The International Coach Federation's website states that : ​"Therapy deals with healing pain, dysfunction and conflict within an individual or in relationships. The focus is often on resolving difficulties arising from the past that hamper an individual's emotional functioning in the present, improving overall psychological functioning, and dealing with the present in more emotionally healthy ways. ​Coaching, on the other hand, supports personal and professional growth based on self-initiated change in pursuit of actionable outcomes. These outcomes are linked to personal or professional success. Coaching is future focused. While positive feelings/emotions may be a natural outcome of coaching, the primary focus is on creating actionable strategies for achieving specific goals in one's work or personal life. The emphases in a coaching relationship are on action, accountability, and follow through." To state simply, therapy deals with healing emotional pain and dysfunction, whereas ADHD / executive functioning coaching deals with finding personalized solutions to executive function challenges and other ADHD symptoms. Often, people with ADHD need support with everyday things (such as organizing time, keeping houses tidy, procrastination) that they struggle with because of executive function challenges. ​Coaching can be a great complement to therapy, but it is not a substitute. If you are experiencing significant symptoms of depression or anxiety, or have an untreated addiction, you should seek an experienced professional in those areas. If you are currently working with a mental health professional, talk to them about your plans to work with a coach. If you wish, I would be happy to collaborate with them with your signed consent.

Coaching can help ADDers with almost all areas of their lives. Some examples are : Organization / executive functioning: establishing daily routines & healthy habits, time management, developing a planning system that works for you, getting ‘boring’ chores done, prioritizing, dealing with distractions / procrastination, organizing and cleaning the house Work : improving relationships with colleagues, talking about ADHD at work / identifying & asking for reasonable adjustments, coping with challenges in meeting deadlines, project management, dealing with demanding workloads, considering career options, identifying strengths, skills & talents, interview practice, delegation, and coping with stress. Studying : managing school schedule, setting routines, identifying how you learn best, asking for accommodations, and considering future career options. Emotional regulation: improving self-esteem, coping with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, emotional ‘flooding’ / mood swings, co-dependency, people pleasing, loneliness, boundaries, maintaining healthy relationships with people, engaging with people who do / do not have ADHD. Physical health: relaxation, planning "fun" time, sleep, observing the effects of medication, eating habits, implementing healthy habits such as regular exercise and cooking meals. And almost anything else you would like to work on

Some people describe executive function as “the management system of the brain.” That’s because the skills involved let us set goals, plan, and get things done. When people struggle with executive function, it impacts them at home, in school, and in life. There are three main areas of executive function. They are: Working memory Cognitive flexibility (also called flexible thinking) Inhibitory control (which includes self-control) Executive function is responsible for many skills, including: Paying attention Organizing, planning, and prioritizing Starting tasks and staying focused on them to completion Understanding different points of view Regulating emotions Self-monitoring (keeping track of what you’re doing) Taken from understood.org read more

It is important to find a coach that you have chemistry with. It is also important to find a coach that has the skills, tools and/or personal experience and understanding to help you. ADHD coaches do not need to be certified to practice. There are some brilliant coaches who do not have training or certification. However, training and certification can be an easy way to ensure that a coach meets a certain standard. When assessing a coach's training, one criteria to go by is whether the training program is ICF (International Coach Federation) certified. ICF is generally considered the golden standard of coaching. ADHD coaches usually receive certifications from ICF and/or PAAC (Professional Association for ADHD Coaches). There are many coaches such as myself, that offer reduced rates while they gain the experience necessary for certification.

Looking for a ADHD coach can be a daunting process, especially with the executive functioning difficulties we have. A good place to start is the ACO (ADHD Coaches Organization) Directory. Make sure to talk to a couple different coaches to find a coach that you have chemistry with and has the skillset to support you and your specific needs. If we have a consultation call and I feel that another coach would be better suited to your needs I can provide referrals.

🔷 The very first session will be an intake session where we : Discuss your neurodivergence (ADHD) history Discuss your neurodivergence (ADHD) strengths and challenges Assess where you currently are in life Discuss desired outcomes of coaching Set future life goals 🔷 The structure of subsequent sessions may look like this : [Beginning] Check in : How was your week and how did you do on the goals from last week? [Middle] Establish the topic & agenda for the session. Explore the topic together: I will be your thinking partner and help facilitate your thoughts by asking questions. You will process your thoughts, reach new perspectives as well as gain insights. [End] Create an action plan and address any possible obstacles and distractions Discuss methods of accountability & support Discuss highlights & key takeaways from the session : I will send you session notes via email. 🔷 🔷 The bulk of coaching work and growth is done outside of sessions. To support your progress and help with accountability, I offer text message follow ups and body doubling sessions throughout the week.

You can count on me to listen with an ADHD understanding, creating a safe, non-judgmental environment for you to explore the intersection of ADHD and your identity. You can count on me to help you learn more about ADHD and your specific symptoms. You can also count on me to help you create structures, support, skills and strategies so you can have a fuller and satisfying life. You can count on me to help you gain a better understanding of yourself with an ADHD lens, and reframe your current narrative to a more positive one. I will be one of your biggest cheerleaders while we work together. I am also deeply committed to seeing you success reach your goals, providing accountability outside of sessions via text messages and body doubling sessions.

Focus — on yourself, the tough questions you need to ask yourself, the hard truths you need to accept and the successful outcomes you desire to achieve Observation — of the world around you and the behavior and communication of others Listening — to your intuition, assumptions, judgments, and to how you sound when you speak Self discipline — to challenge existing attitudes, beliefs and behaviors and to develop new ones which better serve yourself, your values and your goals Attitude — leveraging personal strengths and overcoming limitations in order to develop a winning positive attitude Decisive action — however uncomfortable, and in spite of personal insecurities, in order to reach for the extraordinary Compassion — for yourself as you experiment with new behaviors and sometimes experience setbacks as well as for others as they do the same Humor — committing to not take yourself too seriously and allowing the injection of humor to lighten and brighten any situation Pause — allowing yourself to pause to avoid overly-emotional reactions Courage — to reach for more than you have before, to shift out of your comfort zone, to engage in continual self examination, to take on internal and external obstacles and challenges