I Need You to Understand How Bad Training Is for Mental Health Professionals Who Work with ADHD

I’ve been attending MANY mental health workshops and conferences, ranging from general topics like anxiety, depression, and trauma to specialized training that claims to certify competence in treating ADHD. Honestly, what I’ve seen has been quite alarming.

Here's What's Happening

In many general mental health sessions focused on issues like anxiety and depression, the discussion fails to address the experiences of neurodivergent individuals adequately. For instance, when discussing treatments for anxiety or how to manage trauma, the typical approaches do not take into account how neurodivergent individuals might experience these differently.

Issues like sensory overload, the differentiation between neurodivergent burnout and depression, or how trauma can be processed differently by neurodivergent minds are never addressed.

When it comes to ADHD-specific training, the lack of understanding and empathy becomes even more apparent. Often, the strategies discussed usually involve changing your mindset so you believe you can do things, or managing your behavior and being more productive. Ignoring the reality of the very real trauma that neurodivergent people have experienced as children being repeatedly traumatized, ignoring their needs to be accommodated in this world and protected from burnout and learn self-care and self-advocacy.

When I specifically ask, "How do you handle the claim that strategies in therapy like this are often referred to as gaslighting by the neurodivergent community?" ( a shared experience lived experienced by many), presenters admit they have never heard of this!

This disconnect reveals a gap in their training and a reluctance to engage with and learn from these lived experiences.

The Consequences of Inadequate Training

These shortcomings are profoundly troubling, especially when considering the professionals tasked with supporting children.

Many training programs focus solely on framing ADHD as a behavioral issue. This fails the children and perpetuates a cycle of misunderstanding and traumatization that can affect their entire lives.

The Need for a Neurodivergent-Affirming Model

The models currently in use are outdated and fundamentally flawed—they pathologize neurodivergent individuals, treating Autistic and ADHD characteristics as symptoms of a diseased brain that need to be corrected. This perspective is not only harmful but also retraumatizing, encouraging masking rather than understanding and supporting neurodivergent ways of being.

We need a neurodivergent-affirming model and nothing less. This means advocating for training and therapeutic approaches that recognize the strengths and particular needs of neurodivergent individuals rather than attempting to fit them into a neurotypical mold.

If you or your child is receiving therapy or support for ADHD, please be highly discriminatory about the kind of care you are receiving. I cannot emphasize enough how appalled I am at models that not only fail to help but actively retraumatize neurodivergent people. It is vital to ensure that the therapeutic practices in place truly serve the best interests of those they aim to support, fostering understanding rather than perpetuating harm.