About
Standard workplace advice assumes neurotypical brain function—linear thinking, consistent motivation, and executive function that operates on demand. For the estimated 5% of adults with ADHD navigating corporate environments, these assumptions create systematic barriers rather than sustainable solutions.
The gap between generic productivity systems and ADHD neurology manifests predictably: masking exhaustion, burnout cycles, and persistent feelings of professional inadequacy despite strong technical competencies. Traditional CBT-based workplace interventions focus on changing thought patterns, but emerging research suggests skills-based approaches prove more effective for ADHD adults.
The DBT-ADHD Connection
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, originally developed for emotional dysregulation, offers a practical framework that aligns with ADHD neurological patterns. Unlike approaches that require fundamental cognitive restructuring, DBT teaches adaptive skills whilst acknowledging current brain function realities.
Recent longitudinal studies demonstrate significant improvements in executive functioning and emotional regulation when DBT modules are adapted for ADHD populations (Hirvikoski et al., 2022). The four core modules—distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness—translate directly to workplace friction points when properly modified.
Workplace-Specific Adaptations
This publication focuses on translating DBT skills into corporate contexts where ADHD symptoms create the greatest professional challenges:
Task Paralysis: When executive dysfunction meets project deadlines
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD): Managing emotional responses to workplace feedback
Hyperfocus Boundaries: Preventing productive hyperfocus from destroying sustainable work patterns
Working Memory Limitations: Creating systems that function despite information processing challenges
Evidence Base
The strategies presented here draw from peer-reviewed research on ADHD workplace accommodations, DBT efficacy studies, and occupational psychology literature on neurodivergent professional development. Each toolkit includes implementation data and troubleshooting protocols based on real workplace testing.
Approach Philosophy
This resource operates on three core principles:
Neurological Realism: Strategies must work with ADHD brain function, not against it
Sustainable Implementation: Systems that require perfect execution inevitably fail
Evidence-Based Adaptation: Every recommendation requires research backing and practical validation
What This Resource Provides
Practical, tested implementations of DBT skills specifically modified for ADHD workplace challenges. Content includes step-by-step protocols, real-scenario applications, and systematic troubleshooting guides for when standard approaches require adjustment.
What This Resource Avoids
Generic productivity advice rebranded as ADHD-friendly, inspiration-based content that ignores practical implementation barriers, and recommendations that require neurotypical executive function to execute successfully.
The goal isn't neurotypical performance standards—it's sustainable professional success that accounts for how ADHD brains actually operate in corporate environments.
