What is ADHD Coaching and how can it help you?

What is ADHD?

A good starting place to understand the benefits of ADHD coaching is to understand ADHD itself. Despite society’s growing awareness of it, widespread misunderstanding remains.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, now widely accepted to be heritable. Consistent results from genetic studies are pointing strongly to the possible link between ADHD and two specific genes: the dopamine transporter ‘SLC3A6‘ and the dopamine receptor 4 ‘DRD4 ‘ ( Di Maio et al, 2003.)

What does this mean? In short, people born with ADHD have a lower-than-normal capacity to produce Dopamine, the neurotransmitter chemical involved in the brain’s ability to regulate motivation and reward. (Schultz, 2002)

On top of this, humans are unique among mammals in that our brains continue to grow and develop following birth. In particular, the neural connections of the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) continue to refine and strengthen until we are approximately 25 years old. The PFC is responsible for executive functions, such as attention, organisation and emotional regulation amongst others. The key ingredient in facilitating this continued development in the PFC, by modulating neural activity and promoting synaptic plasticity, is…. dopamine.

Because individuals with ADHD have a reduced baseline level of dopamine, PFC development, relient on this neurotransmitter, is impaired. Research suggests that this can lead to developmental delay in executive functioning skills by up to 30% (Barkley, 1994). This is why ADHD is often characterised as “unique brain wiring” in that our brains literally develop differently. Whilst executive functioning skills can be impaired, this alternative wiring can lead to many strengths, such as hyperfocus, risk taking and creative problem solving.

Everyone seems to have ADHD nowadays?

Hopefully you can see from the above that, no, we don’t all “have a bit of ADHD in us.” I do however sympathise with the view that a rapidly transforming society is creating an environment in which people are struggling to regulate the natural flow of otherwise healthy dopamine levels. This can erroneously present as a symptom of ADHD.

Whilst it is true that the number of ADHD diagnoses have risen dramatically in recent years, this may simply be the result of our growing understanding of the condition and greater accessibility to a diagnosis. In Europe, it has only been diagnosable in adults since 2008. Moreover, understanding of the condition was almost exclusively based on research in males. As a consequence, women were chronically under-diagnosed until very recently. Estimates suggest that between 2-4% of the population have ADHD.

How does ADHD Coaching help?

Being diagnosed can given an explanation for the past, but it doesn’t provide the answers for the future. ADHD coaching follows a neuroscience-based framework designed to help the individual to do something with that information and build strategies to effectively manage the unique challenges associated with the condition in the individual. ADHD shows up differently in each person – there is no one size, fits all solution.

ADHD Coaching helps individuals to identify and overcome self-sabotaging behaviours (such as procrastination) that have acted as coping mechanisms previously; re-frame limiting beliefs and uncover strengths often hidden through masking. Coaching also explores how an interest-based nervous system affects motivation and prioritisation and together develop strategies to hack it to improve productivity.

My approach to coaching

For people with ADHD, we often know what we need to do… it’s not a question of knowledge. I believe that applies to coaching too – in that, I believe the answers are already within you. Coaching is the journey to finding those answers within ourselves and my role is to walk alongside you and guide you as you find them.

The easy part is often the coaching session itself: Setting the goals and working out how to achieve them. It’s why we often leave coaching sessions full of energy and motivation – as we have reconnected with ourself and our goals. But the real work happens away from the sessions… when we slip off track and where we are most vulnerable to giving up. My role is to support you in these, somewhat inevitable moments and keep you accountable and on track.

Coaching is ultimately a journey of self-discovery in search of our authentic selves. A journey to explore what beliefs, fears and perceptions have shaped our behaviour that held us back.

My role as your coach is to help you find the tools that will best work for you to change that and go on to live a more authentic, productive and content life. One where you work with your ADHD instead of against it.