ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is more common in adults than many people realise, and it’s frequently missed or misunderstood until well into adulthood. If you’ve spent years feeling disorganised, easily distracted, or chronically behind despite trying hard, it’s worth exploring whether ADHD might be part of the picture. Veronica West is a registered psychologist (BPsychSc(Hons), MPH, MPsych) offering therapy for adults and teenagers with ADHD, in person in Maroochydore from November 2026 and by secure telehealth across Australia.
Currently accepting new clients, including for in-person appointments in Maroochydore from November 2026.
Phone 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Enquiries by message are answered personally, usually within one business day.
Registered Psychologist (AHPRA) | BPsychSc(Hons), MPH, MPsych | Medicare rebates available with a referral
Veronica offers therapy and practical support for ADHD. She doesn’t provide ADHD assessments or diagnosis, and can point you toward an assessment pathway if that’s what you’re after.
Does any of this sound like you?
People get in touch about ADHD at different points. Some have had a diagnosis for years, others are still working out whether it fits. You might recognise some of this:
- You’re capable, and still chronically behind on things that seem straightforward for everyone else.
- Systems work for a while, then stop working, and you start again from scratch.
- You lose hours to things you didn’t plan to do, and can’t get started on the things you did.
- Criticism, or the sense of it, affects you more than seems reasonable.
- You’ve managed this for years by working harder, and it’s wearing you down.
If some of that fits, you’re welcome to get in touch and discuss your needs.
Understanding ADHD in Adults
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by persistent difficulties with attention, impulsivity, and, in some presentations, hyperactivity. In adults, it often looks quite different from the stereotypical picture of an overactive child. Many adults with ADHD are high achievers who’ve developed coping strategies that worked for years, until they didn’t. Others have struggled on their own, attributing their difficulties to personal failings rather than a neurological difference.
There are three recognised presentations of ADHD. The predominantly inattentive presentation involves difficulty sustaining attention, losing things, and getting lost in thought. The predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation involves restlessness, impulsive decision-making, and difficulty waiting. The combined presentation involves features of both. Adult ADHD is also commonly accompanied by anxiety, depression, or burnout, which can complicate the picture and delay recognition.
Late diagnosis is increasingly common. Many adults, particularly women, reach their 30s, 40s, or later before receiving an ADHD diagnosis. Earlier in life, high intelligence, strong support systems, or sheer effort can mask the difficulties enough to get by. When those compensatory strategies stop working, or when demands exceed capacity, the impact of ADHD becomes harder to manage.
Common Signs of ADHD in Adults
ADHD presents differently in every person. Some of the most common signs in adults include:
- Difficulty sustaining focus on tasks that aren’t inherently interesting or urgent
- Losing things regularly, including keys, phones, and important documents
- Chronic disorganisation despite genuine effort and good intentions
- Starting many projects and completing few
- Difficulty with time management, including underestimating how long tasks take and consistently running late
- Emotional dysregulation, including frustration, overwhelm, or sensitivity to perceived criticism
- Restlessness or difficulty sitting with quiet, low-stimulation tasks
- Impulsive spending, speaking, or decision-making
- Hyperfocus on engaging topics, contrasting with near-inability to engage with others
- A persistent sense of underachieving relative to your own potential
Recognising these signs in yourself doesn’t mean you definitely have ADHD, but it does mean the question is worth exploring. Veronica offers therapy and practical support rather than assessment, so if a formal ADHD assessment is what you need, she can point you toward the right pathway.
How Psychology Can Help
Whether or not you have a formal diagnosis, if ADHD-related difficulties are affecting your day-to-day life, psychology can offer practical, evidence-informed support. Working with a psychologist for ADHD means understanding how your attention and executive function actually work, and building strategies that suit how you function rather than working against it.
Areas Veronica works on with adults with ADHD include understanding your specific ADHD profile and how it shows up across different areas of your life; building practical systems for organisation, time management, and task initiation that fit how you actually function; managing the emotional side of ADHD, including rejection sensitivity, frustration, and the impact of years of struggling before understanding why; and addressing co-occurring conditions, since anxiety, depression, and burnout are common alongside ADHD and often need to be worked on together.
For many adults, understanding that their experience has a name and a neurological basis is itself significant. It doesn’t explain everything, but it can change how you relate to your own difficulties.
Therapeutic Approaches
Veronica draws on several evidence-informed approaches when working with adults with ADHD:
- CBT adapted for ADHD, cognitive behavioural strategies modified for ADHD, with a focus on practical skills for organisation, planning, and managing avoidance and procrastination
- ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), building psychological flexibility and values-based action, rather than getting stuck in the struggle against ADHD symptoms
- Psychoeducation, understanding ADHD as a neurodevelopmental condition changes how people relate to their own experience, and that shift matters
- Executive function support, practical, personalised strategies for time management, organisation, task initiation, and working memory
Psychology doesn’t replace medication for ADHD (where it’s indicated). If medication is something you’re considering or already using, that’s a conversation for your GP or psychiatrist. Psychology and medication often work well in combination, and Veronica is comfortable working alongside other providers who are supporting you.
You can read more about Veronica’s general therapeutic approach on the therapy page, and more about the ADHD-specific context in her article on adult ADHD and psychology.
What happens when you get in touch
Getting in touch with a psychologist for the first time can feel like a big step, so it helps to know what happens next.
- You send a message or call. You can share as much or as little as feels comfortable at this stage.
- Veronica replies personally, usually within one business day. Enquiries aren’t handled by a reception team.
- You have a short conversation about what you’re looking for, and if it seems like a good fit, you arrange a first session. If Veronica isn’t the right person for what you’re dealing with, she’ll say so and point you toward someone who is.
- If you already know you’d like to start, you can also book a first session online.
What sessions cost
Individual therapy is $230 per session, in person or by telehealth.
With a valid GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, the Medicare rebate is $101.55 per eligible session, which leaves $128.45 out of pocket.
Private health, NDIS, workers’ compensation and DVA options are set out in full on the fees and funding page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a GP referral to book?
No referral is needed to book an appointment. If you have a Mental Health Treatment Plan from your GP, you may be eligible for Medicare rebates on therapy sessions. Check with your insurer if you’re claiming privately. You can find more details on costs and Medicare on the fees and funding page. For a fuller breakdown of what seeing a psychologist costs across Australia, see how much it costs to see a psychologist.
Does Veronica provide ADHD assessments or diagnosis?
No. Veronica offers therapy and practical support for ADHD, not assessment or diagnosis. If a formal ADHD assessment is what you’re after, she can point you toward an appropriate pathway. If you already have a diagnosis, or you’re still working out whether ADHD fits and want support with the difficulties you’re experiencing, that’s the work she does.
Do I need a formal ADHD diagnosis to see a psychologist?
No. You don’t need a prior diagnosis to work with a psychologist. If you’re struggling with attention, organisation, or executive function, those experiences are worth exploring regardless of whether you’ve been formally assessed. Sessions can focus on practical support for the difficulties you’re experiencing.
Is telehealth suitable for ADHD therapy?
Yes. Telehealth is well-suited to psychological support for ADHD. Many adults find it easier to engage from their own environment, and removing the commute reduces a common barrier to consistent attendance. If you’d rather meet in person, Veronica also sees clients in Maroochydore from November 2026.
Send an enquiry
Fill in as much or as little as you like. Veronica reads and answers every enquiry herself, usually within one business day. You’re also welcome to call on 0468 493 039, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
If you’re in crisis or need immediate support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In an emergency, call 000.