Struggling with ADHD?
You're not alone — millions of people take medication to assist in managing symptoms such as focus and impulsivity. But if you still find yourself struggling with organization, time management or self-esteem—a specialized ADHD coach could be the answer you've been searching for!
An ADHD coach provides guidance and support to individuals living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). To best serve their clients, ADHD coaches develop tailored plans that take into account the individual's goals, priorities and lifestyle. With compassionate understanding, ADHD coaches empower their clients to recognize and seize the unique opportunities available to them. They also provide guidance on a range of topics such as organization and focus techniques, time management skills, communication strategies and conflict resolution skills. In addition, ADHD coaches can help individuals navigate various systems such as educational institutions or work organizations, providing insight on how to ask for reasonable accommodations while still advocating for themselves. An ADHD coach can be an invaluable ally in finding increased success in all aspects of life.
What can an ADHD coach do for someone with ADHD?
A coach specialized in working with people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can provide an invaluable measure of support and understanding. In addition, an ADHD coach can:
- assist with boosting confidence and self-esteem
- Executive functioning strategies
- working memory strategies to manage school, work, and life.
- develop strategies for managing priorities, and developing tools to manage time and tasks
- discover strength-based solutions for consistent organizational challenges
- help explore supports and accommodations for work or school
- provide guidance on financial, medical, and therapeutic management strategies
Coaches are trained to provide expert advice and to help individuals navigate conversations about ADHD with their employer, family members or doctor. When seeking a coach with expertise in ADHD, it is important to search for someone who has completed specialized training from well-recognized programs in the field.
Thriving with ADHD
Thriving with ADHD requires a holistic and strength-based approach factoring consistent medical, therapeutic, and behavioral strategies and interventions. All EEC-certified coaches work with clients on defining strengths, short and long-term goals, and personal priorities. This is followed by uncovering the barriers to success, discussing interventions, and developing a consistent weekly roadmap of processes, strategies, and tools. Many clients who join EEC are motivated and successful students or adults dealing with comorbid conditions like anxiety, depression, NVLD, or autism. They benefit from working with highly qualified coaches and the dynamic EEC coaching model.
The foundation of ADHD Coaching is the cultivation and development of inmate strengths. Success in life is built on consistently cultivating these strengths and interests. The formula for finding success with ADHD is to harness the ADHD superpower of HYPERFOCUS and align it with a passion, strength or interest, and then apply consistent effort and attention towards mastery. There are many successful adults with ADHD who would agree.
EEC Certified Coaches help clients develop strength-based life skills to minimize moments of emotional dysregulation associated with ADHD. Many clients can become stuck and unmotivated and therefore procrastinate on initiating mundane tasks like chores, homework, studying, projects and ADLs. Clients often try to control life by over-relying on their working memory, never writing down or planning things out. Unfortunately, the mental planning of non-preferred tasks for those with ADHD is NOT easy because it requires advanced EF skills and a high level of emotional willpower, which many students and professionals with ADHD struggle with. Breaking these stressful cycles of emotional decision-making requires clients to develop meaningful routines and use external tools to practice breaking life's tasks and responsibilities into manageable parts. Learning to see and feel the logical flow of life helps clients foster an internal locus of control, enabling them to find consistent success in the areas of life that matter most - health, family, work and school.
Using principles of Motivational Interviewing, an ADHD Coach helps clients develop a strength-based roadmap, aligning goals and intentions with their daily and weekly priorities. This deliberate process helps align attention with purpose and increases focus, motivation, productivity and self-confidence.
Sample outcomes in the ADHD Life Coaching Process
- Feeling less overwhelmed about school and life
- Cultivate an ADHD superpower success plan
- Consistent ADHD life-hacks - sleep, exercise, diet, supplements, medication
- Metacognition and problem-solving skills that foster grit and a growth mindset
- Self-regulation strategies to manage emotions - mindfulness, self-talk and breathing techniques
- College readiness skills
- Academic skills: homework habits and study skills
25 Things to love about ADHD
Is an ADHD Coach right for you?
ADHD is a medical condition that requires a holistic treatment approach to effectively overcome and consistently manage the chronic symptoms related to the condition. Consider these three questions in determining if an ADHD coach is right for you.
- Is ADHD running your daily life and causing challenges with school, work and relationships?
- Do you have unmet goals due to the chronic challenges related to ADHD? (see below)
- Do you have the desire, motivation and determination to stop the chaos and introduce order and predictability to the daily management of life?
EEC Certified coaches use science-based research to support their clients in developing a holistic approach to thriving with ADHD. A holistic approach means that students and young adults with ADHD develop science-based behavioral interventions to minimize procrastination and anxiety while improving focus and performance. All clients develop consistent behavioral interventions to promote goal-directed focus, task initiation, future planning, working memory and organization. They also explore the role of nutrition, supplements and sleep in promoting focus, attention, working memory and mood.
Benefits of working with an EEC Certified ADHD Coach for Students and Young Adults
"Our son was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD and executive functioning challenges freshman year of high school. His grades went from A's to C's, with a significant number of missed assignments. His coach was an incredible resource for our son and gave him the practical organizational skills to plan for and manage his life in and outside of school." - Mom of a son with ADHD.
"Coach David has a real skill for building rapport, setting clear and attainable goals, and coming up with a customized plan to help his clients reach them. He taught me so much about the ins and outs of executive function, and I really appreciated that his method also took into account looking at things like simple lifestyle and routine changes that have made a huge difference." - Professional ADHD Coaching with Brian.
"My son reports he is learning prioritization and organization techniques as well as the understanding of how these tools can apply beyond school into everyday life. It has also allowed him to be empowered to build his own relationship and understanding independently from teachers and parents so he is choosing the methods that he believes work for him." - Parent of a Child with ADHD.
Are you a student or young adult living with a twice-exceptional (2e) diagnosis?
Supporting the 2e community requires a coach with a deep understanding of each client's diverse social, emotional and learning profiles. The EEC coaching team helps twice-exceptional individuals with complex challenges develop self-regulation, executive functioning, and transition skills to independently progress towards short- and long-term goals. Coaches utilize a dynamic 4-part coaching process to help neurodiverse clients thrive in learning and life.
Finding the Right ADHD Coach
ADHD coaching is a valuable resource for individuals currently struggling with ADHD symptoms, or an executive function disorder. A skilled ADHD coach can help to identify the particular executive functioning challenges of ADHD that are playing out in a person's life and offer tools, strategies and techniques to reframe them. Beyond offering ADHD-specific resources, ADHD coaches also specialize in building self-advocacy and confidence; in creating personalized plans for success in day-to-day life; and in providing ongoing accountability. If you are looking for an ADHD coach near you, it is important to find someone who is trained in behavioral health and has experience working with ADHD adults or children specifically. Before engaging an ADHD coach, do an online search to find background information, previous client reviews or other certifications that may be meaningful to you.