"I struggled with school growing up—it always felt hard, and I constantly wished I was 'brighter' or could remember things that seemed so easy for others."
Hi, I’m Trudy — a certified ADHD Life Coach with over 25 years of experience in education, and someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with ADHD.
Before my ADHD journey began, I was experiencing…
✅ Constantly forgetting what I’d just been told (unless it deeply interested me)
✅ Struggling to stay focused in meetings and long conversations
✅ Always feeling behind, scattered, or mentally “cluttered”
✅ Hyper-focusing on the wrong things at the wrong time
✅ Masking — looking calm and capable on the outside, but feeling overwhelmed inside
✅ Feeling anxious, disorganised, and frustrated… and not knowing why
✅ Always winging it — and feeling like I was just barely holding it all together
This was just the tip of the iceberg. There was so much more happening beneath the surface — I just didn’t have the language for it yet.
I realised I’d been in a constant state of desperately trying to 'keep up'
I’ve always found organisation tricky. I’d try to keep track of what I needed to do, but things would slip through the cracks — especially if they didn’t really interest me. I could be told something one minute, and forget it the next.
Sitting through meetings or long conversations was exhausting, not because I didn’t care, but because staying focused took so much effort. And stopping myself from interrupting? That was seriously hard. I wasn’t trying to be rude — I just couldn’t hold the thought in long enough.
Most mornings when I arrived at school to prep my classroom, I’d walk in with good intentions… but end up doing anything except the priorities. I’d suddenly decide to sort the stationery cupboard or hyper-focus on designing the perfect resource — for a lesson that wasn’t even coming up that day. Then the bell would go, the students would start walking in, and I'd plaster on the smile, ready to perform.
On the outside, it looked like I was calm, welcoming, and ready. But on the inside? I was overwhelmed. I was frustrated that I hadn’t prepared properly. Anxious about what I’d missed. And while I was lucky enough to have creativity and quick thinking to fall back on — it felt like I was barely keeping one ball in the air while pretending I was juggling ten.
It was exhausting.
And at the time, I had no idea that it didn’t have to be that way.
These were just a few of the struggles I’d navigated for years
When my son was diagnosed with ADHD in his late teens, I started to pay closer attention to how his challenges showed up. Some things were clearly different to mine — but so many felt deeply familiar.
The more I learned about how ADHD affected him, the more I started seeing myself. It felt like a spotlight had been turned on, and all the things I’d struggled with quietly over the years were suddenly being reflected back at me — with clarity and compassion I hadn’t had before.
Eventually, the time came when I needed to find out for sure — did I have ADHD too? After several sessions with my psychiatrist, exploring my history and patterns, he looked at me and gently asked, “Why did it take you so long to seek help?”
That question landed hard. It was validating — and heartbreaking. It made me realise just how many years I’d spent quietly struggling, wondering what was wrong with me, and trying to push through without the support I actually needed.
He gave me an ADHD diagnosis, a script for medication, and suggested I connect with an ADHD life coach
At the time, I had no idea what an ADHD coach even did — but I knew I didn’t want to keep doing things the way I had been. So I reached out… and that decision changed everything.
So, I reached out to a wonderful ADHD Life Coach — and those sessions were genuinely life-changing.
For the first time, I could talk to someone who truly got me. She had ADHD too, and that shared understanding created a kind of safety and connection I hadn’t experienced before. Our weekly sessions gave me practical tools, but more than that, they helped me rebuild my confidence and make sense of how my brain works — across all areas of my life.
The impact was so powerful, I knew I wanted to be able to do this for others with ADHD too.
After 25 years as a passionate and dedicated school teacher, I made an exciting pivot in my career
Driven by my desire to help students and families in a new, meaningful way, I spent a year studying with an American-based program to become a certified ADHD Life Coach.
This shift felt like a natural next step, blending my years of teaching experience with my deepening knowledge of ADHD.
And now… I’m living the dream.
I get to be that person for others — the one who listens, understands, and helps make things feel a little less overwhelming. I support people who feel stuck, exhausted by their busy brains, frustrated by things that seem easy for others, and unsure where to start.
And together, we find a way forward that actually works.
ADHD Qualifications & Professional Memberships
Australasian ADHD Professionals Association Member
International ADHD Coach Training Center (USA)
