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Life Coaching & ADHD Coaching For Creative Professionals

What is coaching?

Coaching gives you time, space, and a trained partner who will help explore how you THINK, how you DO, and how you FEEL in ways that can get you unstuck and propel you forward so you can move forward and grow.

Coaching is pragmatic.

The type of coaching I do has solid roots in psychology and neuroscience, has been scientifically researched and shown to be a highly effective tool. It can be kind of like therapy, but is not therapy. Coaching emphasizes strengths and stays focused on the present and future. It’s something people may use to grow a business, stick to health and fitness goals, make career decisions, improve their relationships or a myriad of other goal-directed activities.

Coaching is deep.

I think of the coaching process as though you an explorer and I am your wilderness guide. You decide what you want to discover on the journey and assemble the resources you need to head into the unknown. The more fears you are willing to face, dragons you are willing to slay and distances you are willing to go, the greater the adventure and the potential rewards.

As your guide, I point out the flora and fauna that may signal possible paths to what you seek. As your adventure companion, I encourage you onward and offer respite when things get really hard.

Coaching is an adventure.

We are exploring the neural pathways of your brain. We will cut off the ones that don’t serve who you want to be, and will open up new ones until the network is humming in harmony and you are the founder of the new world you wanted for yourself.

A professional woman sits at her desk, smiling

In coaching, you’ll move from:

Burnt out to Energized

Overwhelmed to In Control

Frustrated to Encouraged

Confused to Clear

Uninspired to Lit Up

Underperforming to Excelling

Stagnant to Reaching Your Full Potential

  • ALICE NEARY + MARKETING CONSULTANT

    “When I started coaching with Summer, I was dealing with overwhelm and imposter syndrome working for myself for the first time. I tried traditional therapy but found it did not touch enough on my daily struggles as an ADHD entrepreneur. I wanted to invest in myself and my business. Summer's coaching really helped me navigate the underlying emotions - I was getting in my own way! She helped me break through my work-related mental blocks and to find joy and celebrate the small wins along the way. If you are feeling stuck or feel like you have potential to grow in your career, services or elsewhere, Summer can help you uncover your potential. I recommend her absolutely!”

  • MATT S.

    "I started working with Summer as a grad student, while working full time, starting a business, moving, and beginning a relationship. My ADHD symptoms (and anxiety) were at their highest and I needed help with my time management skills, sleep, and emotional regulation. She listened and shared helpful techniques that empowered me to gain control of everything on my plate. Coaching with Summer was worth it!”

  • HOLLY S.

    "I was new to coaching and I can happily report that my experience with Summer far exceeded what I thought was possible. Summer is sincere and non-judgemental. Each session identified meaningful opportunities for change and growth. If you’re on the fence about coaching or are looking for a new coach, I highly recommend working with Summer.”

  • JOLA CORA + ACTRESS + WRITER

    "Summer has an incredible gift. She allowed me to open myself, free my thoughts and bring such clarity to my life. She is so present, supportive and soothing; I strongly recommend her, she truly is a magician.”

  • THERESA F.

    “Summer is a truly gifted coach. Her calm demeanor and compassionate questions really helped me to see my issues with better clarity. I was able to develop and commit to workable solutions for several areas of my life, professional as well as personal wellness. I would definitely recommend coaching with Summer as a valuable investment in yourself, and I know from experience that personal change always affects the rest of our relationships. Summer can work with you to achieve your goals.”

  • MORGAN PHILLIPS + PHOTOGRAPHER

    As a professional photographer, losing the desire to create was devastating, thankfully someone recommended Summer to me. Summer helped me find my creative groove again after I went through a hard time. Her knowledge about my neurodivergence and being a creative person was the perfect combination to get me going again. I truly couldn’t recommend her enough to anyone needing to get back in the swing of things!

As a professional coach, I help my clients develop strategies to work through:

  • Deadlines 

  • Decisions

  • Disorganization

  • Unfinished projects

  • Overwork and overwhelm 

  • Relationships 

  • Impostor syndrome

  • Self-esteem issues 

  • Anxiety 

The coaching journey is unique for each of my clients.

Your path might include…

  • Putting some effective structure in place

  • Building healthy habits

  • Finding ways to get a handle on your emotions so you stop feeling steamrolled by them

  • Realizing that how you’re doing something is actually working for you after all

  • Discovering what lights you up

  • Figuring out what you really kick ass at

  • Communicating your thoughts, feelings and needs to others

Whichever roads your adventure takes you on, real success for a Scattered Creative means fully OWNING both your challenges and your strengths.

Once you reach that place of ownership, you will feel more:

  • Confident

  • Competent

  • Engaged

  • Fulfilled

…living a life that is rich in meaning, purpose, positive emotion, and proud achievements.

Summer Varde looks confidently head, with her hands on her hips
An architect goes over some plans on her desk

What is ADHD Coaching?

ADHD Coaching also addresses the specific needs of ADHD. As a trained ADHD coach (and a person with ADHD), I get that ADHD brains are wired differently and I coach with that in mind. I know that those differences can take a toll on your relationships, emotions and your self-esteem.

ADHD coaching opens up ADHD-specific topics like medication, working with health-care providers, accommodations, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, trying to “mask” as normal, as well as the impairments to time management, organization and emotional regulation that come with the condition.

When you were handed your diagnosis, you probably hunted the internet for some tips and tricks as well as information…you may have even read a book or two. Coaching goes way beyond this stuff. It is personalized to you and aims to go beyond your symptoms into the root cause of the problem.

Life
Coaching

…helps you sort out and prioritize that mess of ideas, projects, deadlines, responsibilities & emotions so that you can:

  • Recover from burnout and overwhelm

  • Make progress on goals

  • Get back the spark you once had 

  • Know and use your strengths

  • Evolve your relationships

  • Meet your potential


    Together, we’ll close the gap between the now you and a more fulfilled, healthy, accomplished, confident, and positive you.

ADHD
Coaching

…is life coaching with the unique ADHD brain in mind. Once you:

  • Understand your unique brain wiring

  • Separate your self from your symptoms 

  • Replace those built-up negative messages with more helpful ones 

  • Put the right kind of structure into place

  • Get your environment to work for you

  • Make the mundane more interesting


You will be able to finally do what you know you ought to do. Self-compassion and confidence will be easier - transforming how you show up in every aspect of your life.

Summer Varde smiles and looks to the side on a sunny beach

Here’s why I might be the right coach for you:

ADHD brains are wired differently, and I’ll be coaching with that in mind.

I have ADHD myself, so I really get it! Together, we’ll machete through your ADHD jungle and clear a path so you can feel significantly less anxious and overwhelmed.

Does anxiety and overwhelm ever 100% go away? 

Let’s be real—who lives a full life without feeling overwhelmed or anxious from time to time? These are normal emotions.

The trick is to not suffer from intense feelings or situations long-term.

When you learn the right tools and coping skills for your unique brain and life variables, you can lift yourself out of challenging times more quickly. As your coach, I’ll guide and support you as you learn new ways of moving forward with more ease, calm, and joy. 

Do you work with people who don’t have ADHD?

Absolutely!

If you have a creative brain (but don’t have an ADHD diagnosis), you might benefit from working with an ADHD-trained coach.

Here are some things you may be frustrated about:

  • You suck at time management and logistical stuff

  • You can’t find a good balance between the structure you need to stay on track and the creative flow that makes you look up and say “where did the last three hours go?”

  • You have too many ideas – so many that you often feel paralyzed about where to start

  • You get easily (and happily) pulled down rabbit holes that gobble up precious time and energy

A professional photographer smiles and looks relieved

My coaching approach:

I use evidence-based techniques from:

✱ Positive psychology
✱ Behavioral science
✱ Neuroscience
✱ Mindfulness

Throughout the process, you’ll get insights and guidance along with take-action takeaways to help you make changes in your life you haven’t been able to do on your own.

Coaching with me is enlightening, challenging, empowering, and fun!