ADHD Across the Lifespan: How I Support Kids, Teens, and Adults

ADHD can manifests in individuals in different ways at different ages. Although the defining characteristics of ADHD—distractibility, impulsivity, restlessness, and focus challenges— may remain similar, the context changes throughout life as people age and develop. My focus is on employing developmentally appropriate methodology to educate and assist all age groups in the formulation of applicable strategies while fostering self confidence and interpersonal relationships.

Children

ADHD in younger children often shows up as difficulty staying seated, focusing on lessons, or calming themselves when things don’t go their way. In my practice, I use play therapy to help children develop self-regulation, healthy emotional expression, and problem-solving skills. The gentle and engaging nature of play provides a safe framework for building attention, flexibility, and emotional balance. At the same time, I work closely with parents to offer constructive guidance—creating routines for stability, using reward systems, and setting healthy boundaries to support their child in coping with ADHD.

Teens

Adolescence is a challenging time, filled with school, social pressures, and the transition toward independence. For teens with ADHD, these challenges can feel overwhelming, and many struggle with feelings of inadequacy when they find it hard to keep up or meet expectations. In individual therapy, I focus on building executive functioning skills such as planning, organization, and emotional regulation, while also helping teens recognize their strengths and develop self-esteem to counter those discouraging feelings.

In addition to individual sessions, I run a group for teens that addresses the social aspects of ADHD. Many teens with ADHD have difficulty with peer relationships, misreading social cues, or feeling left out. In the group, teens practice communication, empathy, and problem-solving with peers in a safe and supportive environment. This combination of individual and group work helps teens develop both personal skills and social confidence, empowering them to feel more capable and connected.

Adults

For adults, ADHD affects work, social life, and self-esteem. Many adults express feelings of being ‘out of sorts’ or that they are perpetually trying to catch up. We collaborate to create individualized processes for time management, procrastination, and chunking tasks. Therapy is a safe environment to address the complex emotions that accompany ADHD, such as shame, frustration, or self-doubt, and learn how to cultivate self-acceptance and personal agency.

My approach

For all ages, I integrate skill development with the individual’s emotional experience. With children, this often includes parents in the integration process, so that the skills we work on in the sessions are also used at home. For adolescents, this includes individual and group therapy. For other adults, self management in conjunction with external resources is advocated.

ADHD is not the measure of a person, but a single thread in a larger tapestry. With the appropriate resources and tools, children, adolescents, and adults can learn to develop positive living skills that integrate school, work, relationships, and life.