Frequently Asked Questions
What is ADHD?
Experts have varied definitions of what it means to have ADHD. Like everyone else, ADHDers have numerous strengths, even super powers, provided the right environment. ADHD is invisible and paradoxical. Thom Hartman says ADHDers may be "hunters in a farmer's world", who would "thrive in a hunter-gatherer society."
ADHD is not what you think it is. The symptoms delineated in the DSM-5 — inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity — are not the most powerful or life-altering characteristics according to those who live with the condition. Rather, the most impairing traits are those connected to intense, dysregulated emotions, inconsistent focus and motivation, and the shame that takes hold after years of negative messages. From Additude Magazine on Sunday, October 17, 2021
“A jack of all trades is a master of none."
This is often misunderstood, because we skip the second half of the quote. It is meant as a compliment and is actually written:
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
Dr. William Dodson believes that people with ADHD have a different nervous system than neurotypicals. “ADHD is a genetic, neurological/brain-based difficulty with engagement as the situation demands in which not just performance, but also mood and energy level are solely determined by the momentary sense of interest (fascination), challenge or competitiveness, novelty (creativity), passion, or sometimes urgency (usually a deadline).
Coaching is a partnership between coach and client that facilitates growth and forward movement. Conversations between coach and client serve to close the gap between who you are, what’s important to you, and what you’re doing, so that you can lead a more satisfying life.
Coaches support client’s understanding of their ADHD brain and it’s related challenges as well as how it impacts your personal and professional life so that you can utilize practical, realistic strategies to shift from what you’re doing now to more effective ways of being.
Dorothy Corkville Briggs eloquently describe the coaching process: “Growth is not steady, forward, upward progression. It is instead a switchback trail; three steps forward, two back, one around the bushes, and a few simply standing, before another forward leap.”
Goal: What is your goal (intention, target, desire)?
Reality: What reality do you see around this desire? What is in your way?
Options: What options do you have?
will do: What are you willing to do to move forward?
Tactics: What tactics/actions do you need to take to get there?
Habits: How will you sustain forward movement?
Who I coach
You are up for exploring who you are, who you want to be, and to do whatever it takes to create the life you want
You are recently diagnosed or have put off recognizing how your ADHD affects your life
You have a strong desire to learn, grow and can now see possibility because now they have a reason for so many of their challenges
You are in transition: new parents, single parents, divorce, career change, moving
How I coach
I coach mostly via Zoom, and also by phone and in some cases in person. You bring your agenda or topic, and we clarify why it's important, what you'd like to have, and how you will recognize your progress. If you are interested in learning more about your ADHD brain, there are exercises available to you. My goal as your coach is to connect, listen, understand, and partner with you to discover what works for you as an individual!