ADHD Coach
I’ve tried coaching numerous times, and generally speaking, it has failed because ADHD can sort of make you coach-resistant. The only time it has worked is when I used a coach that was ALSO ADHD. Your mileage may vary, but I had a completely awesome experience with Marla Cummins – ADHD Coach. She is pretty magical.
If you are a parent and you have a kid who is struggling with ADHD, Julia Kelahan is an amazing executive function coach for kids & teens. (Note – she is my wife, but the impact of her work is profound.)
Weekly Planning Sessions
Weekly planning sessions are hard. They suck. They are full of detail. And they are 100% needed to keep the ship headed in the right direction. Here is a great guide (written by Marla): The ADHD Adult’s Guide To Weekly Planning
Therapists & Psychiatrists
For many, medication and therapy is crucial. If you are lucky enough to be near one, I cannot recommend the Hallowell Centers more highly. Run by Dr. Ned Hallowell (author of a few of the books below), the Hallowell Centers are purpose made for the diagnosis, treatment and success for ADHDers. The Hallowell Centers are here to “help you unwrap your gifts”. They are located in Boston, New York City, Seattle, and San Francisco.
Books
There are hundreds (thousands) of books on ADHD – so this is in no way a comprehensive list. But these are books that I have read and have helped me. I think they are worth a look:
Driven to Distraction
Originally published in 1995 and updated recently, Driven To Distraction is the first place where I recognized the story of my life. This is a beautiful book that helps you see yourself as someone who is part of the ADHD tribe. It is important to belong. But moreover, this book helps you understand yourself. Read it. It matters.
Delivered from Distraction
This book is a terrific resource that goes beyond the magical “AHA!” that hit me when I first read Driven to Distraction. This is about ADHD management – time resources, health resources and stories of functional tips on how to manage the downsides of ADHD so that you can maximize the many benefits
The ADHD Effect on Marriage
If you are married and have ADHD, or you are married to someone with ADHD, read The ADHD Effect on Marriage today. Reading it sucks. If you have ADHD, it makes you realize how difficult it is to be married to you. If you are the non-ADHD partner, it will probably show you how you have adapted to your environment in ways that you aren’t thrilled with. Jump in, kids – it is important.
Delivered from Distraction
If you are married and have ADHD, or you are married to someone with ADHD, read The ADHD Effect on Marriage today. Reading it sucks. If you have ADHD, it makes you realize how difficult it is to be married to you. If you are the non-ADHD partner, it will probably show you how you have adapted to your environment in ways that you aren’t thrilled with. Jump in, kids – it is important.
Other Resources
While more academic than Hallowell, Barkley is awesome at explaining ADHD in a way that makes sense to non-ADHDers. If fact, watch his description of ADHD as an Intention Deficit Disorder right now:
There are thousands of great productivity and task management apps out there...
ToDoist: This was my task manager for years. This helps organize, categorize (subject & kind of task) and reminders.
OmniFocus: For years, OmniFocus was my jam. It was Mac native (hugely important) but then I lapsed into bad habits and stopped using it. But I may give it another go.
Alarmy: If you have trouble with waking up in the morning, Alarmy is amazing. After my alarms starts ringing, I have to do 20 squats to make it shut off. And Alarmy does this in a fun way.