Coaching might be a great fit if:

• You want practical strategies for organization, planning, or follow-through.

• You’re not looking for therapy, but you do want support and accountability.

• You’re ready to try new approaches that work with your brain, not against it.

You can check our our What can I work on in coaching? page to get a better idea of the types of things other clients are working on with A Life of My Own now.

If you’re unsure, we offer a free discovery call to talk through your goals and see if coaching is the right match.

Then you’re unfortunately in very good company. The vast majority of our clients arrive to us jaded and untrusting… for good reason. Support programs designed by people who aren’t neurodivergent have very similar pitfalls, and unfortunately, though most mean well and want to help, they end up making people feel misunderstood, deplete their self-esteem, cause a loss of personhood or autonomy and lead to burnout.

We started this business to go about supporting people like us in a different way. We all went through unhelpful or harmful services, and most of us have worked at places where we felt there was more harm being caused than positive changes. We purposely exist outside of the medical model; we don’t believe our way of being in the world needs to be pathologized in order to be supported.

Our entire mission revolves around being client-centered. This means we aren’t trying to make you fit into any type of mold, and we aren’t using a script that’s assuming you’re a certain type of person. We’re meeting you where you’re at, and we’re helping you to come up with your own solutions. We are not telling you what you have to do, or even how to do it. We’ve found that people actually do know what’s best for them, and that they’re often just missing small pieces of information, or need better tools and support systems to be able to reach their goals.

The quickest way is to read through coach profiles on the Our Team page. If you're not sure after reading through the profiles, the best thing to do is set up an intro meeting. In the Get Started process, you'll answer some questions that will help us figure out which coach(es) to include in that meeting, so you can chat with one or more coaches and decide for yourself. You're never locked in to a coach, you can switch between coaches or even work with two alternating coaches, meeting with Jacob one week, then Marc the next, for example.

Note: if it's difficult for you to have a video meeting or phone call as your first introduction to a coach, we’re happy to set up an introduction in the way that works best for you. We've had clients go through the intro process via email, text, Discord message, even by using mostly pictures of their art to communicate! Whatever your needs, we'd love to know and meet you in the way that feels most comfortable to you.

Not tutoring: Tutoring focuses on teaching academic content, like math or writing skills. Coaching doesn’t reteach schoolwork; it helps clients develop strategies for organization, planning, motivation, and follow-through so they can manage their workload more effectively.

Not therapy: Therapy addresses mental health, emotional regulation, and past experiences. Coaching is future-focused and action-oriented. We work on how to get things done, not processing emotions or diagnosing conditions.

What coaching is: Coaching is collaborative and personalized. We help clients build practical tools that fit their brain, practice using them in real life, and problem-solve when challenges come up. It’s about skill-building, self-awareness, and confidence in everyday functioning.

We primarily work with middle school, high school, college-aged, and young adult clients; roughly ages 13-35. That said, if you're slightly outside that range and think our approach might be a fit, feel free to reach out!

We’d love to help! You can fill out a Reduced Fee Application, or Contact Us. We'd love to work with you to make sure you can get the support you need to thrive. If we aren't able to find a solution within your budget, we will help connect you to the right resources that are.

It's our life's work to support neurodivergent people. We don’t believe in letting money be a barrier to that work.

Our programs are flexible and can start whenever you're ready, as long as there's availability. There’s no need to wait for a new start date if we’re a fit, we’ll find a time that works for you and get started.

Meetings are incredibly individualized, so it's hard to give a blanket rule here. For the most part, we've found our clients do best with 45 minutes to 1 hour long meetings, as it allows us adequate time to work on what the client is wanting to work towards. Shorter meetings can be arranged — we know attention, masking fatigue, sensory and other barriers can prevent some people from finding success in longer meetings. Let us know what works best for you!

Meetings are generally held virtually via video meeting, so you can join from anywhere. Some clients prefer to occasionally turn their camera off, use chat, or walk around while talking -- we’re all about finding what helps you feel comfortable and focused. Phone meetings or check-ins are also possible. We’re flexible!

For clients in King & Snohomish (WA state) counties, some coaches do offer in-person coaching. If outside of your coach's typical service area, there is an additional travel fee. Please reach out if you have questions about in-person coaching!

Yes, before we begin, we’ll meet for a 30 to 45-minute intro video meeting (you don’t have to turn your camera on!) where you (and a parent or support person, if helpful) can get to know us and share what you're looking for. From there, we’ll co-create a coaching plan that works for you.

Prospective clients and/or parents and support people can also choose to schedule a discovery phone call with us before that, if you’re just not sure if coaching is right for you. If you don’t like phone calls, that’s ok! We can do the same thing via text or email.

Absolutely! Your relationship with your coach matters. That’s why every program starts with a no-cost, no-pressure intro meeting, so you can make sure the vibe is right before signing on.

We meet clients where they are, without trying to “fix” or change who they are. That means no shame, no behavior charts, no pressure to mask; just tools, insight, and support tailored to your brain, your needs, and your values. We're also a neurodiverse team ourselves, which shapes how we coach and connect. Learn more about Our Philosophy.

We get it! Many of our clients struggle with time blindness, task initiation, or energy crashes. But that’s exactly why coaching can help. We’ll co-create strategies to reduce friction (like reminders, visual supports, or shorter and more flexible check-ins), and we’ll always meet you with curiosity, not judgment.

No, and we never will! Every coaching plan is individualized. We help to show you proven tools and strategies, but we don’t follow a script. We check in often to make sure we’re still working on what matters most to you.

Clients often describe feeling more confident, more in control of their time and choices, and less overwhelmed. Some improve grades or routines; others build self-trust, advocacy skills, or stronger communication. We measure success in what matters to you, not just checkboxes.

Yes! we can help clients understand their rights, identify what supports are needed, and draft or rehearse self-advocacy scripts. We can also review documentation and help prepare for meetings, if desired. We are often present in meetings with Disability Support office staff to support clients and help them articulate what’s going on for them and what their needs are.

While we are not medical professionals and cannot contribute via evaluations or diagnosing, we do have valuable real-world experience and have combined decades of experience with thousands of neurodivergent people.

Definitely! Our coaching works in or outside of school systems. We do have clients who are navigating alternative education, online learning, or time away from school, and we’re here to support their goals, whatever they look like.

Absolutely. With your consent, we’re happy to coordinate with therapists, teachers, or other team members. Collaborative care leads to better support, and we’re all about that.

Note: we take our client’s privacy very seriously, and you will need to fill out a Release of Information form for any 3rd party you’re ok with us talking to. On that form, you’ll be able to select exactly which things you’re ok with us talking to them about.

We primarily use Collaborative Problem Solving, which includes 3 basic steps whenever the client has a barrier that they’d like support with. 1) Empathize and understand the full breadth of what’s going on. 2) Share a concern we have about the situation (if any), if the client isn’t already seeing that side of it. 3) Support the client in coming up with their own solutions that meet as many of the concerns listed as possible. In this step, coaches are primarily listening and facilitating; coaches ask questions to help the client think through all implications or possibilities, but aren’t suggesting solutions that we think the client should be doing. You’re the expert on you, and no one else can tell you with 100% certainty what’s best for you!

Our work is also heavily informed by the works of neurodivergent researchers and neurodivergent social scientists. We subscribe to the nothing about us, without us ideology, though any relevant and effective information or strategy is welcomed into our philosophy and resources library!

Yes! As long as we can find a meeting time that works for you and the coach, we’re good to go.

We send PayPal invoices, which will do automatic currency conversions.

Check out our Resources page! We also have a Goodreads list of great books for parents, support people, and/or clients.