DBT for ADHD Therapy in Gainesville Florida
I work with adults and teens who feel overwhelmed by how intense emotions can get with ADHD, especially under stress.
This page focuses on DBT-informed ADHD therapy for emotional regulation, including overwhelm, shutdown, impulsive reactions, and feeling stuck after emotions spike.
If you’re searching for DBT for ADHD near me in Gainesville, my office is close to UF at: 1212 NW 12th Ave Suite C-4, Gainesville, FL 32601
DBT for ADHD in Gainesville: Is This a Good Fit for You?
“DBT gives me something I can actually remember when I’m overwhelmed.”
In my work, DBT-focused ADHD counseling is often a good fit when people notice things like:
Emotions that escalate quickly and take a long time to settle
Freezing or shutting down when things feel overwhelming
Harsh self-talk or negative thought patterns after mistakes
Tension or conflict in relationships when reactions come out fast
Many of the people I work with aren’t just dealing with focus challenges. They’re managing emotional overload, shutdown, or reactions that feel hard to handle once they start.
About Joe: DBT ADHD Therapist in Gainesville
Hello! My name is Joe.
I specialize in DBT therapy for ADHD. I help clients gain a sense of steadiness and control using DBT skills and mindfulness.
This picture is me with me and my dog Ryder, he brings a calming presence to just about everything.
If this page resonates, there’s a chance we overlap in experience. I’m neurodivergent too, and growing up I often felt like I didn’t quite fit.
My goal is to make therapy feel relaxed, practical, and low-pressure while helping you build tools to manage emotions, slow things down, and feel more in control.
How I Use DBT Skills for ADHD Emotional Regulation:
ADHD therapy with DBT skills that are practical and realistic
I use DBT therapy skills in a way that fits ADHD-related overwhelm, impulsive reactions, emotional intensity, and shutdown.A nonjudgmental alliance with accountability
A consistent place to be honest, track patterns, and reset quickly when you get off track.
Whole-person therapy, not just symptom management
We work on skills, habits, relationships, stress, self-esteem, and the bigger patterns affecting your day-to-day life, not just one isolated problem.
Joseph Brooks, MA, RMHCI
Founder and Owner, Brooks Counseling & Wellness
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Specializing in anxiety, ADHD, and DBT
Florida registration status: Active
Clear Through: 10/2030
Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (IMH28583)
Supervised by Jorelle Degen, LMHC (MH14882)
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling
Based in Gainesville, Florida. Offering in-person and telehealth counseling for adults and young adults
DBT Skills I Use for ADHD Overwhelm, Shutdown, and Reactivity
These are the DBT-informed skill areas I commonly integrate when supporting ADHD-related overwhelm, shutdown, and quick emotional reactions.
Mindfulness skills
Help you notice urges, emotions, and body signals without reacting immediately.Emotion regulation skills
Supportive tools to help emotional intensity and recover more quickly after stress.Self-judgment and shame responses
Helps you respond to harsh inner criticism in a more balanced, workable way.Interpersonal effectiveness skills
Help with communication, boundaries, and repair after conflict.Distress tolerance
Short, in-the-moment options for getting through overwhelm without making things worse.
I don’t expect you to memorize a long list of techniques. We keep skills simple, practice them gradually, and adapt them to the situations you actually deal with.
What the First DBT-Informed ADHD Session Is Like
Pricing:
Sessions are 50 minutes and $100 per session, self-pay only. With limited sliding scale spots open.
In the first session, my goal is to help things feel a little less heavy, not to push you to explain everything at once.
First session plan:
Talk about what’s been hardest lately
Whether that’s focus, overwhelm, strong emotions, or just feeling stuck.Creating clear, realistic goals
We clarify what you want help with and what would actually feel different in your daily life.Outlining a workable plan
We make a manageable plan that fits your energy and stress level, so you can start working on small steps outside the counseling room.
If this approach feels like it could be a fit, you’re welcome to book a session when you feel ready.
What DBT-Informed ADHD Sessions Feel Like
Sessions typically involve:
Identifying one current pattern connected to ADHD symptoms
Practicing one or two DBT skills together
Planning how to use those skills during the week
Reviewing what helped and adjusting as needed
The focus is not perfection. It’s helping emotional regulation and reducing overwhelm in real, everyday situations.
Why DBT Helps When ADHD Includes Emotional Overwhelm
In my work, I often meet people with ADHD who already know what they’re “supposed” to do. DBT focuses on those moments when emotions get in the way of using what you already know.
DBT offers practical skills that can help with:
staying grounded when emotions spike
responding to negative thoughts without spiraling
slowing impulsive reactions before they escalate
DBT for ADHD is not just mindfulness
DBT is a practical, skills-based approach that focuses on what happens in real time when emotions rise.
For ADHD, that often means learning simple tools you can use during the moments that typically derail you, like frustration spikes, shutdown, or reacting faster than you meant to.
It’s not just “think positive” or “calm down.” For many people, DBT becomes the bridge between knowing what helps and actually being able to use it when ADHD symptoms are activated.
In therapy, we practice these skills slowly and apply them to the situations that are actually showing up in your week.
If you’re looking for broader ADHD therapy support (focus, routines, procrastination, self-esteem, and daily functioning), you can also visit my general ADHD therapy page.
DBT-Informed ADHD Therapy for Emotional Regulation in Gainesville
Brooks Counseling & Wellness is located in Gainesville, Florida. I offer in person DBT for ADHD therapy for adults and young adults in Gainesville, and telehealth across Florida.
Office address
1212 NW 12th Ave Suite C-4, Gainesville, FL 32601
Phone
352-234-6723
Email
jbrookstherapy@gmail.com
DBT-Focused ADHD Therapy Near Me In Gainesville, Florida
Service Area
In person DBT counseling in Gainesville, Florida.
Telehealth DBT therapy for adults across Florida.
The office is convenient for clients coming from Gainesville and nearby areas.
Therapy office in Gainesville, Florida at Brooks Counseling & Wellness
Frequently Asked Questions
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Not necessarily. Some people come for short-term support around a specific concern, while others choose to stay longer as they work through patterns more gradually. We can check in along the way and adjust based on what feels helpful for you.
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No. Many clients seek support for ADHD symptoms and emotional regulation before pursuing an evaluation.
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No. DBT skills are often used to support emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and impulsivity in daily life, including for people with ADHD.
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Yes. DBT includes skills for working with negative thought patterns and reducing emotional flooding.
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Generally people do well with integrating DBT skills into a broader framework, but it depends on the individual client and ther needs.