ADHD coaching in the UK: what it is and what it costs

What ADHD coaching is

A coach works with you on the practical stuff: how you plan, start, organise, prioritise and follow through. The aim is to find ways of working that suit how your brain works, rather than forcing yourself into systems built for someone else.

Most people come to coaching when they know what they should be doing but can't make themselves do it, or when too much is held in their head and things keep getting dropped.

What ADHD coaching isn't

• It isn't a diagnosis. Only a psychiatrist or specialist clinician can diagnose ADHD.
• It isn't medication. A coach can't prescribe, and shouldn't advise you on medication.
• It isn't therapy. Coaching looks forward at what you do next. If you're dealing with anxiety, depression or trauma, a qualified therapist is the right person, and coaching can sit alongside that.

What happens in a session

With me, the first session is a brain dump: everything that's stressing you, everything you're worried about, and what you want things to look like. We get it out of your head and start putting it in order. The second is the game plan: what's realistic, what comes first, habits that stick, and how to move from reacting to everything to working ahead of it without tipping into burnout.

Other coaches work differently. Some run weekly hour-long sessions for three to six months. Some are more structured, some more conversational. It's worth asking how a coach works before you book.

How much ADHD coaching costs in the UK

Private ADHD coaching in the UK usually costs somewhere between £50 and £200 a session. Most experienced ADHD coaches charge roughly £80 to £150 for an hour. Packages of six to twelve sessions are common, often at a small discount.

The charity ADHD UK keeps a directory of UK coaches with their prices, which is a good place to compare.

What I charge, and why it's different

My starting point is £750 for two 90-minute sessions, held back to back or a day or two apart. That's more per hour than most ADHD coaches, and I'd rather be upfront about why.

• Fewer, longer sessions. Three focused hours close together gets most people unstuck faster than an hour a week spread over months.
• Business experience. I've built and run businesses myself, including an open-air cinema company that grew to more than 40 locations. A lot of my clients run their own businesses, and the problems are often operational as much as personal.
• I have ADHD. You won't spend half the session explaining what it feels like.

If you want to keep going afterwards, there's monthly support at £1,000 a month for a weekly session, or £2,800 for three months booked together. Both include an hour a month of body doubling. If a cheaper coach is a better fit for you, I'll tell you.

Do you need a diagnosis?

No. Coaching helps with focus, organisation and follow-through whether or not you have a diagnosis. Plenty of people come to coaching while they're on a waiting list, or because they recognise the patterns and want help now.

How to choose an ADHD coach

• Ask how they work: how long sessions are, how often, and what happens between them.
• Ask whether they have lived experience of ADHD, or specific training, or both.
• Check they'll tell you plainly if something needs a doctor or therapist rather than a coach.
• Have a short chat first. If you don't feel comfortable talking to them, it won't work.

More guides

• ADHD coach vs therapist vs counsellor: which do you need?
• Running a business with ADHD: what goes wrong and what helps
• Body doubling: what it is and how to try it
• ADHD overwhelm and burnout: signs and what helps