If you read my last post about the best mental health professionals on TikTok, then you might remember me saying that I transformed from a skeptic to a full-blown fan of TikTok. And it’s mainly because of the amazing mental health movement going on within the platform. Like any social media app, you can easily find misinformation — it’s nearly inevitable when you have one billion active users. But, on the other hand, in my experience, the number of mental health creators on TikTok who are on a mission to inform people about various disorders outweigh the ones making careless content.
As someone who’s very open about her struggles and has been on a healing journey for about seven years now, I’m still learning new things every day on the platform. And it’s honestly very comforting, validating, and helpful to hear people talk so openly about their struggles. Everybody is dealing with something, and whether or not you’re diagnosed, I truly believe this type of content can be helpful for someone to use as a starting point to some further research into how they can improve their quality of life.
That being said, I’ll be covering a few different categories of mental health “TikTokers” that I have found to be useful so you can curate your feed to be filled with content that helps rather than hurts.
Today, we’re covering professionals who specialize or talk about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
Dr. Ned Hallowell (@drhallowell)
What I love about Dr. Ned Hallowell’s account is that, unlike many accounts on TikTok, he doesn’t use music, trends, or dance moves to explain his point. Now, don’t get me wrong — those types of videos are so much more fun and engaging than I thought they would be before joining the platform, but it’s refreshing to see someone who can create engaging videos that are simultaneously informative about this underdiagnosed disorder.
Dr. Ned Hallowell is also considered a leader in the ADHD research field, as he has been working towards raising awareness about his often misunderstood disorder since the ‘80s. He is someone who lives with ADHD and dyslexia, and he’s spent his career writing books about ADHD, creating the Hallowell ADHD Centers, and now, creating TikToks about ADHD. (So it’s safe to say he knows his stuff.) He also seems like a very kind soul because all his videos are incredibly validating, informative, and motivational.
Sheila Henson (@adhdcoachsheila)
I love Coach Sheila’s page because, just like Dr. Ned Hallowell, she has a way of explaining concepts that are easy to digest and engaging without relying on music, trends, or dance moves — just simple, straight-to-the-point, and informative. She also has a bit of sass and no B.S. attitude, which makes her page, honestly, feel like a safe place to be. I firmly believe it’s crucial to create a safe and informative place as a mental health professional or coach, like Sheila.
Dr. Kojo Sarfo (@dr.kojosarfo)
Dr. Kojo Sarfo was named one of the best mental health professionals on TikTok in 2021 (by yours truly), and if you ended up checking out his page, you saw he talks a lot about ADHD since he lives with it himself! Because of his lived experience and his professional experience with patients who live with ADHD, he has the unique ability to highlight the more under-discussed parts of ADHD.
This includes the fact that the disorder can present differently in women than in men, and what the common comorbidities are. I think this is amazing because this can help people get a diagnosis and seek treatment who otherwise wouldn’t because they don’t display the more cliche symptoms.
Chrissy Crowe, MACP, RP (@stina905)
Crissy Crowe is a psychotherapist, and she is amazing because she clearly has a lot of experience and a major passion for raising awareness of ADHD. I love how she answers people’s questions in her videos and also covers the more complicated topics of ADHD, such as conflict-seeking behaviors, relationships, trauma, self-management, and so much more. Her videos are also very concise yet informative, so definitely check her out for a quick dose of facts!
The ADHD doctor (@thepsychdoctormd)
Dr. Sasha Hamdani is one of the most relatable influencers on this list. With any mental health disorder, it’s difficult to compare symptoms to your real-life examples. Well, Dr. Sasha does this on her page and gives examples of how ADHD can appear using examples of comorbidities, types of mood states, feelings, how it might look at work or school or in a relationship, etc. She is doing really great things for the community with her educational, easy-to-digest, and fun content.
No matter if you know someone with ADHD, you suspect you have ADHD yourself, or you’ve already been diagnosed, her page is super helpful to understand this world better.
ADHD Coach Ryan Mayer (@adhd_coach_ryan)
Ryan Mayer is an ADHD coach who has an enormous passion for helping people navigate their life with ADHD because he has experienced all the incredible challenges this disorder can cause. While there are many great coaches out there, what I like about Ryan is that he is optimistic yet realistic and informative. He is seeking to squash the stigma around ADHD and offers hope to those who have it.
He also provides a lot of great tips or “ADHD hacks” on his TikTok, so if you have ADHD and you need some pointers on how to get started organizing your routine/schedule/life, Ryan’s page is great for that! Then, when you’re ready to get more personalized help, he runs a coaching program so you can connect with others and work on the aspects of ADHD you’re struggling with.
Tayler Clark (@theadhdtherapist)
Taylor Clark is an LGBTQ-friendly therapist who focuses on ADHD. Taylor would have made it on this list regardless, but she recently adopted a Goldendoodle pup named Frankie, so that boosts her page about 100 points. But in all seriousness, Taylor, like all the mental health professionals and coaches on this list, is incredibly understanding, knowledgeable, validating, and empathetic. (That’s why I’ve named them the best, after all!)
She doesn’t just inform, though — she also films her real-life experiences and the struggles she goes through as a person with ADHD, so it makes her page relatable and a comfortable space to be in. She also answers people’s questions in her videos, and her answers are always super informative. I’ve learned so much from her and I know you will too!
That Concludes The List!
That’s the end of this list for the best TikTok ADHD coaches, psychiatrists, and therapists in 2021! Did I miss any of your favorites? Drop their handle down below in the comments and why you appreciate the work they’re doing!
