Coaching and Family Therapy

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) does not affect only the individual child — its impact ripples through family life. Children with ADHD frequently struggle with attention, impulse control, emotional regulation, planning/organisation and consistency. Over time, this can stretch parental patience, upset family relationships, lead to sibling resentment, increase parental stress, and erode confidence. The mismatch between the child’s neurodivergent brain and typical parenting expectations can exacerbate conflict, misunderstandings, guilt, shame and burnout.

From a clinical and systems perspective, coaching and family therapy are essential complements to medical or behavioural interventions. Coaching gives parents and children tailored, practical strategies: time-management tools, organisation systems, scaffolding executive function, behavioural scaffolds, and accountability. Coaching helps translate theory into practice in the unique context of the child’s daily life. In parallel, family therapy (or systemic counselling) addresses relational dynamics, communication breakdown, emotional reactivity, misattunement of expectations, and helps build empathy and mutual understanding of how ADHD traits manifest in the family.

The evidence base supports this combined approach. Intervention models that include parent training, psychoeducation, behavioural management, and family involvement show better outcomes than medication alone or child-only interventions. For instance, a structured psychoeducation programme delivered to families significantly reduced ADHD symptom scores and improved functioning over treatment-as-usual, persisting at 6-month follow-up. Moreover, systematic reviews of parenting interventions show that addressing the interaction patterns and systemic relationships yields more durable benefits than child-only therapies. In the UK, counselling and family therapy are recognised as crucial to help all family members adapt, regulate emotions, restore connectedness and reduce conflict. thinkadhd.co.uk

Given the above, parents of ADHD children may strongly benefit from coaching and family therapy alongside the diagnostic and medical pathway. Coaching helps them manage day-to-day complexity; family therapy repairs relational strain, helps siblings understand, aligns caregiving styles, and fosters a home environment more supportive of the child’s neurodiversity.

Why The Fiona Project is well suited as a provider

The Fiona Project (UK) positions itself as a “not for profit” clinical ADHD and autism assessment, treatment and ongoing care service. Our services align well with the needs described above:

1. Integrated package with no hidden costs
   This removes barriers to continuity, so families can sustain coaching, monitoring and relational support rather than dropping out for cost reasons.

2. Use of gold-standard assessment tools
   Our clinic uses the DIVA-5 semi-structured questionnaire (aligned with NICE recommendations) in its ADHD diagnostic process, ensuring rigor and consistency. The duration (1–2 hours) and symptom-history focus on multiple settings also strengthens diagnostic validity.

3. Holistic philosophy: “pills don’t make skills”
   Our assessors emphasise that medication is only one part of the solution, that skill-building (executive function work, coaching, behavioural strategies) must be integral from day one. This aligns with best practice in ADHD care: combining medication plus psychosocial supports rather than relying solely on drugs.

4. Long-term support and aftercare
   Clients are automatically patients of the clinic for one year, allowing ongoing collaboration on executive function and adaptation of strategies over time. This model supports the “aftercare” phase, which is often neglected by more transactional providers.

5. Accessibility, transparency and affordability
   Fiona Project is more affordable compared to many private ADHD clinics in the UK. In online discussions, we are often mention that our full-package pricing (assessment, diagnosis, titration, coaching) is more competitive than many alternatives. Our extremely positive reputation on review platforms such as TrustPilot shows the support we offer our clients. Trustpilot+1 

6. UK-wide coverage and acceptance of shared care
   The Fiona Project is registered with NHS England and we are integrated with shared care (i.e. liaising with NHS for medication prescriptions when applicable). This helps mitigate concerns about transitioning back to NHS systems and ensures continuity.

7. Emphasis on neurodiversity and dignity
   We understand that ADHD and autism are neurodiversity to be embraced rather than “deficits” to be suppressed. This strengths-based lens aligns with coaching and family therapy approaches that aim to reframe narratives, enhance self-esteem and rebuild relational trust.

In sum, the complexity of ADHD demands more than diagnosis and pills. Parents often need coaching to operationalise techniques; families need therapy to heal relational distress. Fiona Project’s structure, philosophy and service model map well to those needs.