ADHD Counselling and Coaching in Ontario
I welcome the opportunity to share that I was given a formal diagnosis of ADHD (inattentive-type) very late in life. Although I (and my wife!) had strong suspicions, like many people things only began making sense when dots started to be connected along my own journey. I’ve got a secret for you, being “in the field” did not help my recognition of my diagnosis for years and years! Luckily I’ve been supporting ADHD for over a decade in multiple roles and understanding it from different professional perspectives as a public school teacher involved in special education, a child and family therapist, and supporting adults and older youth with a formal diagnosis of ADHD-often with co-occurring issues such as addiction or anxiety.
This journey is however about you. Us “ADHD’ers” all need unique and differentiated support. My experience only serves to have an understanding and an honest empathy toward your unique situation and what ADHD means to you, and the barriers in your life. I offer short term, solution-focused support that can look like a combination of coaching and counselling. As a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist, my coaching is firmly housed within a counselling approach that is goal-oriented and short term, but we also delve into views of self and emotions that a coach may need to “put aside” or refer you to a therapist to work on. I ask the clients I work with to commit to a minimum of 6-10 sessions, weekly or biweekly so that we can plan for your success. We really do plan with the end in mind, and we want a clear indication starting from the moment we meet of when I will essentially be “fired”!
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With me, you don’t have to necessarily choose! As a therapist, all of my work around ADHD is considered counselling. For those looking for a coaching relationship you’ve come to the right place, however, you can also expect that we are delving deeper into issues that are relevant for your success and support. I do not practice from a coaching lens, which is an unregulated field. I practice individual ADHD therapy from a solution-focused, goal oriented, short term therapy approach that gives respect and validation toward the barriers in your executive functioning. This could also mean that parts of our sessions are spent learning and providing psychoeducation to understand unique aspects of your diagnosis (how your brain works!).
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Substance use concerns can typically co-occur, and for good reason! Our work together may address both, and set reasonable goals that revolve around your preferred future. This could mean abstinence, to a slight or major reduction in consumption.
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I ask my ADHD clients, along with my other individual clients, to commit to a minimum of 6-10 sessions with me on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. I want reality and practicality to be on our side in our work together, and to consider it a strength.
For example, if you know that you are limited by insurance coverage, or time, and can only attend 8 sessions, I would love to know this up front so we can plan together with the end in mind! Far too often people leave therapy unplanned, and do not have closure for the great work they have done. Or worse, leave many loose ends open that can cause difficulties for them later.
