Connecting the dots. ADHD Life Coaching . . . What does that even mean?
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First of all, what is a Life Coach?
A life coach is a professional who works with individuals or groups to help them identify specific goals, overcome obstacles, and make positive changes.
Common topics include:
Self-discovery
Personal and Professional Growth
Communication and Relationships
Navigating Major Life Changes
Work/Life Balance
Goal Setting
Identifying Action Plans
Accountability
O.K… so then what is an ADHD Life Coach?
An ADHD life coach tackles all the same topics as a generalized life coach, however, they specialize in working with people who have executive dysfunction or deficits.
Executive function is the complex set of cognitive abilities, controlled by the brain’s prefrontal cortex, that work together to help us achieve our goals.
Executive function skills include:
Time Management
Organization
Planning, Prioritizing & Problem Solving
Task Initiation
Self-Monitoring
Verbal & Working Memory
Flexible Thinking
Emotional Regulation
Impulse Control
How might our struggle with executive dysfunction impact a coaching partnership?
Those of us who have wrestled with executive dysfunction for any meaningful length of time (whether diagnosed with ADHD or not), often feel as though we don’t belong, aren’t good enough, have bouts of imposter syndrome, feel isolated, overwhelmed and report being misunderstood by our colleagues, friends, and families. We tend to oscillate between restlessness and exhaustion but can’t easily pinpoint the source of these feelings and don’t know where to begin in addressing them. We tend to have issues with perfectionism and can become flooded with negative self-loathing thoughts at any moment. We frequently suffer from “time blindness” which results in being routinely late or absent. We tend to put in more effort than others and obtain similar results. All of this extra mental energy often manifests itself in burnout, difficulty concentrating, and an inability to make decisions. Avoidance can become a familiar coping mechanism and we often find ourselves prioritizing destructive mental and physical stimulation over tackling what is expected of us. To top it off, anxiety and depression are common co-existing conditions.
All of this can impact a coaching relationship in numerous ways, especially as we enthusiastically kick off a coaching partnership with expectations of jumping into goal setting and crossing action items off our lists when suddenly we are met with a familiar resistance. If we haven’t properly uncovered or directly acknowledged these struggles, we might come away from our coaching sessions feeling disappointed or worse… deflated by the assumption that we aren’t ready to be coached and perhaps point the blame at ourselves. The chances that we throw in the towel prematurely are much higher. It doesn’t have to be this way.
How can an ADHD Life Coach help?
By working with an ADHD-certified and trained professional coach, your journey will not only be manageable, it will likely be refreshing, and validating, and there’s a strong possibility it will be transformational.
Partnering with an ADHD coach is a great way to explore strategies and tools that work for your particular challenges while highlighting your strengths and interests. Your coach will help you “try on” different techniques and together you will develop customized plans that spark intrinsic motivation. Beyond these actionable tools, an ADHD life coach will challenge you to shift your mindset in subtle yet impactful ways. Partnering with a coach who truly understands how your brain is wired is an important component in the success of your coaching experience and it will impact every aspect of your life.
How does one find a good coach?
Now that you have a better understanding of the WHO, WHAT, and WHY of life coaching, you might be wondering how to go about learning more and deciding if it’s something you want to try.
The bottom line is that growth starts with CONNECTION!
This article originally appeared in Elite Home Magazine.