What is ADHD coaching?
“I know what I need to do… so why can’t I do it?”
If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place! Coaching can seem a little abstract if you’ve never had first-hand experience of it. In this article, I’ll clarify how it helps, how it compares to therapy, and why ADHD coaching is different from other kinds of coaching.
What is coaching?
In general, coaching is focused on your present and future. It’s about making changes, taking action, and getting you from Point A to Point B. The coach provides the support you need to make change happen, and moves forward together with you.
In contrast, therapy or counselling tends to be more past- or present-focused. It can support healing, or target a complex problem or mental health concern. It’s incredibly valuable, but serves a different purpose from coaching.
For a deeper dive into the differences between coaching and therapy, I wrote a full post about it:
👉 Coaching vs Therapy (And Other Helping Professions)
What makes ADHD coaching different from regular coaching?
At Working Dream Coaching, we explain ADHD coaching using a three-pillar approach.
Pillar 1: Strengths-based coaching
Coaching is all about forward movement. But we don’t gain momentum by pushing harder on what’s not working. We build on what is working.
We draw on your strengths - your natural curiosity, interests, and energy - to help you overcome challenges and reach your goals. When something feels hard, we look for your best way through - not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Pillar 2: The ADHD lens
This is where things really differ from regular coaching. We bring a deep understanding of ADHD: what it is, how it shows up, and how it impacts day-to-day life. That includes:
Understanding brain wiring: We recognize that patterns like procrastination, time blindness and emotional reactivity are about brain wiring, not character.
Providing ADHD education at the point of need: When the challenge we’re working on connects to ADHD (like attention, working memory, or executive functioning), we’ll give you relevant information that helps you understand what’s happening.
Bringing lived experience: Most of us have ADHD ourselves. Having worked with so many clients navigating similar situations, we don’t draw on guesswork but on first-hand experience. Our coaches bring this deeply personal understanding to the work we do every day.
The ADHD lens changes the flavour of the coaching. A coach who doesn’t understand ADHD might say, “just make a decision already” or “just do the thing.” You and I both know that doesn’t work when ADHD is involved! Our approach is ADHD-friendly as a priority.
Pillar 3: Strategies, tools, and structure that actually work for you
We’ll co-create strategies, systems, and tools that are customized to your unique brain and your personal goals. They might include:
Organizing your tasks and ideas
Structuring your time in a way that makes sense for you
Creating accountability systems that don’t rely on pressure or guilt
More than productivity hacks, these serve as robust support systems for your real life.
What’s it like to work with a Dream Team coach?
One of the most important things we offer is space.
A lot of our clients are smart, high-achieving people who are completely overwhelmed. Coaching gives you a focused thinking space. More than a simple one-hour chat, your coaching session is often the most structured, intentional time in your week. Here, you can pause, make decisions, think clearly, and move forward.
Here’s how I describe our job as your coach:
Space – We create the environment for your clearest thinking, where you can slow down and reflect.
Structure – Our sessions are forward-moving. We help you clarify your thoughts, make decisions, and organize your path forward.
Accountability – We meet regularly and track progress. If something doesn’t happen as planned, we don’t shame or blame. Instead, we troubleshoot. We’ll also check in outside of sessions if needed. We’re here to help you stay consistent, not perfect.
How about your role? All we ask is that you show up with a sense of what you want to work on. Our work is always organized around your needs and goals.
Still wondering if ADHD coaching is right for you?
We work with clients all over the world - and they’re often brilliant, capable, and totally overwhelmed.
If you're carrying too much in your head, struggling to follow through, or craving structure and clarity, ADHD coaching could give you the space and resources to get back on track.
Or, if you're ready to explore what coaching might look like in your own life, book a discovery session at the link below with a member of the Dream Team and let’s talk.
