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When is it the right time to hire an ADHD Coach?
I meet many parents who are searching for support for both themselves and their child. Often, they come to information about ADHD coaches and wonder whether coaching could work. Will it be expensive and will that expense truly bring about lasting change? These are valid questions, especially in times of economic hardship.
This blog is not about convincing anyone that coaching is worth it. Obviously I am going to say that because I’m a coach, I myself have two coaches and I’ve seen incredible result. However, it is important to know when it’s the right time for coaching. Unlike counselling or other talking therapies, coaching supports someone to understand the obstacles, to empower them and to take action. It takes a certain level of curiosity from the client and a desire for change. This is when coaching can be really powerful and help to bring about a different future
However, there have been clients who have just not been in the right place for coaching and, ethically, good coaches will cease sessions or redirect them to a different type of support. This is not uncommon and as coaches we are ethically duty bound to ensure that we remain in service to the client.
So when is it the RIGHT time to hire a coach?
Willingness: for teens and young people this is important. There’s little point dragging a reluctant teen to coaching if they’d rather be left alone! So, knowing how the sessions might benefit them is vital. Many I have coached are unsure at first but after the first initial meeting are happy to return and excited at the prospect of finally changing something that has made them feel stuck for a long time. Parents wanting coaching tend to be less reluctant and almost always embrace the support they’ve been searching for for a long time.
Self-aware: a client doesn’t need to know who they are inside and out, rather they should be curious about how they act and how they think and wonder about why they respond to things in the way they do. This isn’t essential at the beginning but often comes halfway through the sessions and is often the best part of the process.
Pro-active: It’s always helpful when the client is open to change and happy to follow any action steps that they have thought of. Again, coaching is not a dictatorship, some think that an ADHD coach will reveal all and think of the solutions for them. This is far from the case, instead the client is joined in thinking and supported as they themselves arrive at their own conclusions or action steps. Quite honestly, this is why I work with young people and their parents. When a young person steps into education, they are often told what to do at all times. Coaching with an adult who respects their autonomy and encourages their independence quite literally blows their mind, and in feeling heard they grow so much.
So even if you think that your teen possibly fits the bill, how can you be sure coaching is worth the investment? Well for the first three sessions, I charge nothing. The initial meeting with parents, followed by a meeting with the young person, ending with a planning and strategy meeting to establish the client’s goals - all free. I do this because it has to be the right fit and we can only establish this once these chats have taken place. Not all coaches do this but it sits well with my ethos.
If any of this resonates with you or if you think you might know someone who would benefit from the kind of support I offer, then book a free 30 minutes with me and let’s talk about how I could help: https://calendly.com/belshawlouise29/30min
OR join my next exciting masterclass aimed at supporting parents and their ADHD teens:
After great reviews, we are back on Tuesday 2nd September 19:30. For a second virtual ADHD Masterclass to support your children and teens through change. Puberty and secondary school bring huge shifts for any child, but for those with ADHD, these changes can feel like a perfect storm of hormones, emotions, and executive function challenges.
This webinar will unpack what’s going on beneath the surface, from neurology and dopamine changes to the way self perception, friendships, and comparison can impact their confidence. Sign up here: Sign-up Link
Remember, you can also access my popular ‘Back to School’ transition kit for just 99p, for a short time only: https://www.the-adhd-teacher.co.uk/store/p7/ADHD_transition_toolkit.html
Have a great week!
Louise
I meet many parents who are searching for support for both themselves and their child. Often, they come to information about ADHD coaches and wonder whether coaching could work. Will it be expensive and will that expense truly bring about lasting change? These are valid questions, especially in times of economic hardship.
This blog is not about convincing anyone that coaching is worth it. Obviously I am going to say that because I’m a coach, I myself have two coaches and I’ve seen incredible result. However, it is important to know when it’s the right time for coaching. Unlike counselling or other talking therapies, coaching supports someone to understand the obstacles, to empower them and to take action. It takes a certain level of curiosity from the client and a desire for change. This is when coaching can be really powerful and help to bring about a different future
However, there have been clients who have just not been in the right place for coaching and, ethically, good coaches will cease sessions or redirect them to a different type of support. This is not uncommon and as coaches we are ethically duty bound to ensure that we remain in service to the client.
So when is it the RIGHT time to hire a coach?
Willingness: for teens and young people this is important. There’s little point dragging a reluctant teen to coaching if they’d rather be left alone! So, knowing how the sessions might benefit them is vital. Many I have coached are unsure at first but after the first initial meeting are happy to return and excited at the prospect of finally changing something that has made them feel stuck for a long time. Parents wanting coaching tend to be less reluctant and almost always embrace the support they’ve been searching for for a long time.
Self-aware: a client doesn’t need to know who they are inside and out, rather they should be curious about how they act and how they think and wonder about why they respond to things in the way they do. This isn’t essential at the beginning but often comes halfway through the sessions and is often the best part of the process.
Pro-active: It’s always helpful when the client is open to change and happy to follow any action steps that they have thought of. Again, coaching is not a dictatorship, some think that an ADHD coach will reveal all and think of the solutions for them. This is far from the case, instead the client is joined in thinking and supported as they themselves arrive at their own conclusions or action steps. Quite honestly, this is why I work with young people and their parents. When a young person steps into education, they are often told what to do at all times. Coaching with an adult who respects their autonomy and encourages their independence quite literally blows their mind, and in feeling heard they grow so much.
So even if you think that your teen possibly fits the bill, how can you be sure coaching is worth the investment? Well for the first three sessions, I charge nothing. The initial meeting with parents, followed by a meeting with the young person, ending with a planning and strategy meeting to establish the client’s goals - all free. I do this because it has to be the right fit and we can only establish this once these chats have taken place. Not all coaches do this but it sits well with my ethos.
If any of this resonates with you or if you think you might know someone who would benefit from the kind of support I offer, then book a free 30 minutes with me and let’s talk about how I could help: https://calendly.com/belshawlouise29/30min
OR join my next exciting masterclass aimed at supporting parents and their ADHD teens:
After great reviews, we are back on Tuesday 2nd September 19:30. For a second virtual ADHD Masterclass to support your children and teens through change. Puberty and secondary school bring huge shifts for any child, but for those with ADHD, these changes can feel like a perfect storm of hormones, emotions, and executive function challenges.
This webinar will unpack what’s going on beneath the surface, from neurology and dopamine changes to the way self perception, friendships, and comparison can impact their confidence. Sign up here: Sign-up Link
Remember, you can also access my popular ‘Back to School’ transition kit for just 99p, for a short time only: https://www.the-adhd-teacher.co.uk/store/p7/ADHD_transition_toolkit.html
Have a great week!
Louise
- Published on
I recently signed a petition to make neurodiversity training mandatory for all education staff which gained over 25,000 signatures. The government response was to highlight the fact that SEND training is already mandatory in initial teacher training.
To say initial teacher training is brutal at times would be an understatement. There’s very little time to settle in before you’re thrown in at the deep end. One minute you’ve signed up for a PGCE, the next you’re standing in front of a truculent class of mardy 14 year olds teaching Shakespeare. The stress, the pace, and the level of expectations are dizzying. Then, within a few short months, from September to June, you’re out, qualified, and busy hunting for a full time teaching position.
This is why continued training once teachers are in schools is so important, and why the culture around CPD needs to be right. Once you’re in the job - the marking, planning, parents’ evenings, reports, detentions, and meetings all take their toll. According to the petition, only 14% of secondary school teachers have received minimal training in neurodiversity and those that have received it may be receiving a mixed diet with patchy results. So how can schools and colleges ensure training is truly high quality?
To answer that, we need to look at what training is already in place. It varies from school to school and depends on how valued training is by senior leadership and the workforce, the budget available, and the time set aside. Research shows that high quality CPD can improve teacher effectiveness by up to 21%, leading to better student outcomes. Regular, sustained CPD that goes beyond one off sessions is linked to lasting improvements in teaching practice and school culture. The timing and delivery of training, however, make a huge difference.
For example, if CPD is scheduled last thing on a Thursday towards the end of term, I can guarantee no one really wants to be there and everyone is clock watching. Similarly, if training is crammed into the first two days before a busy term starts, staff will be more concerned about their enormous to do lists than learning about neurodiversity.
Similarly, it’s not just about when training is delivered; it’s about how.
Forty minutes of information followed by a rushed 15 minutes on strategies won’t create unified action. Instead, we need a steady drip feed of knowledge, followed by a session focused on practical strategies, and finally a forum where staff report back and discuss the results of their implementation.
This might sound ambitious, but it is what’s needed for continuity, accountability, and a permanent cultural shift. We expect high standards from our teachers and students alike, delivering the curriculum to build skills and knowledge gradually for deep, long term learning. Yet for staff, we expect them to listen to an hour of training and then miraculously change their classroom management and adapt resources immediately and without reflection.
So, should training on neurodiversity be compulsory? The answer is yes, but the bigger question might be whether we need a unified, carefully delivered programme of training across education.This can ensure consistency and the right kind of support will lead to embedded understanding. It is hopeful that further research into the effectiveness of training around SEND is being carried out (due to be published in 2026) but as numbers of EHCPs rise and more and more become educated at home, can we really afford to wait this long?
What currently takes place in your school? What’s the starting point? Understanding current practice shapes future practice and helps ensure training is welcomed and effective.
I offer training on ADHD and neurodiversity grounded in lived experience, leadership of CPD in schools, a master’s degree in psychology, and certification as an ADHD coach. Whether you’re a teacher, school leader, parent, or governor interested in bringing meaningful, practical neurodiversity training to your school or community, let’s talk. You can book a free 30-minute chat with me here: https://calendly.com/belshawlouise29/30min
To say initial teacher training is brutal at times would be an understatement. There’s very little time to settle in before you’re thrown in at the deep end. One minute you’ve signed up for a PGCE, the next you’re standing in front of a truculent class of mardy 14 year olds teaching Shakespeare. The stress, the pace, and the level of expectations are dizzying. Then, within a few short months, from September to June, you’re out, qualified, and busy hunting for a full time teaching position.
This is why continued training once teachers are in schools is so important, and why the culture around CPD needs to be right. Once you’re in the job - the marking, planning, parents’ evenings, reports, detentions, and meetings all take their toll. According to the petition, only 14% of secondary school teachers have received minimal training in neurodiversity and those that have received it may be receiving a mixed diet with patchy results. So how can schools and colleges ensure training is truly high quality?
To answer that, we need to look at what training is already in place. It varies from school to school and depends on how valued training is by senior leadership and the workforce, the budget available, and the time set aside. Research shows that high quality CPD can improve teacher effectiveness by up to 21%, leading to better student outcomes. Regular, sustained CPD that goes beyond one off sessions is linked to lasting improvements in teaching practice and school culture. The timing and delivery of training, however, make a huge difference.
For example, if CPD is scheduled last thing on a Thursday towards the end of term, I can guarantee no one really wants to be there and everyone is clock watching. Similarly, if training is crammed into the first two days before a busy term starts, staff will be more concerned about their enormous to do lists than learning about neurodiversity.
Similarly, it’s not just about when training is delivered; it’s about how.
Forty minutes of information followed by a rushed 15 minutes on strategies won’t create unified action. Instead, we need a steady drip feed of knowledge, followed by a session focused on practical strategies, and finally a forum where staff report back and discuss the results of their implementation.
This might sound ambitious, but it is what’s needed for continuity, accountability, and a permanent cultural shift. We expect high standards from our teachers and students alike, delivering the curriculum to build skills and knowledge gradually for deep, long term learning. Yet for staff, we expect them to listen to an hour of training and then miraculously change their classroom management and adapt resources immediately and without reflection.
So, should training on neurodiversity be compulsory? The answer is yes, but the bigger question might be whether we need a unified, carefully delivered programme of training across education.This can ensure consistency and the right kind of support will lead to embedded understanding. It is hopeful that further research into the effectiveness of training around SEND is being carried out (due to be published in 2026) but as numbers of EHCPs rise and more and more become educated at home, can we really afford to wait this long?
What currently takes place in your school? What’s the starting point? Understanding current practice shapes future practice and helps ensure training is welcomed and effective.
I offer training on ADHD and neurodiversity grounded in lived experience, leadership of CPD in schools, a master’s degree in psychology, and certification as an ADHD coach. Whether you’re a teacher, school leader, parent, or governor interested in bringing meaningful, practical neurodiversity training to your school or community, let’s talk. You can book a free 30-minute chat with me here: https://calendly.com/belshawlouise29/30min