Neurodivergence Coaching
Please contact for fees and payment options!
Dr. Lori partners with individuals with LD, ADHD, and/or Autism (diagnosed and suspected) to support Academic, Workplace, Relationship, and Life goals. She also partners with Parents of children and teens who have these diagnoses to enhance understanding and to set up systems/routines to support their families. In addition to Neurodivergence, many clients want to explore improvements in functioning around chronic health conditions and/or post-traumatic growth from past trauma.
Dr. Lori brings a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, a Master's in Learning Disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist Certification, 140 hours of ICF Coach Training (ICF Level 2), and 25+ years of expertise with LD, ADHD, and Level 1 Autism to her Coaching. She is a Neurodiversity-Affirming, Trauma-Informed Certified Coach and ICF Professional Certified Coach Candidate. Additionally, Dr. Lori is a proud mother of a teen with Level 1 Autism and ADHD. As a Psychologist, she has integrated aspects of Coaching into her therapy practice throughout her career. Now she is offering it as a stand alone service in the US and in Canada!
For more information about her expertise with LD/ADHD and Autism, please consult the Specialties tab.
What is Coaching?
Coaching is not therapy. In coaching, we partner to pursue your self-betterment. Dr. Lori's purpose is to facilitate your process, allowing you to use your internal wisdom to achieve your goals through reflection on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. She will respect you expertise in your own life and support you in determining how you want to live it. Using a strengths-based, positive psychology approach, we will identify values and opportunities for growth. We will have a strong focus on your goals and desired coaching outcomes.
Coaching and Therapy are different modalities. Although they both utilize knowledge of human behavior, motivation, behavioral change, and interactive treatment techniques, there are major differences in the goals, focus, and level of professional responsibility. In Coaching, Dr. Lori will not diagnose and will not work directly with mental health issues. Coaching does not prevent, cure, or treat any mental health condition or medical disorder, nor replace therapy. If you are not sure which modality is right for you, schedule a call with Dr. Lori and we can jointly determine what meets your needs.
In the US, insurance does not pay for Coaching. In Canada, some Provincial insurance plans may reimburse for limited sessions.
What Do Neurodivergence Coaching Sessions
Look Like?
At the start of our collaboration, you will identify short-term and long-term goals. Each session you will determine your SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to achieve between sessions, as well as finding solutions to what you believe may hold you back from achieving those goals. It is a blend of traditional Coaching (such as Life or Executive), Skills Coaching (using your awareness of strengths and challenges to determine routines and structures that support your life), and Education about Neurodivergence. If topics get emotional, Dr. Lori is able to hold space, being sensitive to your nervous system, as you gain clarity. We will check-in regularly on progress towards long-term goals. To support your goals, you may wish me to be your accountability partner between sessions. Coaching is not "One-Size-Fits-All". We create what will work best for your needs.
Offerings are different depending on your needs. Some need a single session to work on a very specific issue. ADHD and LD Coaching clients may most benefit from a series of 8-12 sessions, but some decide to re-contract for additional rounds of sessions. Autism clients tend to benefit most from 6+ months of partnering. Talk to Dr. Lori about her different payment options (single session, monthly contracts, and 3-month discounted contracts) to determine what works best for you.
Achievable Goals
Goals are tailored to your specific needs, but typically include some of the following:
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Maintaining Attention and Reducing Distractibility
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Executive Skills (e.g., planning, organization, prioritization, time management, study skill, breaking large tasks into smaller pieces, and problem solving)
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Memory Improvement
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Motivation
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Changing Procrastination to Persistence at Tasks
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Burnout and Capacity
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Masking and Identity Development
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Sensory and Nervous System Understanding
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Activities of Daily Living (e.g., hygiene, cleaning, and laundry)
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Stress Management
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Navigating Transitions
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Confidence and Self-Esteem Building
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Relationship and Communication Skills
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Self-Advocacy (e.g., School, Work, with Medical Professional, and with Family/Friends)
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Stronger and More Positive Relationships
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Parenting as a Neurodivergent Individual
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Healthy Lifestyle (e.g., finances, maintaining a home, nutrition, fluid intake, exercise, and sleep)
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Post-Traumatic Growth
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Psychoeducation (add-on to Coaching sessions)
Additional Resources
For more information about Neurodivergence/ADHD Coaching, please click the links for the following resources:
WebMD article about questions to ask perspective coaches
ADDitude article about finding a compatible coach
ADD Coach Academy blog about the differences between ADHD Coaching and Life Coaching
CHADD Article and downloadable Fact Sheet about ADHD Coaching
ADHD Coaches Organization article on ADHD Coaching