Meet Our Team - Frances Coppa
Frances Coppa
Position at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center:
ADHD/ Executive Function Coach
How long have you been working at Hallowell Todaro ADHD?
4 months
Where did you grow up?
Anchorage, Alaska
What are some of your favorite books, movies, and/or TV shows?
I’m not much of a “favorites” kind of person.
What is your favorite sport and/or sports team?
I prefer to play sports! I play ultimate frisbee and volleyball. I started coaching my daughter’s elementary school ultimate frisbee team last year and that has been really fun.
Complete the following sentences:
When I’m not at work, you can find me...
spending time in nature with my family. We backpack, bike, and swim in whatever bodies of water are nearby.
When I want to de-stress, I...
As someone with ADHD, developing my own form of “relaxing” has been a journey. I practice yoga and doing that consistently helps with stress. I like word and number puzzles or logic problems. I cook while listening to an audiobook. I go on walks with friends.
My favorite time of year is...
Don’t have a favorite :-) I ski in the winter, I like the transition back to routines in the fall, I like the outside time and swimming of summer and the blooming plants and general shift from darkness to more light of the spring.
If I could travel anywhere in the world, I’d go to...
I travel a lot. My family is going to Vietnam next year. I went to Bali this year. I want to see more of Europe and hike the Dolomites.
What led you to pursue a career in helping others?
I thrive on connection, so naturally, I am drawn to be in community and I see ways things could improve or opportunities to jump in and help. I also love the feeling of solving problems or digging into a challenge.
What education, skills and expertise do you bring to your role?
I have been an educator since 2001. In true ADHD fashion, I’ve done so in many different ways, including teaching Kindergarten & Special Ed, being a school principal, Parent Education in cooperative preschools, yoga instructor, classes for parents of kids with ADHD and professional development in schools and early childhood centers.
What’s your personal philosophy/approach toward the work you do?
My personal philosophy is grounded in building trust and connection first and foremost. Without this, very little progress can be made. Another foundational belief I have is that self-awareness without self-compassion equals self-torture. So as I work with clients to help them better understand their brains and identify areas of growth, I remind them to be kind to themselves and foster self-acceptance.
What is one small thing people can do to increase their happiness?
Practice gratitude. Our brains have a negativity bias, meaning we are more likely to notice what didn’t go well, how we can improve and what we don’t yet have. Building gratitude into your daily routines can shift a person’s mindset and enable you to have more moments of presence day-to-day.
We provide a range of support for people with ADHD.