ADHD Therapy in Denver, CO
This time I’m going to get it together!
How many times have you said this to yourself? You embark on a new plan with hope and determination, only to either forget the project altogether a little while later or give up in frustration and disappointment.
If you’re not chronically late, disorganized, or trying to play catch up, then you’re working incredibly hard to prevent everything from unraveling, one missed deadline at a time. You work late at night, under pressure because you can only focus when you’re up against the wall.
The harsh judgments people tossed at you over the years have you convinced you are stupid, inconsiderate, or any of the other descriptions thrown your way.
On the flip side, you’re highly creative, have tons of ideas, love new things, and feel your emotions deeply. If only you could bring these ideas into reality, stick with a plan, and not say everything that pops into your mind, things might come together.
Have a question or want to schedule a consult? Reach Out!
Things other people seem to manage easily feel impossible.
Shopping, cooking, feeding yourself, paying bills, keeping the house clean enough to feel comfortable having people over, remembering your commitments, listening when people talk to you – seem impossible.
You’d give anything to stop the constant noise of your thoughts. You feel like you’re plugged into an electric socket on constant GO but without knowing where you’re heading.
Socially, you have always felt like an outsider. You talk too much, too fast, forget your thoughts mid-sentence, and overreact.
No matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to let criticisms roll off your back – it is physically painful to get negative feedback about your behavior or performance.
Sound familiar?
If so, you may be an adult with ADHD.
Contrary to your perception, ADHD is not simply boys who can’t sit still in class.
Ongoing research into ADHD shows that students who weren’t disruptive in school may have had their struggles overlooked (or chalked up to laziness) until the onslaught of adult responsibilities became impossible to manage.
“What’s wrong with me? Can you make me normal?” These are common questions people ask about high sensitivity, ADHD, and other neurodiversity like autism, sensory processing, and learning differences.
YES – But it is normal for you, not someone else.
When working with adult clients with ADHD or high sensitivity, I have two main goals:
1) to build a foundation of acceptance so you can see your strengths and 2) to help you develop skills and tools that improve your ability to get things done and reach the potential you know you have.
I draw from a couple of approaches. The first is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which asserts that basically life is hard, and we will experience challenges. Despite the hardships and unpleasant thoughts and feelings, we can still choose actions aligned with our values and continue to commit mindfully and intentionally to a life we believe is worth living.
The second approach I use is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. People with ADHD have a cognitive theme that leads to avoidance behaviors, preventing them from taking a small action on essential tasks and projects, even when they want to take action.
Here’s an example. “Ugh. I couldn’t possibly do that now. I’ll do that tomorrow.” Understanding these thoughts and how they influence emotions, avoidance, or approach behaviors can help you identify the point in a habitual behavior pattern where you can make a slight shift and get started.
It’s time to make progress – moving from this point onward.
The truth as I see it is that the world is beautiful because we are all so different. I wouldn’t make you “normal” if I could. I don’t know what normal is, anyway.
If you are reading this, chances are you know you’re different, and you’d be okay with that if you could see yourself making progress. Everyone wants to feel effective and see the outcome of their efforts. You want to get unstuck, and you’re willing to work hard to find out what works for you.
I want to offer you the ability to identify your gifts – to know when and how they work for you, to cherish them – and to develop new skills that help you get your work into the world, so your life feels like less out of control.
Personal experience gives me an edge.
I get how you feel on a personal and professional level.
I spent years of my life reading time management and self-help books and swearing that I would get it together this time. For years, I thought I had intractable anxiety and depression, which was depressing.
Finally, through the lens of ADHD, I saw that the reason I was anxious and depressed was in large part due to my inability to make progress on my goals no matter how much I wanted to.
I thought I was lazy, rude, selfish, and a little bit hysterical (and not in a funny way!). And while I definitely do have a “lazy” streak, I am so much more than that. And you are, too.
If you have ADHD or suspect you might, I’d love to talk with you about where you’re stuck and help you pivot toward your potential.
You can get it together! Let’s work to make that come true.
“Instead of pretending there is hidden away in a vault somewhere a perfectly ‘normal’ brain
to which all other brains must be compared, we need to admit there is no standard brain,
just as there is no standard flower, or standard cultural or racial group,
and that in fact diversity among brains is just as wonderfully enriching
as biodiversity and the diversity among races and cultures.”
– Thomas Armstrong, Neurodiversity:
Discovering the Extraordinary Gifts of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Brain Differences