Coaching Neurodivergent Musicians

Near the beginning of every coaching call, I’m going to explicitly ask you what your coaching topic is. In a longer-term coaching relationship, we’ll discuss your overall coaching goals and check in about them regularly. We’ll reflect on what’s happened between sessions, celebrate your wins, and note how your intentions may have shifted. My fellow perfectionists, please note that this reflection is neutral and nonjudgemental - you cannot “fail” coaching, and I promise I will never attempt to cajole you to “just try harder” (ew). Whether or not you did what you intended to do, there is so much learning here.

I’m going to ask you to define what success means for each coaching session. Success can be wildly different each session Sometimes success is something tangible, like getting an overwhelming to-do list whittled down to your top 3 priorities. Sometimes success is something intangible, like generating new insights into why you always procrastinate on (insert least favorite task here), even after you’ve tried all the things to stop procrastinating! Sometimes success is somewhere in the messy middle, like discovering your own strengths and how you can leverage them to create out-of-the-box solutions for your out-of-the-box life.

We’ll explore the context of your coaching topic - what’s making this important right now, and how does this relate to your overall goals and our learning so far. Throughout the session, it’s my job as coach to “steer the ship” and keep the session focused on your agenda so that you can get the most out of coaching. We’ll discuss your communication style and I’ll give you lots of space to talk - verbal processors are welcome here! You don’t have to worry about keeping track of the time, getting lost in a tangent, forgetting what you’re saying midsentence, or even forgetting your original topic midway through the session - I’ve got you.

During our conversation, you might notice I’m taking a lot of notes. I’m using the skills I’ve practiced in coach training - 17 and counting - to listen for clues and connections, to ask questions that invite you to explore, and to help you hear yourself more clearly. Along the way, you’ll discover insights about your coaching topic, and about yourself. We’ll use these insights to “design an action” - in other words, you’ll set an intention to do something differently, based on what you’ve learned in the session. This is why coaching works - the insights and intentions are all yours, and all of our learning is grounded in action. I’m just a resource.

There is a saying in coaching that the client is “naturally creative, resourceful, and whole.” I believe this with every fiber of my being. The best solutions for you will come from you, but that doesn’t mean you have to reinvent the wheel. Understanding your neurodivergence (diagnosed or not) and your particular areas of strength gives you an empowered place to start. As your coach, I’ll use my understanding of neurodivergent conditions and executive dysfunction to help you explore the challenges that are showing up for you. We’ll explore the big picture of what has you stuck, and I’ll help you identify and access the resources and supports that will give your brand new intentions their best chance of success.