Professional Experience

I have formally trained as a coach at Adler Graduate Professional School and the International ADHD Coach Training Center. I earned an Honours BA in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University. I’m a member of the International Federation of Coaches (IFC), and am bound to abide by their Code of Ethics. I am close to applying for the ACC level coaching certification with ICF. I have spent most of my professional life working in training, adult education and community engagement, all which lend themselves beautifully to coaching.

Life Experience

Here is a small glimpse of what I bring to the table. Perhaps you’ll find something that strikes a chord with you.

• I have ADHD, the inattentive type, diagnosed at age 49, after both of my children were. I have gone from survival-mode to thriving-mode in a fairly short timeframe thanks to medication, therapy, three great coaches (yes, three!) and the support of friends and family.  My ADHD is actually a super power when it comes to coaching.

• I love learning, and I struggled for years through highschool and university with the executive function required to stay on track with readings, writing and the difficult challenges of memorization for test and exams. It’s why I have a passion for helping students get out of the “feel bad” zone and into knowledge and awareness of how ADHD is thwarting us, and how to work with and around it.

• I am a smart, capable woman who was very stuck for many years, spinning my wheels, undiagnosed and struggling. The way ADHD is different for people who have a menstrual cycle is very real. Western society is demands we have a steady state of physical and cognitive energy - which is just not the case for menstruating people. Learning to ride the waves and gain some predictability and strategies is valuable knowledge. I am also now in menopause - which was also an interesting ride!

• I am an entrepreneur by nature. I helped nurture an education business from dormant to very respectable sales in a cross-border education and training company and have spent many years working in various self-employment roles that allowed me to stay close to home for my young kids. Now I’m still self-employed as a life coach and loving it.  It was a hard, gradual learning curve to understand how my ADHD had opened up doors and also closed them.

• I am very interested in the idea and experience of community, and observing how our society’s emphasis on individualism is breaking down our social bonds, and this impacts those of us with ADHD very deeply. I strongly believe those with ADHD are designed for a give-and-take of community, where we can ride along the rhythms of inter-connected family or community life. Living alone is a huge executive function challenge for people with neurodiversities! We know kids and teens need the structures and supports of a family & friends who understand our needs - but so do young adults and single people.

• I am an artist, and it took me a while to claim that title, but creativity and art-making call from deep in my bones. I have learned to make space for it in my life to stay in balance. I enjoy painting, collage & assemblage, as well as writing. Learning about my ADHD reinforced to me that prioritizing my creative expression was essential to my mental wellness and productivity in other areas.

• I have experienced marriage and divorce. Awareness of how ADHD plays a role in deep connection and adventure of relationships, while also sometimes destabilizing or complicating relationships.

• Being a mother of two beautiful black children (they are Dutch, Afro-Cuban Canadian) has been a profound learning curve; from the most basic differences of hair care to facing overt and covert racism.  Owning my white privilege and educating myself on the issues that my children must contend with will be a life-long journey and one that I face head on. Add to the complexity, being a white mother with ADHD with 2 black children with ADHD - navigating the education system has been a steep learning curve, but I’ve gained some wisdom and knowledge, and am applying it in my coaching practice.

• One child has two interrelated chronic health conditions and as such we have been on a long medical journey. I know the heartache and worry that goes along with parenting a child with a chronic health condition. 

• I am an armchair philosopher/social scientist.  I love all of the “Why are we here?” and “How did we decide this was the way we were going to build our society?” questions. 
  

Looking back I can see how a coach could have made a big difference at several turning points in my life and I wish I had used coaches sooner than I did. My goal as an ADHD life coach is to seek out people who are at a crossroads in life and offer them the deep listening and questions that open up (and then narrow down) choices, and choosing next steps, and being there for the journey.

If my experiences and approach resonate with you, then let’s talk!  You can reserve 30 minutes of time with me at no cost, using this form. I’ll listen to what you would like to work on and share my approach to coaching with you.