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Writer's pictureAllie Warren

What is ADHD coaching?

Updated: Oct 11

How it differs from therapy and what a session might look like


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A person wearing an orange jumpsuit is holding a green leafed plant that's wrapped in brown paper in front of them

So, firstly, what exactly is coaching?

There are so many different ideas out there about what coaching actually is, so I thought it might be helpful to share some of the things that make up great coaching.


Coaching is a partnership between a coach and coachee, to define areas that the coachee would like to explore, consider things that may be in the way of achieving your goals and identify tools and strategies that will work for the coachee in order to move forward.


One of the key elements of coaching is that you are working together, the coach isn't there to 'fix' you (because you don't need fixing), it's about exploring together to find the path that works for you.


A good coach will...

  • Hold the space for you to explore your chosen focus

  • Be deeply curious and never assuming

  • Ask powerful questions to help you to think more deeply about your topic

  • Allow you time to explore at the pace that works for you

  • Only share tools and resources with permission


A good coach won't...

  • Give you advice

  • Try to solve your problems

  • Offer opinions or try to diagnose you

  • Tell you what to focus on

  • Lead the conversation


What does an ADHD coaching session look like?

We're all unique and there are different styles of coaching but generally, a great ADHD coaching session will contain these elements.


Sharing your focus

Your coach will open up the space and might start with a grounding exercise to help remove any distractions and start the session in a focused way. They'll invite you to think about what you'd like to focus on. They may ask questions to help you narrow your focus until it's clear and you have a potential outcome you'd like to work towards.


You will be given time to talk through why your focus is important and think about a few ideas before you settle on the one that you want to explore.


Exploring your thoughts

Your coach will hold the space and the time and allow you to process your thoughts and feelings about your chosen focus. They will ask questions to help you think more deeply about it. With your permission, they will share ADHD models, tools or strategies that are relevant to your focus so that you can apply an ADHD lens to your thoughts.


You will be encouraged to explore your focus in a spacious way. You may be gently challenged to think about things in different ways so that you can find the answers you need.


Anchoring new learnings

Your coach will ask you to reflect on the session and any new learnings.


You will be invited to think about what you know now and anything you would like to experiment with going forward or between sessions.


What can coaching help with?

People come to coaching for all sorts of reasons. As an ADHD coach, I work with people who are looking for support in areas such as:


  • Finding the right workplace or career

  • Building confidence and reducing shame

  • Learning about their ADHD/AuDHD

  • Advocating for themselves

  • Identifying needs and boundaries

  • Finding strategies to help navigate life more smoothly, such as organising, time management, managing emotions and more.


How does coaching differ from therapy?

Therapy is usually focused on exploring things that may have happened in the past to idenify the impact that those things are having in the present. Depending on the type of therapist, they may also be able to help with diagnosing and referring to other professionals for support.

 

Coaching is usually goal oriented, identifying outcomes that you'd like to achieve and working towards them together in partnership. Coaching is also less focused on the details of a situation and much more on how you feel about it and exploring ways to move forward. It can be common for a great coach to be able to support you without knowing any of the details about your situation, giving space to allow you to deep dive into what's happening on the inside.


I've personally had therapy and coaching and got so much from both of them. Both coaching and therapy can have huge benefits, the key is to choose the right person to support you.


Coaching experience and training

Coaching isn't a regulated industry so there isn't a perfect option here but there are providers such as the International Coach Federation (ICF) and the Professional Association for ADHD Coaches (PAAC), who offer accreditation to a high level in terms of training hours, mentoring and coaching practice standards. This means that training is in depth and that coaches are practising in line with ethical guidelines. For me, at the heart of good ethics is knowing where my limitations are and supporting a client to find alternative options if I am not the best person to work with them.


You may also want to work with someone who has lived experience or who receives regular supervision (this means that they work with someone experienced as a mentor to support them in continuous learning and growth).


Working with me

I work with a range of ADHD/AuDHDers, with a special interest in supporting people to find more joy at work. You can find out more about coaching with me here: www.alliewarren.co.uk/adhd-coaching


I offer free, no obligation, introductory calls if you'd like to chat and see if we might be a good match. If we discover during our chat that it's not the right fit, I'm always happy to help find an alternative option for you. You can book a call here:  https://calendly.com/allie-warren/chat


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