Executive Function, Organizational Support, and Wellness Among Counselors With ADHD:
Implications for Workforce Sustainability
As a part of its Innovations in Counseling series, the NBCC Foundation invites you to a free webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, from 1–2 pm EDT. Live webinars are available at no cost, and documentation of 1 clock hour of continuing education is available for registrants who attend the full webinar.
Counselor wellness is essential to ethical practice, delivery of quality care, and workforce sustainability. Current research suggests both individual cognitive processes and organizational environments influence Counselor well-being and professional functioning. This webinar presents findings from a quantitative study examining relationships among executive functioning, perceived organizational support, coping strategies, and wellness in Counselors with ADHD. Results highlight discrepancies between perceived and aspirational wellness and identify organizational support and coping strategies as key predictors of burnout and professional sustainability. These findings highlight the importance of both individual and systemic support in maintaining a healthy and effective Counseling workforce. Participants will explore practical strategies for supporting Counselors with ADHD. The presenter will discuss approaches to supervision, workplace advocacy, and organizational practices that promote wellness and Counselor retention, with particular attention to how supporting Counselor functioning enhances care access and quality.
Participants will be able to:
- summarize key findings related to executive functioning, organizational support, and wellness among Counselors with ADHD.
- explain factors that contribute to burnout and wellness discrepancies among Counselors with ADHD.
- identify strategies to support Counselors with ADHD through supervision, professional development, and workplace accommodations.
Abigail Van Patten-Freeman, PhD, NCC, CCMHC, LPC-MH, LMHC
Dr. Abigail Van Patten-Freeman is an LPC-MH in South Dakota, LMHC in Iowa, a CCMHC and NCC, and an Assistant Professor of Counseling at South Dakota State University. Prior to starting at SDSU, Dr. Van Patten-Freeman was a licensed Mental Health Counselor in Iowa at an outpatient group practice for over 4 years. Dr. Van Patten-Freeman publishes and presents on the following topics: Counselor self-care; clinical supervision; relational cultural theory in supervision; Counselor burnout and wellness as a systemic issue; workplace support for Counselor wellness; and the impacts of executive function, emotional regulation, and organizational support on the wellness of Counselors with ADHD.
NBCC Foundation has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 805. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. NBCC Foundation is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Each state sets its own requirements for licensure, including continuing education requirements to maintain licensure. Questions about CE requirements for state licensure should be directed to your state board. You can find their contact information on our state board directory.
