Whether you’ve just been diagnosed, are going through the referral process, or simply recognise yourself in the deluge of ADHD conversations happening online – you might be wondering what kind of support would actually help. Coaching? Therapy? Or maybe both?
This is my attempt to cut through some of that noise and jargon and help you get a clearer idea of what your next steps could be.
What is ADHD coaching?
Before we get to ADHD coaching specifically, it helps to understand what coaching actually is.
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) – the body I’m accredited with – defines coaching as:
“Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential.”
Which is a slightly corporate way of saying: a coach won’t tell you what to do. You’re more likely to see that with a mentor, teacher or consultant.
Coaching is a collaborative process where you bring the thinking, and your coach creates the conditions for you to do it well. It’s built on trust, on listening, and on the understanding that you are the expert on your own life.
And so when it comes to ADHD, coaches focus on how a person might build and develop their own strategies and solutions for understanding and working with – not against – the specific challenges their ADHD may throw into their daily mix.
My coaching approach is rooted in the understanding that ADHD is a complex, highly personal experience. Using a strengths-based perspective, I work with executive functioning models, emotional regulation, context, and identity.
In essence, my role is to support you to do your own best thinking, creating a space where you can dig into how your unique brain operates.
How does coaching differ from therapy for ADHD?
When considering coaching or therapy, it helps to think about where you are right now, and what you’re hoping to get from professional support.
There’s a phrase that does the rounds online: ‘Therapy helps you to heal, coaching helps you to grow.’ It’s a reasonable shorthand, though I’d add something that gets closer to the practical difference:
In therapy, the practitioner interprets. In coaching, the client defines.
The table below might help make that clearer.
| Therapy for ADHD | ADHD Coaching |
| Focuses on the root of emotional and psychological issues that might co-occur with ADHD. | Focuses on the practical impact of ADHD and the effect it may have on a person’s function. |
| Predominantly reflective, aims to process current and past experiences and/or trauma. | Predominantly present and future-focused, aims to build skills and strengths. |
| Open-ended. A person can stay in therapy indefinitely and still be benefiting from it. | Time-boxed. Coaching should be empowering and a good coach will make themself redundant. |
| Appropriate to assess and treat mental health problems. | Does not assess or treat mental health problems. |
| Can be suitable for people who are in distress or crisis, or who need more intensive emotional support. | Best suited to people who are already in a place of hope and can look to a positive future. |
ADHD coaching or therapy…or both?
It might seem like a binary choice – coaching or therapy, pick one. But that’s not necessarily the case, and lots of people find real value in both running concurrently.
Therapy can build the emotional foundation that makes coaching more effective. And coaching can give you the practical tools to move forward while therapy does its deeper work.
That said, if you’re currently navigating something like anxiety, depression or OCD alongside your ADHD, it’s worth considering whether to address those first, or at least alongside coaching. It’s something we’d talk through honestly when we first speak – because sometimes the answer is ‘not yet, and here’s why‘.Finding the right ADHD coach for you
s a coach with my own adult ADHD diagnosis, I know first-hand what it feels like to have an overloaded, overwhelmed mind – and what a difference the right support can make.
It’s also worth knowing that coaching is an unregulated industry.
Anyone can call themselves a coach without any formal training, and while lived experience is valuable, finding someone appropriately qualified, and who holds themselves to high ethical and professional standards, really matters.
Considering the following areas should help you make a selection that’s right for you:
Your needs
What are you hoping coaching will change for you? It doesn’t need to be perfectly articulated – in fact, ‘I just know something needs to shift’ is a completely valid starting point. But the clearer you can get on what you’re looking for, or what you don’t want, the easier it is to find the right person to help you get there.
Their expertise
Look for a coach who has undertaken a robust, ADHD-specific training programme, ideally with a qualification accredited by a recognised body such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), or the Association for Coaching (AoC).
Beyond the initial qualification, are they committed to ongoing learning? Do they have regular supervision? Have they signed up to a code of ethics and do they hold appropriate insurance?
Shared rapport
Coaching is a close working relationship, and personality fit genuinely matters. Does this person seem like someone you could think alongside? You’re not looking for a new best friend – that’s not what coaching is – but you do need to feel safe, listened to, and understood.
It’s also worth thinking about what else matters to you. Would you prefer a coach who has ADHD themselves? Does gender or cultural background feel significant? There are no wrong answers – but they’re worth asking yourself before you start looking.
Curious about ADHD coaching or therapy?
Choosing the right kind of support is a personal decision, and it’s completely fine to feel unsure about where to start.
If what you’ve read here resonates, I’d always suggest speaking to a couple of coaches before committing to anyone – including me. A good fit matters, and you deserve to find it.
If you’re curious about working together, you can book a free, no-obligation chat. We’ll talk about what you’re looking for, how coaching works, and whether it feels like the right next step.
And just so you know – I never sign anyone up on the call itself. I’ll always follow up in writing so you have time to sit with it. From an ADHD brain that knows it can be impulsive, that feels like the most ethical way to behave.