The Diagnosis Was Just the Beginning: Why ADHD Education Comes First
When I was first diagnosed with ADHD, I didn’t really learn about it.
I took the meds. I kept working late. I kept saying yes when I needed to say I need a break. I masked. I pushed. I powered through.
I told myself ADHD was no big deal, because I really didn’t think it was. It was something little boys had when they couldn’t sit still in class. I didn’t see myself in that narrative, so I didn’t dig deeper. My ego immediately jumped in and said, “Don’t let this define you.”
So, I kept going until I couldn’t anymore.
The Wake-Up Call
Fast forward about 10 years (gulp): the world shut down, I was pregnant with my daughter, Frankie, and suddenly every system I’d built to “hold it together” completely fell apart. Not a slow-drip-you-can-see-coming kinda leak, more like Niagara Falls fell apart.
The emotional dysregulation. (over-the-top screaming at my husband for not loading the dishwasher)
The brain swirl. (Ugh, am I cut out for this job or even career if I can’t get through one simple presentation without forgetting what I’m trying to say?!)
The paralyzing overwhelm when I had too much to do (which was... always).
Everything became impossible to ignore.
That was the moment I realized: ADHD wasn’t a footnote in my story — it was a major character. And I’d been trying to manage it without actually understanding it. Even worse, I wasn’t managing it at all; I straight up ignored it.
There’s a saying we used in coaching school that always stuck with me:
“The pills don’t build the skills.”
Cringy? Yes.
But real? Also yes. Absolutely. 100%
What I Wish I’d Known
If I could go back to that newly diagnosed version of myself, I wouldn’t start with medication or planners or productivity hacks or apps. I’d start with education. Real, compassionate, de-shaming education about how my brain actually works — and how that affects the way I think, feel, connect, experience, and move through the world. I’d also tell myself to let that ego go…or at least ask it why it got so defensive with this diagnosis - what were my instincts trying to tell me?
Because once you understand your brain, you can start building a life that actually works for it.
That’s the foundation. That’s the shift. That’s the part so many of us skip — and end up paying for later.
🌊 The Wavy Brain Framework
That realization eventually became the root of the work I do now, and it’s the heart of how I collaborate with my clients:
Learn about ADHD & Neurodiversity as a whole
Build cognitive empathy and understand the bigger picture behind how neurodivergent brains work.Define your own brand of Wavy Brain
Increase self-awareness around your unique wiring. Your strengths, challenges, needs, values, processing modalities, sensory needs, motivators, energy drivers, energy drainers…Cultivate self-compassion + real-world strategies
Let go of perfectionism and “shoulds” so you can move forward in a way that actually works for you.
Any of this sound familiar-ish?
If you’re newly diagnosed, swirling in overwhelm, or trying to understand a loved one’s experience, this is for you.
It’s called ADHD 101, and it’s a two-session starter to help you learn the foundational parts of how ADHD works, what it means for your life, and where to go next.
🧠 You’ll walk away with insight, clarity, a digital workbook, and a lot less shame.
If you’re curious about coaching down the line, it’s the perfect on-ramp.
👉 Learn more or book your session here.
Whether you’re just starting out or circling back to fill in some gaps — I see you.
This foundational work matters. And it’s never too late to begin again — this time, with a little more compassion.
**image from Gia Oris on Unsplash
