Most ADHD coaches will offer a free “discovery call” (this is the most common name you might see, though I tend to call mine “initial chats”, which we’ll get to my reasoning for in a bit - some other names are “chemistry call” or “consult”) before you start working with them.
There is a good reason for this - there is evidence to suggest that one of the absolute most important factors in coaching is how you get on with your coach, so it’s important to get a sense of this before you invest any time and money into the process of coaching. A good vibe is evidence-based here!
Discovery calls can be very short - 15 minutes or so - or longer. I book mine in for 45 minutes, which I think is on the longer side of average - we won’t always use the full time, but I find it can be nice to give the conversation lots of space so you won’t feel rushed to make a decision. But everyone is different!
What a discovery call/initial chat is for
There are a few priorities in this first meeting:
- To see how you and the coach get on with each other (that’s the “evidence-based vibe” I mentioned!)
- To see if coaching is the right place to bring the things you’d like to address and/or explore
- For you to ask any questions you have about coaching, about the way the coach works, or about the coach (as a professional or as a person!)
How to prepare for a discovery call/initial chat
Firstly: you don’t need to prepare anything if you don’t want to, or don’t have the capacity/time/energy to. A good ADHD coach will know how to guide the conversation anyway.
If you do want to prepare a little, you might want to think about things like:
- What made you consider coaching now?
- What would you like to change or grow or learn or build on in coaching?
- What would you like to know about the coach, or how they work?
- What would you like to know about ADHD coaching/neurodiversity coaching/AuDHD coaching?
- Is there anything you’re worried about, or any “non-negotiables” you have for working with a coach?
Otherwise, all you need to bring is yourself.
What happens in a discovery call/initial chat?
All coaches are a bit different, but I can certainly speak for myself!
Once we’ve said hi and I’ve let you know how our call will be structured, I’ll usually ask you a big question like “what brings you here?” to get a sense of what has led up to you coming (and if that one’s too big to answer, you can let me know and I’ll scope it down!).
I’ll ask you questions to help you figure out what’s feeling challenging and what you’d like to work on, even if you aren’t sure exactly what your hopes for coaching are yet (which is totally fine).
If you’d like me to, I’ll also give you an explanation of how coaching sessions are generally structured, the range of topics people bring to coaching (and, really, the sky is the limit!), and what you can expect if you choose to work with me.
I’ll make sure you have lots of space to ask me any questions you might have, too, whether about me or about coaching or about neurodiversity or about something else entirely - and I’ll do my very best to answer them.
We’ll keep things very chilled-out and informal - but know that whatever you say in the space is confidential, and I won’t share it with anyone.
As we come towards the end of our time, we’ll pause, and I’ll check in with you and see how you’re feeling about the possibility of working together, whether you need more time to think about it, or whether it doesn’t quite feel like the right fit. And I’ll also let you know if I think we’re a good fit, or whether another coach or another way of working entirely seems like it might suit you better. We’ll decide together how to move forward.
So why do I call it an “initial chat” instead?
I think language is really, really important. I also think that a first meeting should feel low-pressure and relaxed so that you can make a decision that will serve you, rather than one you feel pushed into by someone you haven’t “clicked” with.
There is a kind of weight to the word “discovery”, for me at least - it makes us sound like scientists or explorers (which I admit is pretty cool). That sounds exciting, but it also sounds like a pretty big deal!
And, for many people, our first meeting will feel exciting, like an adventure into uncharted territory. It might feel exactly like discovering a brave new world to explore, which is wonderful. If you are one of those people, I am totally up for going on that journey of discovery with you!
For other people, it may be super nerve-wracking or stressful. Maybe you don’t feel like an explorer yet. Maybe you aren’t even sure if you want to move forward, or you’ve had previous experiences of coaching or therapy which haven’t been all they were cracked up to be, and you just don’t need the pressure. If you’re one of those people…I get it. You can show up exactly as you are with nothing expected of you, just to see how it feels, or to ask some questions if you have them.
When I meet someone for the first time, I don’t want to assume either way how they’re feeling about it. After all, we are all different.
So what are we there to do? Well… we’re there to have a chat. It’s our first chat. It can be a big deal if you want it to be - or we can keep it super casual and informal. It can be whatever you need it to be.
Hence “initial chat”!
If you would like to book in an initial chat
Right now, my bookings are closed (which I realise probably makes it a strange time to publish this post, but I wanted it to be up as a resource for the future!), but at the time of writing I’m hoping to be able to open them again very soon. Once I do, you are always welcome to book in for a complimentary initial chat, or to contact me any time with any questions or thoughts.