First a disclaimer. Or a nondisclaimer.

I’m not nor have I ever claimed to an ADHD coach. Nor do I work for an ADHD coach. You’ll notice that there aren’t any links to any ADHD coaches on this site. So I’m not shilling for anyone. I’m just writing about the topic of ADHD coaches.

In a friendly, information-like way.

Okay? So are we good?

Then let’s get started.

An ADHD coach isn’t a therapist, and not quite a counsellor. So then what is he/she?

An ADHD coach is a professional who helps an ADHD teen/adult to help him/herself. Sports coaches don’t play the game–they sit on the sidelines. Similarly, ADHD coaches don’t tell you how to live your life–they tell you what they see and hear and help you develop strategies.

So in a nutshell, here’s what an ADHD coach can do for you:

• identify your weaknesses so you can work around them (or hire someone to take them over)
• help you focus on your strengths and get as much mileage as possible out of them
• help you get organized and focused so that your life has direction and momentum
• help you learn to communicate clearly

All good things. All career-oriented, money-making, mistake-avoiding things.

So if you’re ADHD, then maybe you should consider it.

But ADHD coaching is a long-term thing.

You can’t just do it for a week or two. It’s a commitment thing.

Count on a minimum of three months, with homework. After that, you should have some strategies in place that work, that you can apply to other parts of your life.

But hey, if you’re loaded, or if you’re running your own business, you might want to consider booking a monthly tune-up, just to keep the ol’ motor running smoothly.

Are there kinds of ADHD coaching?

No.

There’s just kinds of coaches. If you and the coach connect, and you get good strategy ideas from the sessions, then it’s the right kind of coaching for you.

What about ADHD coaches for Asperger people?

Asperger coaches do exist, but they’re few and far between. So good luck finding one.

Also, Asperger coaches are more likely to be social skills coaches and ASD career counsellors.Which is fine if that’s what you’re looking for. But sometimes Aspies are content with their social skills and their careers. They just want to get ahead.

An ADHD coach focuses on ADHD-type issues, not necessarily ADHD people. And since many Aspies have ADHD-type issues, then why not use an ADHD coach? Good strategies are good strategies. Good coaches are good coaches.

Why not just use friends and Mom and Dad?

Because you won’t listen to them. Human beings are funny. When advice is free and from people close to us, we disregard it. When we pay for it, we mentally assign it a value and pay attention.

Also, you’ve been listening to advice for years from friends and family. So by this time, you’re tuning them out. A professional coach is going to seem more objective to you, even if he/she is saying exactly the same thing as everyone else. More than that, the coach will help you figure out ideas for solving the problems.

Here are some tips about looking for an ADHD coach:

1. Ask about certification. There’s no official ADHD or Asperger coach certification program. But that said, the coach should have some kind of professional designation and be a member of a professional organization. Look up both and figure out if they’re legitimate. Anybody can hang a shingle and say they’re a coach.

2. Read the coach’s website. I look for the language, especially quiet put-downs. “XX million North Americans suffer from ADHD…” Suffer, yeah, sure. Like some people suffer from having red hair or being left-handed? Puh-lease. Look for descriptions of yourself that you like, that fit how you think about yourself. Then look for the descriptions of what the coach can do.

3. Fees.(Like you’re going to miss that part.)

4. Free first meeting. You shouldn’t have to pay for the first appointment. It should be a meet-and-chat, low pressure, just to feel out whether there’s a possibility for a working relationship. If the coach doesn’t feel right, keep looking around.

5. Gift certificates or equivalent. This is for the mom and dad of the young person heading off on his/her own. A gift certificate or prearrangement for three or four free sessions with an ADHD coach is a great going-away gift. If you can, arrange a one-on-one meeting over coffee so that the giftee can meet the coach. Then you know there’s a professional around to help when the ship founders.