AuDHD/ADHD Coach and Biology Educator

Through compassionate coaching, I help AuDHD and ADHD adults and parents learn to regulate their nervous systems, enabling them to shift from feeling overwhelmed to being connected.

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

Have you spent much of your life masking your authentic self to fit in and meet societal expectations? Has masking and unmet needs led to burnout and made it challenging to keep up with everyday life, work, and parenting demands? Does finding time to connect with your hobbies and special interests feel impossible because each day feels like a struggle to survive?

The constant feeling of overwhelm can feel inescapable; however, with the proper support and learning to work with your nervous system, you can escape the overwhelm and feel more connected to yourself, your passions, and others.

The Challenges of Parenting while being Neurodivergent

When I first searched for parenting support as a late-diagnosed AuDHD adult, all I found were resources aimed at children. Where was the help for us — the neurodivergent parents trying to hold everything together? How are we expected to teach our children to regulate their emotions and accommodate their needs when we never learned how to do so ourselves?

These questions launched a journey of healing and growth. I worked with a family therapist with ADHD, an integrative psychiatrist, and a coach who was AuDHD — each one specializing in ADHD and autism in adults. Their support transformed not only my life but my family’s as well. Now, I’m an AuDHD/ADHD coach myself, using my personal experience and knowledge to offer the kind of support I once so desperately needed — Because thriving as a neurodivergent parent is possible. And you don’t have to do it alone.

1:1 Adult AuDHD/ADHD Coaching Program with Risa

Program Description:

In this coaching program, we will explore your specific challenges and goals. This 1:1 coaching program is tailored to you and your specific needs. I aim to create a safe and nonjudgmental space where you can tap into your intuition, unmask, and connect with your body. I take a holistic and integrative approach to coaching and recognize the roles of life experiences, biology, development, lifestyle, and trauma on the state of your nervous system, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. By learning to regulate your nervous system, you can regain a sense of clarity and calm when you encounter unavoidable stressors.

Program Details:

  • Length: 12 weeks

  • 12 x 60-minute 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

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • 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.

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

  • Both coaching and therapy focus on personal growth, building resilience, reaching goals, and skill development. However, therapists also focus on addressing and diagnosing mental health issues, whereas coaches do not diagnose or treat mental health disorders. Instead, coaches help people identify their strengths and needs and develop skills to overcome obstacles and achieve goals. Seeing a therapist to treat mental health issues while also seeing a coach to focus on changing your behavioral patterns can have synergistic effects!

    In the coaching-client relationship, you and the coach are considered equals. As a coach, I believe you are the expert of your inner world and experience. Therefore, I work with you to connect with your intuition. I help guide you by asking questions and providing a safe, nonjudgmental space for you to explore all parts of yourself.

    Therapists must hold a license to practice. Coaches do not need licensing or certification; however, I do continual training and professional development to serve my clients best and to stay updated on the most effective coaching practices.

    Finding neurodiversity-affirming support can be challenging for neurodivergent individuals. Many mental health professionals and doctors still lack knowledge or expertise in working with neurodivergent clients (especially those who are high-masking). This can make it challenging for neurodivergent individuals because they often feel misunderstood or invalidated by medical and mental health professionals. It is beneficial for ADHDers and AuDHDers to work with coaches and therapists who are neurodiversity-affirming and/or who are neurodivergent themselves. Neurodiversity-affirming therapists and coaches recognize the value and strengths in the natural variation of neurological functioning. I view neurological differences such as ADHD, autism, and sensory processing sensitivities as natural variations in the human population and not deficits or disorders that need to be fixed. With that said, I am aware that although these neurological differences are not disorders, they can be disabling when people are placed in systems and a society that does not accept and accommodate the unique needs of each individual.

  • 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.