by Kole Lawrence | Nov 10, 2025 | ADHD, Assessments, Counselling, Executive Function, Mental Health, Mental Health Disorder
Could ADHD Be Part of Your Story?
Have you ever wondered whether ADHD might be affecting your life, even though you were never diagnosed as a child? If so, you’re not alone. I’m Kole, a clinical psychology doctoral student completing my practicum at Alongside You, and I want to share why adult ADHD assessments and therapy might be worth considering, especially if you’ve always had this feeling like you were working harder than others just to keep pace with everyone else.
ADHD Often Gets Missed in Childhood
For a long time, ADHD was seen as something that affected “hyperactive little boys.” Teachers and parents looked for kids who were constantly in motion or couldn’t stop talking. But that’s only one ‘presentation’ of ADHD—there are many, many more. Many kids, like those with inattentive symptoms, experience things like daydreaming, losing track of assignments, or constantly leaving their hoodie in their locker at school (not just me?) These children often flew under the radar because they weren’t viewed as disruptive and their challenges were maybe not quite as obvious as others to those around them.
ADHD Often Gets Missed in Girls
There’s a gender factor, too. Girls and quieter children are more likely to mask their struggles, working hard to appear organized and capable (Holden & Kobayashi-Wood, 2025). Because inattentive symptoms are more common in girls, they’re often identified later—around age 12 instead of age 7 for boys (Young et al., 2020). Many women only recognize their ADHD as adults, sometimes after years of being labeled “anxious,” “disorganized,” or “too sensitive” (Kok et al., 2020). Understanding that ADHD can look different in women and inattentive types helps explain why so many people are discovering it later in life.
Discovering ADHD as an Adult
ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that continues into adulthood (Adamis et al., 2022). For many adults, symptoms shift from visible hyperactivity to inner restlessness, distraction, and difficulty managing time or focus (APA, 2022). You might appear successful on the outside but feel scattered or overwhelmed behind the scenes. Life transitions (think new jobs, becoming a parent, or relocating) can often unmask symptoms that were once manageable. Recognizing ADHD in adulthood can bring really huge relief for folks.
What an Adult ADHD Assessment Looks Like
If you’re curious about an assessment, Alongside You offers comprehensive Adult ADHD Assessments conducted by our doctoral students and registered psychologists. These include questionnaires, an in-depth interview about your life history (including childhood signs), and tests that assess attention and executive functioning. We may also seek input from someone close to you and screen for conditions like anxiety, depression, or sleep issues that can mimic ADHD. Whether or not the results confirm ADHD, you’ll leave with clarity and personalized recommendations for support.
Help Is Here
It’s never too late to understand your brain and find strategies that work. Alongside You provides both assessment and therapy for adults with ADHD-related challenges. Getting answers can be a really huge thing for people. And hopefully a step toward more confidence and self-compassion in what life throws at us.
If this resonates with you, reach out to our team at Alongside You in Ladner. We’re here to walk alongside you on your journey toward understanding and thriving with ADHD.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.; DSM-5-TR). American Psychiatric Publishing.
Adamis, D., Flynn, C., Wrigley, M., Gavin, B., & McNicholas, F. (2022). ADHD in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence Studies in Outpatient Psychiatric Clinics. Journal of Attention Disorders, 26(12), 1523–1534. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547221085503
Holden, E., & Kobayashi-Wood, H. (2025). Adverse experiences of women with undiagnosed ADHD and the invaluable role of diagnosis. Scientific Reports, 15, 20945. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04782-y
Kok, F. M., Groen, Y., Fuermaier, A. B. M., & Tucha, O. (2020). The female side of pharmacotherapy for ADHD: A systematic literature review. PLOS ONE, 15(9), e0239257. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239257
Young, S., Adamo, N., Ásgeirsdóttir, B. B., et al. (2020). Females with ADHD: An expert consensus statement taking a lifespan approach providing guidance for identification and treatment. BMC Psychiatry, 20, 404. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02707-9
by Nikita Bhatty-Avdic | Jan 12, 2021 | ADHD, Anxiety, Encouragement, Executive Function, Mental Health
ADHD and the Role Parents Play
Many parents wonder what role they should play in the lives of their child with ADHD. When answering an important question like this one, we like to start with the experts. In my professional readings, I often turn to the literature of Dr. Russell A. Barkley, PhD., a leading expert in the management of ADHD in children. He has a great perspective to start with when searching for insightful, research-based information around the struggles of children with attention problems and the challenges faced by their parents.
In his book, Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete, Authoritative Guide For Parents, Dr. Barkley describes the role of the parent of a child with ADHD as that of a skilled executive, who acts as a team leader on behalf of the child, treating the child’s teachers, therapists, coaches or physicians as personal advisors. To assume this role fully, parents learn how to take on the headspace of a high-functioning executive, one who uses planning, prioritizing, problem solving and goal-setting skills to get the job done and ensure success for their child. In doing so, these parents (nicknamed “executive parents” by Dr. Barkely) develop their own confidence and fortify their roles as true case managers; ones who are in charge and ones who determine, to a great extent, how the care for their child takes shape.
Why Parents Need to Become Executive Parents
“Wait a second,” you might think, “Why this is role necessary when many children with learning and behavior problems already have case managers in the school system who consult with teachers, develop IEP goals and carry out recommendations? Isn’t that enough?” Ultimately, we find it is still the parents themselves who tend to be the best case managers of their children’s supports, as they are the ones who know the child best and can best advocate for their needs.
Parents who take on this executive role eventually learn to be proactive and are prepared to lead the way for other people involved in supporting their child over the long haul. Executive Parents understand that even though other individual children may be maturing faster and becoming more independent, children with learning and behavior challenges like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Specific Learning Disability (SLD) may struggle more than others their age, needing longer periods of parental support and management. These Executive Parents learn how to act as advocates, working with others to provide the resources that the child needs over time.
The Executive Parent that Dr. Barkley envisions also understands that only they can make their child’s success their number one priority. Of course, school personnel can provide special education services, physicians can provide medical consultations, tutors can provide academic support and coaches can assist with athletics – but in the end, it’s ideal if a parent can coordinate these services in a way that works for their child. That’s not to say that specialized and skilled professionals aren’t valuable, but they cannot replace the wisdom and dedication that parents bring to the table.
It’s important to note that while the image of a highly functioning executive may bring the image of a task master to mind, parents should instead aim to operate as a decision-maker and problem-solver on behalf of their child. The child is still viewed as a complete person, with skills, competencies, feelings and preferences of their own, and above all, the potential to succeed!
It’s Okay That You’re Still Learning
Learning these “Executive Parent” skills won’t come all at once, and that’s okay. The more you learn to take this role on, the more you will develop your voice, learn how to get the information you need, ask helpful questions, and make your feelings heard. Learning these skills over time will help create more clarity around which choices to make for your child, too. And over time, you can take your place walking alongside them, clearing the way for their best interests and taking your rightful place as their biggest fan.
I know that doing all of this as a parent is difficult. It can be overwhelming to take on this role with your child sometimes, and it can also be hard to understand the systems that your child is having to operate within through school and other activities. I’d love to be a help to you and your child as you navigate this together. If I can be of any help, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
