ADHD Support Group in London, Ontario: Reflections from Therapist, Marissa Dias

Written by Marissa Dias, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

Running an ADHD support group is something I’ve wanted to do since first starting as a student therapist. So many of my favourite people in my personal life have ADHD, let alone the dozens of incredible, resilient clients I see every week with ADHD, so this group is close to my heart.

From the jump, I realized just how much validation, normalization, and understanding are needed for people with ADHD just to counteract the years of harm that growing up with a different brain in a neurotypical society can do. I am often astounded by the level of self-criticism and internalized shame they deal with on a regular basis as a result of being told that they are the problem, rather than the structural barriers we know are designed for – to be frank – an “ideal” brain that doesn’t exist.

The first round of running this group earlier this year warmed my heart – the space that I’d seen so many clients wish existed was as important as I’d hoped it would be. I watched otherwise unexpected relationships develop over one common factor – having ADHD. And in classic ADHD fashion, the topics would often develop into some unexpected but very important tangent – something I may not have planned for, but that was nonetheless remarkably relevant to the group. 

It was a privilege and honour to learn from these group members and to see how creativity, humour, and kindness shone throughout each group session. I cannot wait to keep learning how to best support my clients with ADHD through iterations of the group to come. 

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