You have an ADHD diagnosis, or you strongly recognise yourself in it. You may already have seen a psychiatrist, tried treatment, read two or three books. And yet, day to day, the same things keep getting stuck: getting started, meeting deadlines, keeping your energy up until the evening.
This is often the point at which people hear about ADHD coaching. Here’s what it actually involves, and above all, what it doesn’t.
ADHD coaching in practice
ADHD coaching is practical support. We don’t spend months trying to work out why you function the way you do. We build what works with the way you function: your morning routine, how you get started on a task, your priorities, your energy, your heat-of-the-moment reactions.
The difference from a book or an app is the follow-up. ADHD isn’t a lack of information. You know perfectly well what you should be doing. What’s missing is an external structure that helps you actually do it, and someone who notices when things start to slip, before everything falls apart.
What coaching isn’t
It isn’t medical care. A coach doesn’t diagnose, doesn’t prescribe anything and doesn’t replace your psychiatrist or your psychologist. In Switzerland, ADHD in adults is diagnosed by a psychiatrist or at a specialist clinic.
Nor is it psychotherapy. Coaching doesn’t deal with trauma or acute crises. When a situation goes beyond what coaching can offer, the right thing to do is to refer you to a healthcare professional. That’s what I do.
The two complement each other very well. Treatment or therapy tackles the underlying issues; coaching helps you build habits that hold up in your real life.
Coach, psychologist or psychiatrist: who does what?
The psychiatrist makes the diagnosis and can prescribe medication. The psychologist works on your experiences, your emotions, your personal history. The ADHD coach works on the practical side: how you start your day, how you choose what to do when everything seems urgent, how you keep going over time.
You may need all three at different times. If you’re going through a very difficult period, coaching doesn’t come first.
Who it’s for
ADHD coaching is for you if you have goals, professional or personal, and you’re fed up with watching them slip week after week. If you want to understand how you work rather than just put up with it. And if you’re ready to put in the effort, because a coach won’t do the work for you.
The people who get the most out of it are often those who are already successful in other areas, but who are wearing themselves out compensating. They’re making progress, but at the cost of enormous energy, all-nighters before deadlines and a constant feeling of running behind in their own lives.
It’s probably not for you if you’re looking for a diagnosis, if you’re going through a crisis that needs medical care first, or if you’re expecting a quick fix without getting involved yourself.
How to choose an ADHD coach
In Switzerland, the title of coach isn’t protected. Anyone can use it, so a few pointers help you sort the wheat from the chaff.
A good ADHD coach knows ADHD from the inside or through serious training, ideally both. They’re clear about their limits and know who to refer you to if needed. They offer you a clear framework (duration, frequency, goals) rather than vague support that drags on indefinitely. They measure your progress, so that you talk about facts rather than impressions. And they offer you a no-obligation first call, to see whether you click.
How it works with me
I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. I then spent ten years in finance, rising to the position of regional manager, helping hundreds of people reach their financial goals. Today, I do the same thing with people with ADHD, for their personal goals.
My programme lasts twelve weeks, in four three-week blocks: Foundations, Physical basics, Execution and priorities, then Emotions and autonomy. One hour-long session a week by video call, written follow-up every week and access between sessions. At the start and at the end, we measure where you stand in six areas of your life, so you can see in black and white what has changed.
I work from Valais, in French, German or English, with people from all over Switzerland and beyond.