Why I trained as an ADHD Coach (and what I learned along the way)

A year ago, I hadn't even considered coaching as a career. Then someone suggested I should train as an ADHD coach, and a lightbulb came on. I just knew it was right. Everything I'd been doing for years as a parent, the research, the advocating, the late-night conversations with other families, suddenly had a name and a direction.

Where it started

My eldest son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was twelve. Like a lot of parents, I went through the various stages of acceptance: confusion, guilt, research, more guilt, and eventually a fierce determination to understand what was going on and how to help.

I read everything I could. I sat in meetings with teachers. I learned what worked and what didn't (spoiler: "try harder" doesn't work). I became the parent who advocates, who pushes, who asks the awkward questions. And slowly, something shifted. I started to see ADHD not as a problem to fix, but as a different way of thinking that needed the right support.

But there was something else going on too. Something I didn't have words for yet.

My own diagnosis

In March 2026, at the age of 55, I was diagnosed with ADHD myself.

Looking back, it makes complete sense. The years of feeling like I was working twice as hard as everyone else. The mental exhaustion that nobody could see. The constant feeling that I should be able to do this more easily. The shame that came with struggling at things other people seemed to find effortless.

Getting diagnosed was equal parts relief and grief. Relief because finally, finally, there was an explanation. Grief for the years I spent thinking I just wasn't trying hard enough.

Finding the right course

I knew I wanted to train as an ADHD coach. But finding the right course took time. Coaching in the UK is not regulated, which means anyone can call themselves a coach without any formal training. That didn't sit well with me. I wanted a course that was properly accredited and one that aligned with my own values around how ADHD should be understood and supported.

I researched a lot of options before I found Esther Barrett's Award and Certificate in ADHD Coaching. From the very first conversation, I knew it was the right fit. I'd already spent years learning about ADHD as a parent. I'd already been the person friends called when their child was diagnosed. I'd already been doing this, informally, without knowing it had a name.

What I didn't expect was how much the course would teach me about myself.

What I learned

Over 60 hours of tutoring and more than 100 hours of independent study, I learned the theory, the frameworks, and the practical skills of ADHD coaching. I learned about executive function, emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity, masking, and the inner critic. I learned coaching models that actually work for ADHD brains, not just neurotypical ones adapted slightly.

But the things that changed me most weren't in the textbook.

I learned that my experience as a parent is my greatest asset. I know what it's like to sit in a school meeting feeling like the system is failing your child. I know what it's like to lose your temper and then hate yourself for it. I know what it's like to Google "is my child going to be OK?" at 2am. That's not something you learn from a course. That's lived experience. And it matters.

I learned that my own ADHD makes me a better coach. I understand the overwhelm, the time blindness, the shame spiral, the feeling of watching your potential disappear into a fog. When a client tells me they know what they need to do but they just can't start, I don't need to imagine what that feels like. I know.

I learned that ADHD coaching is different from traditional coaching. I'd been coached before, so I already knew that coaching is not therapy. But what Esther taught me changed my understanding of what good ADHD coaching looks like. Traditional coaching is non-directive: the coach asks questions, the client finds the answers. But people with ADHD often need something more. They need gentle direction, encouragement, and someone willing to explore tried and tested strategies with them. Esther doesn't shy away from this. She teaches that, as long as you ask for permission, offering practical suggestions and gentle encouragement is not just acceptable, it's valuable. Unlike therapy, coaching focuses on practical strategies for future action. For ADHD brains, that is essential.

I learned from the most incredible group of people. My course cohort came from all backgrounds, but we shared one thing: a genuine passion for making life better for people with ADHD. The conversations we had, the experiences we shared, and the support we gave each other made this course something I'll carry with me for a long time.

What comes next

The area I am most passionate about, and where I believe I have the most to offer, is helping young people. I want children and teenagers to learn that their ADHD is not a disability to be fixed but a powerful tool to be nurtured. Some of the most successful people I know have ADHD, because they have harnessed their skills and not let their challenges hold them back. The younger that people learn to accept themselves, the more they can get out of life, and the less time they spend feeling like they are not enough or a failure.

I work directly with teenagers, helping them understand their own brains, build on their strengths, and develop the skills that school doesn't teach. I also work with parents of children and teenagers with ADHD, helping families understand what's really going on, develop strategies that actually work, and stop blaming themselves for things that were never their fault.

This isn't just a career change for me. It's personal. Every family I work with is a family I recognise. Every parent who says "I feel like I'm failing" is a parent I've been. Every teenager who thinks they're broken is a teenager I wish someone had helped sooner.

If any of this resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you. Whether you're a parent looking for support, a teenager who wants to understand their brain better, or someone who's just been diagnosed and doesn't know where to start, coaching might be the thing that changes everything.

It was for me.