ADHD Treatment for Young Adults | Cornerstones of Maine

Treating Young Adults with ADHD

Harnessing Strengths & Building Skills

Living with ADHD as a young adult can feel like driving a high-performance sports car with faulty brakes: There’s plenty of power and potential, but it’s hard to stay on track.

At Cornerstones of Maine, we understand that ADHD is more than just a collection of symptoms to manage; rather, it's simply a different way of experiencing and interacting with the world.

Our Portland-area programs for young adults, including our specialized Rubedo track, provide neurodivergence-affirming support that recognizes both the challenges and the unique strengths that come with an ADHD brain. We help clients understand their unique brain wiring and develop strategies that work with—rather than against—their natural tendencies.

Understanding ADHD in Young Adults

ADHD often creates particular roadblocks during the transition to independence. Traditional supports may fall away just as expectations rise, creating a perfect storm of increased responsibility with decreased scaffolding. For example, many young adults with ADHD struggle with executive functioning skills essential for independent living, such as planning, organizing, initiating tasks, and managing time. This is not laziness or lack of motivation, but a neurological difference in how the brain processes and prioritizes information.

Emotional regulation can become more challenging as young adults face new and complex social dynamics, educational pressures, and the growing expectations of adult life. The ADHD brain's intensity can lead to both incredible passion and emotional reactivity that is hard to manage.

Social relationships may become strained as unfiltered comments, interruptions, or difficulty following conversational threads impact connections with peers, family members, romantic partners, and colleagues. Many young adults with ADHD have experienced social rejection—often without understanding why.

Academic and vocational performance may fail to reflect true potential, leading to frustration and diminished self-esteem. The gap between capability and performance can be particularly painful for bright young adults who can't understand why they can't consistently demonstrate what they know they're capable of.

However, these challenges and more are the result of neurological differences that affect how the brain process, prioritizes, and acts on information. With the right understanding and support, these same differences can become assets rather than obstacles.

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The Rubedo Program: ADHD-Affirming Support

While all of our programs at Cornerstones support young adults with ADHD, our transitional living track at Rubedo offers particularly specialized support for those with more significant executive functioning challenges or would benefit from a neurodivergence-affirming environment.

Young adults in Rubedo live in our dedicated neurodivergence-affirming residence while participating in a carefully calibrated experience that provides specialized support while encouraging growth and connection.

What Makes Rubedo's ADHD Support Different

Our Rubedo program offers several distinctive elements for young adults with ADHD:

Neurodivergence-Affirming Philosophy

Our approach acknowledges the difficulties that come with ADHD while also valuing ADHD-associated traits such as creativity, hyperfocus, out-of-the-box thinking, and enthusiasm. Rather than trying to make young adults with ADHD think and act like their neurotypical peers, we help them develop strategies that work with their own natural tendencies—while building capacity in areas of challenge. This affirming approach helps young adults develop a positive relationship with their ADHD brain, reducing shame and increasing motivation to develop effective strategies.

Our ADHD-Friendly Environment

Our Rubedo residence provides environmental supports specifically designed for young adults with ADHD and other neurodivergences. The physical space is organized to reduce distractions while providing appropriate stimulation. Visual reminders and organizational systems throughout the residence externalize executive functions, reducing cognitive load. We create predictable routines with appropriate flexibility, providing the structure that helps ADHD brains thrive while avoiding rigidity that might create resistance. We have an occupational therapist on site, and a dedicated sensory room. Perhaps most importantly, we've created an environment where forgetting, losing track of time, or becoming distracted isn't met with judgment, but with understanding and practical problem-solving.

Clinical Support for Young Adults with ADHD

Young adults with ADHD work with clinicians who have specific expertise in supporting neurodivergent minds. Our team includes therapists trained in ADHD-specific approaches and executive function coaches who understand how the ADHD brain processes information. Our approach integrates medication management (when appropriate) with practical skills development and therapy that addresses the emotional impact of living with ADHD. This specialized team understands both the neurobiological basis of ADHD and its day-to-day impact on young adult independence, providing support that's both scientifically grounded and practically helpful.

Core Elements of Our ADHD Support

Whether in our Rubedo track or our broader programs, young adults with ADHD receive comprehensive support that addresses the unique challenges of their neurodivergent minds:

Executive Function Coaching

Executive functioning challenges are at the heart of ADHD-related difficulties. Our approach to executive function support goes beyond simple tips and tricks, offering personalized strategies that address each young adult's unique profile of strengths and challenges.

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Medication Management & Integration

For many young adults with ADHD, medication is an important tool – but not the whole solution. Our psychiatric team provides thoughtful medication management that's integrated with our broader treatment approach. Young adults receiving ADHD medication meet regularly with psychiatric providers who monitor effectiveness, side effects, and interactions with other aspects of treatment.

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Social Skills & Relationship Development

Interrupting. Impulsive comments. Inconsistent attention. Difficulty reading social cues. All of these thing and more can make life and relationships hard on a person with ADHD. Rather than teaching rote social skills, though, we help young adults explore how ADHD can affect their relationships, and develop authentic strategies for connection.

Learn More About Relationship Coaching

Emotional Regulation & Self-Compassion

Many young adults with ADHD struggle with intense emotions—especially when they feel rejected. Our clinical team helps clients understand why this happens, while developing practical strategies for healthier coping. Mindfulness techniques, cognitive tools, and physical regulation strategies create a toolkit for daily life.

Above all, we encourage young adults to show themselves compassion for their ADHD-related challenges. Many arrive with emotional scars from years of shame and blame. Through individual and group therapy, they begin to understand their minds, separate their worth from their behavior, and develop a healthier relationship with themselves overall.

Daily Life in Our ADHD-Supportive Environment

Young adults with ADHD engage in structured schedules that provide appropriate support while building skills for independence:

Morning routines include supportive check-ins and medication reminders, personal care, and preparation for the day. This support fades over time as skills strengthn to promote independent morning management—a notorious challenge for many with ADHD.

Daily schedules are a mix of structure with flexibility. We provide clear expectations while allowing for autonomy when appropriate. Movement breaks, transition activities, and options for both high and low stimulation tasks help young adults maintain optimal arousal levels throughout the day.

Life skills development happens in real-time. Whether prepping a meal, going on a community outing, or learning financial management, clients are taught to break down tasks, utilize visual supports, and develop systems that stick.

Social and recreational activities offer opportunities to practice attention, impulse management, and social skills in real life. Over time, clients build confidence and competence while learning about their strengths.

Educational & Vocational Support for ADHD

Many young adults with ADHD have experienced frustration in educational and vocational settings. Here, educational coaching provides strategies designed for ADHD learners. From organizing materials and breaking down assignments to managing distractions and advocating for accommodations, our support helps young adults succeed in post-secondary education. We work closely with local educational institutions to ensure appropriate accommodations and support.

Vocational exploration focuses on finding career paths that align with ADHD strengths and preferences. Many young adults with ADHD thrive in careers with variety, hands-on components, immediate feedback, or opportunities for hyperfocus and creativity. We help clients identify promising directions and develop strategies for workplace success.

Job coaching addresses ADHD-specific workplace challenges like time management, organization, attention to detail, and interpersonal communication. Our team helps young adults develop disclosure strategies, accommodation requests, and compensatory techniques that enable success in various work environments.

Building Independence That Lasts

With the right help, young adults with ADHD can lead fulfilling, successful independent lives. If your young adult with ADHD is struggling with emerging adulthood, our neurodivergence-affirming programs might provide the specialized support they need to move forward. Contact our team today to learn more about how our approach to ADHD, including our specialized Rubedo track, can help your young adult discover their path to an independent life.