ADHD Therapy for Late-Diagnosed Adults in Chicago & Illinois

ADHD is often treated as a side note. Therapy may focus on anxiety, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, or burnout without addressing the patterns underneath them.

I begin with the ADHD—and with the shame, coping strategies, and beliefs that may have developed around it. We are not only trying to manage symptoms. We are working to understand why certain patterns continue even when you already know what you are “supposed” to do.

ADHD does not have to be the only reason you come to therapy. Many of the adults I work with are also exhausted from overextending themselves, managing other people’s reactions, overexplaining their decisions, or feeling guilty whenever they try to say no.

People-pleasing and boundary difficulties often overlap with rejection sensitivity, masking, chronic shame, and the belief that being useful or agreeable is what keeps relationships safe. Therapy can help you understand those patterns, communicate more directly, and begin making decisions without automatically abandoning yourself.

That is completely okay. Many people arrive after years of reading, relating to ADHD experiences, and wondering whether there might finally be an explanation for patterns they have struggled to understand.

You do not need a formal diagnosis to begin therapy, and you will not need to prove anything to me. When a formal assessment may be helpful, we can talk through your options.

Yes. Some adults who recognize their ADHD later in life also begin exploring Autism or identify with the AuDHD experience.

Masking, sensory overwhelm, burnout, difficulty with transitions, and the exhaustion of trying to meet neurotypical expectations can all be part of our work. My approach is neurodivergent-affirming, which means the goal is not to help you mask more effectively. It is to help you understand yourself and build a life that works more sustainably for you.

Yes. Medication may support attention, regulation, and your ability to access certain skills, but it does not automatically change the beliefs you have developed about yourself after years of struggling.

Therapy and medication address different parts of the experience. Our work can focus on the shame, relationship patterns, emotional responses, and coping strategies that medication alone may not resolve.