ADHD Therapy

In Santa Barbara & Throughout CA

You Know What Needs To Get Done.
So Why Is It So Hard To Start?

You have good intentions.
You care.
You make plans.

But somehow things still end up taking longer, feeling harder, or falling through the cracks.

You tell yourself you'll start tomorrow.

Then tomorrow comes.

And somehow you're still stuck.

Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation

ADHD Doesn't Always Look Like ADHD

Sometimes it looks like:

Chronic procrastination
Perfectionism
Feeling overwhelmed
Avoiding important tasks
Low motivation
Constant self-criticism
Feeling behind everyone else

Some people come to therapy with an ADHD diagnosis already.

Others are simply wondering whether ADHD might explain some of the patterns they've experienced for years.

Many people assume they struggle primarily with anxiety, stress, motivation, or follow-through.

Others think they're lazy, disorganized, or simply not trying hard enough.

Over time, constantly working harder just to keep up can affect confidence, mood, and self-esteem.

Whether you've been diagnosed for years or are only beginning to question whether ADHD may be part of the picture, therapy can help you better understand how your brain works and build strategies that actually fit your life.

ADHD Can Also Look Different at Different Stages of Life

In teens, ADHD often shows up as:
• Avoiding homework or disliking school
• Trouble initiating tasks
• Disorganization
• Emotional reactivity
• Frustration as expectations increase
• Social difficulties or feeling out of sync with peers
It’s rarely about intelligence. It’s usually about executive functioning.
In college students and young adults, ADHD often looks like:
• Chronic procrastination
• Mental clutter
• Starting strong but not finishing
• Missed deadlines
• Difficulty prioritizing
• Relationship strain
• Burnout from constantly compensating
Many people genuinely want to follow through on things that matter to them, but find that attention, organization, or task initiation keeps getting in the way.
In women, ADHD is often missed.
Common experiences include:
• Less visible hyperactivity
• More internal restlessness
• Overthinking and mental loops
• High achievement with high effort
• Persistent self-criticism
• Feeling “behind” despite capability
Many high-performing women were overlooked growing up because they appeared responsible and capable, even if everything required more effort behind the scenes.

Understanding What Works for Your Brain

Licensed therapist Alex Goodman sitting in a Santa Barbara therapy office specializing in anxiety and overthinking

I'm Alex, a licensed therapist based in Santa Barbara, and I work with teens, college students, and adults navigating ADHD.

Many people arrive feeling frustrated because they've already tried countless planners, apps, routines, productivity systems, and promises to themselves.

Some things may help for a while.

Then life gets busy, motivation changes, or the system stops fitting the reality of everyday life.

Rather than forcing yourself into strategies that were never designed for you, therapy can help you better understand your patterns and identify approaches that are more likely to stick.

Working together might include:

Understanding how the ADHD brain works
Learning to work with your brain instead of against it
Recognizing patterns that contribute to overwhelm, procrastination, and avoidance
Creating routines that feel realistic instead of overwhelming
Improving planning, organization, and follow-through
Managing emotional reactivity, frustration, and rejection sensitivity
Navigating school, work, and relationship stress
Reducing shame, self-criticism, and the feeling of being "behind"
Building systems that support consistency without requiring perfection

My approach is practical, collaborative, and individualized.

The goal isn't to become a different person.

It's to better understand how your mind works and create a life that works with it, rather than constantly fighting against it.

More About Alex

Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation

Finding the right support matters.

Use the calendar below to schedule a free consultation and discuss whether working together may be a good fit.

Fee: $185 for a 50-minute session
Private Pay. Superbills available. HSA/FSA accepted.

Common Questions About ADHD

Yes! Many people come to therapy thinking they only struggle with anxiety, when difficulties with focus, organization, task initiation, or overwhelm may also be playing a role.
ADHD and anxiety commonly occur together, and each can make the other worse. Part of our work is understanding what is contributing to your struggles and developing tools that address the underlying patterns that you are specifically experiencing.
Many adults and teens come to therapy wondering if ADHD might be part of the picture but have never received a formal diagnosis.
Therapy can help explore patterns related to attention, motivation, executive functioning, organization, and emotional regulation. If additional assessment seems appropriate, we can also discuss referral options.
For many people with ADHD, procrastination is not about laziness or lack of motivation.
Tasks may feel difficult to start, overwhelming, boring, unclear, or emotionally uncomfortable. Therapy can help identify the specific obstacles getting in the way and develop strategies that make it easier to follow through.
Many people with ADHD feel capable in some areas of life while struggling with things that seem like they "should" be simple.
Managing schedules, responding to emails, keeping up with responsibilities, planning ahead, or completing tasks can require significantly more mental effort. Therapy can help reduce overwhelm and create systems that work with your brain rather than against it.
Medication can be incredibly helpful, but it often does not teach the skills needed to manage daily life.
Therapy can help with planning, organization, emotional regulation, procrastination, self-criticism, relationships, and creating routines that support long-term success.