ADHD COUNSELLING FOR ADULTS AND TEENS
ADHD Therapy & Counselling for Adults and Teens
You may be the person who gets things done when a deadline is close, yet struggles to begin until the pressure is impossible to ignore. Perhaps you work longer hours to keep up, lose track of small tasks, or appear calm and capable while feeling exhausted behind the scenes.
If attention, organization or emotional overwhelm are making everyday life harder, we can explore what is happening and what support might help. Our Registered Psychotherapists offer ADHD-related counselling in London and Burlington, with online and phone appointments across Ontario.
When ADHD Starts to Affect Your Daily Life
ADHD can influence how we direct attention, manage time, begin or switch tasks, remember information and respond to emotions. It can look different from one person to another, and the demands of school, work, relationships and family life can make certain challenges more noticeable.
You might have a calendar full of reminders and still miss an appointment. You might care deeply about a project but find yourself staring at it for hours. Or you may be able to focus intensely on something interesting, then struggle with a routine task you know is important.
These experiences do not automatically mean you have ADHD. Stress, anxiety, sleep difficulties and other circumstances can affect attention too. What matters at the beginning of counselling is understanding the difficulties you want help with, whether you have a formal diagnosis or are still figuring things out.
THE EVERYDAY SIDE OF ADHD
How ADHD Can Show Up
It is not always obvious from the outside how much effort goes into getting through an ordinary day.
Getting started and staying organized
An email takes five minutes to answer, but you keep putting it off. A task has several steps and you cannot work out where to start. Important things get lost in the middle of a busy day.
Time, attention and follow-through
You underestimate how long something will take, arrive late despite trying not to, or shift between tasks without finishing the one you intended to do.
Emotional ups and downs
A small disappointment might feel surprisingly intense. Criticism may stay with you well after the conversation ends, or frustration can rise quickly when plans change.
Work, school and relationships
You may be keeping up through late nights, extra effort or constant reminders. At home, forgotten plans or unfinished chores can lead to tension with someone you care about.
ADHD does not present the same way for everyone. Some people experience mostly attention and organization difficulties, while others notice restlessness, impulsive decisions or a combination.
BEYOND THE CHECKLIST
The Effort People Do Not Always See
Sometimes the hardest part is not the forgotten appointment or unfinished task. It is the frustration that follows. You might wonder why something that seems straightforward for other people takes so much energy, or feel discouraged after trying yet another planner or routine.
Counselling can make room for those experiences too. We can talk about the expectations you are carrying, the ways you have learned to cope and the parts of daily life where you would like things to feel different.
Perhaps this sounds familiar
You have a presentation due Friday. You think about it all week, feel increasingly anxious about starting, then work late Thursday night to get it finished. People see the finished work. They do not see how stressful the lead-up was.
This is one example, not a description of every person with ADHD.
PRACTICAL SUPPORT
How Therapy Can Help With ADHD
ADHD counselling is a place to understand how attention difficulties affect your daily life and to find approaches that fit the way you work. Rather than assuming the answer is simply more discipline or a better schedule, we start with what has and has not worked for you.
Build workable routines
We might break a complicated task into smaller starting points, experiment with reminders and planning tools, or look at ways to make daily responsibilities less overwhelming.
Understand emotional reactions
We can explore the stress, shame, frustration or sensitivity that sometimes builds around missed expectations and strained relationships.
Notice patterns that keep repeating
You may find it useful to look at avoidance, perfectionism or the pressure to do everything at the last minute, then consider more manageable ways to respond.
Work toward your own goals
Your priorities could involve work, school, communication, self-understanding or feeling less overwhelmed. We review what is useful as we go rather than following the same plan for everyone.
What could that look like in a session?
Suppose replying to messages has become stressful. We could look at what happens when you see a message, the thoughts that make it difficult to respond and the practical barriers involved. Together, we might try a smaller first step or a different way to organize replies, then see whether it actually helps in your life.
For an overview of one-on-one sessions, you can also explore our individual therapy services.
FLEXIBLE, COLLABORATIVE CARE
Approaches We May Use
There is no single approach that fits every person experiencing ADHD-related difficulties. The methods used in therapy depend on your goals, the concerns you bring and your therapist’s training.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT can help people examine thoughts and habits that affect procrastination, organization, follow-through and confidence. Learn more about CBT. Hannah offers CBT as part of her practice.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT can help with noticing difficult thoughts and feelings while taking steps toward what matters to you. Explore ACT. Both Hannah and Hailey offer ACT, and Hailey has specialized training in this approach.
Emotion regulation and practical tools
Depending on your needs, sessions may include ways of responding to strong emotions and trying new coping strategies. Hailey uses DBT-informed tools alongside her other approaches, while Hannah also offers DBT.
Understanding longer-standing patterns
For some people, it is useful to explore self-criticism, expectations or experiences that influence how they see themselves. Hannah’s primary approach is psychodynamic therapy, which can support this kind of exploration.
These are examples of approaches, not a promise that every therapist offers every method or that one method is right for everyone.
MEET OUR THERAPISTS
Working With a Therapist Who Understands ADHD
You do not need to have everything figured out before choosing a therapist. The first conversation can help us understand what you are looking for and which approach might feel most useful.
LONDON, ONTARIO
Hannah Steyaert, M.A., RP
Hannah is a Registered Psychotherapist with a master’s degree in Psychology. Her work includes psychodynamic therapy, CBT, ACT, DBT and attachment-based therapy. Together, you can explore the practical and emotional ways ADHD-related difficulties are affecting your life.
Read more about Hannah’s approach and background.
BURLINGTON, ONTARIO
Hailey Steyaert, M.A., RP
Hailey is a Registered Psychotherapist with a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and the ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP) credential. She has specialized training in ACT and uses DBT-informed tools to support clients in her broader therapeutic work.
Learn more about Hailey’s experience and approach.
WHERE WE CAN MEET
ADHD Counselling in London, Burlington or Online
In person
Hannah offers in-person counselling at our London office, and Hailey meets clients at our Burlington office. Free parking is available at both locations.
Across Ontario
Both therapists offer online therapy across Ontario as well as phone appointments. This can be helpful if travel, work or school schedules make an office visit less practical.
Is ADHD Counselling a Good Fit for You?
Counselling may be useful if attention, organization, emotional overwhelm or ADHD-related stress are getting in the way of what matters to you. You can come with a diagnosis, questions about ADHD or simply a few situations you would like to handle differently.
Our psychotherapy services focus on emotional wellbeing, coping skills, relationships and day-to-day functioning. They are not a substitute for a formal ADHD medical assessment or medication prescribing. If assessment or medical treatment is what you are seeking, a qualified healthcare provider can help you explore those options.
If persistent worry is a major part of what you are experiencing, you may also find our anxiety counselling information helpful. ADHD and anxiety can overlap, but they are not the same thing.
QUESTIONS WE HEAR
Frequently Asked Questions About ADHD Therapy
Here are some of the practical questions you might have before reaching out.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Talk With Us About ADHD Counselling
If any of this sounds familiar, you can start with a free 15-minute consultation. It is an opportunity to briefly explain what you are hoping for, ask questions and see whether working together feels like a good fit.
Have a question before booking?
You can use the form below to ask about our services, therapist fit or appointment options. Sending an inquiry does not reserve an appointment, and you do not need to share a detailed personal history here.
FURTHER READING
ADHD Information and Resources
For additional background, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) provides information about ADHD, and CADDRA provides Canadian professional resources. These sources are for general information and do not replace individualized guidance.