ADHD in Women: What It Looks Like and How Therapy Can Help

As a Therapist for women with ADHD in Franklin County, PA, I want you to know that there is help and hope for you, no matter what challenges ADHD brings to your life.

For many adult women, ADHD looks nothing like the stereotypical kid who can't sit still in class. And it often goes undiagnosed for years.

Instead of hyperactivity, you may feel like your mind is always running but your body can’t keep up.

You may constantly forget appointments, misplace your phone five times a day, or feel paralyzed by simple decisions.

On the outside, you’re holding it together. On the inside, you're exhausted, overwhelmed, and silently wondering why everything feels so hard.

If that resonates, I want you to know that you're not lazy, hopeless, or failing.

You may be experiencing ADHD in adulthood, which often shows up differently in women than it does in men.

As a counselor helping women manage their ADHD, I’ve worked with many women who finally began to understand what was going on, once they recognized the signs of ADHD.

Common Symptoms of ADHD in Adult Women

ADHD in women is often misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, or even just being “scatterbrained.” But here are some signs that may point toward ADHD:

• Chronic forgetfulness (appointments, to-do lists, birthdays, etc.)

• Feeling overwhelmed by simple daily tasks

• Frequently starting projects and struggling to finish them

• Difficulty focusing or sustaining attention, especially on boring or routine tasks

• Being easily distracted or zoning out during conversations

• Struggling with time management (underestimating how long things will take)

• Emotional reactivity, especially feeling frustrated or discouraged easily

• Constant mental chatter or racing thoughts

• A deep sense of shame or guilt for not being able to “just do it”

Many women with ADHD have developed impressive coping skills, like overplanning, perfectionism, and people-pleasing just to mask how hard it really is to keep up. But that constant pressure leads to another layer of struggle: anxiety.

ADHD & Anxiety: The Hidden Connection

Women with undiagnosed ADHD often experience chronic anxiety. Why?

Because your nervous system is constantly in overdrive, trying to compensate for things that seem “easy” for others.

You might spend hours replaying conversations, double-checking plans, or worrying that you forgot something important (again).

Often, it's the anxiety that keeps women functioning with the ADHD, because it keeps you hyper-focused and on high alert for anything that could go wrong.

But, unfortunately, this also creates a loop of stress, shame, and overthinking that wears you down emotionally and physically.

It’s not that you're naturally anxious. It's that you're constantly trying to manage your brain without the support you need.

It's important to recognize when anxiety and ADHD are working together, so you can manage expectations and strategies for building healthier coping and functioning.

The good news? You don’t have to keep doing it alone.

How Therapy Can Help Women with ADHD

Therapy offers a supportive, nonjudgmental space to explore how ADHD is showing up in your life, while learning to build healthier, simpler ways of coping.

As a Christian therapist in Franklin County, PA, I help women manage ADHD in ways that honor their unique wiring, their values, and their walk with God.

Together, we can work to:

• Understand how your brain works and why you do what you do

• Create realistic systems for your time, tasks, and routines

• Learn how to set boundaries with guilt-free confidence

• Identify emotional patterns tied to anxiety or shame

• Find grace in your story, rooted in your identity in Christ

Most importantly, I’ll help you move from feeling stuck and overwhelmed to confidently living life in a way that fits your natural strengths and values.

Faith-Based ADHD Management for Women in Franklin County, PA

If you’re a woman navigating ADHD in Franklin County, PA, you deserve to feel supported, not judged.

Whether you’re newly diagnosed or just beginning to wonder if ADHD might be part of your story, there’s hope.

You don’t need to become more disciplined or try to fit into a mold that's not made for you.

You need space to heal, tools that work for your brain, and the freedom to live life in the unique way God created you.

If you’re ready to take that next step, I offer Christian counseling for ADHD and anxiety in women across Chambersburg, Waynesboro, Shippensburg, Greencastle, and surrounding areas, as well as virtual sessions across the state of Pennsylvania.

Call 717-263-7758 to get started with our office manager Leah. Let her know you would like to be scheduled with Amy. She will take some basic information, and I will then call you to discuss your needs and schedule your appointment. 

You’re Not Lazy. You’re Wired Differently, and That’s Okay.

Your mind wasn’t made to run in the way our society expects. Which just means you might need to find other ways to structure your life than what seems like the "norm."

With the right tools, understanding, and support, you can learn to manage your mind (and your to-do list) instead of feeling like it’s always managing you.

And as a woman of faith, you’re not doing this alone.

“His grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

There is hope. You can find peace, simplicity, and healing. Call today to get started on a new path.