Here in New Orleans, I often hear the question, "So you're basically a therapist, right?" Well, actually, no, I am not. As a credentialed ADHD coach, I work in collaboration with therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other medical professionals.

Every brain develops in its own unique way. Executive function skills develop throughout childhood, usually with metacognition as the last in early adulthood, but so many factors come into play including genetics and environmental factors.

Which is best for me? Individual or group coaching? Hmmmm. Both!Both are coaching for Turbo Thinkers and both are a magical and transformational experience where ADHD strengths are included as a backdrop for dynamic performance.

I am one of those people that does not like to buy clothes online. To be honest, I do not have the spidey-sense of knowing what will look good or not, unless I try it on. Sometimes it works the same way with a coach/ client match. You’re just not convinced until you try it on, look at your reflection and feel good about it before you can commit to it.

I've had many clients share their favorite ADHD TikTok videos with me. Some are hilarious and relatable. Others make me cringe. The best and most useful ones do not go viral. Some ADHD TikToks destigmatize mental disorders by normalizing certain symptoms and building community. The platform makes accurate information and research accessible to a new demographic.

ADHD coaching is not therapy, nor is it me sending reminders to clients and nagging them to get things done. ADHD coaching is a creative and collaborative process that empowers my clients to manage their attention, hyperactivity (physical, mental or emotional), and impulsivity while strengthening their executive function skills. These skills can include sustained attention, task initiation, time management, organization, planning, prioritization, working memory, intrinsic motivation, and metacognition.

Last Sunday afternoon, driving back from a perfect summer day of kayaking in the cool waters of the creek and river, I was asked, “If you could have any job in the world, what would you do?” My friend didn’t even pause to let me answer, but just continued, “You’d do what you do. Right?” Yep. He knows me. Why do I love my job so much? Let me count the ways. There are so many reasons to list, and here are my top 5 pieces of motivation.

Today someone asked me my opinion of group coaching, and I faltered, not knowing where to begin. I ended up simply gushing, “I love it!” I love the synergy, the transformation, the progress, the A-ha moments, the switch from shame to confidence.

Can you take 15 minutes to write down everything in life that you value? These could be grand, abstract ideas, such as world peace. It could be small and personal, like the warm gooey sweetness of fresh pecan pie. You do not need to have these in your life right now, so it is not a gratitude list. Do you see a pattern? If you could put these into a few categories, what would those headers be? These are your core values.

After working with Turbo Thinkers for years, we’ve come up with the Top 3 Reasons to Love Group Coaching.

A Mind Coach NOLA client and friend, Kristin Sanders, recently wrote an article for The UAGC Chronicle and we’ve decided to feature it!“In 2017, I began teaching part-time at UAGC while simultaneously teaching part-time at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and getting my freelance copywriting business off the ground. Balancing these three part-time jobs—as well as my creative writing—was difficult at first. I used to be the kind of teacher who would bring a pile of English papers home from an in-person class, then proceed to stare at the pile in increasing anguish as the week slid by. I'd grade a few papers here and there, but the pile never seemed any less daunting…”

When I first discovered ADHD coaching, I yearned to help high school and college students. I saw that their academic struggles related to their turbo thinking brains. I wanted to help the whole child rather than slap a band aid on a symptom of a bigger problem.

Many Turbo Thinkers come to learn about coaching after spending hours consulting Dr. Google. They are sick of not “living up to their potential,” frustrated and disappointed in themselves for not being able to meet their own or other people’s expectations. Many of them have been newly diagnosed with ADHD and many were diagnosed as children, but had never been taught what that meant.

I’m sure many people have wondered what happens in such a brief consultation by phone, especially when it’s free. You might be surprised by the breadth and the depth of such an intense call. I know I am. I absolutely love these calls (as I also love all of my coaching sessions) because I never know what is going to come out of them.

If you’re looking for an ADHD coach for your child, the clearer you and your child are about your goals for coaching, the more likely it is that the effort will be a success.

And the same goes for your own personal goals with coaching, whether you’re seeking coaching for your own goals or to work on aspects of parenting a child with ADHD.

Like individual coaching, group coaching is a collaborative process led by the creative dynamics of everyone involved.

Life with ADHD can be hard. Whether it is your own brain, your partner’s or your child’s that ramps up at turbo speeds, the effects can be overwhelming and sometimes confusing. How do you know what is normal? How do you know what to do? How do you share your concerns without fear of ridicule and shame? Add to that a global pandemic, and insecurities overflow.

The group coaching approach taught me to get comfortable with vulnerability in front of my peers. Even though I did not know most of these people and might never meet any of them in person, my level of discomfort began at an all time high. How could I reveal all of my challenges and shortcomings to them? With time, as everyone began to let go and put themselves out there, we all relaxed into the sessions, volunteering to take risks and make mistakes for the benefit of the entire group.

There is strength in numbers. Alone we are good, but we are better together.

Anxiety comes up frequently in coaching sessions. In addition to coaching, the fields of positive psychology, CBT, and EFT can all help with treating anxiety. Learn more about anxiety and the ADHD brain, and how these treatment modalities work.