• 30 Years of Clinical Experience
• Serving Clients in Chicagoland and Beyond
Providing comprehensive, affordable diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.

Effective and Compassionate Psychological Services

Contact
Providing comprehensive, affordable diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.

Effective and Compassionate Psychological Services

Contact

Manage Your ADHD with a Clinical Psychologist in Chicagoland

ADHD Center is where expertise meets compassion. Led by a renowned clinical psychologist in Chicagoland, our clinic specializes in ADHD diagnosis and management. With a national reputation as an expert in the field, Dr. Peter Jaksa combines his extensive knowledge and genuine care to provide top-notch services to his clients.

While his practice is primarily in Chicagoland, he also offers remote psychological services for patients seeking his expertise from afar. Whether you are looking for diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, or ongoing support, you can trust the ADHD Center for comprehensive and personalized care. Contact us today to start your journey towards a happy and fulfilling life with ADHD.

Our Mission

ADHD Center works to improve and enrich the lives of people with attention deficit disorders (ADHD/ADD) with high-quality, comprehensive, and affordable treatment and support services. ADHD Center provides a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of ADHD for individuals of all ages. Services provided include diagnostic evaluations, a multimodal treatment program, individual psychotherapy and behavior therapy, and couples therapy.

About Dr. Jaksa

Clinical Psychologist

Peter Jaksa

Peter Jaksa, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD. He is the author of numerous articles and columns about ADHD, including articles published in ADDitude Magazine, Attention Magazine, Organize Magazine, and FOCUS.

He has provided interviews to national publications and news organizations, including the Wall Street Journal, CNN, U.S. News & World Report, Chicago Tribune, and Men’s Health Magazine. He has presented at national conferences with a crowd of healthcare professionals, educators, and the general public.

From 1998 through 2001, Dr. Jaksa served as President of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association. He is a contributing writer for ADDitude Magazine and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board.

New Books

Two-Book Series Now Available on Amazon

Life with ADHD Book

Life With ADHD by Peter Jaksa, Ph.D.

This book provides a humane understanding of the biology and behavior of ADHD, along with highly effective strategies that have helped thousands of people. This book takes a step-by-step multimodal approach (skills training, exercise, nutrition, sleep, life balance) to manage ADHD well with or without the use of medication.

View on Amazon

Real People Read ADHD book

Real People, Real ADHD by Peter Jaksa, Ph.D. and Merle Kaplan, M.A.

People with ADHD are not stereotypes. Each is a unique individual with unique strengths, challenges, struggles, and triumphs. Real People, Real ADHD is written by real people for real people. It is a book of intimate personal stories, each written or dictated by the person telling their story. It captures the rich diversity of personalities, occupations, interests, struggles, and creative coping strategies of the ADHD population. It celebrates self-awareness and self-acceptance in the company of other people with ADHD who truly “get it.” It also provides an opportunity for many other individuals (with or without ADHD) to learn from their stories and life experiences.

View on Amazon

Recent Publications

The ADHD & Addiction Link: Addictive Behaviors in Adults Explained

"I'm Overly Emotional, and It's Straining My Relationships!"

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological condition that affects an estimated 5-7% of the population. ADHD is an ongoing condition that affects children, adolescents, and adults of all ages. It occurs in both males and females and people of all races, socioeconomic status, and cultural backgrounds. ADHD may cause significant impairments in many areas, such as school, home, the workplace, and family and social relationships. It is genetically influenced and runs in families.

ADHD occurs on a spectrum of severity. Not every person with ADHD presents all the possible symptoms that are associated with ADHD, nor do the symptoms cause the same level of impairment in all people. Some people have mild ADHD and may experience only transient periods of impairment. In others, ADHD may be severe, characterized by more symptoms, more severe symptoms, and chronic impairments in the ability to function. It can be diagnosed and treated at any point in the lifespan when it causes significant levels of impairment for the individual.

What is the Definition of ADHD?

ADHD is a diagnosis applied to children and adults who consistently display certain characteristic behaviors over some time. The most common core features include:

  • Distractibility (Poor Sustained Attention to Tasks)
  • Impulsivity (Impaired Impulse Control and Delay of Gratification)
  • Hyperactivity (Excessive Activity and Physical Restlessness)

In order to meet diagnostic criteria, these behaviors must be excessive, long-term, and pervasive. An important consideration is that the behaviors must create a significant handicap in at least two areas of a person’s life, such as school, home, work, or social settings. These criteria set ADHD apart from the “normal” distractibility and impulsive behavior of childhood or the effects of the hectic and overstressed lifestyle prevalent in our society.

It is certainly not true that “everybody has ADHD.” According to the DSM-5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), some common symptoms of ADHD include the following:

  • Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes;
  • Often has difficulty sustaining attention to tasks;
  • Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly;
  • Often fails to follow instructions carefully and completely;
  • Losing or forgetting important things;
  • Feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands or feet or squirming;
  • Running or climbing excessively;
  • Often talks excessively;
  • Often blurts out answers before hearing the whole question;
  • Often has difficulty awaiting turn.

It should be kept in mind that the exact nature and severity of ADHD symptoms vary from person to person. Approximately one-third of people with ADHD do not have the hyperactive or overactive behavior component, for example.

What are the symptoms of ADHD?

Common problems of living that may be associated with ADHD include:

  • Poor Attention; Excessive Distractibility
  • Physical Restlessness or Hyperactivity
  • Excessive Impulsivity
  • Difficulty Getting Started; Chronic Procrastination
  • Difficulty Staying Focused and Completing Tasks
  • Disorganized; Frequently Losing Things
  • Poor Time Management; Chronically Late
  • Excessive Forgetfulness; Memory Problems

PLEASE READ: Do not use a list of symptoms to diagnose yourself or others. Only a qualified healthcare professional can provide a valid and accurate diagnosis.

Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis of ADHD are provided in the diagnostic manual of the American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

DSM-5 symptoms for ADHD include:

Symptoms of Inattention

  1. Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities
  2. Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities
  3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
  4. Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions)
  5. Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
  6. Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort
  7. Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities
  8. Is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
  9. Is often forgetful in daily activities

Symptoms of Hyperactivity

  1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat
  2. Often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected
  3. Often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults, may be limited to subjective feelings of restlessness)
  4. Often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly
  5. Is often “on the go” or often acts as if “driven by a motor”
  6. Often talks excessively

Symptoms of Impulsivity

  1. Often blurts out answers before questions have been completed
  2. Often has difficulty awaiting turn
  3. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games)

Presentations Of ADHD

The DSM-5 defines three main types of presentations for ADHD:

ADHD Combined Presentation
ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Presentation
ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive Presentation

Who has ADHD?

According to research data, approximately 5% to 7% of the U.S. population has ADHD. ADHD has also been diagnosed in many other countries. It is not affected by race or culture. ADHD usually persists throughout a person’s lifetime. It is not limited to children. Most children with ADHD will continue to have significant problems with ADHD symptoms and behaviors as adults, which impacts their lives
on the job, within the family, in relationships, and in many areas of daily living.

Common problems for adults involve severe difficulties with organization at home and work, difficulties planning and prioritizing, poor time management, chronic problems with procrastination, and difficulty sustaining attention and concentration on tasks.

Our Psychological Services

A woman explaining to the old guy

How is ADHD diagnosed?

Basic Facts About ADHD Diagnosis

A diagnostic evaluation is the first step in managing ADHD.
A qualified healthcare professional can provide a diagnostic evaluation to determine if a child, adolescent, or adult has ADHD.
A diagnostic evaluation may be performed at any age. However, we do not encourage diagnostic testing for children younger than six years old.
A compressive ADHD evaluation cannot be done just from brief office observations.
A compressive ADHD evaluation cannot be done just by talking to the person.
There is no single psychological, medical, or genetic test for ADHD.

Articles About ADHD

Animated photo of a chest with ADD text

Kids' Area

Good Stuff About ADHD!

Address
30 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 908
Chicago, IL, 60602
(on the corner of Michigan Avenue
and Washington Street)
View in Google Maps
Hours of Operation
Monday - Saturday
(By appointment only)

CONTACT FORM