As a CBT therapist, mental health nurse, and someone with ADHD, I’ve seen CBT from both sides. And here’s what I’ve learned: CBT can work really well for neurodiverse people, but only when we stop trying to make neurodiverse brains fit neurotypical models.

In my work specialising in neurodiversity, I’ve delivered CBT with many clients and experienced it myself. When it doesn’t work, it’s often because it’s too rigid, too abstract, or too focused on “fixing” rather than understanding.

But when it does work, it looks different: more collaborative than prescriptive, more concrete than abstract, more validating than corrective.

For many neurodiverse clients, CBT can reduce overwhelm, build self-understanding and create practical, usable strategies. This is not about changing who they are, but helping them work with their brain rather than against it.

For me, having ADHD has shaped how I practise. It’s made me more flexible, more curious, and far less attached to “doing therapy by the book.”

CBT isn’t the problem. Lack of adaptation is.

KC

This article is for general information and reflection, not an individual assessment or treatment plan. It is not a substitute for professional advice. If you need immediate support, find urgent mental health help.