What is ADHD?
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity that impacts functioning or development. Children, adolescents, and adults may notice a variety of concerns with the following: attention and concentration; distractibility and impulsivity; organization; planning and prioritizing; regulating emotions; and managing social friendships and intimate relationships. Many treatments for ADHD include a combination of medication and psychotherapy. However, for families that want to get support with all of these areas that do not involve medication, Restorative Psychological Services offers a specialized treatment experience that offers a combination of interventions and strategies that help you cope with your concerns. This includes an understanding of the context in which your difficulties are most likely to occur and learning the skills needed to minimize the factors that are likely to exacerbate your difficulties.
Benefits of Psychotherapy for ADHD
Although the benefits of medication cannot be denied or understated, there are other treatments available for families who do not wish to take medication. One of these treatments includes behavioral psychotherapy that includes developing and improving self-monitoring and self-reinforcing skills to help cope with the difficulties associated with ADHD. Through the course of behavioral psychotherapy, children and adolescents will receive validation that their struggles are real and support in building skills to improve day-to-day functioning at home, in school, during activities, or when spending time with friends. Children and adolescents will learn the skills and the tools needed to identify their strengths and how to use those to overcome their challenges. Unlike medication, psychotherapy not only results in alleviating distress caused by these problems, but also teaches children and adolescents how to improve their functioning in specific ways that can lead to long-lasting changes.
Advantages of Group Psychotherapy for ADHD
At Restorative Psychological Services, we offer individual psychotherapy that can help individuals cope with difficulties associated with ADHD, but now also offer an opportunity for children and adolescents to participate in groups targeting their problems in a social setting. The Focusing on Focusing group is for middle school students and high school students who have been diagnosed with ADHD or for those who notice difficulties with attention and distractibility, organization and planning, regulating emotions, and managing friendships. Through this experience, children and adolescents will learn how to improve their functioning at home and in school. Members will learn attentional and motivational skills to better concentrate on and complete tasks that are important; organizational skills to better plan and manage activities, work, and time; emotional skills to better understand and handle intense emotions and situations; and social skills to make better decisions, solve problems, and connect with others. An advantage of group psychotherapy over individual psychotherapy for ADHD is that members will have the chance to connect with others, share their experiences, and learn lifelong coping skills with the ability to practice these skills in a supportive social setting.
If you or someone you know is struggling with ADHD, we encourage you to reach out to see if participating in services with Restorative Psychological Services can be the solution you or someone you know is looking for!
For more information, please visit these resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (August, 2022). Data and statistics about ADHD. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html
Elmaghraby, R., & Garayalde, S. (June, 2022). What is ADHD? American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd
National Institute of Mental Health (2021). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and teens: What you need to know. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-in-children-and-teens-what-you-need-to-know#part_9998
Purper-Ouakil, D., Ramoz, N., Lepagnol-Bestel, A., Gorwood, P., & Simmoneau, M. (2011). Neurobiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Pediatric Research, 69, 69-76. https://doi.org/10.1203/PDR.0b013e3318212b40f
Stevens, M. C., Pearlson, G. D., Calhoun, V. D., & Bessette, K. L. (2018). Functional neuroimaging evidence for distinct neurobiological pathways in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 3(8), 675-685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.09.005
Wilens, T. E., & Spencer, T. J. (2010). Understanding attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from childhood to adulthood. Postgraduate Medicine, 122(5), 97-109. https://doi.org/10.3810/pgm.2010.09.2206