Coaching the ADHD Client

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is a real life phenomenon in modern society. Mental health studies conducted in the U.S. have shown that up to 1 in 20 (or approximately 5.4 million) children are affected by this disorder, and nearly 30 to 50 percent of adults who had ADHD as children are still bothered by symptoms that interfere with their everyday life. Because of its high prevalence rate in countries worldwide, chances are you will encounter a client who has ADHD. They may be undiagnosed or not comfortable sharing that they have ADHD. Even if you do not specialize as an ADHD coach, how can you be effective and help these clients to increase their potential for long-term success? Regardless of the situations that brought them to you for coaching, your job is to help them identify and progress through whatever challenges or obstacles they are now facing. However, in order to do so, you must employ a fundamentally different coaching approach with this population. You need to understand and demonstrate the proper tools, strategies and techniques specially designed to coach people with ADHD. The “What” – Nuts and Bolts of ADHD ADHD is a neurological disorder that has a dramatic and mostly negative impact on a person’s behavior. Primarily ADHD is characterized by impulsivity, low frustration and stress tolerance, decreased focus and short-term memory, procrastination, disorganization, inattentiveness and hyperactivity (hence the name). Symptoms can range from mild to severe, but most adults affected experience some degree of disability and disruption in their daily routine. These are just some of the signs you might already be familiar with. What you may not be aware of, however, is that people with ADHD are often very bright, creative, gifted and talented and have high-level or promising careers and futures. They just need a little qualified help in overcoming the various maladaptive behaviors and self-destructive tendencies that frequently put them in awkward and sometimes dangerous situations. These situations can occur socially as well as professionally, and, far too often, are responsible for hindering their growth and progress. The “Why” – Evaluating the Differences With a basic understanding of ADHD, you can begin to make sense of why a unique coach approach is needed to work with this group of clients. (Keep in mind, you don’t have to plan to work solely as an ADHD Coach – you can choose to specialize in a different coaching area. However, you can still provide a very useful add-on service if you have these skills and knowledge base.) Typically speaking, a true ADHD client will need much more guidance and direction than your average coaching client will. This is because the ADHD brain (in particular, the part responsible for executive functioning) is wired slightly different. Notice that I didn’t say it’s wired incorrectly; it’s just wired differently from the norm. The way in which you, the coach, present information, requests exercises and assignments and generally dialogues with your client may deviate significantly from what is traditionally accepted or even expected of other coaches. Now, You’re Coachingr Despite whatever problems your ADHD client may be experiencing, when you fully comprehend and evaluate the nature of the disorder, through the lens of the necessary ADHD coach training, you will be able to choose the correct approach to help them develop skills and create systems and strategies that will enable them to live more fulfilling and productive lives. Once you’ve taken on a client with ADHD, they may be yours for a while. ADHD clients truly benefit from coaching and once they begin working with a knowledgeable coach, will stay with them long-term. If you’ve gone through the proper ADHD coach training and become certified in this niche, you can be confident that you already have the tools, techniques and strategies you need to work effectively with this client base. They are truly a joy to work with!