What's the Difference Between ADHD Coaching, ADHD Therapy and Receving an ADHD Diagnosis?

It's important to choose the right support for you and your goals.

When you're struggling, you just want things to be easier. And when you're ready to reach out for support, you want that support to actually help you in the ways you need to be helped. There are some key differences between the various types of helping professionals and the ways that they can help you with the symptoms and challenges you are facing, and knowing what kind of support you can expect to receive can help you choose the right support. Here are some of the differences between ADHD coaching, ADHD therapy and other providers who support people with ADHD.

What is ADHD Coaching?

ADHD coaches are trained in active listening and supporting people through a process of change, similarly to therapists and counsellors. However, a coach will tend to be more focused on future oriented goals and specific outcomes, and has less training around dealing with more serious mental health challenges, childhood or adult trauma and the effect that the past can have on our present day experiences.

Coaches are also less regulated than licensed therapists, which means that there is no standard of training and experience required for someone to call themselves a coach and begin working with clients, and no regulatory body to go to if you feel you have been mistreated or harmed by your work with a coach.

For these reasons, ADHD coaches are best suited for people who have specific, behavioural goals that they want to work on, who don't have a history of childhood neglect, abuse or trauma, and who don't have any other co-occurring mental health diagnoses like depression, anxiety, bipolar or OCD.

What is ADHD Therapy?

ADHD therapists are licensed mental health professionals who specialize in working with people who have ADHD. They have a foundation of supervised training and education (usually a Master's degree or a PhD) and are familiar with working with a wide range of mental health concerns and diagnoses in addition to ADHD. An ADHD therapist will be trained and prepared to help you address your challenges on multiple levels, including the specific behaviours you want to change as well as any beliefs, emotions, or traumatic memories that are connected to your struggles, and any ways that your experience has impacted your relationships and your sense of self.

Therapists are usually licensed and regulated so they can practice in specific geographic areas, are required to hold liability insurance and if you believe you've been harmed by a therapist you can go to whatever association they are registered with to file a complaint.

If you experience any co-occurring mental health challenges with your ADHD, including dissociation, depression or anxiety, you have ever been suicidal or self-harming, or have an ACES score of 4 or more, an ADHD therapist may be a better choice for you.

Who can Diagnose me With ADHD?

While ADHD coaches and therapists can help you improve the quality of your life and reduce the impact that your symptoms have, in BC neither of these care providers can diagnose you with ADHD or prescribe medications. For a diagnosis, you need to see a healthcare professional such as a medical doctor, nurse practitioner, psychologist or psychiatrist. A psychologist can do the assessment and diagnosis, but cannot prescribe medication. If you choose to see a psychologist, you can bring the report to your doctor to receive a prescription.

Feeling like this is a lot to keep track of? No prob, I've got you. Here's a table so you can compare:

type of provider	training	support	regulated	can diagnose	can prescribe
ADHD Coach	depends on the program, can be short (2-3 days)	present to future focus, behavioural goals	no	no	no
ADHD Therapist	usually Masters or PhD level	past, present and future focus, multi-dimensional goals	yes	no	no
Psychologist	PhD level	some do therapy, some focus on assessments and diagnosis only	yes	yes	no
Nurse Practitioner	Masters or Doctoral level nursing training	some do therapy, some focus on assessments, diagnosis and medication management	yes	yes	yes
General Practitioner	Medical doctor	some do assessments and diagnosis, others will refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for diagnosis; most do not do therapy.	yes	yes	yes
Psychiatrist	Medical doctor plus additional training in Psychiatry	some do therapy, some focus on diagnosis and medication management only	yes	yes	yes

Support Throughout the Process of Seeking an ADHD Diagnosis Can be Helpful

As you might be able to tell, getting support for ADHD can be a process that can take some time and bring up some emotions, depending on what your needs are and what support is available to you where you live. An ADHD therapist can be a valuable support throughout the process of seeking a diagnosis or starting medication, both to work through whatever might come up as you're seeking care, and as an advocate in case your healthcare provider is uninformed about ADHD or doesn't take your concerns and symptoms seriously. Even the decision whether to seek ADHD diagnosis or not can be meaningful to explore and to consider what your needs and preferences are.

The Difference Between ADHD Coaching and ADHD Therapy Matters

Choosing the right support means having a person on your side who has the skills, training, experience and perspective to walk beside you and help you get where you want to go. This means taking a bit of time to reflect on what changes you want to see in your life, as well as some of the experiences you've lived through and what you're currently living with at the moment. It's pretty normal to have a team of people who each bring their specific knowledge and expertise to support you, and it can be helpful to know what you can expect from each of them.

If you have more questions, or are ready to take the next step in seeking support, you can book a free 20 min consultation call. I'd love to meet you.

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