Getting an ADHD diagnosis can feel overwhelming and challenging. While everyone’s diagnosis looks different, having the right support and access to resources. The good news is there are different therapy modalities that can help manage ADHD symptoms, provide strategies for building coping skills, and make daily life more manageable. Learn some of the most effective therapy approaches and the ways they can support people with ADHD.
ADHD Therapies
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy (OT) supports people with ADHD by helping them build practical skills and routines that make everyday life easier to manage. An occupational therapist works with clients to improve organization, time management, and task completion, while also addressing challenges like sensory sensitivities or difficulty regulating emotions. Occupational therapists will create personalized strategies and hands-on exercises that help people feel more confident, improve focus, and handle school, work, and home life easier. The goal is to equip people with tools that make thriving in everyday situations possible.
How Occupational Therapy Helps
An occupational therapist helps with executive functions—the mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. They work on improving organization, planning, and time management. OT also addresses sensory processing issues which are common in individuals with ADHD who may be over or under sensitive to stimuli like sound, touch, or light.
Examples of OT strategies:
- Creating visual schedules and checklists to make multi-step tasks like getting ready for school or work more manageable and not something that is overwhelming.
- Developing a sensory diet that includes activities like jumping on a trampoline, blowing bubble, or using a weighted blanket to help regulate the nervous system and improve focus.
- Breaking down large projects into smaller, more achievable steps to combat procrastination. Examples of this are: Picking a specific area to clean⎯ desk, closet, or shelf, completing one homework section at a time, putting on pajamas before doing the other bedtime tasks, etc.
Physical Therapy
Although physical therapy isn’t always the first treatment people think of for ADHD, it can be very helpful, particularly for developing motor skills and giving children an outlet to release excess energy.
How Physical Therapy Helps
Many individuals with ADHD experience challenges with coordination, balance, and fine motor skills (dyspraxia). A physical therapist can come up with customized exercises to help your child build and improve these abilities. Having regular appointments can really help with ADHD to improve focus, curb impulsive behavior, and lift mood by naturally boosting key brain chemicals like dopamine and norepinephrine.
Examples of PT strategies:
- Balance-building exercises on a balance beam or stability ball.
- Coordination activities like catching and throwing balls or navigating obstacle courses.
- Developing a structured exercise routine that provides a healthy outlet for excess energy.
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy is one of the main ways to help manage ADHD. This therapy provides tangible tools for those who experience negative emotions related to impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. Therapy helps individuals recognize how their thoughts and feelings influence their behavior. For children, it’s important for parents and teachers to be involved to make sure there’s consistency when the child is in different environments.
Examples of behavioral therapy techniques:
- Earning points for positive behaviors that can be used for rewards like extra time on their tablet or staying up 30 minutes later on the weekend.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a specific type of behavioral therapy that helps individuals identify and reframe negative thought patterns that lead to problematic behavior. For example, changing “I’ll never finish this” to “I can work on this for a few minutes at a time and take breaks in-between.” CBT is effective at helping people who have ADHD and a mood disorder.
Parent Coaching
If your child has ADHD, our Parent Management Training (PMT) can be really helpful for parents to develop effective strategies to encourage positive behaviors and address challenges as they come up. It helps parents set clear expectations, give constructive feedback, and ways to communicate with your child so parents can feel more confident on how to manage and de-escalate negative behavior. Your child will benefit as well by showing improvement in their social skills, academic performance, conflict at home, and emotional regulation while strengthening your relationship.
Examples of parent coaching strategies:
- Positive reinforcement: Focusing on positive reinforcement and praise to build their self-esteem and motivate positive behavior.
- Clear and consistent rules: Implementing consistent and predictable routines and schedules to create a sense of stability and reduce anxiety.
- Calm & effective communication: Learning to give short, straightforward instructions instead of complicated, multi-step instructions.
- Special Time: Developing parenting techniques that help children learn and grow.
Educational Therapy
School can be a major source of struggle for individuals with ADHD. Educational therapy is all about matching learning to the way an individual’s brain works. It’s a personalized approach that combines teaching with helpful strategies to make learning more manageable for the child and so they can be successful.
How Educational Therapy & Executive Function Coaching Helps
An educational therapist works one-on-one to identify specific learning challenges and develop strategies to work through them. They address underlying issues related to memory, attention, and processing speed that impact academic performance. Their goal is to help the student become a more confident and independent learner.
Examples of educational therapy techniques:
- Teaching active reading strategies like highlighting, summarizing, and asking questions to improve comprehension and retention.
- Introducing assistive technology such as text-to-speech software or digital planners.
- Developing personalized study skills and test-taking strategies tailored to the individual’s learning style.
- Working on advocacy skills so the student can learn to ask for accommodations like extended time on tests.
How A Support Team Can Make A Difference For ADHD
ADHD affects many aspects of life, from staying focused and organized to managing emotions and physical coordination. Because of this, a one-size-fits all approach isn’t effective. The most effective approach is often multidisciplinary, involving a team of specialists who collaborate to create a personalized support plan. This ensures that every aspect of an individual’s needs is addressed, helping to create ongoing progress.
At Clarity, we use CBT to help children with ADHD and Parent Coaching to help children develop skills for managing emotions, problem solve, and handle everyday challenges. With the right tools and support, children can become more confident in their everyday interactions, and our therapists are here to guide them so they’ll become more confident and independent. Contact us to schedule a free consultation today.
