3rd Floor, Queer Therapy Hub, North Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1YD, UK
ADHD Therapy: Specialised Support for Neurodivergent Clients
Forgetful, busy, non linear ways of thinking welcome here!
Again I have a lined experience of ADHD, as do many of my clients. Stress, anxiety, low self worth and shame often come up in therapeutic work. Another frequent theme is on elf distraction.
So why as ADHDer’s do we have so many distracting, competing thoughts at once?
The reason for this is due to an imbalance between two key areas in the brain; the Default Mode Network (DMN) and the Task Positive Network (TPN).
When a person is resting (e.g. not dealing with the endless ADHD lists) the DMN is responsible for self reflection, daydreaming, monitoring our environment, thoughts and feelings about past and future.
Contrasting to the DFM, is the Task Positive Network (TPN). The TPN is what gets activated when we need to pay conscious attention to something, focus on a task, be present to assess when to take action. It stores short term memory, goal directed activities, deciphering the relevance of information about the task you’re engaging in and processing sensory input (visual, auditory, touch) guiding physical responses.
Once the TPN is activated in neurotypicals (whatever neurotypical means :) ) , it turns off the DMN. Frustratingly, ADHD folx, have an ‘over active’ DMN; both the DFM and the TPN remain active at the same time.
Does any of this ring true to you?
- You put down your crochet needle to then take forever to find it, again!
- Annoying background song takes focus as you try to find the errors in the code for your boss
- Thinking about making dinner, when you should be reading that queer theory text for your PHD due in 2 weeks
- Ruminating over that all too familiar feeling of embarrassment from 5 years ago when you tripped up in front of the non-binary finary you were crushing on, when you should be applying for that job?
- Standing still in the middle of your kitchen for who knows how long feeling overwhelmed about where to start with the tidying of your home, ending up just standing there
With the DMN and TPN being switched on at the same time it makes concentration incredibly challenging, as focus is being pulled internally and externally. It can have a direct impact on a persons ability to form and maintain relationships, work and study. This can cause feelings of overwhelm, stress, anxiety, low mood, depression, low self worth and shame.
As well as specialising in gender inclusive therapy, neurodivergent therapy, I also specialise in ADHD therapy, having supported many ADHD clients with the challenges in self regulation, endless lists, overwhelm, distraction, side quests, floordrobes and the knock on effect on self care. I have a lived experience of ADHD, I won’t judge you. Please get in touch with any questions.