Psychotherapy for ADHD
ADHD: Let’s start with exploring WHAT aDHD is.
ADHD is a diagnosis that affects global functioning. That’s why we work closely with you to explore these key areas using a blend of Psychodynamic thinking and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy. We want to help you better understand yourself in a cohesive and integrated way.
Instead of costly coaching programs that focus on just one dimension of your life, we are committed to understanding all of you. Providing Psychotherapy focused on reframing and re-contextualizing events has been far more rewarding in our experience
ADHD falls into 3 subtypes: Inattentive, Hyperactive, & Combination Type. They are thankfully self-explanatory, and you can duck excess jargon
ADHD will have unique impacts on how they see themselves in the world. That’s why in ADHD therapy, there’s a large focus on making sense of your subjective story.
These symptoms can significantly impact personal, academic, and professional life, which is why early diagnosis and treatment are important
Symptoms of ADHD Include:
ADHD manifests differently in each person, but common symptoms include:
Impulsivity
Poor time management
Difficulty focusing
Restlessness
Problems with prioritization and organization.
How does ADHD affect the brain?
ADHD impacts the brain’s ability to regulate dopamine and noradrenaline, neurotransmitters that help with focus and decision-making. These imbalances typically affect the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia, leading to difficulties in impulse control, attention, and executive functions like planning and organizing
HOW do we manage ADHD through Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy for ADHD at YYZ Talks is provided by three of our Registered Psychotherapists who are also ADHD-Certified Clinical Service Providers: Charmin, Jeff, and Zell.
They bring not only specialized education and training in working with ADHD but also experience and passion to work with a variety of issues. Working with a Registered Psychotherapist instead of a coach brings lots of advantages. They are trained in working with emotional struggles and understanding how and why things are interconnected.
For example, a series of awkward social interactions can diminish self-esteem or build upon previous experiences to make us believe there’s something wrong with us. It’s important to work with someone who can understand how this works and can help you work through it.
We do not focus solely on coaching, which only addresses habits, but rather on the whole person.
How to manage ADHD without medication?
While medication is often a major part of treatment, there are several non-medical ways to manage ADHD symptoms. Behavioural therapies, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), regular exercise, stress management techniques, and even meditation can help improve focus and reduce impulsivity. Creating structured routines and ensuring adequate sleep also play key roles in managing symptoms effectively
What’s the link between Giftedness and ADHD?
This is a super interesting topic with research that is in its relative infancy. When we compare the two issues, there’s a lot of overlap in presentation. In traditional schooling systems, ADHD is often perceived as a challenge, while giftedness is regarded as an advantage.
For instance, gifted children may become easily bored or prone to daydreaming, which can negatively affect their behaviour and academic performance. Similarly, ADHD has its advantages. Individuals with ADHD often exhibit an extraordinary ability to hyperfocus, maintaining intense concentration on specific tasks until they are completed.For more check out our blog
Take The First Step Today
Reach out today to set up your free 15-minute consult with the Clinical Director, Zell. From there we’ll figure out which Psychotherapist would be the best fit. You’ll then have a free 15-minute consult with the Psychotherapist so you can see how you feel about working with them.
We’re dedicated to making sure you find the right Psychotherapist for such an important journey.
Our focal areas include:
How does ADHD impact your emotional processing?
Does it change how you see yourself?
How has your self-esteem and identity changed?
Exploring how it affects your physical health
How does your motivational system work
Examine the role of ADHD in your interpersonal and professional life
How did ADHD play a role in pivotal moments of your life?
Related Articles & Insights
Issues We Work With
At YYZ Talks, we offer comprehensive support for a wide range of mental health concerns and life challenges. Our experienced therapists are equipped to address various issues that may be impacting your well-being and quality of life.
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If your life is being impacted by your difficulty paying attention / impulsivity / hyperactivity / disorganization, reach out and we can help you figure out where to go from here. In some cases, formal assessment and medication are warranted. We go beyond coaching to explore how ADHD affects all domains of your functioning. We work with clients to understand and process the complex impacts that ADHD has upon their self-image.
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We provide anger management, PAR program, and various combinations for both Court ordered cases and personal development purposes.
We approach anger as a symptom, and work with you to uncover what's really going on. We provide strategies, and psychotherapy to help you better gain control of yourself. We don’t just explore anger in the here and now, but also the origin story of your emotional world
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There are different types of anxiety disorders, including phobias, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy is shown to be an effective approach to anxiety. One goal of therapy would be to learn how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours work together and to change the thought patterns that feed anxiety.
We also dedicate part of the process to understand how your anxiety came to be by exploring your childhood
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Being in a relationship can be challenging. Whether with a romantic partner, a good friend, or family members, each can be marked with struggle that can be confusing and frustrating. We can offer an unbiased external perspective, without any agenda other than your happiness and well-being, to help manage these relationships in the best way possible.
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Feelings of deep sadness, lack of motivation or interest, and apathy are all characteristics of
depression or a depressive mood and it can be very distressing. We can help manage this gray,
heavy, or empty feeling by implementing small changes in your day to day life, as well as
approach broader issues in a safe, supportive, and comforting environment.
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Gaslighting is a confusing process to be the victim of. Between the loss of self, confusion, and disoriented narrative, we can often feel erratic and out of sorts long after we've moved on from those relationships. Work with an experienced Psychotherapist to find yourself again and make sense of your narrative.
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Our grief and loss services are primarily provided by Laura, who holds an Advanced Grief Certification, and a certificate in emotional regulation strategies.
Loss can occur in many forms, from a sudden and terrible shock to a slow or painful decline. Some losses are literal, such as losing a loved one, relationship, job, or home, while others relate to one’s identity such as loss of identity, independence, and hope. Loss therapy focuses on helping individuals take the time to explore the impact of loss on one’s emotions, thoughts, and perceptions, to process emotional responses, and to empower clients with resiliency to move forward while preserving the memory of what has been lost.
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Interpersonal conflict is inevitable in our lives. How we deal with it, both within ourselves and in communication with others, can make all the difference. This form of therapy explores our reactiveness, helps to understand ourselves more deeply, and seeks to find compassion for ourselves and the other. Through learning how to navigate conflict, we aim to develop stronger, healthier relationships.
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Evolving views on religion and spirituality can unfortunately lead to conflict within social and familial groups. There can be the loss of support systems, loss of meaning making, and the loss of routines, roles, and responsibilities. Our approach for individuals going through this rooted in helping you pursue meaning in your life. This involves making sense of your relationship with multiple domains, and managing changes to your identity.
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We all know that life is full of change, but to really accept that and adapt to changing circumstances and expectations takes a lot of work. A new role whether it’s at work or at home requires us to adjust many variables such as expectations, hopes, and responsibilities. This can be quite stressful and lead to conflict, disappointment, and communication issues.
Our Psychotherapists can help you navigate this by helping you identify blindspots, manage expectations of yourself and others, and develop a greater insight into why you’re experiencing something the way you are.
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Unless you live in a hammock, you're going to face stressful situations. A little bit of stress is normal and the stress response can be helpful. Having a lot of stress all the time is not helpful. It means your mind and body are running in overdrive, and that is taking a huge toll on your resources. It's not sustainable and more and more studies are showing the negative impacts stress can have on you.
We work with you to create a custom stress-management plan. Together we'll identify your stressors and existing patterns, develop a self-care routine, find healthy outlets, and develop resilience.
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¼ of our caseload is students. We love working with you before the world has made you jaded. Being a student is a fascinating and difficult transition. Issues like feeling homesick, academic pressure, time management, test anxiety, social struggles, family and career expectations, and more can arise. Talking to a Psychotherapist can provide support and a safe space to problem solve to ensure you get the most out of your post-secondary experience.
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Traumatic events can have wide-reaching effects on your life. Whether you have been diagnosed with PTSD or not, whether your trauma stems from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, we can help. Traumatic events overwhelm the brain, and lead to symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, being easily startled, avoidant, numbness, emotional volatility, cognitive issues, and feeling distant from life.
Our team is experienced in working with trauma in all its forms to help you get back into your life and your relationships. For Individuals suffering from complex trauma, our Certified Clinical Trauma Professionals are always available to help you on your recovery journey
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Life is full of unknowable factors, and dealing with uncertainty is a part of life we can't avoid. Some people are more sensitive to uncertainty, hating it and trying to control it as much as they can. This can lead to a lot of avoidance, distraction, procrastination, impulsivity, and anxiety. We approach uncertainty through multiple angles to improve your insight, and tolerance and build better-coping strategies.
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If your struggle isn’t captured by this list, reach out to us anyway to discuss if we can help. If we can’t, we’ll try our best to find you help at another practice. We’re bad capitalists and will happily refer you to another practice if we think they can help you better than we can.
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