What is an adhd coach?
So you have ADHD. Suddenly so much makes sense. And yet, now what?
Knowing you have ADHD, knowing the symptoms, knowing why certain things were such a damn struggle. All really useful things however it doesn’t necessarily help you as you start living life after diagnosis.
And this is where ADHD coaching enters the room (along with medication, therapy and a range of alternative supports).
What is coaching?
Coaching is a term used by a wide range of practitioners to title a whole range of services, so I am going to start with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) definition.
Coaching is “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership. We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we’re striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.”
In short coaching helps you identify what you really want, uncover who you really are, and support you to navigate the blocks on your way to stepping into the life you want.
How does ADHD coaching differ?
ADHD coaching still applies the same approach of partnering with you to identify what you really want, who you are and navigate towards what you want. The key difference is an ADHD coach works through an ADHD lens; understanding your brain works differently and therefore the the why behind you challenges is fundamentally different to a neurotypical brain. In addition an ADHD brain knows what it takes for an ADHD brain to thrive and therefore can support you in ensuring that you are working with your brain rather than always swimming upstream.
How do I pick the right coach for me?
In a sea of coaches finding your flavour is critical. Whilst there is no right or wrong there are some good places to start helping you make a decision.
Certified? Anyone can work as a coach, so a lot of ADHD coaches are doing so based on lived experience (nothing wrong with that!). However if someone has studied the profession is important to you then The International Coaching Federation is the gold standard in coaching standards. An ICF certified coach has had to maintain certain professional and ethical standards. There are a limited number of ICF accredited ADHD coaching schools (including Goldmind Academy where I trained). Since ADHD coaching is in it’s relative infancy there are also a number of country specific accreditation bodies.
What is your learning style? Some of us need another human to learn, ask questions of and feel connected. Others prefer to do things at our own pace and as part of a community. Different coaching programmes offer their coaching in a different format, reflect on when you learn best and ensure that the programme will suit you
Book discovery calls. If you are stuck between more than one coach book a free ‘discovery call’. Most coaches will offer a free call to understand how they can support you and to get a feel for if it feels like a good fit. Take advantage and be wary of shopping around so many coaches that you get yourself even more confused. Think for yourself what you are looking for in a coach and use this as guidance on the calls.
Do you feel safe? A successful coaching relationship will require you to be vulnerable, being honest with yourself and them in ways you have potentially never explored. Many of us with ADHD have unknowingly been masking our entire life because we don’t feel safe to ‘be’.
Since a coach will challenge your thinking (and we all know ADHD rejection sensitivity is real) so you want to be in a place where you feel safe to share and safe to see challenges as support not an attack.
Relatability? This is a personal decision as coaches are trained to be able to coach anyone. However a lot of people want coaching from someone who ‘gets’ their circumstance, be that a parent, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, a particular religious belief system or any other part of their identity. Think about what, if any, part of your identity feels like a really important part of your picture that you want to feel relatable.
Ask your communities. Coaching is becoming more and more common and therefore asking in trusted communities might give you some names. Of course understand one person’s cup of tea isn’t everyone’s, however knowing someone else rates someone can be reassuring.
Final thoughts
When spending a big investment on something new, it can be frightening. Your brain is going to want to go into the what if scenarios, and perhaps you feel burned from previous impulsive purchases, it can happen. See finding a coach, supporting your needs and trusting yourself as the first step in changing your life.
Good luck!
