What Is ADHD Coaching?
Live life in integrity with who you really are.
The ADHD Advocate provides specialist ADHD Coaching.
The majority of our coaches hold an AAC certification from the ADD Coaching Academy, the only ADHD Coaching provider accredited with the International Coaching Federation (“ICF”). Some of our coaches are also members of the ICF and hold ICF designations.
ADHD coaching is not “support” in the day to day sense like a Personal Assistant would provide (although many ADHDers can benefit from having this too).
ADHD Coaching is about developing clarity, awareness, strategies, and a framework to help individuals with ADHD better manage their ADHD challenges.
Such challenges may include distractibility, forgetfulness, procrastination, disorganisation and overwhelm with accountability being a major factor (i.e. using the coach as accountability).
ADHDers tend to self-sabotage, so as coaches we help individuals with ADHD develop ways in which they can get out of their own way.
The aim of our coaching is to help clients embed the strategies and framework that they come up with so that they become habitual. Habits however take time to form. For that reason, it is more of a long-term process as opposed to a short-term intensive process.
In addition to what goes on in session, we set exercises for our clients to do each week. Clients need to take time to do these exercises, reflect on them and any insights they’ve gained during sessions and incorporate any learnings/strategies into their daily life.
Our exercises help clients uncover their signature strengths, needs and values and develop their heartfelt vision.
This helps with their goal setting and weekly planning. The process is also very much about testing and measuring. It may be that strategies clients have come up with in session aren’t ideal or may need tweaking – which would be the subject of a separate session.
The way coaching sessions usually work is on a consecutive weekly basis for 45 or 60 minutes each week (preferably at the same time/day each week).
How many weeks a client will need before they feel they no longer need coaching varies from client to client depending on the following factors:
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The nature and severity of their ADHD;
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Their emotional dysregulation;
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Their mindset (which we do a lot of work on in order for the client to look through the ADHD lens);
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Their personal circumstances;
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Any other conditions they have that may impact their cognitive abilities and mental health;
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Ability to complete the set exercises and reading;
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Completion of the Prep and Recap forms;
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Ability to identify patterns in behaviour and situations;
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Identifying strategies that will work for the client;
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Implementing strategies and executing upon actions set; and
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Creating routines until they become habits.
ADHD coaching isn’t the same as counselling/psychotherapy.
There are ways in which the two cross over, especially if you want to access coaching to help with ADHD challenges that are affecting your mental health. But there are some important differences.
Generally speaking, coaching is very much driven by the client. As coaches, we are there to help the client get clear on your goals, find solutions for their challenges and focus on what is possible now. We work with them to get clear on where they are now, where they want to be in life, and how to close the gap.
In contrast, a therapist is more likely to attend to a client's emotions or trauma, helping them examine the past, and apply therapeutic theories and models such as CBT in their sessions. Therapists are also specially trained in emotional management, whereas coaches aren't. Whilst coaches always employ empathy and understanding, a client who wants coaching should be at a point in their journey where they are emotionally regulated enough to tackle their challenges in order to achieve their coaching goals.
If you are looking for an ADHD informed therapist, you can find our recommended practitioners here.
ADHD Coaching is premised on the client being the expert in his or her life.
This is precisely why it is so effective for individuals with ADHD who engage better if they own the process and have a safe space to verbally process their thoughts and decision making.
The clearer the client is on their vision, goals, strengths and challenges then the quicker the process generally.
ADHD Coaching is very effective! Please see our Testimonials for success stories from some of our clients.
Think ADHD Coaching is for you? Book your free introductory call with one of our coaches today!
In your introductory call the coach can find out more about what you’re looking for from ADHD Coaching and see if you would be a good fit to work together.
They will also able to provide you a quote during the call, based on their rate and which of their packages would be best suited for your coaching needs.