ADHD Counselling in Vancouver, BC
Virtual and in-person therapy for adults who are tired of trying harder and getting the same results.
ADHD in adults is often misunderstood, including by the people living with it. You might be capable, motivated, and genuinely trying, and still find yourself missing deadlines, losing track of conversations, or running out of steam after a burst of focus.
At OP Counselling, we offer ADHD therapy for adults in Vancouver and across British Columbia, both in person and virtually. Our approach is trauma-informed and judgment-free, and we build it around how your brain actually works.
What ADHD can look like in adults
ADHD doesn’t always look like the hyperactive kid who can’t sit still. In adults, and especially in women and people who got a late diagnosis, it often shows up as:
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Starting things with energy but struggling to follow through
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Difficulty managing time, transitions, or unexpected changes
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Emotional sensitivity or reactions that feel bigger than the situation
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Putting things off, especially tasks that feel boring or overwhelming
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A persistent feeling of underachieving relative to your own potential
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Relationship problems tied to forgetfulness, distraction, or impulsivity
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Burnout from the effort of keeping it together throughout the day
If you got your diagnosis as an adult, or if you’re only now wondering whether ADHD might explain a lot about your life, you’re not alone. Many adults spend years being told they’re not trying hard enough before anyone looks deeper.
ADHD in Women and Late Diagnosis
ADHD research has historically focused on boys, which means the way it shows up in women is still widely missed, including by doctors. Women with ADHD are more likely to internalise their struggles, build elaborate workarounds, and carry a lot of shame before anyone takes their difficulties seriously.
Getting a late diagnosis can bring relief and grief at the same time. Relief that there’s finally an explanation. Grief for the years spent thinking you were lazy or disorganised when you were actually working much harder than anyone realised. Therapy can help you hold both of those things, and start building a life that works with your brain rather than against it.
ADHD and Addiction: Understanding the Overlap
ADHD and substance use problems often go together, and there’s a reason for that. Many people with ADHD find, sometimes without realizing it, that alcohol, cannabis, or stimulants help quiet the noise, sharpen focus, or provide the kind of relief their brain has been looking for. What starts as coping can quietly become a problem of its own.
At OP Counselling, we work with clients who are dealing with both. We don’t treat them as separate issues to tackle one at a time. Instead, we look at the whole picture: what role substances are playing, what needs they’re meeting, and how to build real alternatives that support you long-term.
How ADHD therapy works at OP Counselling
All four of our therapists work with adult ADHD, and all bring a trauma-informed approach to the work. We know ADHD rarely shows up on its own. Many of our clients are also dealing with anxiety, depression, past trauma, or substance use, and our work is designed to hold that complexity.
Depending on what’s most useful for you, we draw on:
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CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy): practical tools for focus and organisation, and help with the thought patterns that make ADHD harder
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EMDR: useful when trauma and ADHD are intertwined, and when emotional reactivity is a big part of what’s getting in the way
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Mindfulness-based strategies: building a pause between impulse and action, and easing the shame that often follows ADHD mistakes
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Learning about how your brain works: understanding your own patterns so you can stop blaming yourself and start working with your neurology instead of against it
Sessions are available in person in Vancouver and virtually across British Columbia. We start with a free 15-minute consultation so you can get a feel for the fit before committing to anything.
What to Expect
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Free 15-minute consultation: a low-pressure conversation to talk about what’s going on and see if we’re a good fit
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First sessions: we’ll explore your specific experience of ADHD, your history, and what you most want to change
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Ongoing work: building real, personalized strategies for focus, emotional regulation, and daily life, at your pace
ADHD can make it hard to take the first step. A free 15-minute consultation is a low-pressure way to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Many of our clients come to us with questions, not a diagnosis. If ADHD feels like it might explain your experience, that’s enough to start a conversation. Therapy can be useful whether or not you’ve had a formal assessment.
Yes. We offer virtual sessions for adults anywhere in British Columbia, as well as in-person sessions in Vancouver. Many clients find virtual therapy easier to attend consistently, which matters a lot when ADHD is part of the picture.
Many extended health plans in BC cover registered clinical counselling. We recommend checking with your provider before booking. We provide direct billing to most extended health providers in BC and we’re happy to provide receipts for insurance purposes otherwise.
Yes. Medication and therapy address different things. Medication can help with focus and impulse control, but it doesn’t build skills, address shame, or work through any trauma or emotional patterns underneath. Many clients find the combination most effective.
This is very common. ADHD often shows up alongside anxiety, depression, and trauma, and the symptoms can overlap in ways that make it hard to tell what’s driving what. Our therapists are used to working with these combinations and won’t try to separate them artificially.
This is very common. ADHD often shows up alongside anxiety, depression, and trauma, and the symptoms can overlap in ways that make it hard to tell what’s driving what. Our therapists are used to working with these combinations and won’t try to separate them artificially.
