What is coaching?
It’s a question I’m asked all the time. Coaching is a space where a young person can grow to understand themselves better and make real progress in areas they’re stuck in.
Many young people with ADHD carry around a lot of thoughts. It can be easy for those thoughts to become loud, negative or overwhelming. They might think they’re failing, that they can’t get organised or that they should be coping better than they are. Coaching gives them a place to unpack all of that with someone who understands ADHD and won’t judge them for it.
We explore new ways of thinking about familiar problems and most importantly, we find practical steps that actually work! It might be something as simple as keeping a room tidy or being able to revise without staring at a wall. Or it might be something deeper, like learning to speak to themselves more kindly or breaking patterns of self-doubt. Coaching isn't about 'fixing' them. It's about building self-understanding and finding what actually works.
A typical coaching session lasts an hour. We start with a quick catch-up and then choose one focus for the session. The middle part is where the work happens. I ask questions, they reflect, we explore ideas, and sometimes we sit in silence while they process a thought that’s finally becoming clear. Young people rarely have someone who listens with full attention, with no judgment and gives them space to make sense of things.
The final part of the session is about turning clarity into action. We look at what they’ve realised, what feels possible now, and what small steps they want to take in the week ahead. Not every session ends with a full plan, but every session ends with more understanding and less noise in their head.
The transformational part of coaching is this. Over time, they stop feeling stuck. They start understanding how they work instead of blaming themselves for not being like everyone else. They feel more capable, more grounded and more able to make decisions that help them move forward.
Coaching is an hour each week where they get to clear the clutter, feel understood and make real, meaningful progress. That’s what you’re investing in. And for many young people, that hour makes a lasting difference.
