Research-driven ADHD treatment to empower your unique brain
Top Rated ADHD Therapists in Danbury
Trauma-informed and neurodivergent inclusive private practice
Highly trained therapists who specialize in ADHD, ASD, and related disorders
Skilled at treating the chronically overwhelmed and perfectionistic
Over 10 years of experience supporting those who think differently
Integrated modalities ensuring the best therapeutic fit
About Cope & Calm Counseling
At Cope & Calm, we aim to create an inclusive environment that provides excellent counseling services for all. You don't need to prep and plan for therapy, we just ask that you come as you are. We show up with our personalities in session and we want you to feel comfortable being your wonderful, authentic self.
As perfectionistic over-thinkers who have had to tussle with our own inner critics, we get it. You have ambition and aren't afraid of hard work, but sometimes it's like the message to "go" doesn't get from your brain to the rest of your body. You can get stuck in cycles of procrastination followed by periods of doing all of the things. This pattern can lead you to feeling burned out, but doesn't necessarily stop your brain from making an endless list of to-dos. You feel frantic, messy, and simply all over the place.
We know exactly how to help you with that. We will help you understand why you get stuck in these cycles, help you to see that you are not lazy or incapable, and help you learn how to work around your symptoms and how to optimize the many strengths that come with ADHD.
If you are looking for high quality therapy for ADHD in Danbury, you have found the right place.
Meet our top-rated Danbury ADHD therapists
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1. Amber Young
Amber brings a combination of her own lived experiences with ADHD and extensive training into each therapy session. She wants her clients to understand the what and how of their diagnosis so that they feel empowered in supporting it.
Although her caseload is full, she loves being able to train and supervise the other therapists in her practice to treat ADHD. Whether you work directly with her or with another counselor at Cope & Calm, you will get the full benefit of her expertise.
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2. Ashley DeFreitas
Ashley has an extensive background working with children and teens, and is uniquely familiar with the impact of ADHD on students. While working at an intensive outpatient program (IOP), she treated many clients with Attention Deficit Disorder and co-morbid disorders like anxiety disorders using Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Ashley knows that helping littles requires collaborative work with parents and teachers, and enjoys being a part of the multidisciplinary process. She can help brainstorm potential interventions in the classroom, ways to increase on task behavior at home, and provide parent training to help parents lead with unconditional love, understanding of the developmental needs of the young brain, all while providing structure and clarity to keep you out of the power struggle. She works with children and adults with ADHD, and can treat the different ways that patients symptoms present over at different stages and with lifestyle changes.
Whether you are looking for support with time management, ways to improve attention, or want to work on social skills to improve your relationships, you are in capable hands with Ashley.
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3. Danielle Sterry
Danielle has a background in addiction treatment and recovery, and is very aware of the risks that come along with untreated ADHD. With her clients she is able to help them define new motivations to help redirect their attention from negative coping skills to adaptive strategies that allow them to live their best life. She takes a holistic approach and believes that medications can be a beneficial component of treatment, but focuses her work on the therapeutic treatment options that research shows is effective in treating ADHD. Danielle uses a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to build motivation and self-esteem allowing her clients to build organizational skills, control impulses, manage stress, and take manageable steps towards wellness. Danielle works predominantly with young adults and adults with ADHD.
How to get started
You need someone who can keep up with your brain and make sense out of the tangential thoughts.
Step 1: Connect.
Call or Text (475) 271-1887
This is the number to our intake coordinator. You can call or text and she will guide you through the rest.
OR Submit a contact form on our website
You can leave your information on our contact page and our intake coordinator will give you a call!
Step 2: Make a match.
Once you connect, our intake coordinator will take down some basic information, get a sense of your therapeutic goals, and answer any questions that you might have. She will then assess your needs and match you with the therapist that can provide the right treatment for you.
Step 3: Schedule.
If you are ready, you can schedule your first appointment with the intake coordinator. You can request to meet either online or in-person. You will receive an email with all of your consent forms. It really is that easy.
Step 4: Meet your therapist.
Get on your way to feeling better and more in control of your life with a custom treatment plan targeting your symptoms.
Why choose us for ADHD treatment in Danbury, CT
Are you tired of having to explain that "It is not that I don't want to do it, but I just don't feel like doing it", and still not having the person understand? Dude, we get it. We have been there. More than that we have all sought education that specifically explains the neurological underpinnings of that "stuck" feeling, so we can help you understand it and learn work around strategies. We know that ADHD is not a simply about not being able to pay attention, but is about not being able to choose what you pay attention to. That dripping sound in the back of the classroom, that we can clock. The lecture maybe not so much. That song you loved from 12 years ago still playing in the background of your mind, clear as can be. The fact that you just put your keys down and walked away, again not so much.
We will help you improve your well being, get a handle on sleep problems, help you understand your hyperactivity, and help you manage any side effects of medications like decreased appetite.
Don't have a formal ADHD diagnosis? We can provide evidenced screening assessments to help get a clearer picture and diagnose ADHD.
Common reasons why people start ADHD therapy
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Depression and anxiety are the most common concerns cited on an intake call. However, as we start our work and exploring patterns more deeply, we often will note sensory dysregulation and executive dysfunction as primary causes. It is hard to improve your mood or feel calm when you struggle to keep your thoughts organized, remember assignments, or initiate new tasks. We will identify your difficulties and explain how they align with the core symptoms of ADHD. Simply knowing why certain things are hard for you and that there is an entire community out there who gets it, is a first step to relief and healing. Then we will figure out what specific mind set shifts and skills that will work for you.
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This may present as not being able to submit projects on time, ignoring your emails, showing up late, or simply just feeling like you are not reaching your full potential. It is painful to know that you are smart and you do understand what to do, but getting those ideas in your brain to actions in your body isn't a process that you have totally figured out yet. For kids, we can help implement and support behavioral interventions and behavioral management at school. When treating adults, we will assess different environmental considerations and dopamine regulating strategies to improve your performance.
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Imagine you are a juggler. You have glass balls and plastic balls. The glass balls represent the important things that you really can't drop, the plastic things are less urgent. However as you look up to juggle, the sun is in your eyes and those clear glass and plastic balls disappear and reappear from your view uncontrollably. You are going to be super activated and on task with the balls you can see, while you hear bouncing and breaking on the floor from the missed catches. This heightened activation is exhausting. Even when you are catching the tasks that you enjoy. It requires a lot of work. Plus the sounds of the shattering balls echoed with disappointment or frustrated commentary from parents and teachers will leave you demoralized. You are doing your best, but those efforts aren't panning out or recognized. This leads to a constant sense of overwhelm that can impact all areas of your life, including your sense of self.
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If you feel overwhelmed, struggle with hyperactivity in your mind or body, and have a constant fear of missing something, you are more prone to irritability. This may look like sudden reactions to large emotions, but the truth is you have had a slow, almost imperceivable trickle of frustration for a long time. It is hard to explain to someone that you heard too many sounds at once earlier today and haven't been able to think straight since. You do not want to be angry or react like a porcupine when someone is trying to work something out with you, but you aren't always sure why that feels like a default. We can help you understand what leads to your dysregulation and what boundaries and skills you need to act more like you and less like a porcupine.
When another practice might be a better fit for your needs
FAQs about ADHD treatment
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ADHD has a large impact of our executive functioning. This occurs in the part of the brain that is least developed in youth and needs additional support even without ADHD symptoms. For adults, this higher level thinking is required for most responsibilities in our day to day life. Whether you want help tracking your time, forgetfulness, or difficulty in relationships, untreated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can lead to significant distress and impairment. According to the NIH, ADHD has a high co-morbidity rate with other mental health conditions. The distress associated with these symptoms only increases over time as environmental and cognitive demands increase with age. ADHD and the typical overlapping disorders are highly treatable with medicinal and/or therapeutic intervention (American Academy of Family Physicians, n.d.),
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ADHD is best treated medically by a psychiatrist or psychiatric practitioner. A Licensed Professional Counselor, Clinical Social Worker, or Licensed Clinical psychologist are all qualified to treat ADHD. At Cope & Calm we are all professional counselors with advanced degrees, over 3000 hours of supervised experience, and training tailored to the needs to people and families with ADHD.
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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is best treated with a combination of approaches. Research has shown that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and coaching to incorporate lifestyle changes are effective treatment options.
There are several different types of medicinal options to treat both children with ADHD and adult ADHD. The most known ADHD medications are stimulant options that are short acting and highly effective. That isn't always a good fit for patients. Fortunately there are also several non-stimulant medications available.
At Cope & Calm, we use a foundation of CBT with elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to increase motivation and reasoning, Internal Family Systems to help understand conflicting internal processes, and other paradigms as needed. We suggest behavioral changes that support a healthy lifestyle and management of symptoms in daily life. We can also collaborate with other healthcare providers to help monitor the effectiveness of medical interventions. When appropriate, we offer parent training to help with behavior management and implementation of coping skills at home.
Start ADHD Therapy in Danbury today
You have been trying to manage this on your own for a long time. I am sure that you have been quite successful and let that hyperfixating and hyperactivity drive you into success at times. However, the downsides of mismanaged ADHD is exhausting and can become debilitating. Your struggle is not a moral or personal failing, even if sometimes you have questioned it.
We can teach you why your brain functions the way it does, explore work arounds and hacks to improve your performance and mood, and help you feel in control of your life rather than living at the whim of impulses.
If you are ready to stop feeling inadequate and want to harness your strengths to make a life you are proud of, then give us a call!