FAQ
Yes! Although it's a nascent field, preliminary research (such as this study and this study) on ADHD coaching had these statistically significant results:
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Improved ADHD symptoms and executive functioning deficits
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Supported lasting growth and improvement
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Improved overall well-being
Unfortunately, research on autism coaching focuses more on training caregivers to autistic children than direct coaching of autistic individuals. Only 1% to 2% of autism research funding in the US goes towards studying autistic adults with the other 98% going towards child and caregiver studies. Unfortunately, this means we can't point you to positive or negative studies on this topic, but given the fact that up to 70% of autistic individuals also have ADHD, most autistic clients would likely benefit from similar ADHD coaching techniques that are adapted to also fit their autism.
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Coaching is likely a good fit if you meet the following criteria:
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You have been formally diagnosed, self-diagnosed, or suspect you have ADHD, autism, or AuDHD with specific areas in your life where you need support.
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Your mental health is stable enough for you to focus on self-improvement.
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Your predominant challenges are due to ADHD or autism rather than another psychiatric comorbidity. While comorbidities are common, therapy is a better fit if severe depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, or something else is your primary concern on most days.
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You are looking for targeted, customized interventions for specific problems over a fixed time period. Coaching is generally not meant to be indefinite and recurring, although it is not uncommon for previous clients to come back periodically for a “tune up” when they encounter new situations where they could use extra support.
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Nope! Self diagnosis is perfectly fine. This is not a medical intervention, so you don't need a formal diagnosis. Even if you're unsure whether you actually have ADHD/Autism or something similar, it doesn't really matter for coaching purposes. If you're struggling with some of the core challenges that someone with ADHD or autism might face, then you'll likely benefit from similar coaching strategies regardless.
We welcome all individuals with ADHD and/or autism to consider working with NeuroCactus Coaching, but these are a few areas where we might have extra stuff in common:
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Tech workers or other professionals. Coach Tarah has 8 years of experience working at Microsoft as a software developer and a product manager. She knows only 28% of autistic adults without intellectual disability will ever hold a job, and she can empathize with the unique struggles of high pressure corporate environments that seem uniquely designed to work against our brains.
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Career changers. Coach Tarah spent about 4 years as a software developer before she switched careers to a product manager. After 4 years of that, she switched once again to become an ADHD and autism coach. She knows 36% of adults with ADHD will hold 4 or more jobs over 10 years. She has experience with big career changes, so she can empathize with the overwhelm of switching jobs and “starting over” that many of us experience.
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People with chronic illness. Coach Tarah also has POTS, MCAS, and hypermobility, which is an extremely common comorbidity triad for people with AuDHD, especially women. She understands that these types of chronic illnesses require more creative coaching solutions because you are often contending with fatigue, physical limitations, and frustration with the medical system.
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Late diagnosed individuals. Coach Tarah was diagnosed with ADHD and autism in her 20s. She understands the unique challenges and range of emotions from masking for most of your life only to have a diagnosis that completely recontextualizes your self perception. You can check out her podcast episode on the “Diagnostic Ladder”, which walks through the various emotional stages of late diagnosis.
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Expats or immigrants. Coach Tarah is currently working on a documentary about ADHD care around the world where she is interviewing ADHDers from every continent about their experiences. She was born in the United States but she plans to relocate to the Netherlands next year. She can empathize with the overwhelm and isolation that comes with adapting to a new culture when many of us didn't even feel like we fit in with our birth culture.
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Video game enthusiasts. Coach Tarah worked at Xbox for 7 years, so she is well versed in the gaming world. You can even check out her podcast episode on how video games impact people with ADHD and autism.
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Coaching is a completely unregulated field, so it is important to look for a coach who has voluntarily received credentialing and has direct experience with ADHD and autism. Beyond her own lived experiences with ADHD, autism, and comorbid autoimmune dysfunction, Coach Tarah has taken multiple courses which allow her to blend techniques from several coaching modalities. These are her qualifications:
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Certified ADHD Coach via ADHD Works. This program is a member of the Association for Coaching and is the first and only ADHD coaching course certified by CPD. This training focuses on the ADHD Works Executive Functioning Coaching Framework™️, which is grounded in neuroscience and developed through an ADHD lens to help clients develop practical skills for managing daily challenges.
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Certified Psychodynamic Life Coach via The Psychodynamic Coaching Institute. This program is the world's first & only accredited psychodynamic coach training program. It is accredited by the Association for Coaching, IAOPBC, CPD, and IPHM. This training focuses on coaching techniques to support profound self-understanding and conscious transformation, helping individuals become more whole, expressive, and aligned in all areas of life.
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Coaching and therapy are complementary interventions. If you are financially able to afford both, they can work beautifully together.
Therapy and coaching often have different primary focus areas that may occasionally overlap. Broadly speaking, therapy is a medical field generally focused on healing past emotional wounds and traumas and helping you process your feelings. Coaching is non-medical and is focused on building practical skills and adaptations to help you overcome daily challenges.
A simplistic metaphor to remember the difference is to think about breaking a bone. First, you should go to a doctor to diagnose and treat it. Then, once you're sufficiently healed, you would see a physical therapist to help improve your range of motion and rebuild muscle. A therapist is like the doctor in this metaphor because they help you heal underlying wounds, and the coach is like the physical therapist because they help you grow stronger once you are stable enough to begin that work.
Regardless of whether you choose therapy, coaching, or both, it is crucial that you pick someone who demonstrates deep expertise in ADHD or autism, not just someone who took a few classes, because continuing education courses on these topics tend to be very shallow. Neurotypical coaching and therapy techniques are often ineffective for people with ADHD and autism and will lead to frustration and confusion.
Still confused? This article from Additude Magazine explains the differences between coaching and therapy, and this article provides more details on coaching benefits.
Absolutely! If the coaching doesn't seem to be working, it's a waste of everyone's time to try to force it. I would be happy to help you find another coach if we don't seem like a good fit or a therapist if it seems like they could address your needs more effectively. You will receive a refund for your unused sessions.
Some clients also like to pause the coaching if we uncover deeper emotional issues that cannot ethically be addressed by a coach. The client sees a therapist and then resumes coaching once they have managed those issues adequately in therapy.
Charging for 12 sessions upfront is a common practice among ADHD coaches to serve as a gentle nudge to stick with it. Even preliminary research on ADHD coaching uses 12 sessions in their study design.
Around the 4th or 5th session, the novelty will wear off, and you are very likely to consider giving up, which is completely normal and expected. Many ADHD coaches agree that clients who purchase packages are significantly more likely to push through and complete the coaching. However, you will still be able to quit coaching at any time if it seems like things are not working out, and the cost of the remaining sessions will be refunded.