Chances are, you have encountered someone with adult ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in your practice. If you are like many counselors, you may have written off adult ADHD as “just another fad”, believed that it is “something you outgrow”, or assumed that it is “overdiagnosed” in our society.
Research actually shows the opposite- that adult ADHD is likely underdiagnosed and/or misdiagnosed, and that these folx do not have the support that they need to navigate the unique challenges that come with adult ADHD (Chung et al., 2019). Additionally, many adults have also developed compensatory strategies that end up masking their challenges (Canela et al., 2017), which means that we, as counselors, have an ethical responsibility to better understand the complexities and nuances of adult ADHD. It is critical to understand (not just on paper, but in practice) how the diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD translate into the therapy room when you are sitting with someone who is struggling.
Adult ADHD goes beyond the symptoms described in the DSM, and in fact, research suggests that additional challenges, such as frequent emotional dysregulation, should be considered when assessing and diagnosing adult ADHD (Soler-Gutiérrez et al., 2023). This presentation will explore how to “translate” the diagnostic criteria for adult ADHD into the real world, assessment tools for adult ADHD, unique challenges associated with adult ADHD that are often missed in the diagnostic criteria, factors that influence underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis, neurodivergent-affirming interventions to support individuals with adult ADHD, and how intersectionality impacts individuals with adult ADHD.
NBCC category this presentation content will cover:
1. Counseling Theory/Practice and the Counseling Relationship.
2. Human Growth and Development
3. Social and Cultural Foundation
4. Assessment
APA category this course will cover:
1.1 Program content focuses on the application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that have overall consistent and credible empirical support in the contemporary peer-reviewed scientific literature beyond those publications and other types of communications devoted primarily to the promotion of the approach;
Target Audience: Post-masters level Mental Health Clinicians who work with adult clients.
Levels of Instruction: Intermediate. This program built on the existing skills and knowledge of clinicians at the post-master’s level.
Zoom Recording: The instructor and the slideshow are recorded during every live Zoom meeting to create home study videos. Participants' faces are not recorded.