|
|
Frequently Asked Questions about ADD Coaching
How long does ADD Coaching take?
How much does Coaching cost?
How is ADD Coaching different from therapy?
What kind of training does an ADD Coach have?
How can coaching help when self-help books have not?
How can I focus over the phone?
If coaching works, can I stop medication?
How can I convince my spouse (parent, child, etc.) to get coaching?
How do I know if coaching will work for me?
How long does ADD Coaching take?
Coaching is very individualized. Adults with AD/HD may come to coaching for a wide variety of reasons, from finding out more about how to work with their own ADD traits to creating a career strategy. A very specific challenge might simply involve changing a particular set of habits that can be accomplished in a few months. Deeper issues or tendencies may take more "layers" of skill-building, including learning to think issues through in a different way. While there's no way to predict for any individual how long it will take them to reach their coaching goals, assume that habits won't change overnight. As a rule of thumb, consider a minimum of three months for coaching to be effective.
Back to Top
How much does ADD Coaching cost?
Working with a private coach is priced similarly to services like psychotherapy and consulting. With an experienced coach, you should expect to pay at least $150-250 an hour. My fees range from $375 to $600 a month, depending on the duration and frequency of your sessions.
Back to Top
How is ADD Coaching different from therapy?
Psychotherapy is based on creating understanding based on the past, and becoming aware of your motivations. Coaching is concerned with actions and behavior in the present, and on helping you learn how to build strategies to reach goals for the future. In a coaching process, every session will generate a set of actions that you will work on to get you further to your goal.
Back to Top
What kind of training does an ADD Coach have?
ADD Coaches should be, first of all, skilled and trained in coaching in general. There are many different training institutions for learning the coaching process. An ADD Coach must be also trained to understand, identify, and work with the many unique traits of ADD - AD/HD adults.
I am a graduate of ADD Coach Academy (www.addca.com), an excellent training ground for ADD Coaching. Its founder, David Giwerc, is a prominent Master Coach, speaker and workshop leader in the international ADD professional community.
Back to Top
How can coaching help when self-help books have not?
With Attention Deficit Disorder, your brain is "wired" differently than the non-ADD brain. So strategies that may work well for 80% of the general population won't work well for ADD adults. In addition, no two people with ADD are alike. Even a book advising you on what to do with ADD may not really give the right strategy that works with your particular set of traits.
Also, it can be hard for many people with ADD to focus for long on a book if they don't find it very interesting. Many people buy self-help books on various topics, hoping they will contain the one nugget of "truth" that will provide a breakthrough. But ADD is complex. There is no "one-size-fits-all" solution.
The coaching process addresses the unique complexity of the individual, allowing for tweaks along the way to find and perfect the most effective strategy for you as an individual.
Back to Top
How can I focus over the phone?
You may find it hard to believe that you can learn a great deal about yourself on the phone. In typical past phone conversations, unless the interaction was very interesting, you may have found yourself drifting off. But when you are genuinely interested, you will be surprised how avidly you will be able to focus on a coaching call. And since the whole conversation is about you, your interest will remain high!
As an added plus, you don't need to figure in travel time and inconvenience to visit another location every week.
Back to Top
If coaching works, can I stop medication?
ADD - AD/HD medication is intended to help your brain focus at will, in a way that it doesn't do naturally. But improved focus doesn't help create the right strategies for doing things effectively, if you have a lifetime of habits to overcome. That is where coaching comes in, helping you develop the self-knowledge and effective habits that work for you. So both coaching AND treatment for your focus ability are important.
Back to Top
How can I convince my spouse (parent, child, etc.) to get coaching?
Coaching only works with someone who wants to change, and is willing to take the steps to move towards their goals. Some people are not ready to acknowledge that they have ADD (or ADD traits). Without a willingness to "look in the mirror," it isn't possible to be coached successfully.
It may take a heartfelt discussion with a loved one to tell them how their traits, tendencies or habits are affecting you before they'll consider getting help. Also, assure the person that coaching is not about "fixing" them - they're not broken! It's simply a process of learning how to achieve the results that they want.
Back to Top
How do I know if coaching will work for me?
Coaching is a partnership. The coach provides the process and guidance, but you're the one who ultimately needs to do the work. So the most important factor in successful coaching is you - whether you are willing to take small steps to do things differently than you have been. If you continue to only do what you have done in the past, simply talking every week to a coach won't create much progress.
You'll want to be able to trust and connect with your coach, and feel understood when you talk. The best way to determine that level of rapport is to talk to a coach. Explain what goals you would like to reach in coaching, what you would like to change, and what your expectations are. The coach will tell you if coaching can realistically meet your expectations.
If you think that coaching is what you're looking for and want to explore it further, click here to e-mail me to set up a consultation. We'll talk about your own coaching goals, so that we can determine if I am the right coach for you.
|
|
