Behind the Scenes of an ADHD Therapy Session in McAllen, TX
Hi, I’m Kathryn, a licensed clinical social worker and supervisor (LCSW-S) based here in McAllen, Texas. If you’re looking for ADHD therapy in McAllen, TX, or anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley, you might be curious about what that first meeting really entails. Is it formal? Do you need to have it all thought out in advance? But what if you meander off-topic or lose your train of thought?
Let me walk you through it. Whether you’ve just been diagnosed with ADHD or you have been struggling for a long while and feel ready to ask for some help, ADHD therapy doesn’t have to feel daunting. This is a forum where your brain isn’t just comprehended, but instead it’s respected.
ADHD Counselor in McAllen: What It Means to Work With Me
For one, there’s the setting. My office here in McAllen doesn’t feel clinical or stuffy. It’s also no accident that I’ve set it up to feel warm and relaxed; lounge-y, not doctor office-y. (If you’re tuning in online, same deal: real, calm, judgment-free.)
I'm an ADHD coach for adults and teens who've gone through life feeling misunderstood but often behind in some other way. You don’t need a slick narrative to show up here. You don’t even have to wait for an official diagnosis to begin the process. I meet you where you are.
What Happens in That First ADHD Therapy Session?
In our first appointment, I get to know you. I will inquire about your life, routines, and the problems you’re struggling with — things like focus, forgetfulness, emotional reactivity, stress, and perhaps your relationship with food or time management.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Why can’t I just pull myself up by my bootstraps like everyone else?” you’re not alone, and we’re going to talk about that.
We will not immediately jump at “fixing” things. The first session is less about getting into the nitty-gritty and more about developing a foundation and feeling that this is a space where you can feel safe and supported.
We’re also going to discuss what ADHD therapy is like on a week-to-week basis, what sorts of goals you might want to work on and how we will measure progress together.
My Therapy Approach for ADHD
I apply a combination of modalities known to be effective with neurodivergent brains:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Get moving toward what matters most, even if thoughts or feelings are really hard to deal with.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Teaches skills to cope with emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and all-or-nothing thinking.
EF (Executive Function) Coaching: This is the more pragmatic component of ADHD treatment in which we address scheduling, time management, starting, and completing tasks.
I also specialize in therapy for emotional eating and binge eating disorder, particularly when it intersects with ADHD, as it commonly does. Many of my McAllen clients seek therapy not just to control attention or focus but also to learn about their food, addressing the struggles they have with motivation, or their burnout if you will.
Credentials and Experience
I’m an L.C.S.W.-S., which means I’m able to legally provide psychotherapy in Texas and can supervise other social workers as they expand into their clinical practice. I have worked in the mental health field for more than 20 years, and my private practice in McAllen has an emphasis on ADHD therapy, emotional eating, and helping people create lives that are balanced and meaningful, without shame or perfectionism.
I provide private pay therapy in McAllen, so I’m not bound by the insurance companies. We can create your treatment plan together, based on what works best for you, from more flexible scheduling to going deeper in the work to combining therapy with ADHD coaching.
What if I’m Anxious or Disorganized, or Oversharing?
Perfect. It means you’re a person, and not a writer, with ADHD, and this is the best place for you.
Clients will often apologize in the first session, saying something like “Sorry, I’m rambling,” or “I forgot what I was saying.” We don’t have to be polished here. The ADHD brain is all loops and spirals, tangents and bursts, and therapy is about working with that, not against it.
Some people walk into a mess or a possibility. Others show up with a list of items they want to change. Either is fine. You might want to put on a notebook, vocalize, sit quietly for a moment, cry, laugh, or simply say, “I don’t even know where to start.” I’ve got you.
What Takes Place After the First Visit?
Once we’ve had an opportunity to drill down to your goals and a sense of your ADHD profile, we’ll collaborate on a plan. This could include:
Weekly or biweekly sessions
Time, mood, and impulse management tools
Emotional and problem-related assistance
Examination of the tracks around emotional eating or burnout
When appropriate, resources or referrals
Some people remain in therapy for a few months, others opt for working longer term. We stay in touch often enough to ensure that therapy is continuing to help you move in the direction you want.
Therapy Is Not Just Talking About Your Problems
It’s also about creating a life that works for you.
But when ADHD is not treated, it can weigh on every aspect of life: your relationships, your job, your fragile sense of self. ADHD therapy is more than just a chance to vent. It’s really about forming a new relationship with your brain and your behaviors.
You may find your workday flows better, that you respond instead of react, or that you finally finish that project that’s been half-started for years. You might not be so quick to judge yourself so harshly and feel a bit more at peace, even when life is chaotic.
That’s what ADHD treatment in McAllen might look like.
Therapy and Emotional Eating in ADHD
If you’re coming to me for both ADHD and emotional eating, we’re going to delve into those deeper patterns together and how impulsivity, executive function, and shame cycles commonly lead to binge eating or restrictive behaviors.
Many of my clients have found themselves on diets, weight loss programs, or the reliance on willpower and those solutions don’t solve the problem permanently. Emotional eating therapy in McAllen involves a compassionate, non-diet approach with an emphasis on intuitive eating and self-regulation, and certainly not restriction.
We’ll discuss urges, stress eating, reward seeking, and how to return to your body’s signals without judgment.
Why It Matters: ADHD Support in the Rio Grande Valley
In McAllen, living with ADHD has its own dynamics, culturally, as a family and as a community. I get how ADHD can present itself differently based on your environment, your background, and your family’s expectations.
When you work with an ADHD therapist, it’s not a matter of just getting cookie-cutter advice from the web. You’re working with someone who knows what it’s like to struggle through school systems, cultural stigma, huge extended families, and the pressures so many in the Rio Grande Valley face, in particular when your mind doesn’t conform to the norm.
As a teen trying to get through school, as a young adult trying to find their way, or a parent balancing responsibilities, we’re going to see what’s really going on for you and not some cookie-cutter treatment plan.
How to Get Started with ADHD Therapy in McAllen, TX
Whether you’re googling “ADHD therapist near me” or looking for ADHD counseling in McAllen, I’d like to hear from you. You don’t need a referral, and you don’t need to wait for everything to crumble before you ask for help. I provide in-person counseling in McAllen and online therapy throughout the state of Texas. I am more than happy to answer questions, tell you what I have openings, and help you decide if I’m the right fit. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just a conversation.
Here’s how to begin:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to ask questions and see if ADHD therapy is the right fit for your needs.
Book your first ADHD therapy session and start learning practical tools to manage overwhelm, increase focus, and improve daily life.
Experience relief and self-understanding as you build systems that actually work for your brain and your goals.
Therapy Could Be That Turning Point: More Services in McAllen
You’ve already completed the hardest part: making change feel possible. It is now just about taking the next step.
Let’s solve this together.
In addition to ADHD therapy, I also provide emotional eating therapy in McAllen, TX, for those looking to heal their relationship with food and find gentler, more sustainable ways to navigate emotional stress. For LMSWs in Texas pursuing their LCSW, I offer clinical supervision that prioritizes skill development, confidence-building, and a collaborative, growth-centered experience.
Meet the Author: An ADHD Therapist in the Rio Grande Valley
Kathryn Chacra, LCSW-S, is a licensed clinical social worker and ADHD therapist based in McAllen, Texas. With over 20 years of experience in the mental health field, she specializes in helping teens and adults navigate ADHD, emotional eating, anxiety, and executive functioning challenges. Katie offers private pay therapy both in-person in McAllen and virtually across Texas. Her approach blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), DBT skills, and practical coaching to help clients build lives that feel manageable and meaningful, without shame or burnout.
