ADHD Therapy for Adults in Chicago & Across Illinois
For the adults who’ve spent years trying to “figure it out,” hold it together, or pretend everything’s fine — you’re not too much. Your brain just works differently. Let’s make space for that.
If you’re a late-diagnosed ADHD adult — or someone who’s always suspected your brain worked differently — you’ve probably built your life around masking, overfunctioning, people-pleasing, or pushing through burnout until your body finally said “enough.”
I’m Samantha Skvaril, LCPC, a Chicago-based ADHD therapist offering neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed therapy for adults across Illinois. I help you untangle shame, regulate your emotions, and build a life that actually fits your brain instead of one you’re constantly trying to force yourself into.
What We Work On Together
ADHD isn’t just forgetfulness or “being distracted.”
It shows up in your emotions, your relationships, your work, your identity, and your nervous system.
In therapy, we can explore:
ADHD-Informed Consultation for Therapists & Providers
You’re a therapist, coach, or healthcare provider who works with ADHD or neurodivergent adults, you already know: Traditional therapy approaches don’t always land the way we expect.
Many clinicians reach out to me when they want help understanding:
late-diagnosed adults
emotional dysregulation
ADHD + trauma overlap
masking, unmasking, and nervous system overwhelm
relationship patterns in ADHD
shame that shuts down progress
My consultation style is collaborative, grounded, and deeply neurodivergent informed. This is a space to ask real questions, build confidence, and get support navigating complex presentations.
This is ADHD therapy that wont’t ask you to change who you are.
You don’t have to be more organized, more calm, more productive, or more “together” to deserve help.
You don’t have to show up as the polished version of yourself.
And you definitely don’t have to pretend you’re not overwhelmed.
You get to arrive exactly as you are — late-diagnosed millennial, burnt-out parent, overachiever-turned-mush, or simply an adult who’s tired of trying to manage life alone.
Therapy for Adults in Chicago & Illinois
I offer online therapy for adults across Illinois.
Whether you live in the city, the suburbs, or anywhere in the state, you can get ADHD-informed support that actually understands your brain.
FAQs
What is ADHD therapy and how is it different from regular talk therapy?
ADHD therapy focuses on the way your brain processes attention, emotion, stress, and overwhelm — not just the thoughts you have about them. Traditional talk therapy often misses the deeper patterns behind ADHD, especially for late-diagnosed adults who’ve spent years masking, overfunctioning, or surviving chaotic environments.
ADHD therapy integrates nervous system regulation, executive functioning support, trauma-informed care, and shame-resilient tools, creating a neurodiversity-affirming approach that’s different from standard talk therapy. It helps you understand why ADHD shows up the way it does and what actually supports your brain long-term.
What does ADHD therapy look like in your practice?
ADHD therapy with me blends ADHD education, emotional regulation work, parts-based trauma therapy, and practical support for executive dysfunction. Instead of forcing one-size-fits-all tools, we build strategies that match how your ADHD brain actually works.
Sessions may include exploring shame and self-criticism, understanding your nervous system responses, working through trauma patterns, and building routines that support your energy, motivation, and emotional capacity. This integrated approach creates sustainable change for ADHD adults in Chicago and throughout Illinois.
How do I know if ADHD therapy is right for me and not ADHD coaching?
ADHD therapy is a better fit if your ADHD is connected to trauma, shame, emotional dysregulation, relationship patterns, or childhood experiences. Therapy helps with the deeper emotional and nervous-system work that coaching alone can’t reach.
Coaching can be helpful later for task-oriented goals, but most late-diagnosed adults benefit from starting with ADHD therapy to build emotional regulation, self-understanding, and internal safety first.
Is ADHD therapy the same as CBT or DBT?
Not exactly — but ADHD therapy often includes pieces of both.
CBT for ADHD can help you identify and shift the thought patterns that fuel overwhelm, shame, and executive dysfunction. DBT for ADHD adds skills for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and navigating intense feelings.
But most late-diagnosed adults need more than traditional CBT or DBT alone. ADHD therapy works best when it’s integrated and neurodivergent-affirming, combining behavior therapy for ADHD, nervous system work, shame healing, and practical strategies that match how your brain actually functions.
This approach creates an adult ADHD treatment plan that’s flexible, validating, and grounded in how ADHD shows up in real life — not just in a textbook.
Can ADHD therapy help with relationships, RSD, or communication struggles?
Yes — ADHD affects attachment, communication styles, conflict patterns, and how quickly you recover emotionally after an argument. Many adults with ADHD experience rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), masking, or overfunctioning in relationships.
ADHD therapy helps you understand these patterns, reduce RSD intensity, communicate more clearly, and build healthier relationship dynamics — whether you’re partnered with another ADHDer or in a mixed-neurotype relationship.
Can ADHD therapy help with emotional dysregulation and overwhelm?
Absolutely. Emotional dysregulation is one of the most common reasons adults seek ADHD therapy. Many late-diagnosed adults were told they were “too sensitive,” “dramatic,” or “reactive,” when the truth is that ADHD impacts emotional processing on a nervous-system level.
ADHD therapy helps you understand your overwhelm cycle, reduce emotional flooding, and build regulation tools that work with your ADHD brain — not against it. We focus on creating emotional safety, rebuilding self-trust, and learning how to stay grounded during high-intensity feelings.
Whether you were diagnosed years ago, just found out, or are still wondering if ADHD fits your story, ADHD therapy can help you navigate challenges like these:
( YOU'RE NOT ALONE )
🌀 REST ISN'T RESTFULThe body’s still, but the brain keeps spinning. You finally sit down to rest... and instantly feel guilty for not doing more.
🪫 RUNNING ON EMPTYYou feel like you are constantly running on empty, always a step behind, and never quite “enough.”
🔄 The List That Never WorksProductivity tools, planners, apps… none of them fix the executive dysfunction spiral. You rewrite the same to-do list 12 times and still forget to eat.
⚡ All or Nothing (Social Edition)Social interaction is all-or-nothing. There is no in-between. You’re either wildly over-explaining or ghosting everyone you love.
🫥 WORDS THAT SLIP AWAYYou start crying because someone interrupted you, again. Not because you’re sensitive but because you finally had the words, and now they’re gone.
Want Me On Your Podcast?
Here's what I've been featured in lately:
ADHD IN MOTHERHOOD - Worthy Mother Podcast
Bathroom Habits as Signs of ADHD - Newsweek
As a therapist with ADHD, I specialize in the stuff most people overlook. So if you’re looking for a guest who can speak candidly about masking, relational trauma, shame, and the real-life impact of late diagnosis—I’m in.
🎧 Podcast interviews
📰 Article features
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