What Is ADHD Coaching?

What is coaching with regard to ADHD?

Alright, so this is an interesting narrative on ADHD coaching that essentially captures what it’s all about. Was it Wednesday last Tuesday? There was no delay last Tuesday. Yes, Wednesday: I had this client; let’s call her “R” (not her actual initial, of course, but you understand). She arrived hurriedly for our appointment, nearly leaving papers scattered everywhere, and exclaimed, “I finally get it! This is not at all like therapy!”

You know what? That moment—chaotic, messy, and incredible—is precisely what I want to discuss. Because the true nature of ADHD coaching is so unclear. Like the other day at a dinner party—why do people always ask about jobs at dinner parties? Someone queried if I was “like a therapist but for ADHD.” Not exactly, though.

Look, before I dive into all this—full disclosure—I have been doing this for 13 years, ugh, coming up? And truly, I gain fresh insights from my clients every day. I could ask for absolutely the best teachers available. Some of what I’m going to share comes straight from them (with their consent, obviously—and with details altered to protect privacy, of course).

What Actually Happens in Coach for ADHD?

So yesterday (and this is quite normal), my first customer of the day – let’s call them “D – logs into our Zoom call still in pajamas, coffee in hand, looking kind of frazzled.” “You’re not going to believe what I tried this time,” were the first words they uttered.

Actually, they had tried to arrange their whole home office just with color-coding and sticky notes. When I refer to their whole workplace, I mean EVERYTHING. Walls, desk, computer display, even the cat—okay, maybe not the cat, but rather quite near. It seemed as though a rainbow exploded inside by the time they were finished.

Then you know what? We did not throw it out. Nothing. The thing about ADHD coaching is that we don’t toss ideas based only on oddity. Rather, we worked out why they initially found attraction in that system. As it turns out, their brain found great benefit from the visual component. We simply needed to tone it down somewhat. Provide more sustainability in it. less likely to cause a hassle to their colleagues on video conferences.

The “Aha” Epiphany Moments (They Are Not What You Thought)

Client “M” had his major breakthrough last week. Just curious about what it was. They came to see they really had no morning ritual necessary. You did, indeed, read correctly. We found we operate best starting our day around 11 AM after months of attempting to force ourselves into this “perfect” morning person schedule (because someone somewhere stated that’s what successful people do).

Their stress levels decreased, and their supervisor was quite satisfied with it (it turns out they accomplish more in 6 focused hours than in 8 fragmented ones). And get this—they are now consistently arriving at meetings on time, because we started working with their natural rhythm instead of fighting against it.

The Actual Differentiator Between Coaching and Therapy—No, Really

Alright, Storytime. Client “K” shows up for our session straight after their therapy appointment (which is quite normal—most of my clients do both, and they work great together). After looking at me and saying, “Okay, but how do I stop losing my keys every single morning?” They are processing some serious stuff about their early ADHD experiences—that is, therapy terrain.

And that right there? That is the variation.

Therapy clarifies why you can find it difficult to be organized (very essential!). But guiding? We will work out where to place those darn keys so you can find them every morning. It might involve an unusual answer (Client “K” ended up with a magnetic key holder shaped like a llama at their door – don’t ask), but if it works, it works!

The Solutions That Actually Stuck (Occasionally Literally)

Speaking of odd remedies that seem successful, Allow me to discuss the pizza technique and Client “P.” They’re grappling with this enormous labor project, right? They’re not sure how to divide it. We’re getting nowhere with conventional project management techniques, and then they mention that they used to work at a college pizza place.
Boom: moment of illumination.

We divided the job into “slices” (manageable chunks), “toppings” (extra work), and “cooking time” (deadlines). Until output surged by 200% in two weeks, their team thought we were crazy. Now, the entire department uses the pizza approach. No joke: they have everything, including tiny sticky notes shaped like pizza slices.

When Things Go Hilariously Right or Wrong

Oh man, we ought definitely to also discuss the shortcomings. Since, to be honest, not every answer works. Client “B” experimented with timing using their dog—the plan was to work until the dog required a walk. seemed great until we saw their dog could go eight hours without a break and had camel-like bladder. Returning to the sketch board on that one!

Or Client “F,” who developed this complex incentive system including gummy bears… until summer arrived and their whole motivating system melted into a sticky mess in their automobile. (Although they claimed their car smelled fantastic for several weeks following.)

The Real Story Regarding Time Management

Could we take a moment to discuss ADHD time? It differs from standard time. Client “S” expresses it well: they say time feels like it’s either NOW or NOT NOW, with nothing in between.

We then become inventive. Truly inventive.

Like Client “J,” who transformed their entire calendar into a Lord of the Rings-inspired quest map. Each chore represents a unique location in Middle Earth; deadlines symbolize approaching armies; completing projects is comparable to defeating Sauron. Is it unusual? Absolutely. Has it been effective? They haven’t missed a deadline in three months.

The Family Stuff (because ADHD Does Not Live in a Vacuum)

Let me introduce you to a family I work with: parents of three children, all with ADHD. Their house was… well, imagine a tornado inside a hurricane… you get the idea. Mom was at her wit’s end; Dad was sleeping; the children were suffering.
First, we stopped trying to make their home resemble a Pinterest board. Guess what? Pinterest homes are not suitable for families dealing with ADHD.

Instead, we created “organized chaos stations” throughout the house. They have an amazing “lost and found” wall with hooks for EVERYTHING; everything is labeled (with images AND words); there’s a sound system playing different songs for specific routines.

Is this conventional? No, thanks. Does it look like something out of a book by Dr. Seuss? Absolutely. Does it work? I’m calling it a victory since they haven’t lost a school permission slip in months.

The Work Stuff (because everyone has to eat.)

Before we began cooperating, client “H” was on the verge of losing their job. They excelled in their actual work; however, their desk… oh boy. Their supervisor had given an ultimatum: either shape up or get out.

Do you know what kept their employment intact? Banking boxes. Indeed, those plain cardboard boxes are dull. The surprise, however, was that we transformed them into “time capsules.” Every project gets a box; while it’s not under active development, it enters “cryo-sleep” (their terms, not mine; they are avid sci-fi fans).

Their supervisor asked them to share their organizational system with the rest of the staff; there are no longer papers scattered everywhere and no missing documentation. They’ve transformed from being nearly disorganized to becoming workplace innovators in just three months. Not bad, right?

The Productivity Myths We Need to Talk About

Alright, let’s just complain about productivity “rules” for now. I’m so tired of people showing up thinking they’re flawed because they can’t adhere to some guru’s morning ritual.

Like Client “V,” who believed they had to wake up at five AM since some podcasts claimed that’s how successful people operate. Their work suffered, they were depressed, and their ADHD symptoms spiraled out of control.

Do you know what we discovered? Their best work happens between seven PM and midnight. So, we completely revamped their schedule (fortunately, they have a flexible job). Now they sleep until nine, start work at eleven, and finish up in the evening when their brain is truly ready to focus.

The Little Victories Worth Noting Right Now

From the outside, sometimes the most significant gains are really little. Take Client “N,” who literally jumped for delight upon remembering to take out the trash without a cue. Client “L” could sit through a whole meeting without losing concentration—it turns out they needed to be let to sketch while listening.
These are events that transform life, not little wins. They are evidence that difference is just… different; it is not broken.

So… what exactly is ADHD coaching?

Here’s what ADHD coaching truly is, after all these stories (and trust me, I could go on for hours—just ask my family; they’ve learned to stop me at dinner).
It’s about understanding how YOUR brain functions and building solutions that complement, rather than oppose, it. Sometimes that means conventional answers; other times, it means turning your task list into a video game mission log. Whatever works.
It’s about recognizing that, when you know how to manage ADHD, it represents a different style of thinking that can truly be a strength rather than something to fix. And primarily, it’s about YOUR way. Not your therapist’s approach, not some productivity guru’s, nor even the method your ADHD coach recommends. YOUR style.

Want to give this a shot?

Let’s discuss if you are reading this and considering “hey, maybe this could work for me.” Not pressure or judgment; only a discussion about what might be feasible.
I can also help you arrange your life using a system based on your preferred TV show or color-code everything in your house to match your mood rings. Because if it works for your brain, then it works. Period.

•  Click here to explore how ADHD coaching can help you create practical solutions for your ADHD challenges!

Remember: 2and coaching serve different purposes, and both are valuable. Coaching focuses on the “how” – creating systems and strategies that work for your unique ADHD brain.