Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex on the planet. Over 60 institutions, 10 million patient encounters a year, and some of the most advanced healthcare infrastructure anywhere. So it would be reasonable to assume that finding ADHD support in Houston would be straightforward. It is not.

The TMC is incredible for diagnostics, surgery, and specialized medicine. But ADHD coaching is a different kind of service, and the medical center's sheer scale doesn't translate into an abundance of qualified ADHD coaches. In fact, the coaching landscape in Houston is surprisingly thin compared to what you'd expect from a city of 2.3 million people. You can find plenty of therapists and psychiatrists, but coaching specifically designed for adults with ADHD? That pool gets small fast.

Then there's the sprawl. Greater Houston covers over 10,000 square miles. Driving 30 or 40 miles for an appointment is just normal life here, and that kind of distance creates a real barrier to consistent coaching attendance. Missing one session because the Katy Freeway turned into a parking lot can snowball into missing three, and suddenly the momentum you were trying to build is gone.

And the culture around productivity in Houston is intense. The energy sector, aerospace, the medical industry itself, these are high-performance fields where falling behind on deliverables has real consequences. For those of us with ADHD, that pressure can make the gap between how we perform and how we want to perform feel even wider. This guide walks through everything you need to evaluate when searching for an ADHD coach, from credentials to methodology to cost, so you can make this decision with clarity instead of guesswork.

What is the difference between ADHD coaching, therapy, and psychiatry

These three types of support get lumped together all the time, and the confusion makes it harder to figure out which one you actually need. In Houston, where the TMC provides such robust access to psychiatrists and therapists, it's especially common to assume those services cover everything. They cover a lot, but not the same things coaching does.

ADHD coaching is a collaborative relationship focused on the present and future. A coach works with you to build strategies, systems, and habits that help you reach specific goals. The work is action-oriented. You identify what you want to accomplish, figure out what's getting in the way, and develop personalized tools for challenges like time management, prioritization, task initiation, and follow-through. A good ADHD coach works with your brain as it actually operates, not the way a productivity book assumes it should.

Therapy addresses the emotional and psychological dimensions. A therapist helps you process past experiences, work through anxiety or depression (both of which commonly co-occur with ADHD), and understand the emotional patterns that shape your daily life. For many of us who went decades without a diagnosis, therapy can be essential for unpacking the frustration and self-blame that accumulated over all those years. Houston's therapy landscape is solid, especially through TMC-affiliated practices, but therapy on its own doesn't always give you the practical, tactical tools for managing executive dysfunction on a Tuesday afternoon when you have four deadlines.

Psychiatry covers the medical side. A psychiatrist can formally diagnose ADHD, prescribe medication, and monitor how your treatment plan is working over time. If medication is part of your approach, this is where that happens.

These aren't competing services. Many adults with ADHD use a combination of all three. A psychiatrist handles medication, a therapist works on the emotional weight, and a coach helps you build the daily systems and habits that actually keep things moving forward. In Texas, therapy and psychiatry may be partially covered by insurance depending on your plan, while coaching almost never is. (More on the money side of this later.)

The core distinction with coaching is that it's practical and forward-looking. You're not analyzing your childhood. You're figuring out how to stop missing deadlines, manage your inbox, and build routines that actually hold up when life gets chaotic.

What credentials should an ADHD coach actually have

This question matters more than most people realize, because there's no regulation around who can call themselves an ADHD coach. No state license is required in Texas or anywhere else. No board certification. Anyone can build a website, list "ADHD coaching" as a service, and start charging for sessions tomorrow. That means the quality range hiding behind similar-looking websites is enormous.

So how do you separate serious professionals from everyone else?

PAAC certification is one of the strongest signals. PAAC stands for Professional Association of ADHD Coaches, and their certified coaches have completed rigorous ADHD-specific training programs, logged supervised coaching hours, and demonstrated competency across a range of ADHD-related challenges. This is not a weekend certification. It represents a meaningful investment in specialized education.

ICF credentials are another important marker. The ICF, or International Coaching Federation, is the gold standard in the broader coaching world. An ICF-credentialed coach has completed significant training hours, accumulated a minimum number of actual coaching hours, and passed an independent evaluation process. ICF credentials on their own don't guarantee ADHD expertise, but combined with ADHD-specific training, they indicate someone who takes their practice seriously.

What about lived experience? Many coaches with ADHD bring genuine empathy and intuitive understanding to their work. That matters. But lived experience without professional training and a structured methodology isn't sufficient on its own. The most effective coaches combine personal understanding of ADHD with evidence-based coaching frameworks. You want both.

Red flags to watch for:

• No specific training or credentials listed on their website

• The only stated qualification is personal experience with ADHD

• Promises of specific outcomes like eliminating procrastination or guaranteeing focus

• No mention of supervision, continuing education, or a defined methodology

• A coaching approach that sounds like friendly conversation without any structure

Questions worth asking any coach you're evaluating:

• What ADHD-specific training have you completed, and through which program?

• Are you certified through PAAC, ICF, or another recognized organization?

• Do you participate in regular supervision or peer consultation?

• What methodology or framework guides your coaching?

• How do you track and measure progress?

• What does a typical engagement look like, and what happens between sessions?

These questions are not confrontational. A qualified coach will welcome them. They've invested heavily in their education and practice, and they'll be glad to walk you through it. If a coach gets defensive or vague about their qualifications, pay attention to that.

Why does virtual coaching make so much sense in Houston

Geography is a bigger factor in Houston than in almost any other major metro. The city has no zoning laws, which is part of why it spread the way it did, and the result is a metro area where someone in The Woodlands and someone in Sugar Land might both consider themselves Houstonians while living 60 miles apart. When you're searching for an ADHD coach, that sprawl matters.

Say you find a coach you're excited about, but their office is near the Galleria and you live in Clear Lake. Your session is at 2pm. You're leaving by 12:45 to be safe, and you won't be back until after 4. That's most of your afternoon gone for a 45-minute session. Multiply that by weekly appointments and it becomes a real strain on your schedule, especially if you're in a high-pressure role where stepping away for three hours needs justification.

Now add ADHD to the equation. You had a rough morning. Your focus is scattered, and the thought of getting in the car, fighting I-45, finding parking, and being present for an appointment feels overwhelming. So you push it to next week. And maybe the week after that. Consistency breaks down, and without consistency, coaching loses most of its effectiveness.

Virtual coaching removes the geography problem completely. You can meet your coach from your home office in Katy, your desk in the Energy Corridor, or your kitchen in Pearland. Sessions can fit into the natural rhythm of your day. A focused 30-minute call during lunch or after the kids go to bed is fundamentally different from blocking out half an afternoon for transit and an appointment.

The access advantage goes deeper than convenience, though. When you're only considering coaches who happen to have offices in the Houston metro, you're choosing based on proximity. When geography doesn't matter, you can match based on what actually makes a difference: expertise with your specific challenges, coaching style that fits your personality, familiarity with your industry or life stage. A coach who specializes in helping tech professionals manage executive dysfunction might be a far better fit than a generalist who happens to be 15 minutes from your house.

Virtual coaching also makes it easier to try a different coach if the first match isn't right. No new geographic search, no rearranging your calendar around a different part of town. You just switch and keep going.

What does quality ADHD coaching methodology actually look like

Methodology is where the real difference between effective coaching and expensive conversation becomes visible. Two coaches can have similar websites, similar pricing, and similar bios, but one is working from a rigorous, evidence-based framework while the other is improvising based on personal experience.

Evidence-based frameworks are the foundation of quality coaching. Effective ADHD coaches use approaches grounded in behavioral science. One example is the COM-B model, which stands for Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation as the three drivers of Behavior change. This framework helps identify whether a challenge is actually about skill (you don't know how to do something), environment (your setup makes it hard), or drive (something is blocking your motivation). Instead of defaulting to willpower-based advice, a coach using COM-B addresses the actual barrier.

Implementation intentions are another research-backed technique. These are specific if/then plans designed to bridge the gap between wanting to do something and actually doing it. Rather than a vague goal like "I'll be more organized," an implementation intention sounds like "When I sit down at my desk Monday morning, I'll spend the first 10 minutes reviewing my task list before opening email." That specificity matters for ADHD brains because it reduces the number of decisions required in the moment.

Structured sessions versus open-ended conversation is a major differentiator. Structured coaching means sessions follow a framework, goals are tracked over time, and there's a clear thread connecting one session to the next. You're building on previous work rather than starting from scratch every week.

Between-session support is more important than most people expect. ADHD doesn't take a break between weekly calls. Quality coaching includes some form of ongoing accountability, whether that's check-ins, messaging, or access to a community. This continuity is what helps new habits survive past Wednesday.

Executive dysfunction-specific approaches should be non-negotiable. Generic coaching techniques often assume a baseline level of executive function that people with ADHD don't reliably have. A methodology designed for ADHD accounts for working memory challenges, time blindness (which is the difficulty perceiving and estimating time accurately), trouble with task initiation, and the emotional regulation component that many people don't realize is part of ADHD. The approach needs to build systems around these realities rather than ignoring them.

Community and peer support adds something that isolated one-on-one coaching can't. Connecting with other adults navigating similar challenges creates shared accountability, normalization, and practical learning. Hearing that someone in a similar situation tried a specific strategy and it worked carries a different weight than just receiving advice from a coach.

Coach supervision and ongoing training is something you probably won't think to ask about, but it signals quality. Coaches who work in complete isolation can develop blind spots or continue using outdated techniques. Regular supervision means someone qualified is reviewing their approach and providing feedback.

How much does ADHD coaching cost and is it worth it

Money is a real part of this decision, so it's worth being direct about what coaching costs.

Nationally, individual ADHD coaching sessions typically range from $150 to $300 per session. Ongoing monthly coaching runs anywhere from $300 to $600 per month depending on session frequency, length, and the coach's experience level. Houston prices generally sit in the middle of those ranges, which is notable since the city's cost of living is considerably lower than coastal metros.

The instinct to find the cheapest option makes sense. Budgets are real. But the least expensive coaches tend to be the ones with fewer credentials, less specialized training, and less structured approaches. That's not a character judgment. It's the reality that coaches who have invested thousands in ADHD-specific certification, ICF training, and ongoing supervision price their services accordingly.

Insurance almost never covers coaching. Coaching is not therapy, and most insurance plans don't recognize it as a covered medical service. This is true across Texas and most other states.

FSA and HSA funds can often be used for coaching. If your employer offers a Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account, ADHD coaching may qualify as an eligible expense. Texas has no state income tax, which means your federal tax savings through FSA or HSA contributions are effectively your only tax advantage here. Using pre-tax dollars for coaching can reduce the real cost by 20 to 30 percent depending on your federal tax bracket.

When you're thinking about cost, it helps to consider what you're spending by not getting support. Missed promotions because consistent delivery is a struggle. Relationships strained by forgotten commitments. The mental toll of knowing you're capable of more but unable to close the gap consistently. Effective coaching often pays for itself quickly when it helps you show up reliably in the areas of your life that matter most.

How do you find and evaluate coaches in Houston specifically

Understanding what to look for in a coach is one thing. Actually finding qualified options in Houston is another.

Where to start searching:

The PAAC directory (Professional Association of ADHD Coaches) is the most targeted resource. Every coach listed has met specific ADHD training requirements. The ICF directory is broader but useful for verifying credentials independently. CHADD, which stands for Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is a national organization that provides resources and support. Houston does not currently have its own CHADD chapter, though. The nearest regional presence is the CHADD Southern Region, and the North Texas CHADD chapter covers the Dallas area but not Houston. Virtual meetings are available through CHADD nationally, which is still a useful resource for community and recommendations.

That lack of a local CHADD chapter is worth noting because in cities that have active chapters, those communities often become reliable sources of coach referrals and firsthand reviews. In Houston, that organic recommendation network is thinner.

The vetting process:

Once you've built a shortlist, the real work starts. You'll need to review each coach's website, verify their credentials independently rather than trusting what their site claims, schedule consultation calls, and assess whether the fit feels right. Most coaches offer a free or low-cost initial conversation, and that's your chance to ask the credential and methodology questions covered earlier.

During a consultation call, pay attention to these signals:

• Does the coach ask about your specific challenges, or do they jump straight into selling their program?

• Can they explain their methodology clearly?

• Do they mention supervision or ongoing professional development?

• Does their communication style feel comfortable?

• Are they transparent about pricing, session structure, and what to expect?

When the first choice doesn't work out:

This is the part of the process nobody talks about enough. You do all this research, commit to a coach, start sessions, and after a few weeks realize the approach isn't clicking. Now you're back to the beginning. New search, new vetting, new consultation calls, new financial commitment to try again. For someone with ADHD, restarting that entire process feels about as appealing as reorganizing the garage in August humidity.

Even with the right resources, the entire burden of research, evaluation, verification, and starting over falls on you. That's a lot to ask of anyone, and it's an especially difficult ask when the exact challenges you need help with are the ones making sustained research feel impossible.

Why did we build Shimmer

Every frustration described above is precisely why Shimmer exists. We built it because we've been through the same draining search process and knew there had to be a better model.

The vetting problem is handled before you ever show up. Shimmer's coaches go through a selection process with a 4% acceptance rate. Every coach has ADHD-specific credentials, whether that's PAAC certification or equivalent specialized training. They don't get hired and left on their own, either. Shimmer coaches receive ongoing supervision and continuing education, which means they're consistently held to a high standard. The methodology is consistent across the platform, grounded in behavioral science frameworks specifically designed for how ADHD brains work.

Matching is built into the experience. Rather than spending weeks researching, opening tabs, comparing websites, and guessing, Shimmer matches you with a coach based on your specific needs, preferences, and goals. If the match isn't right, you switch. No awkward conversation with your current coach. No restarting the search from scratch. No financial penalty. You just match with someone new and keep building. That's a fundamentally different experience from the traditional model where switching means beginning the entire process over.

The methodology goes beyond a weekly call. Shimmer's approach is rooted in science-backed frameworks for behavior change and executive function support. Sessions are structured, goal-oriented, and connected from one to the next. Between sessions, you have access to a community of other members navigating similar challenges. That combination of expert one-on-one coaching and peer community creates accountability and support that a single weekly session simply cannot replicate. As one Shimmer member put it, coaching helped them develop practical habits that made their life consistently better over time, and the regular check-ins kept them on track between sessions.

The risk is minimal. Shimmer offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Pricing is transparent and straightforward. You know exactly what you're getting and what it costs before you commit. Compare that to the traditional route where you might spend $300 on a first session with someone you found through a Google search, only to realize after a couple of weeks that their approach doesn't fit how your brain works.

Virtual-first means all of Houston is covered. Whether you're in Katy, Clear Lake, The Woodlands, Cypress, Sugar Land, or anywhere inside the loop, you get the same access to quality coaching. No fighting the 610 loop or sitting on I-10 for an hour. Just consistent, expert support that fits your schedule wherever you are.

Shimmer's coaches work with adults across every industry and background you'd find in Houston. Energy sector professionals managing high-stakes project timelines. Aerospace engineers at NASA and its contractors. Healthcare workers juggling shift schedules and documentation. Entrepreneurs building companies in one of the most business-friendly metros in the country. Tech workers at the growing number of Houston startups and corporate tech offices. The matching process accounts for these differences so you work with someone who understands your particular situation. Houston's large international population also means cultural competency matters, and Shimmer's diverse coaching team reflects that.

How do you actually get started with ADHD coaching

Taking the first step feels like a big deal, and that's completely normal. If you've been reading about ADHD coaching for weeks or months without making a move, you're in very good company. Decision paralysis around getting help for ADHD is incredibly common, and honestly a little painfully ironic.

Getting started is simpler than the research phase makes it seem. You sign up, get matched with a coach, and have your first session. That initial conversation is about your coach understanding you: your goals, your challenges, and what you've already tried. You don't need to show up with a polished list of objectives or a detailed personal history. Your coach is trained to guide that conversation and help you identify where to focus first.

The early sessions focus on building a foundation. You and your coach will figure out what matters most to you right now and start developing strategies tailored to how your brain actually works. Expect it to feel exploratory at first. You're testing approaches, learning what resonates, and building a relationship with someone who's going to be in your corner consistently.

Realistic expectations matter. Coaching is not an instant fix. You won't finish your first session with every executive function challenge resolved. What you will have is a structured starting point, someone who understands ADHD deeply, and a framework for making steady progress over time. Most members start noticing real shifts within the first few weeks as new habits begin to take hold.

If you're ready to skip the research spiral and work with a vetted, expert ADHD coach who genuinely understands how your brain works, Shimmer is a good place to start.