Frequently Asked Questions
Curious about ADHD/Executive Function coaching? Here are some questions that we've been asked, and some answers!
How is ADHD coaching different from therapy?
Therapy tends to look backwards, to see the origin of different behaviors and feelings. This can be highly valuable and important! Coaching is more forward facing-rather than looking back and asking “why,” coaches work with their clients to look forward, and say “how?”
So will the coach tell me what I should do?
Coaches will work with you to figure out what is the best course of action for YOU. That can involve asking questions, brainstorming ideas together, role playing, and using the coach’s expertise in ADHD to create strategies. But the coach is never going to say “just do it this way!”
HOW OFTEN DO COACHING SESSIONS TAKE PLACE?
Coaching sessions are generally once a week, for 45 minutes. They can be by phone, or on Zoom. You can also have email contact with the coach between sessions, and accountability texts.
CAN'T I USE my spouse or a friend AS MY COACH?
ADHD Coaches such as myself have studied to become experts on ADHD, and are specially trained to turn that into action for you. Also, asking someone close to you to be your coach can shift that relationship in ways that might not be what you want with that person.
what is an accountability text?
An accountability buddy is someone that you tell you are going to complete “X” task this week, and then report in to them at the end of the week (sometimes more often than that). If your coach is your accountability buddy, they will work with you to establish realistic goals, and will help you to tweak them if they were out of reach. But no judgement!
why do I need a coach? None of my friends do.
Having ADHD means having a brain that might be different from your friends’ brains. Executive function, the part of the brain that gets things done, is weak, which means that keeping up with responsibilities in a neurotypical world might require some extra support. On the other hand, ADHD brains are also creative and able to focus on topics of interest better than anyone!
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