Maria Stefanidi

PhD ADHD-Informed Coach | Supporting PhD students with ADHD to create systems that fit your brain, reduce shame & get you from overwhelmed to 'I can actually finish this!'

I never planned to become a PhD ADHD-informed coach; that path opened the day my oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD, and I watched up close how a system not built for his brain made every day harder than it needed to be.

I immersed myself in understanding ADHD so I could support him, and in the process, I began to see another group who were quietly struggling: brilliant doctoral students trying to navigate the most demanding intellectual work of their lives.

As I listened to PhD students in online communities and conversations, I kept hearing the same painful story: years of achievement, then the structure of coursework disappears, and suddenly time management, focus, and follow-through feel overwhelming - and many start wondering if they should just walk away from their degrees altogether.

That realization was my turning point.

I trained in ADHD coaching, at first to help my son, and then recognised that I could bring together two worlds: deep, lived expertise in PhD coaching and evidence-based ADHD strategies tailored to neurodivergent brains doing doctoral-level work.

Today, I work specifically at that intersection.

I understand the pressure of dissertation writing, the isolation of independent research, and the perfectionism that runs through academic culture - and I also understand why "try harder", "just focus", or "use a planner" are not real solutions for ADHD.

Instead of generic productivity tips or academic hand-holding, I help you design systems that work with your brain, not against it: practical, compassionate structures for getting started, following through, and recovering when things don't go to plan.

My coaching starts exactly where you are, without judgment - whether you're newly diagnosed, self-diagnosed, or simply exhausted from pushing yourself in a system that doens't fit how you think.

You don't need perfect habits or color-coded life; you need sustainable progress, session by session, week by week, one milestone at a time.

Together, we build momentum through small, realistic changes that you can actually maintain, so you can protect your mental health and move your research forward.

If you're a PhD student with ADHD who's been told you're "wasting your potential" or "not living up to your abilities," I want you to know that your intelligence was never the problem.

The problem is a mismatch between traditional academic structures and how your brain works - and that's something we can re-engineer.

You do not have to choose between your degree and your well-being.

With the right support, you can create a way of working that honors both and finish your PhD on your own terms!