4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on CBT for Adult ADHD: Helping Clients Turn Intentions into Actions is presented by J. Russell Ramsay, PhD, ABPP.

Throughout and since the COVID-19 pandemic, more adults are seeking evaluation and treatment for adult ADHD. Although medications offer symptom relief, most adults with ADHD will require concurrent psychosocial treatment modified to address their unique needs, especially the consistent use of known, helpful coping strategies. 

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) adapted for adult ADHD is an evidence-supported treatment, though most clients report that they “know what to do, but have difficulties doing it,” which reflects the fact that ADHD is an implementation problem, not a knowledge problem. 

This program reviews the contemporary understanding of the nature of ADHD and how this understanding informs the CBT model adapted for adult ADHD and its use in clinical practice with adults with ADHD. Dr. Ramsey illustrates the components of an implementation-focused CBT approach adapted to adult ADHD, including the role of cognitions, behaviors, and emotions in helping adults with ADHD turn their intentions into action. Special attention is also paid to the effects of adult ADHD on relationships. 

The program is designed to provide clinicians with a framework for understanding and helping their adult clients with adult ADHD strike a balance of acceptance and change to the benefit of their functioning and overall well-being.

As even most seasoned clinicians have not had training in adult ADHD, this program is appropriate for any clinicians working with adults with ADHD, including outpatient treatment and campus counseling centers. 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the contemporary understanding of ADHD beyond the diagnostic criteria
  • 2 Describe the main intervention domains and corresponding main therapeutic target within each based on the CBT model presented for adult ADHD
  • 3 Describe the three implementation-focused CBT strategies to use with adult ADHD clients in their practices
  • 4 Describe the proposed central cognitive theme associated with adult ADHD

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for clinicians who work with adults diagnosed with ADHD, particularly those specializing in adult clinical psychology, counseling, or related mental health fields. It is ideal for mental health professionals seeking specialized knowledge and practical skills to better support adults with ADHD.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Clinical Psychologist
    • Counselor
    • Therapist
    • Social Worker
    • Psychiatrist

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

    • Beginner: Clinicians new to working with adult ADHD or with limited exposure to CBT adaptations for this population.
    • Intermediate: Clinicians with some experience treating adult ADHD and familiarity with CBT, seeking to deepen their understanding of implementation-focused strategies.
    • Advanced: Clinicians with extensive experience in adult ADHD or CBT, looking to refine their approach and integrate the latest evidence-based practices and clinical tools.

  • Practice Setting

    Clinicians who participate in this training typically practice in environments where adults seek mental health evaluation and treatment, including outpatient mental health clinics, private practices, hospital-based behavioral health departments, and university or college counseling centers. These settings are designed to provide assessment, diagnosis, and ongoing psychosocial interventions for adults with ADHD, often involving multidisciplinary teams and a focus on evidence-based therapies such as CBT. The work environment may be in-person, telehealth, or a hybrid model, reflecting the increased demand for accessible mental health services since the COVID-19 pandemic.

    • Outpatient mental health clinics
    • Private therapy or counseling practices
    • Hospital-based behavioral health units
    • University or college counseling centers
    • Community mental health agencies
    • Telehealth platforms for mental health services

Presented By

J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D., ABPP, Licensed Psychologist

J. Russell Ramsay, PhD, ABPP is a licensed psychologist specializing in the assessment and psychosocial treatment of adult ADHD. Before retiring from the University of Pennsylvania in June 2023 to start his independent telepsychology practice, he was professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry and co-founder and clinical director of PENN’s Adult ADHD Treatment & Research Program. He has served terms on the professional advisory boards of the major ADHD organizations and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Attention Disorders. He has lectured internationally and is widely published, including five books on adult ADHD (with #6 due in May 2024). His patient guidebook, The Adult ADHD Tool Kit has been published in Spanish, French, and Korean with German and Chinese translations in process; it is a recommended self-help book by the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Dr. Ramsay is a CHADD Hall of Fame inductee.

View More Programs from this Presenter
J. Russell Ramsay, Ph.D., ABPP

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Provide a contemporary framework for understanding ADHD as a developmental syndrome of impaired self-regulation. This model informs both assessment and treatment.

  • Discuss the ramifications of this model of ADHD for the CBT conceptualization and different intervention domains within a CBT approach.

  • Review specific coping tactics and strategies within the intervention domains in the CBT approach for adult ADHD, including the important and unique role of cognitions and beliefs. Specifically, Dr. Ramsay will review each of the following domains and the chief therapeutic target within each:
    Cognitive Modification Domain
    Behavioural Domain
    Emotional Management
    Implementation Strategy Domain
    Interpersonal Domain
    Review and provide relevant clinical worksheets used in CBT for adult ADHD.

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.