You’re smart. You know what you need to do. But somehow, knowing isn’t enough. The gap between intention and action feels impossibly wide. You start projects and don’t finish them. You lose track of time, misplace things, forget commitments. You’ve developed workarounds and compensations, but they’re exhausting—and they don’t always work.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) isn’t a character flaw or a lack of willpower. It’s a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how your brain regulates attention, impulses, and executive function. And while ADHD presents real challenges, it’s also highly treatable. With the right support, you can develop skills and strategies that work with your brain instead of against it.

At Therapy Group of DC, our therapists help adults with ADHD understand their symptoms, build practical skills, and create systems that support their success. We focus not just on reducing symptoms of ADHD but on helping you thrive.

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Is ADHD Therapy Right for You?

You might benefit from ADHD therapy if you:

• Have an ADHD diagnosis and want support beyond medication
• Suspect you have ADHD but haven’t been formally evaluated
• Struggle with focus, organization, or follow-through
• Start many projects but have trouble completing them
• Experience impulsive behavior that creates problems in relationships or work
• Feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up or putting out fires
• Have trouble managing emotions—quick to frustration, easily overwhelmed
• Experience low self esteem related to ADHD challenges
• Find that medication helps but doesn’t address everything
• Want to develop concrete skills for managing ADHD in everyday life

What to Know

• ADHD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions; behavioral therapy and cognitive and behavioral practice approaches have strong evidence
• Many adults weren’t diagnosed until adulthood, and symptoms can look different than the stereotype
• Therapy can be effective on its own or in combination with ADHD medications
• ADHD treatment helps you build skills that last, not just manage symptoms temporarily

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Understanding Adult ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD is a common mental health condition characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with functioning. While often associated with childhood, ADHD frequently persists into adulthood—and many adults are diagnosed for the first time as adults. ADHD tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic risk factor.

Inattentive symptoms include difficulty sustaining focus, being easily distracted, trouble with tasks, losing things, and struggling to follow through. Hyperactive-impulsive symptoms include restlessness, excess energy, talking excessively, interrupting, and impulsive behavior. Executive function challenges—planning, prioritizing, impulse control, emotional regulation—are common across presentations.

In DC’s high-pressure professional environment, adults with ADHD often develop elaborate compensation strategies that work—until they don’t. The stress of maintaining these systems can lead to burnout, anxiety, and depression.

Adult ADHD may look different than the childhood stereotype—less obvious hyperactivity, more internal restlessness, chronic disorganization, relationship difficulties, and a history of underachieving despite clear capability. Many adults with ADHD weren’t diagnosed earlier, particularly women and those whose symptoms presented as inattention rather than hyperactivity. Getting an accurate diagnosis can be validating and open doors to effective treatment.

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Symptoms of ADHD

The symptoms of ADHD vary from person to person, but common patterns in adults include:

Attention and focus challenges: Difficulty sustaining attention span, being easily distracted, trouble listening, frequently losing things, difficulty with organization, avoiding tasks requiring sustained mental effort.

Hyperactivity and impulsivity: Restlessness or feeling internally driven, difficulty staying seated, talking excessively or interrupting, difficulty waiting, making impulsive decisions, impulsive behavior that creates problems.

Emotional and interpersonal patterns: Difficulty managing emotions, sensitivity to criticism, interpersonal conflict related to forgetfulness or impulsive comments, struggles with communication skills in relationships.

Life impact: Chronic lateness, underperformance relative to ability, financial difficulties, relationship strain from forgetfulness or emotional reactivity.

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How We Treat ADHD

At Therapy Group of DC, we use evidence-based approaches to help you understand your ADHD, develop practical skills, and build a life that works with your brain.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a goal-oriented psychotherapy and one of the most effective treatment options for adult ADHD. It helps adults with ADHD manage their symptoms and boost their self-esteem by identifying unhelpful thought patterns—like “I’m lazy” or “I’ll never get my life together”—and replacing them with more accurate, helpful thinking. CBT for ADHD also focuses heavily on behavioral practice: building routines, breaking tasks into manageable steps, and creating external structures that support follow-through.

CBT addresses both the practical challenges of ADHD and the emotional impact of living with a brain that works differently.

Skills Training and Behavior Management

Practical skills training is central to ADHD treatment. Skills training includes organizational skills training and social skills training to improve relationships and task management. You’ll develop systems for organization, managing priorities, problem solving skills for common ADHD challenges, and building habits that stick. Unlike generic productivity advice, ADHD-informed skills training accounts for how your brain actually works.

Behavior therapy focuses on identifying patterns that aren’t serving you and building positive behaviors that support your goals. This might include creating external reminders, designing your environment to reduce distractions, and developing routines through consistent behavioral practice. Monitoring the effectiveness of treatment and making adjustments as needed is crucial for managing ADHD long-term.

Mindfulness-Based Approaches

Mindfulness meditation training can improve attention and emotional regulation in adults with ADHD. Mindfulness meditation helps you notice when your attention has wandered and gently bring it back—a skill that directly targets ADHD challenges. It also helps with managing emotions, reducing reactivity and creating space between impulse and action.

Psychodynamic Therapy

For some people, ADHD connects to deeper patterns—how you see yourself, how past experiences of failure or criticism have shaped your self-concept, how relationships have been affected. Psychodynamic therapy explores these dimensions, helping you understand the emotional and relational impact of living with ADHD.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills

DBT offers skills in distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness that can be particularly helpful for adults with ADHD who struggle with emotional reactivity, impulsivity, or relationship challenges. These cognitive and behavioral practice techniques build concrete capabilities for navigating difficult moments.

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ADHD Therapy and Medication

Many people wonder about the relationship between therapy and ADHD medications. Here’s what to know:

Medication isn’t the only option. The FDA has approved several different kinds of medications to treat ADHD. Stimulant medications are the most common type of prescription medication, while non-stimulant medications take longer to start working but may be preferred for some people. ADHD medications work by increasing levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. However, around 30% of adults don’t respond well enough to standard drug treatment for ADHD—making therapy an important option.

Combination often works best. Research shows that combining medication treatment with behavior therapy often produces better outcomes than either alone for adults with ADHD. Finding the right medication and dosage takes time, and therapy provides support during that process.

Therapy addresses what medication can’t. Medication may improve focus and reduce impulsivity, but it doesn’t teach you organizational skills, help you process years of struggle, or repair relationships affected by ADHD. ADHD medications can also have side effects, such as decreased appetite or sleep problems. Therapy fills these gaps.

We don’t prescribe medication but can coordinate with your health care providers or refer you for psychiatric evaluation if medication might help. Some people do well with therapy alone; others benefit from finding the right medication in combination with behavioral interventions. Either way, treatment helps.

Other options exist. ADHD coaching provides practical support for life skills such as goal setting, organization, and time management, but is not a formal therapy—it can complement therapeutic work. Some people also explore neurofeedback, a type of brain training that may help with attention after several sessions.

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What to Expect in Therapy

Your therapist will conduct a thorough assessment to understand your symptoms of ADHD, how they affect your life, what you’ve already tried, and what your goals are. If you don’t have a formal diagnosis, we can discuss evaluation options.

Based on your assessment, you’ll develop a treatment plan that might include weekly therapy sessions focused on skills and underlying patterns, between-session practice, systems tailored to your specific challenges, and coordination with prescribers if you’re taking or considering medication.

ADHD treatment helps you build skills for organization, managing emotions, and following through on intentions. It also addresses the emotional toll—the shame, frustration, and struggles that often accompany years of living with ADHD. The goal isn’t to make you neurotypical. It’s to help you function well and feel good about yourself while working with the brain you have.

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Our ADHD Therapist

Kevin Malley, MS, LPC, NCC

Kevin uses existential, relational, and person-centered approaches to help adults with ADHD develop self-understanding and practical strategies. He creates a supportive environment for exploring how ADHD affects identity, relationships, and life. His focus on social skills and interpersonal dynamics helps clients navigate the relational challenges that often accompany ADHD. View Kevin’s full profile →

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Begin ADHD Therapy in Washington DC

ADHD is real, and treating ADHD works. With the right support, you can stop fighting your brain and start building a life that actually works. Family members and loved ones often notice the difference too.

Schedule an Appointment →

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Frequently Asked Questions

What type of therapy is best for ADHD?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has the strongest evidence for treating ADHD in adults. Behavior management approaches, skills training, and mindfulness meditation also show strong results. The best approach depends on your specific challenges—some adults benefit most from practical skills work, others from addressing the emotional impact of ADHD.

What is the most effective treatment for ADHD?

The most effective ADHD treatment often involves a combination of approaches. For adults with ADHD, combining behavioral therapy with medication produces better outcomes than either alone. However, therapy alone can be highly effective, particularly for building lasting skills. The right balance depends on your individual symptoms, preferences, and circumstances.

What is the best way to manage ADHD?

Managing ADHD effectively typically involves: understanding your specific symptoms and challenges; building external systems and structures that support follow-through; developing problem solving skills for common obstacles; addressing negative self-talk; building social skills for relationships affected by ADHD; and, for some people, medication. Working with a therapist who understands ADHD can help you find what works for you. Some adults also benefit from support groups where they can connect with others navigating similar challenges.

Can adults be diagnosed with ADHD?

Yes. Adults with ADHD are increasingly being diagnosed, particularly those who weren’t identified earlier in life. Adult ADHD is a recognized mental health condition. If you suspect you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD, we can discuss evaluation options with appropriate health care providers.

Does ADHD therapy work without medication?

Yes. While medication helps many people with ADHD, behavioral therapy and skills training are effective on their own. Research shows therapy can produce lasting improvements in functioning and quality of life. Treatment helps whether or not you choose medication.