"ADHD is a feature of who you are — not your whole identity."

"When we started I was spinning the wheel looking for a sense of feeling valued — often in the wrong places. I was masking more than I realised, and a lot of my behaviours were protective in ways that weren't actually serving me.

The first breakthrough was identifying the activities that genuinely help me regulate — climbing, drawing, social connection — and understanding the role they play in maintaining balance. From there I could start making better decisions about where to put my energy, rather than constantly chasing the feeling of being useful to others.

At work, the shift was equally practical. I learned to seek out meaningful tasks rather than busywork, and to let curiosity drive my focus. I also found a new way to handle frustration — instead of staying silent and letting resentment build, I started expressing my thoughts openly, without always needing a specific outcome. Speaking up became part of how I process, and it gave me back a sense of agency I hadn't realised I'd lost.

The broader reframe that's stuck with me is this: ADHD is a feature of who you are, not your whole identity. Having someone in the room who could clearly distinguish between what was ADHD-related and what wasn't made an enormous difference — and Jason's own experience meant I didn't have to explain the basics before getting to what actually mattered.

I feel more confident in my coping strategies and considerably less anxious. I can make progress on goals that once felt out of reach, and I have a clearer sense of what I want — from work and from life more broadly.

If you're considering coaching, go in as open and honest as you can, and be prepared to be challenged. What you think you want and what you actually need aren't always the same thing. That gap is where the real work happens."

— Dan, IT Leader