The coaching industry is… a mixed bag

There are incredible coaches out there — and also a lot of “productivity gurus” selling one-size-fits-all advice.

If you have ADHD, generic productivity tips often backfire. Not because you’re lazy — because ADHD isn’t a motivation problem. It’s a regulation and execution problem.

That’s why certification matters.

What a certified ADHD coach understands (that others often miss)

A trained ADHD coach is more likely to recognize and work with:

• time blindness (underestimating how long things take)

• task initiation issues (not knowing how to start)

• motivation inconsistency (interest-based nervous system)

• working memory overload (holding too much in your head)

• shame spirals (and the avoidance they create)

• emotional dysregulation (overwhelm, frustration, shutdown)

They won’t tell you to “just do it.” They’ll help you build a plan that makes doing it possible.

Certification isn’t about being “better” — it’s about being safer and more effective

A certified coach should be trained to:

• keep clear boundaries between coaching and therapy

• recognize when a client needs clinical support

• use ethical coaching practices

• avoid harmful messaging (“discipline fixes everything”)

• build client-centered systems instead of forcing rigid methods

This is especially important for ADHD clients, who often have a history of being misunderstood, shamed, or mismanaged by “helpful” advice.

What to look for when hiring a coach

Here are questions that quickly reveal coach quality:

1) What training do you have specific to ADHD?
You want more than “I’m passionate about ADHD.”

2) How do you approach executive function skills?
Look for frameworks and repeatable strategies.

3) How do you handle accountability?
Best answer: compassionate + structured. Not guilt. Not pressure.

4) What happens when I fall off the plan?
A good coach expects this and has a reset process.

5) What’s your scope?
Clear, confident boundaries are a green flag.

Red flags

Be cautious if a coach:

• guarantees outcomes (“I’ll fix your ADHD”)

• shames you for inconsistency

• treats ADHD like a character flaw

• dismisses medication/therapy outright

• insists one tool works for everyone

The bottom line

ADHD coaching can be life-changing — but only when it’s informed, ethical, and built for real ADHD brains.

Certification isn’t a magic badge. It’s a signal that the coach has done the work to understand the terrain before guiding someone through it.