ADHD Therapy in Manchester
ADHD can affect many areas of life: focus, relationships, work, energy levels, and even self-esteem. You might feel frustrated, misunderstood or overwhelmed by how your mind works, especially if you’ve had to mask or push through for years. Therapy can offer a space to pause, reflect and feel understood.
As a Trauma-Informed BACP registered counsellor, I offer one-to-one counselling for adults with ADHD in Manchester, including those newly diagnosed or self-identifying. Our sessions are shaped around your needs and the way you experience the world. Together, we’ll look at what’s been working, what hasn’t, and how things might begin to feel more manageable.
If you’d like to explore whether therapy could support you, I’m here to talk.
Understanding ADHD
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) can affect many areas of life, from focus and organisation to relationships, work, and self-esteem. You might find yourself feeling overwhelmed, scattered or constantly on edge, even when you're trying your best. There may be moments of high energy and creativity, followed by burnout, frustration or shame.
ADHD is often misunderstood. Many people grow up feeling negatively towards themselves, when in reality they’ve simply been trying to function in a world that doesn’t always work with how their brain is wired. This can leave deep emotional marks, especially if your needs weren’t recognised or supported earlier in life.
Whether you've been formally diagnosed, are self-identifying, or are still exploring the possibility of ADHD, therapy can be a place to pause, reflect and feel understood, without having to mask or justify your experience.
Experiences you may recognise
ADHD affects people in different ways, and the reasons people come to counselling vary a lot. On the following cards I've described some of the experiences people most often bring: not having a diagnosis, being diagnosed late, rejection sensitivity, shame, masking and burnout, relationships, being LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent, and the possibility of being autistic too. You might recognise one of these, or several, or none of them exactly. They aren't a checklist. They're here so you can see the kind of thing we might talk about, and so you know you won't need to explain it from scratch.
Many adults with ADHD find that criticism, or even the feeling of being criticised, affects them far more than it seems to affect other people. A small comment can stay with you for a long time. A slow reply to a message can leave you convinced you've upset someone. Some people call this rejection sensitive dysphoria, or RSD. It can look like anxiety from the outside, and it's easy to be told you're being oversensitive. It can make relationships feel precarious, and it can lead to avoiding things you'd actually like to do because the possibility of getting it wrong feels too much.
Rejection sensitivity
Masking & Burnout
For many people with ADHD, masking starts early, often without noticing: being corrected for interrupting, told to sit still, laughed at for forgetting, and slowly learning to hide those things rather than be caught out. Over time it becomes a way of being. You monitor yourself constantly. You hold back the things you'd like to say, keep your body still when it wants to move, seem interested when you've lost the thread, and seem calm when you're overwhelmed. You learn what a "normal" reaction looks like and produce it, whether or not it's what you feel. All of this extra intense effort over a lifetime can contribute significantly to burnout.
Many adults with ADHD find that their emotions arrive quickly and strongly, and take a long time to settle. Frustration can turn into anger before you've had a chance to notice it. Small setbacks can feel enormous. You might cry easily, or find yourself swinging between feeling fine and feeling overwhelmed several times in a day, without much sense of what changed. This is often the part of ADHD that causes the most difficulty in daily life, and it's the part people are least likely to have been told about. Because it doesn't fit the picture of ADHD most people have, it's easy to have been given other explanations for it over the years, or to have decided it means something is wrong with you as a person.
Emotional Dysregulation
Oppositional Defiance
Some people with ADHD react strongly to being told what to do. Instructions can feel like pressure, and being managed at work or at home can feel intolerable. You might dig in over things that don't matter to you and feel ashamed of it afterwards. In children this is sometimes called oppositional defiance. The experience is common, and it causes real trouble when other people read it as stubbornness rather than as something that happens to you.
Relationships can be work when you have ADHD, and much of that work is invisible to the people around you. You might be trying harder than anyone realises to stay present, to remember, to keep up, and still find yourself on the receiving end of frustration. I work with individuals rather than couples, so I won't be seeing you together. What we can do is make sense of your side of it: what it's like from the inside, what you need that you may never have been able to ask for, and how to talk about ADHD with the people close to you in a way that doesn't leave you carrying all the blame.
ADHD & Relationships
ADHD & LGBTQ
A good number of the people I work with are both neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+, and the two often overlap in ways that are worth talking about. Masking your neurodivergence and masking your sexuality or gender can cause internal struggles or conflict. For some people, thinking about ADHD only became possible after coming out, once there was room to think about who they are. You don't need to explain one to get support with the other. It's an area I've worked in a lot over the past few years, and one I find I keep learning from. There's more on my LGBTQ+ counselling page.
Some people find that ADHD only explains part of their experience. They might need routine but struggle to keep one, or want stimulation and be overwhelmed by it, or find some social situations easy and others exhausting. If that sounds familiar, you may be autistic as well as ADHD. Some people call this AuDHD. It's a distinct experience rather than simply the two together, and it's often missed because the traits can seem to contradict each other. I work with a number of people in this position, and I've written more about it on my AuDHD counselling page. You're welcome to bring all of it here, whichever page you start from.
ADHD & Autism
How ADHD Therapy Can Help
Therapy can help you understand how ADHD affects you personally, and how your strengths and struggles fit into the wider picture of your life. It’s not about “fixing” you, it’s about working with how your brain works, rather than constantly fighting against it.
Together, we might explore:
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The emotional impact of living with undiagnosed or unsupported ADHD
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Patterns of overwhelm, burnout or shame
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Difficulties with relationships, time management or self-organisation
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Strategies for managing day-to-day life in a way that feels more realistic and compassionate
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Reframing self-criticism and beginning to build a more accepting, supportive relationship with yourself
ADHD therapy can offer both practical and emotional support. For some people, it’s about tools and structure. For others, it’s about feeling seen and accepted for the first time.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. We’ll work together to find what helps you.
My Approach
Living with ADHD often means years of being misunderstood by teachers, employers, sometimes even friends or family. You may have developed ways to mask, push through or self-criticise just to keep up. In our sessions, you won’t have to do any of that. You can show up exactly as you are.
My approach is person-centred, which means the sessions are shaped around what’s happening in your life now. That might include emotional regulation, burnout, overwhelm, or just needing somewhere to be real about how hard things feel. I won’t set unrealistic goals or expect you to become more “productive.” Instead, we’ll look at how to make life more manageable on your terms.
If it feels useful, I can bring in tools from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Transactional Analysis (TA) — particularly when we’re exploring unhelpful patterns or working on self-compassion. But the focus is always on what works for you, not what works for someone else.
Why work with me
I’m a Level 4 Certified, Trauma-informed BACP-registered counsellor (you can see my credentials here) with experience supporting clients who live with ADHD, whether diagnosed, undiagnosed or exploring. I understand that ADHD is more than distraction or impulsivity. It’s often a lifelong experience of feeling misunderstood, dismissed or out of sync.
You won’t need to explain everything from scratch or prove that your struggles are valid. My role is to meet you where you are, offer gentle support and help you find new ways to navigate life with more clarity, energy and self-acceptance.
Ready to begin?
If you’re wondering whether therapy might help you, I offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation. You’re welcome to ask questions, share a little about what’s going on, or just see how it feels to speak with me.
There’s no pressure, just a chance to connect and decide whether this feels like the right space for you.
Flexible ways to access support
I provide a range of counselling services to accommodate your unique needs and preferences.
All interactions are available in 30-minute and 60-minute clinical sessions, with prices from £30.
Face to Face sessions at my comfortable and welcoming therapy rooms in Manchester.
Connect with me from the comfort of your own home, maintaining privacy and flexibility.
Receive support and guidance via telephone sessions, ideal for those with limited internet access or who prefer a voice-only interaction.
Experience the benefits of therapy in an outdoor setting, combining counselling with the therapeutic effects of nature and gentle exercise.
Based in North Manchester, here to support you
I’m based in North Manchester and work with clients from all across the surrounding areas, including Whitefield, Prestwich, Bury, Radcliffe, Crumpsall, Blackley, Middleton, Salford, and many more local communities. Wherever you're from, if you're looking for support with your mental health, you're welcome here.
Finding me
I offer in-person counselling sessions at my therapy room in Whitefield, North Manchester. It’s a calm, private space that’s easy to reach from across the city and surrounding areas.
Address: 229 Bury New Rd, Whitefield, Manchester M45 8GW. Find me with W3W or via Google
Getting here:
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By car: Free on-street parking is usually available nearby.
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By tram: About a 30-second walk from the Whitefield Metrolink stop.
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By bus: Local buses stop just a short walk away.
If you’re unsure about directions or access, feel free to get in touch - I’m happy to help you plan your visit.
Not local?
If you're not based near North Manchester - or simply prefer not to travel - I also offer counselling sessions by telephone or secure video call. This can be a helpful option if you're juggling a busy schedule, live further away, or feel more comfortable accessing support from home.
Related Therapies
Every individual's ADHD journey is unique and may require different approaches to address their specific challenges. That's why I offer a range of related therapies tailored to your needs, all delivered with warmth, compassion, and understanding. If you haven't found what you're looking for here, these therapies may also help.
Useful Resources
I understand that taking the first step towards seeking help for ADHD can be incredibly challenging. I want you to know that you're not alone, and there are many resources available to support you on your journey towards healing. If you're not quite ready to get in touch with us, I encourage you to explore these external resources that may provide valuable insights, coping strategies, and comfort during this time:
ADHD Help, Support & Guidance
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