ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, affects how people focus, organize, and manage their time, emotions, and behaviors. ADHD is a difference in how your brain works—not laziness, defiance, or a lack of discipline. At Dallas CBT, our therapy focuses on helping you learn, practice, and reinforce the skills needed to thrive in everyday life.
It’s important to know that ADHD is not just a childhood disorder. In fact, if you’re visiting this page because you think your child may have ADHD, it’s possible the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. ADHD often looks different in adults, especially in women and those with strong verbal skills.
There are powerful and positive traits that often come with ADHD—like creativity and the ability to perform well under pressure. Therapy can help you better understand these strengths and learn to use them in ways that support your life. It can also shift how you view yourself or your child by offering practical tools for daily success.
What Are the Symptoms of Childhood ADHD?
Children with ADHD often struggle with:
- Sitting still or staying seated
- Following multi-step directions
- Completing tasks—especially ones that feel boring or repetitive
- Impulsive reactions (both behaviorally and emotionally)
- Calming down after feeling upset or frustrated
Our approach focuses on skill-building with kids and families. We use evidence-based strategies from cognitive and behavioral therapies, both backed by years of research and considered gold standards in childhood ADHD treatment.* With our younger children, we often work directly with parents to create more effective structure and consistency at home.
What Are the Symptoms of Adult ADHD?
ADHD can show up very differently in adults than in kids. Hyperactivity may fade with age, but other symptoms can become more noticeable. Adults with ADHD often experience:
- Trouble managing attention—either losing focus or over-focusing
- Disorganization with time, tasks, or schedules (hello, missed appointments)
- Procrastination and distractibility—like suddenly needing to clean your desk before starting a project
- Difficulty finishing tasks (starting is easy, finishing is hard)
- Forgetfulness—deadlines, details, or even what you walked into the room for
- Restlessness—feeling on edge or unable to sit still
- Impulsive behaviors—blurting things out or making quick decisions
- Relationship challenges—like interrupting, emotional reactivity, or not following through
- Low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression
If these patterns sound familiar, you might be managing ADHD without realizing it. The good news? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for ADHD offers tools that can help.
Therapy for Adults with ADHD (With or Without Medication)
ADHD can feel overwhelming. CBT helps by breaking big challenges into smaller, doable steps. It’s not about “fixing” ADHD—it’s about learning to work with your brain. We focus on building habits and systems that fit how your brain processes the world.
CBT also helps with the negative self-talk that often comes from a lifetime of struggles related to ADHD.
Our 6-Session ADHD Program for Adults
Dr. Nyla Harris, one of our ADHD experts, offers a short-term, 6-session individual “course” on CBT-based therapy and ADHD coaching for adults with ADHD. It focuses on:
- Understanding how ADHD shows up in your daily life
- Learning executive functioning and organizational skills
- Managing emotions and frustration
- Improving relationships and social communication
- Building consistent lifestyle habits
- Planning for the future
Research supports this short-term model: structured, skills-based therapy can be highly effective—sometimes even more than long-term therapy.*
This program is an ideal stand-alone treatment for some, or it can be a great addition to supplement your individual therapy focused on other areas. You have the option to continue in therapy beyond these 6 sessions to continue work on ADHD or other goals, if interested.
Strategies and Skills You Might Learn in ADHD Therapy
In ADHD therapy, you’ll learn practical tools that match your personal goals. These may include:
- Time management tools like using planners, breaking down projects, or setting reminders
- Behavioral activation to help you start and complete tasks more consistently
- Cognitive restructuring to challenge negative thinking like “I’ll never figure this out”
- Mindfulness techniques to stay focused and present
- Impulse control strategies to pause and reflect before acting
- Self-compassion tools to treat yourself with more understanding and less judgment
Therapy helps you build routines and habits through repetition and support. Along the way, you’ll gain insight into how your brain works and how to create systems that actually work for you.
How Therapy Can Improve Your Life
Therapy doesn’t just help you manage ADHD symptoms—it can improve how you feel and function in many areas of your life. As you gain tools and confidence, you may notice improvements in:
- Work and productivity—more follow-through, better organization
- Relationships—stronger communication, less conflict
- Emotional well-being—less stress, anxiety, and overwhelm
- Self-worth—a clearer sense of competence and identity
Whether ADHD is your main concern or something you’re managing alongside anxiety or depression, it helps to work with a therapist who truly understands ADHD. Reach out to our office, and we’ll connect you with one of our CBT therapists who specializes in ADHD treatment.
*References
Emilsson, B., Gudjonsson, G. H., Sigurdsson, J. F., Baldursson, G., Einarsson, E., & Young, S. (2011). Cognitive behaviour therapy in medication-treated adults with ADHD and persistent symptoms: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry, 11, 116. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-11-116
Evans, S. W., Owens, J. S., & Bunford, N. (2014). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 43(4), 527–551. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2013.850700
Fabiano, G. A., Pelham, W. E., Coles, E. K., Gnagy, E. M., Chronis-Tuscano, A., & O’Connor, B. C. (2009). A meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(2), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.11.001
Knouse, L. E., Cooper-Vince, C., Sprich, S. E., & Safren, S. A. (2017). Recent developments in the psychosocial treatment of adult ADHD. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(12), 109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0855-3