Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an effective, evidence based treatment for children and adults with ADHD.  CBT helps executive functioning difficulties related to ADHD/ADD (e.g., time management, managing distractions), as well as the emotional difficulties related to ADHD/ADD (e.g., depression, anxiety).  ​

CBT aims to change the irrational thought patterns that prevent a person from staying on task, proper time management, and getting projects done on time. A typical CBT session for ADHD will focus on identifying the situations in which the client has disorganization, poor time management, poor planning, and the struggles in their day-to-day life. Addressing these issues have been known to lead to higher self-esteem, an increase in productivity, and overall happiness in clients with ADHD.

Children and Adolescents

With children, CBT is focused on helping them to learn behavioral interventions, such as getting ready in the morning, doing their homework, doing chores, staying in their chair during class, and other executive functioning behaviors.  The cognitive interventions help to externalize their internalized self talk, for example, a child who tells themselves they're "dumb" because they are having such a hard time in school.  When we are able to help children become aware of their internalized self talk, and help them to change it, then they can feel more confident, less anxious, and build their resiliency to the difficulties of ADHD/ADD.   

CBT with adolescents helps them to develop the executive functioning skills to better function at school and at home, so they can be successful when they are off on their own as a young adult.  They learn behavioral interventions (e.g., time management, organization, managing distractions), as well as cognitive interventions to help them address emotional issues.  The cognitive aspect of CBT is learning how to be more aware of our internalized self talk, and then learning to change it.  For example, if a teenager thinks, "I'm dumb, I'm no good at math", they are going to have a harder time doing their math homework, studying, and feeling confident when taking a test.  We can learn to understand these unhelpful, sometimes distorted thoughts, and change them to more healthier, coping thoughts.  

Adults

Individuals with ADHD constantly experience frustrating setbacks in their life, whether it be at their job, in personal relationships and social interactions, or just day-to-day organization. Living with so many mistakes and missed deadlines, it is no wonder that many individuals with ADHD suffer from very low self-esteem and incessant negative thoughts. This unhealthy dialogue concerning one’s self can cause painful emotions and cognitive distortions.

ADHD/ADD continues to affect the individual into adulthood, and research has found that a combination of medication and CBT are the most effective treatment for adult ADHD/ADD.  The behavioral interventions focus on the coaching aspects of time management, organization, and managing distractions, while the cognitive interventions focus on the secondary emotional difficulties caused by ADHD/ADD such as depression or anxiety.  CBT does this by identifying the unhealthy patterns of thinking (e.g., I can't do this, I'll never learn how to manage my money), and begins to address them, building up more healthy patterns of thinking that lead to persevering in the face of challenges and building one's confidence.  

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