ADHD

We know that ADHD often shows up in children and teens in ways that are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed altogether. Many of the young people we work with have spent years masking their symptoms, internalizing shame, or being labeled as “too much,” “lazy,” “disruptive,” or “emotional.”

For many people, ADHD goes unrecognized for years. You may have spent much of your life trying to "keep it together," wondering why everything seemed harder for you than for others.

Being diagnosed with ADHD can bring a mix of emotions: relief, grief, anger, curiosity, hope.

You are not broken. You are not a failure. You are not lazy.
You have an ADHD brain — a valid and valuable way of being human — that was simply not understood or supported.

You deserve care, clarity, and community.

Counselors Who Work With ADHD

  • Sheldon Clark (he/him)

    Senior Counselor

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  • Rachel Schick (she/her)

    Associate Counselor

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  • Megan Thomas (she/her)

    Senior Counselor

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What It’s Like to Have ADHD in a Neurotypical World

ADHD is a valid way of experiencing the world — full of creativity, sensitivity, deep focus, and big feelings.

Many struggles that people with ADHD face come not from the ADHD itself, but from trying to function in environments that aren’t designed to support neurodivergent ways of thinking and being. And for those who also hold other marginalized identities, these struggles can be amplified.

Common experiences may include:

  • Executive functioning challenges: trouble with organization, planning, prioritizing, or starting tasks

  • Time blindness: losing track of time or struggling with transitions

  • Emotional dysregulation: big emotions that feel hard to manage

  • Rejection sensitivity: feeling deep hurt from criticism or perceived disapproval

  • Chronic overwhelm: too many things to juggle, too little support

  • Internalized shame: after years of hearing "you’re not trying hard enough" or "you should know better"

  • Masking or overcompensating: working twice as hard to appear "on top of it"

You may also be navigating burnout, trauma, and anxiety - especially if you’ve been unsupported for much of your life.

What It’s Like to Be Diagnosed with ADHD Later in Life

Many people are diagnosed with ADHD well into adulthood. This is because:

  • Many of us learn to mask or overcompensate from a young age

  • Gendered expectations (be nice, be helpful, be organized, keep up appearances) lead to internalized pressure and perfectionism

  • Medical and mental health systems have been shaped by bias and stereotypes

  • Intersectional factors (race, class, culture, gender, disability, queerness) make many ADHD experiences invisible

If you have just been diagnosed, or suspect you may have ADHD, you may be:

  • Looking back on your life with new understanding and grief for what could have been

  • Feeling burned out from years of masking, overworking, or chasing impossible standards

  • Dealing with shame or self-criticism from past struggles at work, in relationships, or with everyday tasks

  • Struggling with executive functioning even if you appear "successful" externally

  • Managing big emotions such as overwhelm, rejection sensitivity, frustration, or sadness

  • Feeling isolated, as few people truly understand the experience of late-diagnosed ADHD

You are not alone. You did not "fail". You adapted and survived in a system that didn’t recognize your needs.

Parenting ADHD Kids & Teens

Parenting a child with ADHD often means parenting differently. Traditional discipline strategies, school systems, and social expectations may not work, and instead of support, you’re often met with judgment. You may feel exhausted, confused, or like you’re constantly trying to decode your child’s behavior.

At New Moon Rising Wellness, we offer affirming, relational support for parents and caregivers navigating the complexities of raising an ADHD child or teen. We help you:

  • Understand ADHD through a neurodivergent-affirming lens

  • Build connection and reduce conflict at home

  • Learn regulation and co-regulation strategies

  • Reframe behavior as communication, not defiance

  • Unlearn ableist or shame-based parenting scripts

  • Care for your own nervous system and burnout

We also know many of our parenting clients are neurodivergent themselves, possibly with a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis. You may be reparenting yourself as you parent your child, and we’re here to support both.

You are not failing. You are parenting in a world that often doesn’t understand your child, or your experience as their caregiver.

How Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy Can Help

At New Moon Rising Wellness, we practice neurodivergent-affirming therapy.

This means:

  • We don’t view ADHD through a deficit lens

  • We understand that ADHD interacts with gender, race, class, disability, culture, sexuality, and other identities

  • We recognize the deep impact of ableism, sexism, racism, and heteronormativity on ADHD experiences

  • We support you in building a life that honors your brain not one that forces you to meet neurotypical standards

In therapy, you can:

  • Explore your ADHD identity and unpack what this new understanding means for you

  • Process grief, anger, or regret about missed support or misunderstood struggles

  • Address the impact of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and burnout

  • Rebuild self-compassion and challenge internalized shame

  • Learn executive functioning strategies that fit your life and strengths

  • Develop tools for emotional regulation and boundary-setting

  • Celebrate your ADHD gifts: creativity, intuition, resilience, deep thinking