TOOLKIT: Building DBT Practice That Actually Works: Reimagining Consistency for ADHD Brains

A Confession About "Daily Practice"

Let's start with some honesty about the phrase that might make your stomach drop: "daily practice." If you've ever tried to maintain a consistent DBT skills routine with ADHD, you know the cycle. Week one: enthusiasm, colour-coded schedules, maybe even a special notebook. Week two: missing a day, then two, shame creeping in. Week three: the notebook is somewhere under that pile of papers you meant to sort through.

Here's what I've come to understand: the problem isn't our commitment or our capability. The problem is that we're trying to force our beautifully chaotic brains into a framework designed for neurotypical consistency. We're attempting to build routines on foundations that don't match our neurological architecture.

What if we stopped trying to be "consistent" in the traditional sense and started building practice routines that honour how our brains actually work? What if sustainability doesn't mean doing the same thing every day but creating systems flexible enough to catch us wherever we are?

Redefining Consistency: From Linear to Cyclical

Traditional consistency means doing something the same way, at the same time, every single day. It's linear, predictable, unwavering. For ADHD brains, this definition of consistency is often a setup for failure.

Our consistency might look more like:

• Intense engagement for three days, then a break, then returning

• Different practices for different energy states

• Seasonal or monthly patterns rather than daily ones

• Bursts of hyperfocus on one skill, then shifting to another

• Consistency in intention even when execution varies wildly

This isn't inconsistency – it's a different rhythm. Once we recognise our patterns rather than fighting them, we can build practice architectures that actually sustain us.