of mindfulness is learning to notice our thoughts and feelings as they happen, moment by moment. This can help you enjoy the world around you more and understand yourself better. Mindfulness lets us understand how we become entangled in a stream of thoughts that are not helpful.

Learning mindfulness can also help to reduce impulsive actions. We can learn the ability to pause for a few seconds before reacting to a situation. When an impulsive thought arises, take a deep breath, count to five, and ask whether your initial reaction is the most appropriate response. This allows for more time for deliberate decision-making.

Mindfulness can be practised anywhere. We take our minds wherever we go, but we can learn to stop for a moment and become aware of our thoughts and feelings. This might involve naming a feeling and recognising that our thoughts and feelings are mental events that can come and go.

Emotional support and exploring past experiences

A counsellor will build a relationship with you and become a reliable bond (which you may not have had much of, or at all). They will provide a safe space for you, where you can express what you want to, be that anger, craving, sadness, or grief. If you’re experiencing low self-esteem, counselling can also provide a space to explore this and build a healthier sense of self. Grief and frustrations with the assessment process can arise for clients too, including grieving the self that spent many years without a diagnosis.

Counselling can also offer an opportunity to explore past experiences or trauma where these are relevant to you. In his book Scattered Minds, Dr Gabor Maté discusses how past experiences can influence our emotional responses in the present. If trauma is something you have experienced, a counsellor can hold space for you to express and understand your trauma.

How counselling may help

In my experience, some clients with ADHD have found counselling helpful in managing the challenges they experience and making positive changes in their lives. This might include learning to slow down, creating healthier boundaries with others or finding ways to regulate their emotions.

Some clients have also reduced their medication while attending counselling, in consultation with their doctor. Medication can be safe and effective for many people, while non-drug approaches may also help individuals manage the challenges they experience alongside appropriate medical supervision (Sonuga-Barke, 2025).

ADHD-affirming spaces

A counsellor familiar with ADHD will understand the assessment process and where you need to go, depending on where you are in your assessment and diagnosis journey. They will also understand the growing awareness of ADHD and neurodivergence, and can offer a space where your experiences are recognised and taken seriously.

There are also ADHD-focused accounts and communities on social media that can provide information, support and a sense of connection with others. Some may also offer support groups or help to raise awareness and acceptance of neurodivergence.

There is hope

In summary, there is counselling support available for people with ADHD. As awareness of ADHD grows, more counsellors may have lived experience and/or knowledge of how to support people with ADHD.

When looking for a counsellor, you may find it helpful to choose someone who has a good understanding of ADHD and experience supporting people with ADHD. Finding someone you feel comfortable with can give you a safe space to express yourself and explore the challenges you may be experiencing.

References

Mate, Dr G (1999) Scattered Minds: The Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder, Penguin Publishing Group. London.

Sonuga-Barke, E. J. S. (2025). Comment on ADHD underdiagnosis and treatment diversity. Academy of Medical Sciences (accessed 14th September 2026).