Empowered Life Therapy helps create paths to greater calm and clarity through mindfulness- and compassion-based ADHD treatment.
We work closely with the individual to define and follow a personal treatment plan that empowers awareness and control of ADHD symptoms in achieving comfort, peace and relief.
ADHD can start during youth and continue into adulthood. Just a few symptoms might include:
not being able to focus on a task
lack of organization
frequent movement, talking or restlessness, including when inappropriate
trouble with school, work or relationships
acting without thought or self-control
seeking immediate rewards or gratifications without concern for consequences
In the past, ADHD symptoms could be misconstrued as willful defiance, purposefully unruly behavior or a problematic disability. Research has proven this to not be the case.
Many people with ADHD are creative, bright, caring and insightful. However, because of their intense and long-term symptoms, they can battle with their self-esteem and their ability to recognize their strengths.
While ADHD can't be cured or prevented, it can be managed with supporting education and treatment at Empowered Life Therapy.
As with many mental conditions, the underlying causes and risk factors of ADHD are still being studied. Research has shown a steady link between a person's heredity and ADHD: We are more likely to have ADHD if it was passed to us through our genes.
Other possible causes of ADHD can be:
brain injury
a mother who smoked or drank during pregnancy
low birth weight or premature birth
exposure to lead or other toxic environmental substances while young or still in the womb
ADHD is one of the most diagnosed mental health disorders among young people. Drawing from a national parent survey in recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified that:
an estimated 11.4% of U.S. children aged 3–17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point; about 6 in 10 of these youths had moderate or severe ADHD
boys (15%) were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls (8%)
nearly 78% of children with ADHD had at least one other co-occurring condition, such as depression, anxiety, autism spectrum or Tourette syndrome
nearly 2 million children with ADHD did not receive ADHD-specific treatment
ADHD symptoms can change with age. Among children who are preschool-aged and younger, the most common symptoms are often hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Once in grade school, youths with ADHD might exhibit greater inattention, leading to academic difficulties. In junior high and high school, hyperactivity can lessen while fidgeting and restlessness become more frequent. A teen with ADHD might also struggle in relationships and be prone to riskier behaviors such as unprotected sex.
According to the CDC, 6% of U.S. adults currently have ADHD. More than half were diagnosed in adulthood, and about one-third are not receiving any form of ADHD treatment.
Symptoms that persist with adult ADHD might include:
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For an adult with ADHD, these symptoms can be severe and last for long periods. In some cases, they can create problems with work, relationships and keeping healthy habits.
In helping an individual with ADHD develop a personal treatment plan, the ADHD therapists at Empowered Life Therapy might include a skill-enhancing approach such as:
behavioral therapy that can provide practical assistance in areas including organization, completing schoolwork and working through difficult events. It also develops greater skills for monitoring one's own behavior and acknowledging one's achievements, such as applying greater thought and self-control before acting.
cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for learning to be more aware and accepting of one's own thoughts and feelings, which can strengthen concentration and focus as well. Through CBT, the individual can learn to re-frame negative thoughts and reactive emotions in constructive, rational ways.
social-skills training for further developing interpersonal and social interaction. For ADHD in children, this might involve teaching them how to wait their turn, share things, ask for help or respond to teasing. For adults, enhancing social skills might include becoming a better listener and improving one's self-control and social problem-solving.
In addition to enhancing social and cognitive skills, the principles of mindfulness and self-compassion are central to ADHD treatment at Empowered Life Therapy.
ADHD symptoms can often reinforce what is referred to as the inner critic, which is the voice that judges or reprimands us within, often harshly. Its condemnations can cause increasing feelings of inadequacy that drain us of our hope and joy. The inner critic is our built-in saboteur feeding us a steady diet of negativity.
In treating ADHD, we help develop greater mindfulness and self-compassion as healthy ways to separate from the inner critic's relentless pressure. Being mindful of our present thoughts and feelings and seeing them for what they really are lets us accept them more peacefully. It also helps us understand how others may have the same struggles.
Through mindfulness, we gain more clarity into how our thoughts develop and work. For example, if we make a mistake in a social setting, the inner critic might point out how inept we are. Mindfulness allows us to recognize that these accusations are just thoughts – not facts. We can dismiss them just as easily as we can listen to them.
As we reinforce the power to let go of the critic's voice, we become more sure of how to respond to ourselves and continue with quiet confidence through a situation. We also learn to proceed with grace through the moment while not getting trapped in the worries of the past or the future.
Should the inner critic be particularly insistent about our failures, self-compassion supports mindfulness by letting us see and speak to ourselves with love and respect, much as we would for a family member or friend having a hard time. If someone we care about is struggling, how would we encourage them? We can do the same for ourselves.
Through mindfulness and self-compassion as coping mechanisms, the individual can develop a sense of resilience with a growth mindset. Stress can then decrease as relaxation increases, adding to the ability to organize and to think calmly and clearly.
This aspect of therapy can truly be a game-changer. Setbacks become windows to adjustment and learning instead of reasons to withdraw further into the prison of self-criticism.
The therapists at Empowered Life Therapy understand how ADHD can intrude on inner balance and peace. We also know how proper treatment can help guide the individual to greater contentment and clarity. To find out more about our ADHD therapy for youths and adults, call us today at (630) 842-6585 or complete our contact form.
