If your son or daughter has recently been diagnosed with ADHD, or you suspect they might have it, you are probably watching them struggle in ways that break your heart. Falling behind at school. Losing things. Forgetting things. Emotionally dysregulated. Shutting down or kicking off. Convinced they are stupid, when you know they are anything but.
The teenage years are when ADHD can do its most lasting damage.
Not because ADHD gets worse. But because these are the years when a young person is forming their identity, their self-belief, and their understanding of what they are capable of. When an ADHD teenager repeatedly struggles, gets it wrong, feels misunderstood or written off, they do not just have a bad term at school. They build a story about themselves. That story can follow them into adulthood.
The good news is that the reverse is also true. A young person who starts to understand their ADHD during these years, who gets the right support at the right time, can head into adulthood with a very different story. One built on self-awareness, not shame.
It won't fix everything. But it can change the narrative, early enough to matter.
Every young person is different. Sessions are led by them, not by a fixed agenda. But these are the areas that come up most often:
Rebuilding belief in themselves.
Years of struggling in a system not built for their brain can leave a young person feeling like they are failing. Coaching helps them understand why, and start to see themselves differently.
Learning what actually works for their brain.
Not generic "try harder" advice. Real strategies that suit how an ADHD brain engages, so school demands feel more manageable.
Understanding the meltdowns and shutdowns.
ADHD and emotional regulation go hand in hand. We work on understanding what is happening and finding ways to respond, not just react.
Navigating a system that was not designed for them.
Organisation, deadlines, transitions between lessons, social pressure. We work on practical tools that make the school day less exhausting.
Preparing for adulthood and independence.
For older teenagers, coaching helps them get ready for college, work, or simply adult life, with a clearer sense of who they are and what they need.
I spent 25 years as a teacher, including leadership roles across a variety of London schools. I understand the pressures on teenagers, the pressures on staff, and how school systems, however well-meaning, can be genuinely difficult for a young person with ADHD to navigate.
That inside knowledge matters. When your teenager talks about what is happening at school, I am not guessing. I have seen it from the other side of the staffroom door.
I have ADHD myself. I have written a book on ADHD in the UK. I am fully DBS checked (enhanced certificate). But most importantly, I genuinely care about the young people I work with, because I know what it feels like to struggle in a system that was not built for your brain.
I work with young people aged 13 to 18.
Simple, low-pressure, and completely led by your young person.
We start with a no-commitment chat, usually with a parent, to see if coaching feels like the right fit.
Sessions are relaxed and confidential. The young person sets the agenda. I just help them find their footing.
We agree together how parents are kept in the loop, in a way that works for everyone involved.
Not overnight. But steadily. Small wins build confidence. Confidence builds momentum. Momentum changes everything.
Please feel free to get in touch. I am happy to talk through your teenager's situation, share what I know about ADHD, and give you an honest sense of whether coaching could help.
There is no pressure and no obligation. Just a genuine conversation.
