If I could only teach one thing about ADHD to my therapy clients it would be this:
We aren’t here to get rid of ADHD
Therapy does not get rid of ADHD. ADHD is a neurological difference in brain functioning. It isn't something that we get rid of, it is something we work to understand and accommodate effectively.
This can be frustrating for clients and parents alike. There can be the expectation that putting strategies in place means that the tasks themselves become easy or stress-free from now on. That is not the case.
ADHD brains can have difficulty with planning and prioritizing, regulation, sleep, motivation, task-completion, focus, distractibility, and overwhelm. These difficulties stem from differences in how the brain is functioning.
There are a lot of strategies that can really help with these areas, and with a LOT of practice over MANY years, brains can change. But these areas can remain difficult despite the best efforts, strategies, and practice. And that is OKAY.
As your therapist, I want to fully understand how your brain is functioning, for you to understand how it is functioning, and then to build in the right strategies to help you get through the tasks that are more difficult for your brain to get through.
And I want you and your family to learn to celebrate your differences and support one another with them.
We don’t need ADHD to disappear, we just need to learn how to work with it to get through the day.
Walking through childhood with ADHD is not easy, and it’s definitely not easy for parents to navigate. If your child/teen has ADHD, check out our ADHD course for more detailed steps and strategies to support children with ADHD. We use videos and handouts so you can learn at your own pace, and get started implementing strategies at home right away.
If those challenging behaviours have you wondering what to do next, check out our Foundations of Behaviour online Course for many more strategies to create consistency and motivate behaviour change.
Want to go even further? Our skilled child, adolescent, parent and family therapists are here for one on one support to help you navigate these challenging moments. Book an intake call now.
Written by: Meghan Pistchik MSW, RSW | Owner of Attached Kids, Child and Family Therapist
