ADHD coaching can help with the day to day struggles of ADHD like staying organized, keeping on task, reaching your short and long term goals and developing strategies for handling the challenges of  ADHD. All of this though is only the tip of the iceberg. Think of an iceberg floating along in the Arctic. Only a small portion of it is above the ocean's surface. The vast majority is hidden under the water. This is how I think of the feelings and lifelong effects of ADHD. What one sees are the behaviors and day to day challenges but hidden are the myriad of emotions and psychological effects of ADHD. Years of being called lazy or feeling stupid, not knowing why you can't do what others can. Blurting out or acting impulsively. All of this can cause  shame, frustration, depression, perfectionism, sadness, anxiety, poor self esteem and and many more difficult feelings that are part of ADHD.
Being a psychotherapist as well as a life coach, I can help with the emotional and psychological challenges of ADHD. It is as important to treat these issues as it is to develop strategies for the cognitive and behavioral aspects of ADHD. The result is feeling lighter, unburdened and floating higher on the surface of your life!

As often happens with ADHD we can tend to skip a few steps and then have to go back. I'm going to talk about getting an ADHD evaluation which seems like the place I should have stated when I began this blog. So from the beginning...
I like using bullet points. Keeps me from running on and easy to focus on ;-)

• There is no test to diagnose ADHD in adults or children but rather there is an evaluation process that should be completed by an expert in ADHD. An expert is someone who has had training in the treatment and evaluation of ADHD and experience with working with ADHD clients.
• The evaluation should consist of an in depth clinical interview including family and medical history, several ADHD symptom questionnaires some of which focused on gender and age, and a physical exam by your PCP to rule out medical problems.
• A determination of ADHD should include looking for other possible issues that may look like ADHD or can often occur along with ADHD. These include: learning disorders, anxiety and/or depression, chronic sleep problems, substance abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, mood disorder, oppositional defiant disorder.
• The professional who completed the evaluation should go over their findings with you and explain how they have made their diagnosis and what the options are for treatment if ADHD has been diagnosed

I hope this has been helpful! Please comment on your experiences or post questions you might have about this process. Thanks for visiting here!

Medication is one of the most effective tools in treating ADHD but it is not a magic bullet. Along with medication you need to pay attention to lifestyle choices that improve medication effectiveness and minimize side effects.
​​

• Take medication with protein based snack or meal
• Do not take medication with citrus juice. 
• Stay hydrated
• Make exercise a part of your daily routine.
• Get enough sleep (6-8 hours)

If you follow these recommendations most of you will minimize any possible side effects. If you have you notice a day where you are feeling medication based side effects think about whether you may have not paid enough attention to your choices in these areas. 
If you continue to experience side effects in spite of healthy lifestyle choices speak to your prescriber. There are many medication options to try.
​

Hi there
Welcome to my ADHD blog. I hope you will find it informative, fun and helpful in our daily life with ADHD.
If you've read the information on my site you know that I believe there are many advantages to having ADHD as well as challenges. This blog will be about making the most of the upside and strategies for minimizing the downside of ADHD. So stay tuned. Let's go on this journey together!