You’ve probably heard of coaching – it seems every business owner has a coach, every sportsman has a coach, every aspiring entrepreneur has a coach. But what is ADHD parent coaching, and how can it benefit you?
I don’t know about you, but when my ADHD son was younger I found it incredibly difficult to talk to other parents about what life was like. I’d be standing at the school gates while the other mums talked about the great goal their son scored the other night, or the cakes they made together the previous evening, or the birthday party they were going to at the weekend. Chances are my son hadn’t been invited to the party, would throw the mixing bowl across the kitchen if I suggested baking, and was only interested in one sport – boxing – with me as the punchbag. Sounds familiar?
Raising a child with ADHD is challenging, exhausting and demoralising – and at the one time in your life when you want the support of your friends, it’s almost impossible to ask for help, because you feel so damned embarrassed about what’s going on. ADHD isn’t your fault, it’s not your child’s fault – but you still feel guilty and as if you’ve done something wrong. And admitting that you feel like a failure to the other parents is tough.
Yet we all know that talking helps. Whatever problem you encounter, being able to talk to someone about it, without being judged, makes a huge difference. You don’t even have to get advice in return; often just talking through a problem helps you to see it in new ways and spot solutions and options that might make a difference.
And that’s where coaching comes in – or, more specifically, ADHD parent coaching. Coaching is time for you to talk, uninterrupted, and without being judged or having assumptions made about you. Coaching is a tool that helps you to look at what’s going on with fresh eyes. It involves lots of processes that help you overcome challenges by searching within yourself for the skills and abilities that have been buried away, and by identifying the resources you need to find and giving you the confidence to get them.
Where my ADHD parent coaching differs is that I have been through the ADHD journey myself. I’ve been the punchbag, struggled to get support, battled for a diagnosis and overcome the slurs on my character (“There’s no such thing as ADHD, it’s just bad parenting!”) And because I’ve been there, I understand what it’s like for you, I can empathise, and I can offer practical advice and support from my own experience as well as offering you the time and space to talk.
If you’d like to take some time for yourself to talk about the challenges you’re facing and to find ways to move forward, I offer the first coaching session completely free of charge. We can meet face to face at my home in Faringdon, Oxfordshire – or we can talk over the phone, or via Skype. Just pick up the phone and call me today to book your complimentary session.
