ADHD & NEURODIVERGENCE · MISSOURI & ILLINOIS
ADHD Therapy in Missouri and Illinois
For when you know what would help and still can't make yourself do it.
Free 15-minute consult · In-network with most major insurance · 100% online · Early morning, evening, and Sunday availability
93% of new clients come back after their first session.
You know what would help. You still can't make yourself do it, and that gap has probably curdled into self-blame instead of an accurate read on what's actually going on.
ADHD therapy at CLS isn't about more willpower. It's about building systems that work with your brain instead of against it.
CLS Counseling & Consulting offers online ADHD therapy for teens 16 and up, young adults, and adults anywhere in Missouri and Illinois, from St. Louis and Kansas City to Chicago and the Metro East. We work with late-diagnosed adults, people who mask well, executive functioning, motivation, rejection sensitivity, and how ADHD shows up in relationships. Sessions are available in English or Spanish, and we're in-network with most major insurance plans. ADHD coaching is also available in any state.
Is this you?
ADHD doesn't always look like what people expect, especially in people who've spent years compensating for it.
You've spent years being told you're smart enough to do better, and the gap between what you can do and what you actually do has become chronic self-blame.
You were diagnosed recently, or strongly suspect it, often after years of assuming the problem was your character.
You've tried the planners, the apps, and the “just try harder” pep talks, and none of it stuck for long.
You mask well enough that almost nobody around you has noticed the struggle.
ADHD is showing up in your relationships: missed plans, forgotten conversations, and a partner who's started keeping score.
You're constantly comparing yourself to people who seem to have a system you were never given.
What keeps people from reaching out
A lot of people delay ADHD therapy because they've already done so much reading on their own. Maybe one of these sounds familiar:
“I've read enough about ADHD that I basically already know what's going on.”
“I don't want to be medicated. I just want it to make sense.”
“I've tried therapy before and it was just talking, not tools.”
“What if it turns out I'm not actually ADHD, I'm just lazy?”
Knowing the research isn't the same as having something that actually works for your life.
Sound familiar? Start with a free 15-minute consult.
What it can feel like when your systems fit your brain
You start things without needing a deadline to panic you into it.
You have systems that survive a bad week.
You stop calling yourself lazy for a brain difference.
Rejection stings without taking out your whole day.
You understand how your brain works, and plan around it instead of against it.
What ADHD Therapy Looks Like at CLS
This isn't general talk therapy. Sessions are structured and direct, built around systems for the stuff ADHD makes weirdly hard: starting, finishing, remembering, and getting yourself to care about the boring task on time. Less processing, more "okay, let's build something that works for your brain."
An estimated 6.0% of U.S. adults, about 15.5 million people, currently have an ADHD diagnosis, and about half were diagnosed as adults. For women, it's 61% diagnosed in adulthood, compared to 40% of men (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024). If you were only recently diagnosed, or you're still not sure, you're far from alone. Here's what getting an ADHD diagnosis as an adult looks like, and why it's so often missed in women. Not sure whether it's ADHD or anxiety? Learn how to tell the difference.
All three of our therapists have ADHD training and adapt the work to how your brain actually works, not a generic productivity system. ADHD often travels with burnout and perfectionism, too.
Why this works
The structured, skills-first work we do for ADHD is rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): practical strategies for planning, starting, and following through, plus the thought patterns that make you quit before you begin. A review of randomized trials found CBT reduced ADHD symptoms in adults compared with both waitlists and other active treatments (Young et al., 2016). It works alongside medication, not instead of it.
Clinically reviewed by Cassandra Sissom, LCPC, LPC, clinical director · Last reviewed October 2026
Getting started
1Book a free consultation
15 minutes to share what's going on and find your fit. No diagnosis needed to start.
2
Get a plan
Your first session maps out your strengths, your sticking points, and which systems to build first.
3
Build systems that stick
Leave with systems that survive a bad week. As they stick, sessions space out.
Wondering about cost? We're in-network with most major insurance plans, and we'll verify your benefits before your first session.
Meet your therapists
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![Cassandra Sissom, LCPC, LPC, adult ADHD therapist in Missouri and Illinois]()
Cassandra Sissom, LCPC, LPC
LPC (MO) · LCPC (IL)
Best fit for high-achieving women and LGBTQ+ adults, many of them gifted and ADHD at the same time, or diagnosed with ADHD later in life. Focuses on executive functioning and rejection sensitivity, with direct, structured sessions instead of open-ended processing.
Insightful, candid, and grounded.
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![Carolina Dolan-Dominguez, LCSW, bilingual ADHD therapist for teens and young adults in Missouri and Illinois]()
Carolina Dolan-Dominguez, LCSW
LCSW (MO & IL) · English & Spanish
Best fit for teens 16+, young adults, and college students with ADHD, especially those high-functioning enough that nobody suspects a problem. Focuses on executive functioning and practical systems that fit around class or work. Evening and Sunday times available.
Structured, compassionate, and practical.
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![Nicole McSuhm, LCSW, ADHD and relationships therapist in Illinois]()
Nicole McSuhm, LCSW
LCSW (Illinois only) · ADHD & relationships
Best fit if ADHD is showing up in your relationships: missed plans, forgotten conversations, uneven mental load, and a partner who's started to feel like a parent. Works with individuals and couples to understand how ADHD affects connection and build systems you both can live with. LGBTQ+ affirming.
Direct, pattern-focused, and strengths-based.
Common Questions
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That overlap is common, and it's exactly what your first session helps sort out. ADHD, anxiety, and burnout can look similar and often show up together.
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For adults 18 and up, yes. Our therapists assess your symptoms and history and can provide an ADHD diagnosis as part of treatment planning, along with letters based on that diagnosis, for example for school or workplace accommodations. CLS doesn't offer formal psychological testing, so if a prescriber, school, or testing agency requires a full psychological evaluation, or you're under 18, we'll refer you. You don't need a diagnosis in hand to start.
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Sessions are structured and practical, focused on executive functioning, motivation, and systems built around how your brain actually works, not generic productivity advice.
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Yes. ADHD often shows up as missed plans, forgotten conversations, and an uneven mental load that leaves one partner feeling like a parent. Nicole works with individuals and couples in Illinois on how ADHD affects connection, and on building systems you can both live with. More about couples therapy →
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Yes. Carolina offers ADHD therapy in Spanish or English, anywhere in Missouri or Illinois. Terapia en español →
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Yes. We're in-network with most major insurance plans, and we'll verify your benefits before your first session. Self-pay and superbills are available too.
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It varies, but most clients start weekly or every other week while building systems, then space sessions out for maintenance. The goal is tools you can eventually run on your own.
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It's a free 15-minute consultation or chat to see if it's a good fit, for you and for us. No commitment, just a chance to ask questions and get a feel for how we work.
If you're in crisis right now, call or text 988, or call 911 if you're in immediate danger.
Related: Anxiety & burnout therapy · High achievers · Teens & young adults
Your brain isn't broken. Your systems are.
A free 15-minute consultation or chat. No willpower required.
