ADHD and the Power of Movement: Why Walking Helps You Focus

Living with ADHD isn’t just about being a bit distracted — it can feel like your brain is juggling a dozen tabs open at once, all playing different songs. From trouble sitting still to forgetfulness, emotional reactivity, and difficulty finishing tasks, ADHD affects far more than attention. And here’s what many don’t realise: movement isn’t the problem — it’s often the solution.

At Walking Session, we don’t expect you to sit still and stare at a screen for 50 minutes. In fact, we encourage you to walk. Because for many people with ADHD, walking is a powerful way to focus.

The Science: Why Movement Helps ADHD Brains Thrive

People with ADHD typically have lower levels of dopamine and norepinephrine — two neurotransmitters crucial for attention, motivation, and emotional regulation. These are the same brain chemicals targeted by stimulant medications like Ritalin or Adderall.

Research has shown that physical activity increases the availability of both dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, which in turn helps with focus, impulse control, and mood stability.

A study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders found that brief bouts of moderate aerobic exercise — such as walking — led to improvements in attention, inhibitory control, and academic performance in children with ADHD. Similar benefits have been observed in adults, particularly when movement becomes part of a routine.

Movement isn’t just a way to burn off excess energy — it’s a way to regulate your brain.

Walking Therapy Meets ADHD Where It’s At

Many people with ADHD struggle with traditional therapy settings. Sitting still, maintaining eye contact, staying focused in a quiet room — it can be overstimulating and understimulating all at once. That’s why walking therapy can feel like a breath of fresh air (literally and figuratively).

Here’s why walking therapy works so well for ADHD:

• You’re moving — which helps you listen, focus, and speak more fluidly

• You’re not confined to a space — which reduces internal restlessness

• You’re not on video — which removes distracting visual input

• You’re outside — which provides natural sensory regulation without overwhelm

• You’re doing something purposeful — which activates the reward centres in the ADHD brain

Walking while talking allows your mind to work the way it wants to — dynamically, naturally, and with less pressure to “perform.”

Real Conversations in Real Motion

We’ve heard it countless times from clients: “I thought I wouldn’t be able to concentrate during therapy, but I actually focus better when I’m walking.” That’s not a coincidence — that’s biology.

In phone-based walking sessions, you don’t have to worry about fidgeting, zoning out, or feeling “too much.” You can pace your garden, stroll around the block, or head out on your favourite trail — and just talk.

And if you’re someone who gets overwhelmed by emotions or thoughts during therapy, walking can help regulate your nervous system, reduce reactivity, and make difficult conversations feel more manageable.

Making Therapy ADHD-Friendly

At Walking Session, we take a neurodiversity-affirming approach. That means we don’t see ADHD as something that needs to be “fixed.” We see it as something that needs to be supported — with compassion, flexibility, and strategies that actually work.

Phone-based walking therapy:

• Encourages natural focus through movement

• Reduces social pressure and visual distractions

• Empowers you to choose your environment and pace

• Creates a more relaxed and responsive space for self-reflection

This isn’t therapy that asks you to conform. It’s therapy that meets your brain where it thrives — in motion.

Let’s Walk It Out, Together

If you’ve struggled to sit through traditional therapy — or if you’ve ever wondered if therapy could actually work for you — we invite you to try a different path.

Our psychologists specialise in phone-based walking sessions that support your mind while you move your body. ADHD doesn’t have to be a barrier. In fact, it might be your superpower — when you’re given the right environment.

👉 Book your first Walking Session today and discover how different therapy can feel when you’re not stuck in one place.