What Is ADHD Coaching?

What is ADHD Coaching? What is life coaching? Are they the same thing? Is it a kind of therapy? How can it help?

 

ADHD Coaching as an official title is a relatively new concept and there are a lot of questions and misconceptions about it.  In this blog I chat with you about what exactly ADHD Coaching is and how it can be beneficial.

ADHD Coaching and Life Coaching Defined

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” ICF’s vision is that coaching is an integral part of a thriving society and every ICF Member represents the highest quality of professional coaching. A life coach is a partner who may provide support, validation, curiosity and a safe space to help clients get to where they want to be.

 

The Professional Association of ADHD Coaching (PAAC) defines ADHD Coaching as “an ongoing collaborative partnership between a person with ADHD traits, including persons impacted by ADHD, and a professional coach who brings current ADHD knowledge, best practices, understanding, and ADHD-friendly skills and tools to facilitate positive personal and professional change for the client.“

 

They go on to say, “ADHD coaching partnership is an appreciative and creative inquiry process that empowers clients to learn about themselves and their unique brain processing so they can make choices and take actions to create the lives they choose to live. The ADHD coach listens with an appreciation and working experience of how ADHD may be impacting the client.

 

ADHD coaches create a safe, non-judgmental environment, listen with an ADHD understanding, observe what is preventing the client from reaching specific goals, explore ways in which the client can maximize strengths, talents, and passion, and enlist strategies and behaviors congruent with the ADHD client’s learning, processing, and organization styles. ADHD coaches regard their clients as naturally creative, resourceful, and incredible human beings.“

Is It Therapy or Mentoring?

The best way I have heard to describe the difference between therapy and coaching is that therapy focuses mostly on healing, often the past. Coaching, on the other hand, is focused on action and moving forward. Therapists can also treat co-existing conditions, while coaches help folks develop skills and strategies.

 

Is coaching more like mentoring?  Nope, not really. 

 

The way that I found that made it make sense to me was the thought that I had that, “I can mentor someone to be like me, but I can coach someone to be their best most authentic self.”  Mentoring in my mind is more about showing someone how to do the thing that the mentor is an expert at, while coaching helps the client discover their own expertise within.

 

How do I know which one I need?  If the biggest struggle you have revolves around prior trauma, if it’s about understanding emotions and triggers, or understanding how your ADHD may impact your mental health – a therapist is likely your best course of action.

 

If, instead, your struggle is with other executive functions like organizing, prioritizing, time management, parenting with ADHD, etc., you may need a coach.  And by the way, many people, myself included, have both a therapist and a coach. It’s a dream team!

 

I believe that the main difference between a general life coach or a typical parenting coach and an ADHD Coach is that a general life or parenting coach may not have the experience or training necessary to help ADHD people and their kids in the most compassionate and effective manner.

 

ADHD coaches, particularly those who have ADHD and/or who have kids with ADHD, understand that our brains work differently, are willing to challenge our thinking, think outside the box, and recognize the unique strengths that we each have.

 

ADHD Coaching With Kat

ADHD Coaches work differently from each other as well. Here are some things to know about my coaching style.

• I believe our relationship is a partnership and our goals together will be driving by your own goals, aspirations and pace.
• I come to our sessions with the belief that you are whole and complete and do not need to be fixed.
• I believe that you are the expert of you (and your child perhaps.)
• Our sessions are heart led, tapping into your personal strengths as we create a plan together to conquer your ADHD gremlins.
• Life coaches traditionally do not offer advice, or very seldom; ADHD Coaches often will share from the arsenal of strategies, tips, tricks, and outside the box ideas that we have accumulated. I encourage you to take what works and leave the rest, feel free always, with no guilt, to say – that won’t for for me/my family, and we’ll find another option that does!
• I intentionally focus on building a safe space where all clients feel welcome, accepted, and valued enough to be their most authentic selves.
• I meet you where you are, judgement free; I want you to feel safe, not shame, so that we can work most effectively together.  

 

Who Do I Work With?

I specialize in ADHD Affirming Coaching. I really enjoy working with folks from many backgrounds, ages, and stages of their journeys but here are a few of my special passions. 

• Parent or other caregivers of kids with ADHD. I help parents of ADHD kids develop the mindset, tools, and skills they need to bring peace to their home and help their child shine.
• Students with ADHD. I help students with ADHD to develop skills and strategies to identify personal strengths, eliminate roadblocks, and find practical tips and routines that work for them. I also enjoy working with students transitioning from middle to high school or high school to college or other independent adult living.
• Later Diagnosed ADHD Adults . I help adults who are diagnosed (professionally or self diagnosed) understand their brain, uncover their strengths, identify their masks, and kick ADHD related guilt and shame to the curb.
• Queer and Neurodivergent. As a member of the queer community, I enjoy and am committed to working with other people who identify as LGBTQ+, and parents who are lovingly supporting children in their coming out or transition processes.
• Other Options. I have many contacts with other ADHD coaches, transformational coaches, financial coaches, and others. If I am not the right coach for you I just might know someone who is.

I became a Life Coach after working with one profoundly changed my life.

 

I became an ADHD Coach when I realized I have been doing it unofficially forever. (So I went and got the education to go with the experience!)

 

I have ADHD and raised some ADHD amazing kids, but I needed more support. Rather desperately.

 

I have been in similar places as you have, and when I say I understand, or I get it, you can be assured that I really do get it.

 

I invite you to read more about me for more of my story, including my 2 minute video that is a letter I wrote as an adult to myself as a child. 

 

About Kat Here

If you are interested in learning about how we can work together, please book a free, no obligation discovery call with me today! I’d love to chat.  Questions? Send me an email to Kat@AllBelong.com.

 

Book Discovery Call Here