ADHD + AuDHD Coaching | Workplace Needs Assessments | Consultancy
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are the questions I get asked most often. If there's something you can't find here, feel free to get in touch directly. I'm always happy to have a conversation before you commit to anything.
About ADHD/AuDHD Coaching
Do I need a formal diagnosis to work with you?
No. A significant number of the people I work with are undiagnosed, awaiting assessment, or self-identifying as neurodivergent. You don't need a piece of paper to deserve support.
What matters is that you're experiencing real challenges and you're curious about understanding them better. That's enough to start.
How is coaching different from therapy?
Therapy typically focuses on the past, exploring why you feel and think the way you do and working through emotional or psychological difficulties. It's valuable work and I'd never suggest it isn't.
Coaching is different. It's present and future focused. We start from where you are now and work out what would actually help, practically and practically. We're not unpacking your history. We're building tools and strategies for your real life.
The two can absolutely work alongside each other, and many of my clients are in therapy at the same time as coaching. They're different things that do different jobs.
How is ADHD coaching different from regular life coaching?
ADHD coaching is specifically designed around how a neurodivergent brain works. It accounts for things like executive function differences, time blindness, emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitive dysphoria, and the impact of years of masking and self blame.
Generic life coaching tends to assume a neurotypical brain. A lot of standard advice and productivity frameworks simply don't work for ADHD brains, and a coach who doesn't understand that can do more harm than good.
Everything I do is built around neurodivergence. That's the difference.
Is coaching just for women?
Not at all. Around 40% of my coaching clients are men, and I also work with non-binary individuals. ADHD doesn't look one way and support shouldn't either.
There's a common misconception that coaching requires you to be comfortable talking about your feelings or that it's primarily a female space. In practice, coaching is practical and problem focused. You don't need a particular communication style or prior experience of support. You just need to be honest about what isn't working.
If you've been wondering whether coaching is really for you, it probably is. The best way to find out is a free 30 minute call with no obligation.
Do I have to have tried other support first?
No. You can come to coaching at any point in your journey. Whether you've just been diagnosed, you've been in therapy for years, or you've never accessed any support before, there's no prerequisite.
What if I'm on an NHS waiting list for assessment?
You don't have to wait. Coaching is available now, regardless of where you are in the diagnosis process.
In fact, coaching while you wait can be really valuable. It helps you understand how your brain works in the meantime, build practical strategies, and arrive at your assessment with a much clearer picture of your own experience.
How long does coaching take?
That depends on what you're working on and what you need.
A one off Power Session is 90 minutes and useful for focusing on a specific challenge. The 6 week package is a good starting point for building practical tools and understanding. The 12 week package is the one I recommend most, as it gives us time to go deeper and build sustainable strategies around your actual life.
Many people choose to continue beyond their initial package with top up sessions. Others feel ready to go it alone after 12 weeks. There's no pressure either way.
Can coaching be funded through Access to Work?
Yes, in many cases. Access to Work is a government grant scheme that can fund coaching for people whose neurodivergent condition affects their ability to work. It's available to both employed and self employed people, and you don't always need a formal diagnosis to apply.
I offer a dedicated 30 minute Access to Work support session for £25 if you'd like help navigating the application process.
You can find more information in the Resources section of this website, or feel free to ask me about it when we chat.
Will my employer know I'm having coaching?
If you're funding coaching privately or through Access to Work yourself, there's no reason your employer needs to know unless you choose to tell them.
If your employer is funding coaching directly, they would be involved in that arrangement. But the content of our sessions is always confidential.
Do you work in person or online?
All sessions are delivered remotely via video call. This means I work with clients across the UK and internationally.
About Workplace Needs Assessments
What exactly is a Workplace Needs Assessment?
A Workplace Needs Assessment is a confidential, structured process that looks at how your neurodivergent condition is affecting your experience at work, and identifies what practical adjustments would help you do your job well and sustainably.
It results in a written report with tailored recommendations that you can use to support a conversation with your employer, submit as part of an Access to Work application, or simply refer to yourself as a practical guide.
It isn't a performance review. It isn't a judgement of your capability. It's practical support designed around how you work best.
Will having a Workplace Needs Assessment affect my job security?
This is one of the most common concerns I hear, and it's completely understandable given how many neurodivergent adults have spent years worried about being seen as less capable.
Under the Equality Act 2010, neurodivergent conditions are recognised as disabilities in many cases, which means employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments. Asking for support is exercising a right, not admitting a weakness.
A Workplace Needs Assessment gives you something concrete and professionally written to work with. It reframes the conversation from "I'm struggling" to "here's what would help me do my job well." That changes things significantly.
Does my employer have to agree to a WNA?
Your employer doesn't legally have to commission a WNA, but if your condition is covered under the Equality Act they do have a duty to consider reasonable adjustments. A WNA is the practical way of establishing what those adjustments should be.
If you're unsure how to approach this conversation with your employer, that's something I can help you prepare for.
Who pays for a Workplace Needs Assessment?
This depends on your situation. Options include:
Your employer funding it directly as part of their duty to make reasonable adjustments. Access to Work funding it as part of a grant award. You funding it privately.
If you're unsure which applies to your situation, feel free to get in touch and we can work it out together.
What conditions do you assess for?
I'm qualified to conduct Workplace Needs Assessments for ADHD, AuDHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and ADD.
How long does a WNA take?
The assessment itself involves an initial conversation about your role and experience, followed by a separate conversation with your line manager if appropriate. The written report is typically turned around within a reasonable timeframe after the assessment is complete.
If you have a specific deadline, for example for an Access to Work application, please let me know at the start and I'll do my best to accommodate it.
What happens after the WNA report is produced?
That's entirely up to you. The report belongs to you and you decide what to do with it.
Most people use it to have a conversation with their employer about reasonable adjustments, submit it as part of an Access to Work application, or keep it as a personal reference for what actually helps them work well.
If you'd like support using the report or having the employer conversation, I can help with that too.
About Anna and How Everything Works
What are your qualifications?
I'm a certified ADHD coach trained by ADHD Works, an OCN Level 5 qualified Workplace Needs Assessor, and CIPD Level 5 qualified in HR Management. I'm also a member of the Institute of Leadership and Management, and I'm fully insured and DBS checked.
I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism in my 40s, which means I bring both professional qualifications and lived experience to everything I do.
Where are you based and who do you work with?
I'm based in the UK and work with clients entirely remotely, which means I work with people across the UK and internationally. There are no geographic restrictions on who I can work with.
I'm not sure whether I need coaching or a WNA. How do I know which is right for me?
That's a really common question and the honest answer is that sometimes people need both, sometimes one, and sometimes it becomes clear once we've had a conversation.
Broadly speaking, coaching is for people who want one to one personal support with understanding how their brain works and building practical strategies for their life. A WNA is specifically focused on the workplace and results in a formal written report with recommendations.
The easiest thing to do is book a free 30 minute call. We'll work it out together.
What if I'm nervous about getting in touch?
That's completely normal. A lot of the people I work with felt exactly the same before they reached out.
You don't need to have the right words. You don't need to know exactly what you're looking for. You don't need to have any prior experience of coaching or support.
A free 30 minute call is just a conversation. There's no obligation, no pressure and no expectation that you'll know all the answers before we speak. That's what the call is for.
Do you offer a free consultation?
Yes. A free 30 minute call is available for anyone considering coaching or a WNA. It's a relaxed conversation about what you're looking for, how I work, and whether we're a good fit. No sales pitch, no pressure.
"Neurodivergence is a different operating system, not a broken one."
- Dr Devon Price