Meet Robyn Celestino: Transforming Challenges into Achievements with Personalized Coaching
ADHD & Executive Function Coach for Adults & Teens — Build Routines, Focus & Follow-Through
If you have ADHD—or a family member with executive function difficulties—you might struggle to get and stay organized, manage time and priorities, and keep focus in a distraction-filled world. Bethesda Therapy’s outreach team sat down with executive function coach Robyn Celestino to learn what drew her to this work and what sessions with her actually look like—from clear goal-setting and practical systems to supportive accountability and skills you can use at home, school, and work.
What started you on the path to teaching and coaching?
My ASL (American Sign Language) class had been my favorite part of my day as a high schooler because it was so interactive - it made a big impression on me, and I went to college hoping to work in deaf education or as an interpreter. As part of my coursework, I had to take classes in special education - and realized that that was my thing! It melded my interest in the disability community and education, and I went on to teach in inclusion and self-contained classrooms for 8 years - from pre-school to elementary school. (In education, inclusion classrooms refer to classes where students with and without disabilities are taught side by side; self-contained classrooms refer to programs where students with disabilities are taught in smaller groups).
When I became a parent, I left classroom teaching for a few years, and started tutoring students who were having trouble keeping up in school. I realized I loved building relationships with families and helping people set up routines and systems to help make their day to day easier. I started to offer parent coaching because I saw that the things families needed weren’t strictly academic - it was “how do we navigate the IEP process?” and “I know my kid can do his homework, but I can’t get him to get started.” It allowed me to get in there and help parents figure out what works in the home, and how to have a more joyful life with their child.
It’s not where I started - but I feel like this is where I’m best!
When I became a parent, I left classroom teaching for a few years, and started tutoring students who were having trouble keeping up in school. I realized I loved building relationships with families and helping people set up routines and systems to help make their day to day easier. I started to offer parent coaching because I saw that the things families needed weren’t strictly academic - it was “how do we navigate the IEP process?” and “I know my kid can do his homework, but I can’t get him to get started.” It allowed me to get in there and help parents figure out what works in the home, and how to have a more joyful life with their child.
It’s not where I started - but I feel like this is where I’m best!
How is coaching with you different from therapy?
Both are wonderful and beneficial. But I would say that in therapy, you’ll be talking about your feelings more, developing self-reflection - and learning skills. But sitting with emotions is a big part of it, and that takes a good chunk of the time. And in coaching, we’re not delving into feelings as much. Coaching is more solution-focused: we will create an explicit step-by-step plan to help solve a specific problem you are having in your environment.
How do I know if I should join a coaching small group, or work one-on-one?
In a small group, we’ll be putting together individuals who are in similar phases of life - so you’ll get the benefit of feeling less alone & having people to troubleshoot and crowdsource with. If that appeals to you, do that! However, if you don’t know where to begin, or have difficulties with task initiation, working one on one is probably the best way to get started and get started sooner.
Check out Robyn’s ADHD/Executive Functioning new moms’ group starting in Feb 2025.
What do you love about coaching?
I’m a problem solver - ask any of my friends, and they’ll tell you that I am obsessed with troubleshooting and finding different ways to solve the issue at hand. This is the perfect job to do just that. My motto is: we’re gonna be ok - we’re gonna figure it out.
What’s one thing you want every new client to know?
All hope is not lost. There are small things that you can do that can make a big difference in your life. It’s difficult, because if you have ADHD, some organizational skills aren’t as intuitive to you. But if someone (me!) can explain it to you in a way that makes sense to you, it’ll click - you can put systems and routines in place if someone shows you how.
I’m not an uptight person, I’m not intimidating, I’m not scary! I want my clients to feel comfortable to open up to me about what is challenging about their days, and I am truly here to help.
I’m not an uptight person, I’m not intimidating, I’m not scary! I want my clients to feel comfortable to open up to me about what is challenging about their days, and I am truly here to help.
