Lou O'Connell

Hi, I’m Lou

I’m an Adult ADHD Coach, EMCC Accredited Senior Practitioner Coach, Mental Health Nurse and bestselling author of You Are Not Your ADHD.

I specialise in supporting late-diagnosed adults, particularly women, who are trying to make sense of ADHD and the impact it can have on confidence, relationships, work, emotional wellbeing and everyday life.

I’ve spent 30+ years supporting people through challenge, change and growth across mental health, healthcare, education, the military, charities and the private sector. I bring that experience together with a genuine understanding of what it can feel like when the way you’ve been trying to manage life simply isn’t working anymore.

You might look like you’re coping on the outside, while inside you feel overwhelmed, exhausted, stuck, frustrated or like you’re somehow getting life wrong.

Perhaps you’ve only recently discovered that ADHD may explain some of what you’ve struggled with for years. Or perhaps you already understand your ADHD but are still figuring out how to work with your brain rather than constantly fighting against it.

My coaching is warm, practical and honest. I won’t try to fix you, and I won’t tell you how you should live your life. Instead, I’ll help you slow things down, understand yourself better, recognise your strengths and make meaningful changes that work for your brain and your life.

And while ADHD is a particular area of my work, I also support people navigating burnout, confidence, emotional wellbeing and significant life change.

You are not your ADHD. And you don’t have to figure it all out alone.

Book your FREE 30-minute connection call - no pressure, no hard sell, just a real, human conversation.

And if ADHD is part of your story, you can also find my bestselling book, You Are Not Your ADHD, here: https://amzn.eu/d/6lMeybX

Emotional Resilience & Stress
When your brain is constantly busy, it can be difficult to switch off, regulate emotions or recover from stress. I use practical approaches, including HeartMath, to help clients develop greater self-awareness, emotional regulation and resilience.

Burnout & Overwhelm
If you’re exhausted from constantly trying to keep everything together, coaching can provide space to step back and understand what is draining you. Together, we can identify what needs to change and develop approaches that are realistic and sustainable.

Confidence & Self-Worth
ADHD, life experiences and years of feeling that you should be able to cope differently can take a toll on confidence. I help clients recognise their strengths, challenge unhelpful patterns and develop a more compassionate and realistic view of themselves.

Life Transitions & Change
Whether it’s a new diagnosis, career change, relationship change, becoming an empty nester, redundancy, retirement or simply reaching a point where something needs to change, I offer a space to work out what comes next and move forward with purpose.

Trauma & Bereavement
My background in mental health, military welfare and bereavement support gives me extensive experience working alongside people navigating trauma, loss and significant life events. Coaching can provide a supportive space to explore what has happened and consider how you want to move forward.

Leadership & Professional Wellbeing
I work with leaders, professionals and business owners who want to understand themselves better, manage pressure, develop resilience and lead in a way that is sustainable for them. My experience spans mental health, healthcare, education, military welfare, leadership, coaching and consultancy.

You Don't Have to Have It All Figured Out
You don't need to arrive with a perfectly defined goal. Sometimes the first step is simply having somewhere to slow down, make sense of what's happening and work out what you actually need.

We'll start where you are and take it from there.

Single Coaching Session - £150
90-minute online coaching session, pay as you go.

Ongoing Coaching - £200/month
For clients who want regular, ongoing support and accountability.

2 × 60-minute coaching sessions per month
Online sessions
Space to explore what’s going on, make sense of challenges, problem-solve and take meaningful action
Sessions booked through my online scheduling system

Flexible monthly arrangement - cancel anytime with one month's notice.

If you choose to pay for 6 months upfront, you’ll receive 10% off.
The 10% upfront payment discount is not available for Access to Work-funded coaching.

WhatsApp Support - £75/month
For clients who would benefit from additional support between sessions, WhatsApp coaching can be added to your monthly package.

This includes:

Coaching support via WhatsApp, including texts, voice notes and images
Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm
Message as and when you need to within those hours
Responses during support hours, excluding leave periods and public holidays
WhatsApp support is designed for coaching, accountability and brief check-ins between sessions. It is not a crisis or emergency service.

Access to Work
I also work with Access to Work clients and can provide ADHD/workplace strategy coaching as part of an approved Access to Work award.

If you already have an Access to Work award, or are exploring whether ADHD coaching could form part of your support, get in touch to discuss your requirements and how we could work together.

Booking & Payment (one off or monthly sessions)
Your first coaching session can be booked through my online scheduler once payment has been received.

Monthly coaching is paid monthly via automatic payment until cancelled, with the option to pay for 6 months upfront at a 10% discount. The upfront discount is not available for Access to Work-funded coaching.

Coaching sessions are primarily available on weekday evenings (UK time).

I also offer some weekend availability on an occasional basis, depending on my schedule. Weekend appointments are offered as an exception rather than as my usual availability.

My Coaching Approach

You don’t need fixing. You need to understand yourself.

I believe lasting change comes from understanding how you think, feel and respond, then finding ways of doing things that work with you, not against you.

My coaching draws on ADHD and neurodivergence, positive psychology, behaviour change, emotional wellbeing and trauma-informed practice. But there’s no formula. You are the starting point.

I’ll give you space to think, be honest and work things through and I’ll challenge you when it could help. My style is warm, down-to-earth, practical and refreshingly direct.

We’ll make sense of what’s keeping you stuck, recognise what’s already working, and turn insight into action.

The goal isn’t to make you dependent on coaching. It’s to help you leave with more clarity, confidence and tools to move forward on your own.

What Clients Say

“I always felt seen and understood, and encouraged to drop any negativity I had towards myself. Lou offers tools and perspectives that are both actionable and deeply affirming.”
SM

“Lou’s calm, experienced approach enabled me the space to think through my goals and reach a point of clarity which I hadn’t had before.”
JW

“She is sensitive, yet direct; she is kind, yet identifies where improvements can be made; she is empathetic, yet able to communicate some challenging realities.”
JB, Head Teacher