ADHD Entrepreneurs: Therapy Heals, Coaching Executes. The Line Nobody Talks About
Release Date: 06/01/2026
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info_outlineYou don't need healing. You need results. Therapy and coaching aren't the same for ADHD Entrepreneurs — and most people are still getting it wrong.
In This Episode:
- The real differences between ADHD coaching and therapy
- Why therapy tackles the past and coaching builds execution
- When coaching won't work — and why therapy comes first
What You'll Take Away:
- Coaching isn't for everyone, especially if depression or past trauma is in play
- ADHD therapy is about stabilizing, not fixing a “broken” brain
- Licensing matters — coaches can't diagnose, therapists can
- Both paths can work together, but the order matters
- Bad coaching ignores emotional paralysis — that's therapy territory
GUEST BIO
Mariah Spradlin is an ADHD therapist, coach, and co-author of the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Workbook for Adult ADHD. She gets the ADHD Entrepreneur struggle — because she lives it herself.
Books by Mariah
The DBT Skills Workbook for Adult ADHD, with Scott Spradlin (2026, New Harbinger)
You might also be interested in: 🤔 ADHD Entrepreneur Blocked by Emotions? Get Unstuck Now! | Dr. Alexandra Philipsen | EP235
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
The Impulsive Thinker® brings on Mariah Spradlin to draw a hard line between ADHD coaching and therapy. They cut past the feel-good talk. This one is straight about what actually works for real ADHD Entrepreneurs.
ADHD, entrepreneurship, therapy vs. coaching, diagnosis, and execution — all on the table. Mariah Spradlin and The Impulsive Thinker® talk about why therapy isn't just for healing, and why coaching only works if the emotional storms are already calmed.
The episode digs into licensing, insurance, executive function, and why emotional paralysis can kill progress faster than any lack of strategy. Hear the real reasons why coaching fails for some, and how the two can work side by side — but only if the foundations are solid.
If you keep switching between coaches and therapists — or wonder which you need — this episode is for you. ADHD entrepreneurs who are tired of hearing they're broken, listen up. Hit play if you're ready for the truth.
Email me about it at andre@theimpulsivethinker.com. Remember — ADHD failure is measured on society's measuring stick. Not yours. Your brain runs on interest, not importance. That's not a flaw. That's a different operating system. ADHD is not a deficit. It's a difference.
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00:00 Introduction to ADHD Coaching and Therapy
01:37 Understanding the Roles: Therapist vs. Coach
04:10 The Process of Therapy vs. Coaching
09:52 Healing vs. Execution: Different Approaches
15:42 When Therapy is Necessary Before Coaching
19:03 Expectations in Therapy vs. Coaching
23:56 The Importance of Self-Understanding and Growth
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