AuDHD/ADHD Coach

I support late-diagnosed AuDHD and ADHD adults — particularly parents — through compassionate, trauma-informed 1:1 coaching. Grounded in nervous system science and polyvagal theory, my work helps clients shift from overwhelm to a deeper connection with their bodies, values, children, and passions. I help clients build safety, self-trust, and alignment from the inside out.

Risa Ramirez-Wright, M.S.(she/her/they/them)

Why Neurodiversity-Affirming Support Matters

Finding support that truly honors your neurotype can be challenging. Many therapists and healthcare providers still lack a nuanced understanding of neurodivergence – especially for clients who are high-masking or late-diagnosed. This often leads to feeling misunderstood, pathologized, or dismissed.

That’s why neurodiversity-affirming care is so important.

As a neurodiversity-affirming coach, I don’t view ADHD, autism, or sensory sensitivities as disorders that need to be fixed. I see them as natural variations in the human brain and nervous system. And while these differences aren't inherently disordered, they can become disabling when you're expected to function in environments that don’t accommodate your needs.

My coaching is grounded in the understanding that your brain isn’t broken, and you don’t need to become more “normal” to thrive. You deserve support that helps you shape a life around your strengths, your needs, and your values.

1:1 Adult AuDHD/ADHD Coaching Program with Risa

Program Details:

  • Length: 12 weeks

  • 1:1 Coaching Sessions (weekly)

  • In-between sessions, asynchronous messaging through a messenger app to provide accountability and additional support

  • Custom action plans and goal-setting

  • Educational training on nervous system regulation

Q&A:

  • The minimum length of the coaching program is three months because, on average, it takes a commitment of three months to integrate new behaviors and for them to become habitual. The length of my coaching program is also supported by scientific research on habit formation. A study looking at habit formation found that, on average, it took participants 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic, with more complex behaviors taking up to 254 days to become habitual (Lally et al. 2010). The option to extend the length of coaching may be available at the end of the program.

    Lally, P., Van Jaarsveld, C. H., Potts, H. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European journal of social psychology, 40(6), 998-1009.

  • When you feel overwhelmed, it is often because you are undersupported. The coach-client relationship is vital to developing lasting change because it provides the social support needed for behavioral changes to be sustainable and for new neural pathways to form. Coaching helps you maintain motivation, make a plan, stay on course, and get back on track when inevitable lapses occur (Espinosa-Salas and Gonzalez-Arias 2023).

    If you struggle with emotional regulation and executive functioning, support can help you reach your goals and tackle the stressors of everyday life. Personal coaching provides a safe place to explore and connect with your feelings, needs, and intuition. Read the “About Risa” section to see how coaching transformed my life.

    If you're interested in learning more about the investment and determining if my program is a good fit for you, book a free discovery call!

    Espinosa-Salas, S., & Gonzalez-Arias, M. (2023). Behavior Modification for Lifestyle Improvement. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.

  • Both coaching and therapy support personal growth, resilience, and skill-building. The key difference is that therapy addresses and diagnoses mental health conditions, while coaching does not. Therapists are trained to treat mental health disorders. Coaches, on the other hand, focus on helping individuals identify strengths, clarify goals, and take actionable steps toward change.

    I see coaching as an essential system of support—especially when you're ready to move from insight into action. Coaching helps you integrate what you know into everyday choices and behavior shifts. For many people, working with both a therapist and a coach can be a powerful combination: therapy to support mental health, and coaching to support growth, self-trust, and behavioral change.

    In a coaching relationship, the coach and client are equals. As your coach, I see you as the expert on your inner world. My role is to offer a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can reconnect with your intuition, explore all parts of yourself, and develop the tools that work for your unique brain and nervous system.

  • You do not have to be officially diagnosed with ADHD and/or autism to work with me. Below are some of the traits that I have experience with.

    • Sensory processing differences

    • Difficulty knowing, identifying, and advocating for your needs

    • Difficulty identifying or describing your emotions

    • Emotional dysregulation

    • Burnout and low motivation

    • Frequent procrastination and task paralysis

    • Difficulty setting realistic goals and achieving them

    • Constant feelings of stress and overwhelm

    • Difficulty focusing and staying on task

    • Feeling like your nervous system exists in only two states: “on the go” or “shut down”

About Risa

I have a Master's in Biology. My experiences include teaching biology at the college level for about 15 years and conducting over 10 years of research in animal behavior, ecology, and physiology.

I became an AuDHD and ADHD coach because of my transformational journey. As a student, I excelled academically, but no one saw how much I struggled behind the scenes and how overwhelmed I felt. I was a chronic procrastinator and relied on pulling all-nighters to perform well. As a result, my self-esteem, mental health, and physical health suffered. These struggles continued into my career, where I cycled in and out of burnout. It wasn’t until late into my adulthood, after becoming a parent, that I was diagnosed with both ADHD and autism. In addition to being AuDHD, I discovered late in life that I also have aphantasia, which means my brain does not form mental images. All the struggles that I had with executive functioning throughout my life finally made sense.

To improve my mental health, I became committed to therapy and reading countless books and articles on psychology, ADHD, and autism. After three years, despite all my self-awareness and progress, I still struggled to keep up with the demands of life and parenting. I always felt overwhelmed and disconnected from myself and the world. I felt stuck repeating the same unhealthy behavioral patterns despite how much I tried to shift my mindset.

I decided to stop teaching in the classroom and hired an ADHD/Business coach. Through coaching, I was introduced to nervous system regulation. As my nervous system became more regulated, I experienced bodily shifts I had never felt before. The constant overwhelm was no longer present, and my emotional regulation and executive functioning improved. I felt more present and calm with my children, and my purpose and path became clear.

Through this transformational journey, I realized my mission to help people like you regulate their nervous system and to help parents learn to regulate their nervous system to create a safe and nurturing environment for their children.

In addition, I am an LGBTQ+ ally and a mother of two young children. I also love traveling and being in nature.