What is an ADHD coach?

[Geno]

I've heard them mentioned on these forums a lot but have no idea what they could be. Are they people who follow you around/check up on you and tell you when you do stuff wrong and how to not do it wrong? (Total guess here, I have no idea:P)

[Flory]

i often wish i had some kind of full time carer/adult nanny

[Targaryen]

Originally Posted by Flory

i often wish i had some kind of full time carer/adult nanny

Me too. But I feel like its a catch 22 for me right now. I need to get things together to make more money to be able to afford a service like that (and my insurance runs out very soon) but if my life was together and I was making enough money would I need an ADD coach.

I feel I know my problems (from the books I have read it seems most people with ADD do) but fail to act at the right time to fix them. I usually inform my family of stuff going on I'm my life and try to talk decisions out with them to get external feedback. I feel I often need this and the external pressure they can provide. I find outside perspectives helpful in relation to anything that has to do with time.

[scrambled86]

Originally Posted by Flory

i often wish i had some kind of full time carer/adult nanny

me three!

[Cranski]

They are supposed to help with motivation in getting things accomplished you would like to do. I would think a behavioral psychologist or Neuropsychologist would help with changing maladaptive behaviors.

[kilted_scotsman]

The kind of coaching i do is a combination of

1) Developing short term coping strategies to help deal with immediate problems
2) Discussing ADHD/ADD in general and then the ways it impacts that person
3) Looking at relationships and how to handle them
4) Looking at the work/home/social environment to find opportunities for learning new coping techniques.
4) Examining other Non-ADHD stuff that is causing problems

It's basically a way of heightening the individuals awareness of themselves and their environment and helping them develop strategies to deal with situations they find themselves in.

In my view there appears to be a significant benefit from being ADHD myself.... I can talk at first hand about what I feel.... and how I perceive the world ...... and it is recognised by the other person.....which builds empathy and trust, a vital ingredient of the coaching relationship.

I don't think standard coaching can be easily extended to deal with ADHD as the issues such as procrastination, addictive behaviours, impulsivity, difficulties "reading" others etc

Mind you ADD coaching is almost unheard of over here... it may be different in other places.

kilted

[addproud]

An ADD coach will focus totally on you to help you unravel the mystery of you so you become "The World's Leading Expert on You" so you and your coach as a team will be able to convert your ADD into the blessing it really is, so you will enjoy your ADD and thrive because you have it.

Since ADD coaching is best conducted over the phone, coaching with a coach in another country is much easier and less expensive than you think, especially with SKYPE.

Hope this helps.

[amberwillow]

Originally Posted by addproud

An ADD coach will focus totally on you to help you unravel the mystery of you so you become "The World's Leading Expert on You" so you and your coach as a team will be able to convert your ADD into the blessing it really is, so you will enjoy your ADD and thrive because you have it.

I may be over wary but seriously... Is this sarcasm?

[minuss]

To be honest I didnt have any idea what ADHD was but found that I learnt ways of coping without even knowing it.

I have a system in place for important events.
i have a system in place to keep me off the couch (got rid of TV) but still have pc
and so on.

I think that this comes naturally to most unless im some kinda genius which is highly unlikely

And what the deal with skyp ? why not in person?

[Fuzzy12]

Originally Posted by Flory

i often wish i had some kind of full time carer/adult nanny

me too. In theory. In practice i get very annoyed with anyone telling me what to do.

[Rootkit]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy12

me too. In theory. In practice i get very annoyed with anyone telling me what to do.

I get caught in the same trap. I want people to tell me what to do and then I get mad at them for insisting like I asked them to. People in this context meaning my wife, whom I'm sure wants to kill me many days.

[addproud]

Originally Posted by amberwillow

I may be over wary but seriously... Is this sarcasm?

No this is not sarcasm. It is what a true ADD coach does and does not do, but ADD coaching is so different than anything else that many people like you are wary and question the entire coaching process. Likewise, performing these functions as an ADD coach is very difficult to do, and many people who call themselves coaches practice something else, which further confuses everyone. ADD coaches do NOT tell their clients what to do, and do NOT judge or criticize their clients. Refraining from doing these things is not easy. It takes focus, practice, training and the special gift of coaching for someone to perform true ADD coaching.

However the rewards to clients of being in this no judgment place are worth it. See other comments by Fuzzy12 of: “In theory. In practice i get very annoyed with anyone telling me what to do.” Think how it would feel to know someone cares enough NOT to tell you what to do.

[Rootkit]

Originally Posted by addproud

No this is not sarcasm. It is what a true ADD coach does and does not do, but ADD coaching is so different than anything else that many people like you are wary and question the entire coaching process. Likewise, performing these functions as an ADD coach is very difficult to do, and many people who call themselves coaches practice something else, which further confuses everyone. ADD coaches do NOT tell their clients what to do, and do NOT judge or criticize their clients. Refraining from doing these things is not easy. It takes focus, practice, training and the special gift of coaching for someone to perform true ADD coaching.

However the rewards to clients of being in this no judgment place are worth it. See other comments by Fuzzy12 of: “In theory. In practice i get very annoyed with anyone telling me what to do.” Think how it would feel to know someone cares enough NOT to tell you what to do.

Your description of what you do was essentially a bundle of buzz words, and then when asked if you were being sarcastic you've proceeded to tell us what you don't do. At what point have you actually described what you do to help your clients in a fashion most people could understand?

[Crazygirl79]

They're basically like a life coach except the specialize in ADD/ADHD related problems.

Selena

[amberwillow]

I know what an ADHD Coach is. I understand their methods.
I was just asking the specific question I asked here and no more.

I may be over wary but seriously... Is this sarcasm?

Thank-you for clarifying in your answer, but please don't patronize me...
You don't know me from a bar of soap.

This:

It is what a true ADD coach does and does not do, but ADD coaching is so different than anything else that many people like you are wary and question the entire coaching process.

I am not a 'people like you', you don't know me. I was not questioning the coaching process. I recommend it to anyone who asks. I've co-coached other people with ADHD. It works. I was questioning the motive behind your description of ADHD. I've grown wary of such sweeping generalizations.