Great question! This is one of the most common questions Clients ask when deciding which service best suits what they are looking for.

A quick overview of the differences between Therapy/Counselling, Occupational Therapy, and ADHD Coaching:

So how is ADHD Coaching any different from Sport Coaching, Mentorship, or hiring a Consultant?

We will use the following Basketball Metaphor Chart to attempt to metaphorically exemplify the many different roles a Client may seek for their presenting concerns/goals (adapted from MCC Michael Stratford's Bicycle Metaphor, via ADDCA):

No, Occupational Therapists and ADHD Coaches cannot diagnose ADHD, nor can they prescribe medication. However, an Occupational Therapist can support Clients in finding options and in making informed decisions that best work for their situation and desired outcomes, as well as in providing letters of recommendations to advocate for and to support Clients who may require accommodations in different settings (i.e. in the school, workplace, community settings) based on the Occupational Therapist's clinical reasoning resulting from thorough assessment of client requirements and client-centred needs in their particular environments/settings.

In British Columbia Canada, an ADHD diagnosis can be made by a licensed and specifically trained Physician (i.e. Medical Doctor, Psychiatrist, Pediatrician, Neurologist), or a Registered Psychologist (cannot prescribe medication). Assessments/visits provided by a Physician are covered by BC's MSP and there is no fee, however BC's MSP does not cover assessments/visits with a Registered Psychologist. However, some Extended Health Insurance benefits may cover sessions with a Registered Psychologist-- please be sure to check with your Extended Health Insurance provider.

It is critical to ask/check with the assessing Medical Professional whether they have extensive and up-to-date training/knowledge and experience in the assessment process. For further details and diagnostic resources, please refer to CADDAC ("Getting a Diagnosis" section) and ADHD Advocacy Society of BC.

Please see below for a list of MSP and Private options. However, please note that the options listed below are provided for convenience only and not as recommendations as Hesed ADHD receives no financial benefit from the listed services.

A few BC MSP-covered options for adults (requires a doctor/nurse practitioner's referral-- download from respective websites below, and please check for waitlist times):

• Level Up ADHD (Physician, Virtual)

• Dr. Emes (Psychiatrist, Virtual)

• Dr. Mitra Motamedi (Physician, Virtual)

• VCH Adult ADHD Clinic (for those between 17-35 years old, located at the Regional ADHD Clinic at Joseph & Rosalie Segal & Family Health)

There are also Private (pay out-of-pocket) Virtual ADHD Assessment Service options for adults in BC and across Canada (shorter wait time, no referral required):

• West Coast Adult ADHD Centre (British Columbia)

• Adult ADHD Centre (Across Canada)

• Talk with Frida (Across Canada)

• Beyond ADHD (Across Canada)

Hesed ADHD currently partners with neurodivergent adults (19+) with or suspecting a diagnosis of ADHD, with particular experience in working with individuals who are also:

• creatives

• entrepreneurs

• professionals

• grad students

• retirees

• seeking Christian coaching

• multipassionates

• highly sensitive persons (hsp)

• living with sensory processing challenges

• living with co-occurring conditions

• overfunctioners

• perfectionists

• and more

You do not need to be a Christian or have ADHD to work together! Hesed ADHD is dedicated to meeting you where you are and partnering with you on this journey together. An ideal client is someone who is ready to embrace growth, take decisive steps forward, and committed to making progress. Together is better than taking the journey alone!

All sessions are conducted by secure video through Jane Software Inc. (Jane), which is a secure online platform locally headquartered in North Vancouver, Canada, and is fully compliant with the Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the Canadian Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), the US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Please see Jane’s privacy policy here. Clients will receive a video link via email prior to the appointed session time.

Costs

Currently, all 1-1 Sessions are 55 minutes long and priced at $175 CAD per Session.

At this time, Hesed ADHD does not offer a sliding scale as our updated structure is intentionally designed to provide transparent and consistent expectations around both cost and scheduling.

Insurance

Due to recent updates provided by the Association of Canadian OT Regulatory Organizations in late May 2025, licensed OTs in BC are now permitted to provide cross-jurisdictional virtual OT practice across all provinces, except for Quebec residents.

If you have extended insurance benefits, please check your individual plan to confirm whether Occupational Therapy is covered (often listed under Paramedical Services in Canada). At this time, we are unable to provide direct billing for Occupational Therapy services, and all Sessions must be paid within 24 hours to avoid additional fees.

If your private/extended health benefits do not cover Occupational Therapy and you are a Canadian resident, you may want to check with the CRA and your accountant. To our understanding, Occupational Therapy services may be considered eligible medical expenses and may be claimable on your tax return through the Medical Expense Tax Credit under "Medical services by medical practitioners" (CRA official list of eligible medical practitioners). Please be sure to confirm this with both the CRA and your accountant to ensure accuracy based on your specific situation.

Payment Methods

At the end of each session, an invoice/receipt will be issued. All payments are securely processed online through the Jane client platform via Stripe. Canadian clients can pay using most major credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Debit, AMEX, etc.), or via Interac e-transfers. US and International clients can also pay using most major credit cards. While there are no additional fees from our end (via Jane), please check with your US/International bank for any applicable international transaction fees to avoid surprises.

Absolutely! Please note that the list below is not comprehensive as there are many wonderful and qualified professionals who support ADHD, but these are just some of our personal finds through researching. Please also note that the options listed below are provided for convenience only and not as recommendations as Hesed ADHD is not affiliated with any of the listed services.

If you are located in Canada, the CADDAC "Find a Resource" page has a comprehensive and up-to-date list of therapists, coaches and many different types of support options specific to ADHD across Canada. Psychology Today is also a great search tool as you can filter specific preferences and location.

Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Therapists/Counsellors who have indicated on their website that they can support Adults with ADHD in British Columbia, Canada:

Adult ADHD OT Options:

• Mindful Mountains Wellness

• West Coast Adult ADHD (April Watson)

• Affinity Wellness (Brianna Viggiani)

• Level Up ADHD (Aisling Nebor)

• The ADHD Space Team

• The ADHD OT

Adult ADHD Social Worker Options in BC:

• West Coast Adult ADHD (Tracy, also an ADHD Coach)

• Tanya Strubin (also an ADHD Coach)

• Pamati Counselling (Michelle Wing, also a RCC)

• Next Step Online Therapy (Averill Hanson)

Adult ADHD Psychologist/RCC/Therapist Options in BC:

• The ADHD & Relationship Centre

• Nightingale Counselling and Research

• Sunward Journeys

• Arktos Wellness Services

• Sarah Susswein

• Dr. Candice Murray (Psychologist)

• Dr. Mary Jia (Psychologist)

Important Notes Regarding ADHD Coaches:

• Most ADHD Coaches/Life Coaches are not covered under Extended Health Insurance unless they are simultaneously licensed under a specific health specialty in the same location/jurisdiction as you (i.e. RCC, OT, Social Worker, Psychologist, etc.), but please be sure to ask and check as there are more cross jurisdiction/virtual options now

• For ADHD specific coaches, there are currently only 2 accredited training schools by both the PAAC (Professional Association for ADHD Coaches) and ICF (International Coaching Federation) which are ADDCA (ADD Coaching Academy) and MentorCoach (they don't have a directory unfortunately) that have specific ADHD trained coaches

• In ADDCA, "Family Trained Coaches" have extra training in working through family and relationship dynamics, and are trained to support kids/teens with ADHD

ADHD Coaches General Directories:

• ADDCA ADHD Coaches Directory

• PAAC ADHD Coaches Directory

• ADD.org Coaches Directory

• ADDitude Magazine Professional Directory

• ACO Directory

• CHADD Directory

How to Find an ADHD Coach:

• From ADD.org

• From ADDitude Mag (with a specific list of questions)

• From ADDCA

• From the World Federation of ADHD

Hesed ADHD values the uniqueness of each Client's journey, customizing our support and approach to meet Clients where they are and guiding them towards their desired destination. To deliver high-quality, individualized support, Hesed ADHD intentionally maintains a limited Client roster to ensure the dedicated time, energy and attention each Client deserves. The Intake process is designed to determine compatibility and to ensure a mutual commitment to growth and achieving your desired results.

Telehealth/Virtual OT/Coaching is not for everyone so it is crucial to determine the most suitable personal factors that would allow you to have an effective and supportive experience.