ROSE GOLD COACHING
What is coaching for ADHD?
Coaching for ADHD is similar to all other coaching processes in that we look at areas of life that are challenging, set some goals to aim for and explore ways to overcome the inevitable obstacles that get in the way. We find strategies and tools to help us develop positive habits in the face of those challenges.
For ADHD/ADD, these challenges can range from procrastination (never getting down to what we have to do), poor organisational skills (10 things going on, we start lots and never finish them, we don’t get to places on time, we don’t have things ready when we need them), social anxiety (panic when entering a room and we don’t know what to say, we forget the punch line, or we blurt out something inappropriate because it’s just popped into our minds), impulsivity (which doesn’t mean we’re always knee-jerking, it’s because we can’t stop, we haven’t got an off/off switch in the brain so we just go on and on like a dog with a bone), and emotional control (disproportionate reactions, over sensitivity, unsure of our feelings)
Coaching is suitable for adults with ADHD/ADD of all ages. I also work with children using behaviour therapy in close conjunction with the parent/care giver, to develop their Executive Functions and Emotional Intelligence and Resilience.
1) We break down the specific difficulties by looking at areas where we are more creative, positive and energised, traits which often characterise people with ADHD, when we really are in a state of flow, when we can really do something and feel passionate and excited and consistent. We certainly don’t feel like that when we’re faced with the boring task of filling, catching up with admin, tidying up.
2) We set specific, time-bound targets and then look at what gets in the way
of completing these targets.
3) Coaching helps reframe a situation, giving positive messages to the brain through executive function training, and thus more incentive to try again. No one likes to do things out of a sense of failure, and it's the same with the brain, feeding it with positive statements like “I’m going to give this another try,” or “I’ll do this at a different time of day because I function better then”, has quite a magical effect of opening up the neurological pathway to achieving the desired result.
Coaching helps us gain clarity:
* we see what our distractions are
* we see what’s getting in the way and
* we begin to see how we measure achieving those goals, what it feel like when we‘ve ticked off that task list or when we’ve remembered to pay something on time!
Alongside clarity we gain confidence when we feel “I know what I’m doing, I’ve got a plan, I’m prepared for something,” and through being accountable to our coach, who is someone we don’t already know, who is non-judgemental and empathetic and on our side, we can share our achievements, feel understood and supported and encouraged to replicate that process in more areas of our life.