About this episode

Dr. Michelle Frank discusses the challenges people with ADHD face in maintaining therapy and offers strategies for self-advocacy.

Finding a therapist is hard. Finding one who actually understands ADHD? That’s a different problem entirely. Clinical psychologist Dr. Michelle Frank, who has ADHD herself, breaks down why people with ADHD struggle to stick with therapy. She looks at everything from the executive function demands of just getting there, to sensory issues, to the rejection sensitivity that makes you think “Does my therapist hate me?!” Plus: How to advocate for yourself in the room, even when your provider doesn’t specialize in ADHD.

People in this episode

Host: Rae Jacobson

Guest: Dr. Michelle Frank

Topics covered

• ADHD
• therapy
• mental health
• self-advocacy
• executive function
• rejection sensitivity

Keywords

• ADHD
• therapy
• mental health
• executive function
• rejection sensitivity
• self-advocacy
• sensory issues

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Understood.org

More episodes of Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson

• I’ve never felt like a good woman: ADHD and femininity · September 10, 2026 · 28 min
• The brain is the last frontier of privacy. And you’re the target. · August 27, 2026 · 23 min
• Is your ADHD brain fog actually CDS? · August 13, 2026 · 22 min
• “Hope is not a plan:” How to manage ADHD at work (classic) · July 30, 2026 · 25 min
• What the rise of fidget toys means for neurodivergence · July 16, 2026 · 18 min
• Head, heart, hormones: Why women’s ADHD care should treat the whole person (classic) · June 18, 2026 · 28 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson podcast page.