What's Your White Pebble Story?

What’s a White Pebble Story?

Remember the story of Hansel and Gretel who found their way out of the dark, unknown forest following one white pebble after the other? Well, for many, the road to discovering ADHD coaching and possibly becoming a certified ADHD life coach is like that journey home. And, it’s only when reflecting back, that you recognize the white pebbles that marked your progress…the steps, choices, decisions, and milestones that led you right to this place.

Like most white pebble stories, you may not know you’re even on a journey of discovery. Nor the twists, turns, and even dead ends you might encounter that will unknowingly keep you moving closer and closer to your destination. You are simply following your heart, intuition, and interests to the next opportunity and the next. It’s as if you are looking for something…well…something different anyway…something more…but you are not entirely clear about what that will be, and yet, you trust you will know and recognize the end point when you arrive. For some, this journey may take only months, however for most it is discovered only after many years of searching.

Along my white pebble journey to becoming an ADHD Life Coach, I followed my innate interest in people and relationships. I finished undergraduate degrees in both nursing and psychology. I was a college instructor and earned my master’s degree as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner…white pebble…white pebble…white pebble.

Then my son, Blake, was diagnosed with ADHD and I felt completely helpless as to how to help him.

And I realized if I was feeling that way…someone who had a background, expertise, and rigorous training in mental health…what was everyone else experiencing?

Searching for answers in various books and resources, following potential opportunities and support for all of us as a family, I can look back and see pebble after white pebble being laid down, all leading me to that missing piece…ADHD life coaching.

Now as a trained certified ADHD life coach, I am aware that my purpose is to spread the truth about ADHD around the world and empower people with ADHD by reminding them of their innate awesomeness.

I have written several books. One has been translated into Spanish, and another is currently being translated into Turkish.

At each step a white pebble was laid down.

Over the past 15 years I have sat on almost every ADHD resource board out there, including as a founding board member of the ADHD Coaches Organization (ACO), CHADD’s Parent Advisory Board, ADDA’s telesummit board, ADDResources, TotallyADD and I write for Attention and ADDitude Magazines.

White pebble, white pebble, white pebble.

I have spoken nationally and internationally on the topics of ADHD and coaching. Basically, I think it’s safe to say…that if an opportunity arises to help someone understand more about ADHD — I am in!

Then when I started training and mentoring emerging coaches eight years ago, I laid down more white pebbles, which led me to being a coaching instructor.

Oh…something important about white pebble stories…at times there will be places on the journey where you come upon a fork in the road. You might remember these as times when you had to make a difficult choice because you couldn’t walk two paths at once. This can be a very scary and challenging moment on our journey because it means leaving a path we are familiar with, our pebbles having shown us the way, and stepping onto an unknown path…that seems full of possibility.

I really loved being an instructor for the ADHD coach training school. I was teaching people about ADHD coaching and helping them master the unique skills and competencies of being a coach. I had learned exactly what it took to mentor coaches to confidently pass their credentialing exams and taught them from my experience as an entrepreneur how to make a living while making a difference.

And then came that fork in the road…

Students told me they wanted more from their training. They wanted to learn about coaching students, families, parents, and groups. They wanted a more holistic approach where they were taught about ADHD treatments, co-existing conditions, the impact of diet, exercise and sleep on ADHD and more about the ADHD experience across the lifespan. They wanted to know about specific ADHD accommodations, about ADHD in different cultures, about the emotions of ADHD, how to build a coaching business without reinventing the wheel, and they wanted to be part of a strong ADHD coaching community.

So, standing at that fork in the road I did the only next thing I could…I stepped onto this new unknown path, the one that was full of new opportunities…laid down a rather big white pebble and opened the International ADHD Coach Training Center (IACTCenter).

Using my experience from all those previous years training emerging ADHD coaches, I tapped into my unique expertise in the medical, neurocognitive, entrepreneurial and coaching professions and designed the IACTCenter to include all of the best bits that worked and added in all that students had been asking for.

The result? The most advanced and comprehensive ADHD coach training program currently available, one that truly prepares you to become a confident, competent and compassionate coach so you can work in the real world of ADHD and make a living making a difference.

Now… I ask you to reflect on your white pebble journey to reading this blog…

Do you remember when ADHD came into your life?

For most ADHD life coaches that happened when either they or someone they love were diagnosed with ADHD. Is that true for you? Are you or someone you love diagnosed with ADHD?

How many white pebbles have you laid down searching for and reading books about ADHD? How many hours have you spent online trying to find the answers? What career or professions have you had previous to discovering ADHD or coaching?

White pebbles typically also mark the classes, courses, people, groups, even conferences you attended trying to learn as much as you could about ADHD. Each answer and piece of information, lead you further and further along the path. Each step marked with a white pebble.

Let me ask you…could you have anticipated a year ago reading this blog curious about this profession called ADHD life coaching?

And if someone had asked you if one day you would be considering becoming an ADHD life coach might you have even said, “Never in a million years!”

Yet, here you are, perhaps feeling like this is exactly where you are meant to end up even though at one time you never knew it existed.

Discovering there is a profession to help yourself and others better manage their ADHD challenges…definitely a white pebble milestone!!!

I’m thrilled you are reading this blog and I’m hoping it will become one of your white pebbles along your journey!

If you are considering becoming an ADHD life coach I’d be honored to tell you more about the IACTCenter. If not, I hope this helps you step onto the next path right for you.