Therapy for ADHD

We can help you find your focus and calm the inner storm.

What is ADHD?

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) impacts children, teens and adults. Commonly diagnosed in childhood, ADHD has a lifelong impact, meaning it doesn't just go away in adulthood (but it can shift and present itself differently). Some of the "check boxes" of an ADHD diagnosis include trouble concentrating, difficulty maintaining focus and attention, fidgetiness and hyperactivity, problems remembering things and staying organized and inability to control impulses. The check boxes are about the symptoms of ADHD, but there's so much more to this complex diagnosis. Folks with ADHD live with a lot of emotional distress. That chronic distress takes its toll on the mind and body, often presenting itself much like trauma symptoms would - living in a constant state of overwhelm and hyper-vigilence. 

How can Therapy Help with ADHD?

Some therapies for ADHD strictly address the behavioral challenges of the diagnosis. We believe that there's much more to ADHD than treating behavior issues. We believe in taking a holistic and well-rounded approach that focuses on key areas of self-improvement. 

• Learning what this disorder is and isn't (Education is key)

• Coaching and skill building that create personalized strategies for success (Hey, if you aren't personally attracted to it, you just aren't going to do it!)

• Calming the inner storm with effective practices such as mindfulness and self-compassion (Tried mindfulness before thought it stunk? Yup, it may be worth another shot.)

• Self-awareness and insight (knowing yourself and knowing what is and isn't ADHD)

• Integrating family members for support and understanding (Also involving the school system for those still in it) 

This all looks a little different based on the age and presenting concerns. As always, focusing on what IS working for the client and leaning on their internal strengths is paramount to lifelong success!

Therapy for anxiety

Everyone feels anxious at times. When it feels like it’s too much, you don’t have to carry it alone.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety can feel like intense worry that gets overwhelming and unmanageable. Anxiety can be experienced sometimes, often, or even all the time, and sometimes anxiety is tied to specific situations or triggers, while other times anxiety is more global. Anxiety is a normal human emotion, but problem anxiety is when our antennae for anxiety get "stuck" in the on position, and our brain & nervous system can't tell the difference between real and actual threats or get any relief. Problem anxiety gets in the way of daily functioning, can make it hard to go to work or school, and can interfere with relationships. With anxiety, you might have trouble sleeping, notice your heart beats too fast sometimes, feel nervous or worried about things that other people don't seem to worry so much about, and have trouble turning the anxious thoughts off in your mind. Children might experience anxiety through separation, they might have difficulty sleeping or eating, and they might talk a lot about things they worry about or avoid situations that cause them distress. Teens might experience anxiety as perfectionism, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, difficulties in friendships, and trouble keeping perspective when they experience stressors. For adults with anxiety, you may have been labeled a worrywart, or a high achiever, or someone who never slows down. Some adults experience anxiety as a full body experience, to the point of shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating, and a feeling of being out of control and at the mercy of your anxious thoughts. 

How can anxiety therapy help?

Whatever anxiety looks like to you, therapy can help. Anxiety therapy can include cognitive behavioral therapy, one of the most researched & evidence-based approaches to treating anxiety, and it can also include more integrative & holistic therapies that support the whole person & family. This might include self-compassion & mindfulness, the science of how our bodies & minds are interconnected and influence how we experience anxiety, and family systems therapy, which is uniquely suited to help individuals experiencing anxiety heal relationships, reduce anxiety triggers in the family, and change family dynamics that can inadvertently maintain anxiety. Anxiety can feel all consuming. Working with a therapist can help you feel more calm, clarity and capacity to manage your anxiety and get your life back.

Therapy for depression

We can hold hope for you even when it feels out of reach

What is depression? 

Depression feels different for everyone, but many people experience feeling hopelessness, low self-worth, chronic pain or fatigue, lack of motivation & focus, difficulty keeping up with school or work, loss of pleasure in things that once brought joy, sleep & appetite disturbances and withdrawal from friends and family. Some people find themselves numbing themselves with substances, getting lost in work, or staying preoccupied with technology, media or anything that helps to avoid the discomfort of feeling. In children and teens, depression can sometimes look like anger outbursts & irritability, difficulty concentrating, trouble getting along with peers, general moodiness, sleeping too much or too little, eating a lot more or a lot less than usual, and resistance to previously enjoyable activities. 

how can therapy help with depression?

You don’t have to have a mental health diagnosis to benefit from therapy; many of the symptoms of depression can show up at different times when life becomes overwhelming. Therapy can be an effective way to manage depression symptoms and the impact it has on relationships, sense of self-worth, and quality of life. We work with you to find new ways to cope with depression, developing tools of self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotion regulation to experience greater self-worth, feel more empowered, strengthen your relationships and to build a stronger internal and external support system. It takes a lot of courage to reach out and ask for help. You don't have to walk this path alone. 

Therapy for giftedness

Sometimes being gifted doesn’t feel like such a gift. We get that, and we can help.

Excuse me, What did you say?

Ah! This word can make so many people cringe. It can be so hard to say without having some sort eye roll or apologetic grin on your face. What do we even mean by this 'gifted' thing? I mean, aren't we all in some way? ...

Well, yes, we all are pretty special human beings and just because one person is special doesn't mean that another person isn't. There isn't a limit to specialness - we are all unique human beings. But what we're talking about is different than that. There is a portion of this population, a very small portion, who fall within the realm of gifted. They aren't better than anybody else, their lives aren't easier and they also aren't automatically able to anything they want. In fact, this percentage of the population face a lot of challenges, particularly socially and emotionally. 

What Does Therapy Look Like for Gifted Folks?

Therapy for gifted individuals closely, if not exactly, resembles therapy for anyone else. The defining features are that the therapist is greatly aware of the particular needs and experiences a gifted person may have, provides compassion and education regarding those needs and experiences, and can help navigate a client to the places they want to go based on those needs and experiences. Factors that play a role in therapy include, but are certainly not to limited to, understanding and management of the Overexcitabilities, exploring and coping with existential curiosities and questions, tapping into innate creativity and passion, identifying purpose and meaning in life, embracing imperfections and accessing one's potential and motivation, and addressing underachievement or over-functioning. Sound interesting? There's a whole lot more where that came from!

You don't need an IQ test to start therapy on issues related to giftedness, and there's a lot more to a person and their giftedness aside from one's IQ. Ask us more! We'd be happy to help!

I’m Gifted (or My kid is Gifted). Who Can work with me (My family)?

All of our therapists are able to confidently work with the gifted population. Co-Director, Tracy Tanner, has been working with this population in some capacity throughout her career. Part of her reasons for creating a group practice were so more gifted clients could be seen by competent therapists. Tracy provides on-going training and consultation for our therapists on the needs of the gifted. You are in good hands.

Therapy for overfunctioning

Life is about more than the hustle. Give yourself the gift of finding purpose, pleasure and peace in the pauses.

Austin therapy for perfectionists, caretakers, and anyone who finds themselves overwhelmed and unfulfilled. We work with adults who find themselves with packed calendars (yep, even in the time of Covid) but often feel lonely; who have successful careers but feel like it's never enough; who are parents raising incredible humans but who always feel like they're falling short; who are caregivers who don’t have time for self-care. We know how hard it can be to stop and notice when the busy-ness isn't working anymore, and how much harder it can be to know what to do to change the cycle.

At GT Therapy Group, we can help you slow down just long enough to find a different way to experience your life, so that you can be busy in ways that are actually meaningful and find more purpose in being present, not perfect. 

challenging the glorification of busy

If you are one of the millions of Americans who feel busier than ever, but like it's never enough, then trust us when we say: "It's not you, it's the culture."  Maybe you've never tried therapy before, but have had the nagging feeling that something is missing. Maybe you've wrestled with feeling like it's a sign of weakness to ask for help. Maybe you've wanted to talk to someone but have said over and over again: "There just isn't enough time." 

Being busy can help us create the illusion of having it all, but it also can leave us disconnected, numb, worn out, and anxious. 

Therapy is one of the only places where we give ourselves permission to just be. Where we have a partner who can help us learn how to slow down, tune in to our minds and our bodies in a new way, and who can help us create more meaning & purpose in our overscheduled lives. It's a place where we are tasked with uncovering what's really important amidst all the urgent items on our to-do lists, and where we can shift into a more intentional & mindful way of moving in our lives and in our relationships.

Therapy for self-compassion

Self-compassion is about treating yourself with the kindness you reserve for a good friend. It can be gentle or fierce, it can be about forgiveness and accountability.

Most of us know what it means to have compassion for others, but what about how to apply that to ourselves? And why? Thanks to the research of UT's own Dr. Kristin Neff, we now know that self-compassion is a complex tool for emotion regulation, resilience and relationships. Learn more about how cultivating self-compassion can support you. 

self-kindness

Being kind to yourself sounds easy, but in reality can be really hard for many of us who are used to self-criticism. When we learn how to develop a more tender inner voice, we can change the way that our brains & nervous systems respond to stressors. Self-kindness doesn't mean letting ourselves off the hook or doing whatever we want, whenever we want. It's about learning how to bring the same gentle voice to our own failings, mistakes and shame that we would use with a good friend. And it's a game changer.

mindfulness

Mindfulness is a way of being, rather than doing. A way of tuning in to our emotions and acknowledging them as they are, without minimizing or dramatizing them. Mindfulness is about paying attention, with curiosity rather than judgment, to what our inner experience is, to what our emotions are telling us in the moment. A way of sitting with discomfort without getting swallowed by it. A focus on the present, rather than the future or the past. When we practice mindfulness, we learn how to be more attuned to ourselves and the people around us.

common humanity

We are all in this together. You are not alone. When we hurt, it can be so hard to keep perspective. We can feel like we're the only ones who have ever suffered this much, or we can shame ourselves for how much we're hurting when "other people have it so much worse." Common humanity is not about minimizing your pain, or comparing it to another's as better or worse. It's about holding onto connection, seeking out intimacy through vulnerability, being willing to let others see us as the perfectly imperfect beings that we are.

Therapy for trauma

You are not defined by your trauma, and you can heal from the wounds you’ve experienced.

Most of us have or will experience some form of trauma. Our relational therapy & family systems approach helps us work with people of all ages & stages who have experienced developmental, complex or relational trauma, either growing up in unsafe, unstable or unsupportive homes or experiencing emotional, physical, psychological abuse or neglect. It can also be experienced in seemingly small ways, like being overlooked, unseen, forgotten about, and having your wants, needs or feelings left invalidated and unfulfilled.

You may benefit from relational trauma healing if you:

• grew up in a household where a caregiver had a mental illness, chronic illness, or substance abuse

• had parents who were unreliable, unpredictable, and who weren’t emotionally responsive or available consistently

• experience instability and volatility in your current relationships

• know what it’s like to feel small & insignificant

• have attachment wounds or other emotional wounds from your parents, caregivers, or other important relationships in your life