Want to become an ADHD coach?

You’re in the right place. Today, you’ll learn how to build a fulfilling ADHD coaching business and help others overcome their 

Want to learn more? Read on. 

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• What does an ADHD coach do?
• How do you become a certified ADHD coach?
• How do you start a business as an ADHD coach?
• How much do ADHD coaches earn?

What does an ADHD coach do?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, better known as ADHD, impacts things like a person’s attention span, self-control, and ability to sit still. 

In turn, it often causes people to struggle with focusing, listening, remaining calm, and concentrating. 

As an ADHD coach, you’ll help clients of all ages find ways to manage their lives better, maintain relationships, and find success. 

Some of the most common roadblocks that come with ADHD that you’ll help them overcome include:

• Setting goals
• Prioritizing tasks
• Organization
• Avoiding procrastination
• Maintaining focus
• Time management
• Problem-solving
• Self-regulation
• Increasing confidence and self-esteem

You can help clients with these things, regardless of whether they’ve been formally diagnosed with ADHD or not.

While ADHD coaching is technically a subsection of life coaching, it does require a heavy focus on ADHD. 

In other words, to be an ADHD coach, you will need to have specific ADHD-related knowledge and focus mainly on those with the disorder.

I want to point out that ADHD coaches aren’t psychiatrists. Psychiatrists are licensed medical professionals who diagnose and treat patients, while ADHD coaches don’t diagnose their clients and they primarily work with the symptoms of ADHD.  

We’ll talk about how to become a certified ADHD coach in the next section, so keep reading!

How do you become a certified ADHD coach?

At the end of the day, you don’t need to be a certified ADHD coach practitioner.  

What you need is the right experience and a proven method that gets results. 

But if you choose to get certified, I always recommend choosing an ADHD coach training program based on its accreditation.

The Professional Association of ADHD Coaches (PAAC) is a global organization considered to be the gold standard for credentialing in the ADHD coaching field. 

There’s also the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which is a well-known coaching federation. International Coach Federation is the organization that’s the closest to being an official coaching organization. 

Below, in no particular order, I’ve listed some of the best ADHD coaching certification programs you can participate in. 

(Note: I haven’t taken any of these ADHD coaching certifications myself. Instead, I am recommending them based on their reputation in the ADHD coaching space as well as public reviews.)

But before we get into those programs, let’s talk about how to choose one.

How to choose the best ADHD coaching certification program

Here are a few things to consider when selecting an ADHD coach certification program.

Accreditation

You can trust that any program accredited by the PAAC or ICF has been well-vetted and is well-respected. It’s the ultimate seal of approval and will give you more credibility.

Program cost

The cost of coaching certification programs always varies, so think about your budget.

As a rule of thumb, free programs aren’t worth the time you spend on them, so you can write them off.

But the program price depends on what you’re looking for. For instance, a mandatory certification will likely cost a bit more.

Course length

How much time do you want to spend getting qualified as an ADHD coach? 

If you’d rather do it quickly, choose a shorter course. But keep in mind that if you’d prefer to get real-world experience, most don’t include it.

Mode of learning and flexibility

Would you rather learn in person or remotely? What about sticking to a schedule or going at your own pace? 

Figure out what works best for your schedule.

With that, here are the best ADHD certification programs to become a professional ADHD coach.  

ADD Coach Academy (ADDCA)

The Basic ADHD & Life Coach Training Certification Program will give you a better understanding of ADHD, coaching fundamentals, and best business practices. Every teacher is a PAAC- or ICF-certified coach.

The course is comprised of three sections, each of which includes extensive modules such as Simply ADHD, Anatomy of a Coaching Practice, and Setting Up Your Coaching Business. 

The ADDCA is accredited by both the PAAC and the ICF. Advanced courses are also available.

Course length: 32 weeks (116 total hours)

Mode of delivery: Remote, live

Time frame: You’ll need to complete the certification application process within a year of your last session.

Cost: $6,135 USD. A payment plan is also available ($2,197 deposit and 7 monthly payments of $609).

Accreditation: PAAC and ICF

Features:

• Simply ADHD Course (21 hours)
• Personal Transformation (PT) Course (32 hours)
• Basic Coaching Skills Course (63 hours)

JST Coaching

JST’s Empowering Students Through Coaching course teaches coaches to help learners and students struggling with their ADHD. 

The course will teach you to create an environment that creates new opportunities for neurodiverse students and help them find ways to play on their strengths.

Modules include Neurodiversity Basics, Understanding the Brain, Strategies for Coaching Students vs. Adults, and Coaching College Students with ADHD.

The course includes 60 hours of live training, 20 hours of asynchronous training, and 10 hours of mentoring.

Course length: 30 weeks (90 total hours)

Mode of delivery: Remote, live (must have access to Zoom)

Cost: $7,895 USD. Payment plans are also available ($2,682 USD per month for 3 months or $1,366 USD per month for 6 months)

Accreditation: ICF

Features:

• Access to class recordings
• Permanent access to a resource library
• Listing in the JST Coach Finder
• Access to private Facebook and LinkedIn groups

iACTcenter

What makes the iACTcenter unique is its holistic approach to coaching those with ADHD. The course focuses on teaching coaches to coach the entire person (personal, professional, academic, and emotional components) rather than just focusing on their ADHD.

The program consists of 3 programs: Foundations of ADHD, Coaching Tools for Awareness & Change, and Essential Coach Skills and Competencies for the ADHD Life Coach. 

The course takes one year to complete.

Course length: One year

Mode of delivery: Remote, live

Cost: $8,700 USD. Payment plans are also available ($2,945 USD per month for 3 months, $1,495 USD per month for 6 months, or $770 per month for 12 months)

Accreditation: ICF

Features:

• 30+ hours of career development and business building
• Participation in the Graduate Accountability Program, including twice-monthly 90-minute Coaching Labs
• Access to a virtual Global Library
• A spot in the Coach Referral Network Program

With those certifications in mind, let’s talk about how to start your ADHD coaching business.

How do you start a business as an ADHD coach?

It’s true that all you need to be in order to find success as an ADHD coach is expertise, knowledge, and a proven methodology.

But in order to build and scale your business, you’ll need to do a bit of legwork. This includes bruising up on your knowledge, finding a niche, creating a package, marketing your services, and building a client roster.

You might be thinking, “Can I really build a successful ADHD coaching business without business experience?”

The answer is yes.

Not only have I built a multiple-six-figure coaching business, but I’ve helped dozens of clients build their own. 

And you can do it, too.

I’ll show you exactly how to do so right now. 

Become an ADHD expert

First, you need to be sure that you have the right knowledge, and it goes deeper than what’s standard for most life coaches.

Technically, there are no prerequisites needed to become a successful ADHD coach. You don’t need to have a specific degree or certification in order to practice.

But you do need to be an expert in all things ADHD and have a coaching process.  

That means understanding the different ways it shows up, how it impacts clients at different ages, the disorders it coexists with, and how treatment can be tailored to the individual.

Further, you’ll need to know the ways it affects those who have been diagnosed, as well as their caregivers.

This includes:

• Chronic stress
• Sleep problems
• Employment difficulties
• Communication problems
• Lack of empathy
• Interpersonal problems

For this kind of understanding, you’ll need to have direct experience working with clients who have ADHD.

Why is this important?

Because a deep understanding and knowledge of ADHD will allow you to create a proven method that will help your clients get the results they want. 

Find your ADHD coaching niche

To find success as an ADHD coach, it’s essential to find a profitable niche.

Sure, ADHD coaching is a niche on its own. 

But if you want to stand out as an ADHD coach, you’ll want to be more specific about what you can bring to the table.

To find your niche, think about your experience. Who do you help, and how do you help them?

Maybe you’ve battled ADHD your entire life and, as an employee, have found an effective way to concentrate on your workload without medication. That’s a niche.

Or you’ve come up with a way to teach parents to alter their parenting style for a young child with ADHD. That’s also a niche!

Specializing in a specific audience, such as executives with ADHD who want to improve their executive functioning skills, is also a niche.

Other niches include:

• Helping people communicate with ADHD-diagnosed partners
• Showing entrepreneurs how to manage business and ADHD
• Assisting middle-aged individuals newly diagnosed with ADHD

If you’re having trouble nailing down your niche, here are the 100 most profitable niches for you.

Before you choose your niche, remember that some niches require certification. Be sure to brush up on those.

Create an ADHD coaching package 

There are a few ways to price your ADHD coaching sessions:

Per session, meaning that clients pay at the end of every session. 

But this approach makes your clients think that your value as a coach lies only in the time you spend with them, and that’s not true.

Per month, which means that your clients are on a retainer contract that they pay for each month.

However, boundaries are more challenging to set with this pricing model, and it isn’t as results-focused.

Finally, per package, which is what I always recommend to new coaches.

When you charge per package, your clients pay for a specific package, such as three or six months. This means that your coaching and pricing are results-oriented. 

I talk about packages more in this video:

But how do you price your package?

I always say that $1,500 for a 3-month package (including two monthly calls and an additional line of communication) is suitable for new coaches. 

Remember, you can always raise these prices as you sign more clients.

This article will teach you more about creating and pricing your ADHD coaching package. 

Market your ADHD coaching business

Once you’ve nailed down your niche and priced your services, you’re ready to launch your ADHD coaching business!

First, you have to get a paying client.

There are a few ways to do it:

Reach out to your network.

Your network of friends, family, and coworkers already know and trust you.

So why not reach out and offer your services as an ADHD coach? 

I know this might feel awkward or intimidating at first, but it’s one of the easiest ways to get your first client. Trust me – it’s how I landed my first clients!

Get active on social media.

Check out Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit to find communities relevant to your niche. 

For instance, there are dozens of related subreddits with thousands of users, including r/ADHD_partners,r/adhdwomen, and r/ADHD.

Don’t advertise your services right off the bat. Instead, join the conversation and focus only on offering as much value as possible at first.

Finally, write guest posts and get featured on podcasts.

This is one of the easiest ways to establish yourself as an expert in the space.

Focus just on one of these strategies for now. You can branch out when you’ve got a growing client roster.

You can learn more about how to market your coaching business in this guide.

Are you curious about how much you’ll earn as an ADHD coach? We’ll talk about it in the next section.

How much do ADHD coaches earn?

On average, ADHD coaches in the US earn a salary of $74,200 per year.

But remember, that’s just the average salary. The truth is, there’s no limit to how much you can make as an ADHD coach. 

In fact, most coaches make $100,000 or more each year. 

It all depends on you as a coach. Several factors, including things like your niche, number of clients, and package rate, will all play into your salary.

Next steps

There you have it! Everything you need to find success as an ADHD coach in 2024.

Regardless of whether you choose to get certified or not, you can build an ADHD coaching business that will replace your 9-5. 

And you don’t have to hustle, day in and day out, to do it. 

I’ll show you how to build a six-figure ADHD coaching business in this free guide:

Read more:

The Definitive Starting a Coaching Business Checklist

How to Create a Coaching Business Plan

How to Brand Your Coaching Business