Beyond Mood and Motivation: Helping youth with ADHD and Depression Thrive
Understanding, Identifying, and Supporting Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
Growing up and moving into adulthood are times of rapid change — but when difficulties with focus, motivation, or mood go beyond the typical ups and downs, it can leave young people and those around them feeling confused and concerned. Is it ADHD, depression, or both? And most importantly, what can be done to help?
This session provided parents, educators, and young people with:
- Practical tools to better understand ADHD and depression.
- How these conditions present, especially during the teen and young adult years
- How to distinguish overlapping symptoms
- What it means when they occur together.
By combining clinical expertise with real-world case examples, this session offered insight, clarity, and hope for anyone supporting — or living with — ADHD and depression, especially during the critical transition from adolescence to adulthood.
Target Audience: 13 yrs+
Dr. Sterling Sparshu is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist practicing in Calgary, Alberta. He has worked in both public and private settings including residential care, day treatment, inpatient/hospital care, and outpatient clinics. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.
Dr. Sparshu is committed to the integration of evidence-based biological, psychological, and social interventions to promote health and well-being. Through his involvement in mental health literacy programs and collaborative mental health care, he seeks to empower those impacted by mental illness and promote prevention and early intervention.