Coaching with me feels like…
…sitting down with someone who gets it.
Not just because I’ve read the research (I have), but because I’ve lived the rollercoaster of “Why can’t I just DO the thing?” too.
I was diagnosed with ADHD after finishing 90% of my master’s degree in clinical counseling. (Believe me, I know). I’d just been exposed to the realities of ADHD through a few incredible clients at my intern site—and was shocked by how much deeper their struggles went than what I had been taught. I found myself breathlessly giving my required peer education on the topic: “Maybe to-do lists and planners aren’t really enough here? Have we talked about shame? Emotional dysregulation? Have you heard this term— Executive Function? Are you guys seeing this!?” The reality is, my lack of knowledge at that stage of my clinical education is not uncommon. Many professionals in the medical and mental health fields are very fuzzy on what adult ADHD really looks like. This has left a lot of us misinformed or missed entirely. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I’ve heard it a hundred times. I’ve said it myself.
Processing my own diagnosis was hard. I was untangling the fallout of my own impulsivity: poor spending, poor coping, constant avoidance, all-or-nothing thinking, little white lies. I lived from crisis to crisis, always reacting, saying and doing whatever I could to dodge whatever discomfort was in front of me. I watched other people judge my behavior as a personal and moral failure, and grew increasingly disillusioned with myself and the people around me.
So I dove deep. I spent hundreds of hours in research, reading, and studying from some of the best in the field. I pursued certification all while learning (and unlearning) so much directly from my ADHD clients. Now, I specialize in supporting individuals diagnosed in adulthood — or those realizing their childhood diagnosis might be more relevant than they thought. I help people unpack what they’ve been accommodating their whole lives.
As an ADHD-CCSP and a registered coach through ACO, with a Bachelors in Psychology, a Masters in Counseling; armed with my own history, and hundreds of hours of direct client exposure, I bring both training and lived experience to the table. I’m not here to just nod along. I’m here to help you finally work with your brain — and start trusting that you’ve actually got this.
-Amanda
Why ADHD Out Loud?
My core philosophy
ADHD: Out Loud is built on the belief that honestly naming your struggle is the first step toward changing it. That’s what diagnosis did — it gave you the language to start understanding your own experience. But you may not yet have the full picture of how ADHD is shaping your challenges, and that’s where I come in. Together, we’ll face the reality of ADHD as an impulse-driven self-regulation problem, so we can uncover why you feel stuck, pulled off course, and unable to follow through on your decisions.
ADHD can chip away at a person’s view of self and at their self-trust. I want you to feel empowered to make decisions, problem solve, plan ahead, and follow through without having to constantly explain yourself. Living Out Loud is rooted in radical honesty about who you are and how ADHD has shaped your story. It requires open discussion about impairments and belief systems. Living Out Loud means exercising self control- the freedom to choose for yourself- instead of feeling driven by shame and panic.
Out Loud It is also a nod to the reality of life with ADHD, which can be loud, chaotic, and out there; sometimes in the best ways.
