ADHD and Neurodivergent Counselling

What Is Neurodivergent Counselling?

Neurodivergent counselling is therapy that starts from an understanding of how ADHD, autism, and related conditions actually affect the way a person thinks, relates, and moves through the world. Rather than treating neurodivergence as a deficit to be managed, it treats it as a real part of who someone is, with its own strengths, challenges, and implications for daily life.

Adults with ADHD or autism often arrive at therapy after years of being told they weren't trying hard enough, weren't organized enough, or simply weren't paying attention. Many have received a diagnosis later in life and are in the process of understanding what that means for their history, their relationships, and their sense of self. Counselling can be a space to work through that, at whatever pace makes sense.

Common reasons adults seek this kind of support include: difficulty with emotional regulation and relationships, workplace and career challenges, late or recent diagnosis and the identity work that follows, anxiety and depression that developed alongside unrecognized neurodivergence, and navigating major life transitions.

How Darryl Works With Neurodivergent Clients

Darryl DeRoches, MSW RSW, is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist with more than 25 years of experience. He works with adults with ADHD, autism, and related neurodivergent profiles, including those who received a diagnosis recently or later in life and are still integrating what that means.

His approach is holistic and mindfulness-based, and sessions are structured around what actually helps each person, not a fixed protocol. For neurodivergent clients, that means adapting how sessions are paced, what kinds of reflection are useful, and how goals are framed and tracked. You will not be expected to fit a standard therapeutic format if that format doesn't fit how you work.

MORE ABOUT DARRYL

What to Expect from Your First Session

Step 1: Getting Clear on What You're Looking For

Your first session is a conversation about what's brought you in and what you're hoping to work on. There's no rigid intake structure. Darryl will listen, ask questions, and get a clear picture of your situation, including any diagnosis history and what's felt useful or unhelpful in the past.

Step 2: Tailored Ongoing Sessions

Sessions are shaped around your goals and the way you process and communicate. Darryl draws on trauma-informed and mindfulness-based frameworks, adapted to what's relevant and useful for you specifically.

Step 3: Flexible Scheduling and Format

Sessions are available in person in London and St. Thomas, and virtually for anyone in Ontario. There is no set number of sessions or prescribed timeline.

What Clients Typically Address

Adults who work with Darryl for ADHD and neurodivergent support commonly address:

Emotional regulation, particularly reactivity in close relationships and high-pressure situations
Identity and self-understanding following a late or recent diagnosis, including what it means to reinterpret a personal history through that lens
Anxiety, low mood, and self-critical patterns that developed alongside unrecognized neurodivergence

Outcomes are practical and cumulative: steadier relationships, more effective self-management strategies, and a clearer understanding of what support actually looks like for you as an individual.

BOOK TODAY

Counselling

I am a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist with over 25 years experience in the field. I am innately curious about people, human nature and the human condition. I strive to be present for my clients and see my work with them as service and that being of service to people is a true calling. I approach my work with clients from a holistic perspective and I utilize a Mindfulness approach in our work together. I truly believe that the therapeutic relationship is a crucible for true change and understanding in our lives. Are you ready to do the work? You’re not alone. Let’s do this.

Darryl DeRoches

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a formal diagnosis to access neurodivergent counselling?

No. A formal diagnosis is not required. Many adults who seek this kind of support are self-identified, in the process of being assessed, or simply recognizing patterns in themselves that fit a neurodivergent profile. Darryl works with clients wherever they are in that process.

Do you work with adults specifically, or primarily children?

Darryl works exclusively with adults. His practice focuses on the adult experience of ADHD and neurodivergence, including the specific challenges that come with late diagnosis, workplace navigation, relationships, and identity.

I've had therapy before and found it hard to work with the format. Is that something you can adapt to?

Yes. Darryl adapts sessions to how each client works best, including pace, communication style, and how goals are framed. If standard therapeutic formats haven't worked well for you in the past, that's worth discussing in the first session.

Do you offer virtual sessions?

Yes. Darryl offers secure virtual counselling for clients anywhere in Ontario, which can be easier to access consistently for clients managing scheduling challenges related to ADHD.

Can counselling help if I was diagnosed recently and I'm still figuring out what it means?

Yes. Late and recent diagnosis is one of the most common reasons adults seek neurodivergent counselling. Working through what a diagnosis means for your history, your relationships, and your sense of identity is real and substantive work.

Book a Session With Darryl

Darryl DeRoches, MSW RSW, offers in-person counselling in London (408 Queens Ave) and St. Thomas (141 Wellington Street), and virtual sessions for adults with ADHD and neurodivergence anywhere in Ontario. He is currently accepting new clients.

BOOK NOW