Online across California · In person in North Lake TahoeADHD therapy for the whole person
You know exactly what you need to do, and you still can’t make yourself do it. Time slips, things go unfinished, and the shame builds. You can’t seem to outsmart your brain. I offer accountability, strategy, compassion, and practical tools when they help, for both the day-to-day and emotional sides of ADHD.
Nurture your nature ·
Nurture your nature ·
Who it's forAdults with ADHD, diagnosed or not, including AuDHD.
What it isHolistic ADHD therapy for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.
WhereOnline across California, in person in North Lake Tahoe.
How to startA free 15-minute consultation.
The part no one names
By the time most adults look for ADHD therapy, they've already been called undisciplined, selfish, too much, and not living up to their potential, often by themselves.
You're smart and capable, and you still can't reliably do the things you know how to do.
A little criticism can wreck the whole day.
You mask so well that no one believes you're struggling.
You start things with real excitement and stall out once the novelty wears off.
Underneath it all, there's a quiet, constant disappointment in yourself.
Underneath the busyness, you're tired in a way sleep doesn't fix.
None of this is a character flaw or a willpower problem. It's a nervous system wired for interest and urgency, doing its best in a world built for neither.
There’s nothing wrong with you
We live in a world that sabotages and abuses the way our brains are wired and then we’re called the problem. We’re supposed to sit still all day, stare at screens, and be exceptional at one thing for life. Part of this work is building a life that fits the way you’re built.
A big part of ADHD comes down to how your brain regulates dopamine, the chemical tied to motivation and focus. When something is interesting or urgent, your brain gets going. When it’s boring or far off, it can feel like pushing a car uphill with the brakes on. That’s wiring, not laziness.
And we’re asking a lot of that brain.
Three layers of the work
And we're asking a lot of that brain.
01The foundations: sleep, food, and movement
For an ADHD brain, the basics matter more, not less. We look at what's getting in the way of rest, make sure you're eating often enough to have fuel instead of running on caffeine, and use movement to lift focus and mood. Sometimes we take sessions outside.
02Tools that work with your brain
Most productivity advice was written for brains that aren't yours. We work on time blindness by making time visible, on forgetfulness by getting things out of your head and into one reliable place, and on organization with systems that are simple and forgiving of bad weeks. We also work on getting started, with tiny first steps, body doubling, and borrowing urgency when you need it.
03The emotional side
If you've been called lazy or selfish enough times, especially by yourself, you start to believe it. We look at where those labels came from and work to break the shame-blame-perfectionism loop: you fall behind, you beat yourself up, you set the bar impossibly high, and you freeze. Using somatic therapy and EMDR, we also work with overthinking and the big emotions that flood in faster than you can talk yourself down.
If you’re taking medication, this work fits alongside it, and I’m happy to coordinate with your prescriber.
Therapy or coaching?
Therapy uses practical tools too, but inside deeper work with shame, the nervous system, and old patterns. If you mainly want systems and accountability, my ADHD and executive function coaching is online and nationwide, with no diagnosis needed.
If you're AuDHD
Many of the people I work with are autistic and ADHD at once, even if only one label ever got named. Craving novelty and needing sameness can feel contradictory, but it's usually two real needs pulling at the same time. Add years of masking, and a lot of the work is learning to hear what you actually need again.
Work with AustinHi, I'm Austin.
I'm a licensed therapist for adults with ADHD, OCD, and high sensitivity, especially where they overlap. I use somatic therapy, EMDR, and ecotherapy for the moments when understanding the pattern isn't enough to change how it feels. I believe healing happens in connection: with yourself, with others, and with the land. My work focuses on practical tools, meaning making and aliveness, social justice and depth oriented psychology.
Austin Sherman, LMFT · CA license #146132 · MA, California Institute of Integral Studies · Bilingual in English and Spanish
Questions about ADHD therapy
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Executive dysfunction is the umbrella. It covers trouble starting, planning, working memory, organizing and switching gears. ADHD paralysis is the frozen feeling of knowing exactly what to do and still not being able to move. It's usually driven by overwhelm or dread, not by a lack of know-how.
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Often both. Loosely, anxiety keeps you stuck because something feels dangerous, and ADHD keeps you stuck because something doesn't feel interesting or urgent enough. You don't need the label sorted out to start.
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No, I don’t but I'm glad to point you toward an evaluation. You don't need a diagnosis to work with me.
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I'm out of network and full fee. I provide superbills for possible reimbursement and offer a sliding scale based on need. Check with your insurance company to see if your plan accepts superbills for reimbursement for out of network providers.
Let’s Nurture your Nature, not fight it.
If you're worn out from trying to discipline your way out of how your brain works, let's talk. You don't have to earn your way in with a good week.
NewsletterKeep in touch
A few times a year I send a short email about new workshops, groups, and seasonal retreats, with the occasional note on slowing down and living with a mind that runs fast and feels everything.