The ADHD (Adult) Child
If you told me in my teens/early 20s that my Mom would be joining a business I created, I probably would have giggled at the thought. Or, better yet, have had something sassy to say in response to your implication that I needed or wanted her help with anything (hello Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria + maybe a little bit of adolescent angst)!
Fortunately for me, that same Mom is the one who took me to Dr. Edward Hallowell’s office to get diagnosed with ADHD when I was 24 years old.
By that point, I had gotten through high school and college; mostly flying under the radar by doing well in school, being an athlete and finding (unsustainable and sometimes unhealthy) ways to cope with my ADHD symptoms. In the background, my Mom was always there trying to advocate and help others recognize that I needed support- even though I seemed fine overall, even great at times to the outside world.
Behind the scenes I was struggling with emotional dysregulation, poor executive functioning skills, and impulsivity.
Dr. Hallowell saw right through my ADHD masking and compensatory behaviors. It was jarring to be so seen, but also a tremendous relief!
One of the biggest takeaways my Mom got that day was that ADHD children, and adult children, need more support and scaffolding to succeed than the average person. And, that we also need a lot of praise, encouragement and validation. So began our journey as an ADHD family, and eventually as budding professionals in the ADHD world, to figure out how to provide practical support in a way that feels empowering and confidence-building, instead of feeling discouraging and as if you are “constantly nagging” as younger Olivia would put it.
Fast forward to today, almost a decade later: My Mom, the lovely Linda York Chance-who is a retired Pediatrician and one of my absolute favorite people-is joining my ADHD/Executive Function Coaching business. She is extremely knowledgeable about ADHD, including the unique experience of raising ADHD children and navigating relationships with ADHDers.
I like to think I turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. I guess that makes me a good testament to Linda’s passion and skill at supporting ADHDers. A big thank you to my Mom for always being in my corner.
I am excited to work together to coach ADHDers, ADHD parents/families and their support networks. I believe we are an example of how sparkly and joyful relationships & life can become once you harness the strengths and navigate the challenges of ADHD!
