I have ADHD myself and I also have two children who are neurodivergent.  I was diagnosed as a child with Hyperactivity Disorder (as it was called in the 70s) I was only 7 years old and unfortunately my doctor didn’t explain to my parents what that diagnosis meant.  He simply medicated me with Ritalin (methylphenidate) and told my parents I would outgrow it.  Neither my parents nor I understood my diagnosis nor were we aware of all the areas of my life that it would impact. 

I spent years being labelled as “clumsy” (ADHD causes issues with proprioception – your body’s ability to orient itself in the space it occupies) I was labelled “talkative” ( this is a common presentation of hyperactivity in girls)  I was labelled “underachieving” (a common presentation of an inability to regulate attention) I was labelled “disorganised”, “absent minded”, “careless”, “always late” (these are all common results of executive dysfunction) I didn’t know that my struggles in these areas were all related to having ADHD.   It took me years to discover that I didn’t outgrow my ADHD (almost no one does) and that all these things that I have struggled with for years and felt terrible shame and guilt about are part of having a brain that is wired differently to most people. 

I have studied ADHD as part of my Psychology Honours degree.  I have certifications in Relationship coaching, Transformational Life coaching, Group Coaching, Positive Psychology as well as having a wealth of lived experience with ADHD.  I am also a parent of two neurodivergent children.