in-person in ottawavirtual across ontario teens · adults · women
adhd therapy · ottawa

you're not lazy, scattered, or too much, your brain works differently

i work with teens, adults, and women navigating ADHD, including many who were diagnosed later in life. my approach combines evidence-based therapy with holistic nutrition and nervous system support, so we can address how ADHD shows up in your thoughts, body, and daily life.

Book a free consult

ADHD in women, often missed

ADHD research has historically been conducted almost exclusively on boys. As a result, the way ADHD presents in women, particularly inattentive ADHD, often goes unrecognised for decades. Women are far more likely to develop masking strategies that hide their struggles, internalise the difficulties as personal failures, and be misdiagnosed with anxiety or depression.

many women i work with received their ADHD diagnosis in their 30s, 40s, or later, often triggered by life events that removed the scaffolding that had been holding everything together: a new job, a child, losing a supportive partner, or simply running out of capacity to mask.

whether you've had a recent diagnosis or have been managing undiagnosed ADHD for years, therapy can help you understand yourself, and build a life that works with your brain, not against it.

ADHD in women can look like

  • chronic disorganisation, despite trying every system
  • emotional sensitivity and intense reactions that feel out of proportion
  • difficulty with time, often late, underestimating how long things take
  • perfectionism as a coping strategy, to compensate for perceived inadequacy
  • social exhaustion from masking and people-pleasing
  • starting many things and finishing few
  • hyperfocus on interests, and total inability to do boring tasks
  • a persistent feeling of being "too much" or "not enough"
who i work with

adults · women · teens

for adults

ADHD in adults

Many adults with ADHD spent years being told they were disorganised, irresponsible, or not living up to their potential. By the time they seek support, there's often a layer of shame, burnout, and damaged self-esteem underneath the ADHD itself.

Adult ADHD therapy addresses the practical challenges, time management, task initiation, organisation, but also the emotional ones: the grief of a late diagnosis, relationship strain, and learning to work with your brain rather than against it.

For many adults, ADHD and burnout build on each other, the cognitive load of masking compounds the depletion, and lifestyle factors (sleep quality, nutrition, physical activity, screen time) often quietly amplify both. Most therapy doesn't look at this layer. We do.

for women

ADHD in women

For many women, the ADHD diagnosis is both a relief and a reckoning. Relief that there's an explanation for experiences that have caused confusion and self-blame for years. And a reckoning with how much energy has been spent compensating, masking, and pushing through.

Therapy provides a space to grieve what wasn't recognised, understand your patterns without shame, and build sustainable strategies, not more elaborate coping systems that eventually collapse.

Women also navigate unique hormonal factors that affect ADHD: oestrogen fluctuations across the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause can all significantly intensify ADHD symptoms.

for teens

ADHD in teens

The teenage years are already intense, and ADHD adds a significant layer of difficulty around school performance, social relationships, self-regulation, and identity. Teens with ADHD often know they're capable but feel like something keeps getting in the way.

I work with teens in a way that's collaborative and non-lecture-y, helping them understand how their brain works, develop genuine strategies (not just reminders to "try harder"), and build self-advocacy skills for navigating school and life.

I also work with parents separately or together, helping them understand their teen's experience and respond in ways that build connection rather than conflict.

the holistic ADHD difference

most ADHD therapy focuses on strategies. i also look at what's happening in your body.

nutrition & focus

Blood sugar stability, omega-3s, iron, magnesium, and gut health all directly affect attention, executive function, and emotional regulation. As a CNP, I can help identify what may be amplifying your ADHD symptoms nutritionally.

sleep & ADHD

ADHD and sleep disorders are deeply intertwined, delayed sleep phase, difficulty falling asleep, and non-restorative sleep are all common. Poor sleep dramatically worsens ADHD symptoms. We look at this as part of treatment.

nervous system regulation

ADHD involves a dysregulated dopamine system that affects motivation, emotional reactivity, and distress tolerance. I use somatic and nervous system tools to help regulate the emotional surges that come with ADHD.

movement & dopamine

Exercise is one of the most evidence-based interventions for ADHD, increasing dopamine and norepinephrine similarly to medication. We look at movement as a therapeutic tool, not just a health recommendation.

this whole-system view is the same whole-person approach i bring to every kind of work, ADHD just happens to be a place it shines.

common questions

ADHD therapy, answered

Can therapy help with ADHD?
yes. therapy addresses the practical challenges (time management, task initiation, organisation) and the emotional layer underneath, shame, burnout, relationship strain, and learning to work with your brain rather than against it. medication is a separate conversation with your physician; therapy works alongside it or on its own.
What does ADHD look like in women?
often: chronic disorganisation despite trying every system, emotional sensitivity, difficulty with time, perfectionism as a coping strategy, social exhaustion from masking, starting many things and finishing few, and hyperfocus on interests alongside an inability to do boring tasks.
Do you work with teens with ADHD?
yes, collaboratively and without lectures, helping teens understand how their brain works and build genuine strategies and self-advocacy skills. i also work with parents, separately or together.
What is the holistic approach to ADHD?
alongside evidence-based therapy, we look at nutrition (blood sugar, omega-3s, iron, magnesium, gut health), sleep, nervous system regulation, and movement, because ADHD is a whole-system experience, not just a thinking problem.
Do you offer virtual ADHD therapy in Ontario?
yes, in person in ottawa and virtually anywhere in ontario.
Book a free consult wondering if you're burning out? take the 3-min check-in →
most of samantha's day-to-day writing lives on instagram, follow along @stilleytherapy