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ADD and ADHD, or sometimes written AD/HD, coaching is a proactive process of exploration and
discovery in order for a client to set, execute and obtain goals through
their own initiative. It helps clients identify and target necessary
skills to achieve Self-Actualization. It encourages clients' utilization
of their strengths while targeting their emotions, moods, and actions.
And finally, it enables clients to recognize their identity and to
create structure. The
official criteria for diagnosing attention deficit disorders
are contained in the DSM-IV (The Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric
Association, fourth edition). The four official diagnoses
for ADHD were established in 1994.
Characteristics of ADHD can appear in early
childhood for most individuals. This disorder is marked by
chronic behaviors lasting at least six months with an onset
often before seven years of age.
At this time, four subtypes of ADHD have
been defined.
- ADHD - Inattention type
- ADHD - Hyperactivity/Impulsive type
- ADHD - Combined type
- ADHD - Not otherwise specified
ADHD Coaching Helps to:
- Reduce Boredom
- Increase Productivity
- Organize and Set Goals
- Set Priorities
- "Chunk" Projects
- Create a Schedule
- Improve Financial Accountability
- Provide ADHD Education Resources
(Websites, Books & Videos)
ADHD Coaching Helps to Address
Educational Setting too, by:
- Identifying Learning Styles
- Creative Note taking
- Improving Exam taking Techniques
- Reducing Tardiness
- Empowering Advocacy
ADHD Coaching Helps to
Address Employment Setting too, by applying some of the
methods identified in the above two categories.
Current ADD and ADHD therapies incorporate
many types of cognitive, behavioral, and analytical approaches
to help individuals gain insight and understanding, deal with
painful emotional problems, and overcome self-defeating
beliefs and destructive behaviors. Therapy focused on ADD
behaviors typically need to be quite pragmatic and
behaviorally oriented. As many have pointed out, the problem
with ADD is not one of desire or motivation, but of
follow-through and achievement. The struggle all too often is
not doing those things which the person knows must get done!
Insight by itself is practically useless if not accompanied by
a behavioral treatment plan that addresses specific problems
and provides specific strategies to deal with those problems.
Even the behavior therapies have limits when it comes to
helping individuals with ADD who live in the moment, respond
to the immediate, have difficulty anticipating and looking
ahead, or simply forget what the behavioral goals were from a
few days ago. This is where effective ADD coaching can take
planning, organization, pragmatism, and accountability to
another level.
(Therapy and ADD Coaching: Similarities,
Differences and Collaboration by Peter Jakas, Ph D. and Nancy
Ratey, Ed.M.) |
