ADHD Coaching
As a Psychologist, I have trained in treatment techniques from the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral, Behavioral, and Family Systems Therapy traditions. My training in assessment and evaluation comes from the perspective of School Psychology and Neuropsychology, and while these are useful academic beginnings for what I love doing most, they don’t really tell the whole story of why working with clients with ADHD is such a passion of mine.
I was diagnosed with ADHD (ADD or “Minimal Brain Dysfunction,” as it was called back then) in 1979. Unlike many girls with this diagnosis, I was fairly hyperactive, so the diagnosis was hard to miss. I also had the benefit of a Psychiatrist father who recognized that my inability to sit still and difficulty paying attention was not just defiance or misbehavior. Even with an early diagnosis and a sympathetic family, ADHD entails many challenges.
In my practice, I offer coaching sessions informed by my professional training and my personal experience living with ADHD. I have a personal and professional interest in using technology as a way to compensate for ADHD-challenges. I have a vast knowledge of smart phones, web-based applications, and task-management and calendar software. However, I believe that technology is not for everyone, and when clients are more “paper-and-pencil people,” I am more than willing to work with them to develop effective strategies that work best for them.
I prefer to tailor therapeutic tools to a client’s individual needs rather than to rely upon pre-existing curricula or workbooks. I believe that it is of the utmost importance for people with ADHD to find the tools they are most likely and motivated to use. If they aren’t excited about a tool, and it doesn’t fit into their life, then it’s not the tool for them. There are of course exceptions, when, for example, clients have previously used strategies or tools that worked well for them and they would like support working these routines back into their daily lives. I am happy to support clients in that endeavor. However, when once-successful strategies have fallen by the wayside, I find it useful to first examine what it was that caused their efficacy to diminish over time. This is often the key to finding an updated strategy that is more successful.
ADHD coaching sessions are typically half coaching (nuts and bolts, practical daily-living strategies) and half regular therapy. The goal is both to develop strategies for organizing one’s life and to combat the negative self-talk—the “Oh man. Here I go again. I can’t believe I missed that appointment. I can’t believe the water got turned off,” etc.—that accompanies ADD. Dealing with the practical side of things can make clients feel better about themselves, but even so, there are still some old scripts to unwrite.
I have clients in many stages of the ADHD path:
I am a health care provider for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina. For out of network clients, I require payment at the time of service. If you are interested in setting up an intake appointment, please contact me and include the following information: your age (or the age of your child, if you are contacting me on their behalf), a few sentences (no more than 2-3) explaining your present concerns, and the type of insurance you currently hold. I will respond to your query as soon as I am able. I look forward to hearing from you.
I was diagnosed with ADHD (ADD or “Minimal Brain Dysfunction,” as it was called back then) in 1979. Unlike many girls with this diagnosis, I was fairly hyperactive, so the diagnosis was hard to miss. I also had the benefit of a Psychiatrist father who recognized that my inability to sit still and difficulty paying attention was not just defiance or misbehavior. Even with an early diagnosis and a sympathetic family, ADHD entails many challenges.
In my practice, I offer coaching sessions informed by my professional training and my personal experience living with ADHD. I have a personal and professional interest in using technology as a way to compensate for ADHD-challenges. I have a vast knowledge of smart phones, web-based applications, and task-management and calendar software. However, I believe that technology is not for everyone, and when clients are more “paper-and-pencil people,” I am more than willing to work with them to develop effective strategies that work best for them.
I prefer to tailor therapeutic tools to a client’s individual needs rather than to rely upon pre-existing curricula or workbooks. I believe that it is of the utmost importance for people with ADHD to find the tools they are most likely and motivated to use. If they aren’t excited about a tool, and it doesn’t fit into their life, then it’s not the tool for them. There are of course exceptions, when, for example, clients have previously used strategies or tools that worked well for them and they would like support working these routines back into their daily lives. I am happy to support clients in that endeavor. However, when once-successful strategies have fallen by the wayside, I find it useful to first examine what it was that caused their efficacy to diminish over time. This is often the key to finding an updated strategy that is more successful.
ADHD coaching sessions are typically half coaching (nuts and bolts, practical daily-living strategies) and half regular therapy. The goal is both to develop strategies for organizing one’s life and to combat the negative self-talk—the “Oh man. Here I go again. I can’t believe I missed that appointment. I can’t believe the water got turned off,” etc.—that accompanies ADD. Dealing with the practical side of things can make clients feel better about themselves, but even so, there are still some old scripts to unwrite.
I have clients in many stages of the ADHD path:
- Adults struggling at work who wonder if they have ADHD
- Those who have a prior diagnosis of ADHD but have “fallen off the wagon” and want support getting back on
- Parents whose children have just been diagnosed with ADHD who are worried they may also meet the diagnosis
- College students who are on academic probation and wondering if their ADHD symptoms may be the cause
- Parents who are concerned about their children’s school performance
I am a health care provider for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina. For out of network clients, I require payment at the time of service. If you are interested in setting up an intake appointment, please contact me and include the following information: your age (or the age of your child, if you are contacting me on their behalf), a few sentences (no more than 2-3) explaining your present concerns, and the type of insurance you currently hold. I will respond to your query as soon as I am able. I look forward to hearing from you.