Hidden Gems: Meet Paula Michael Dass of Lotus Coaching Services, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Michael Dass.

Hi Paula, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m an executive function, career, and academic coach, and I work with teens through adults in their 60s. I’ve been supporting individuals with ADHD since 2005, when I worked at the University of North Florida as a career counselor in the Career Center and as an adjunct instructor.

Back then, I started noticing something important. Many of the students who were thinking about leaving college or changing majors due to course failures weren’t lacking ability, they were struggling with ADHD. Once I saw that pattern, I partnered with the Disability Resource Center to create programming and strategies specifically designed to support students with ADHD in ways that actually worked for them.

That experience shaped the rest of my career. In my doctoral program, I chose a dissertation focused on how colleges can better support students with ADHD to improve retention, confidence, and long-term success. I continued this work as a career counselor for military spouses and later with an ADHD coaching company, where I refined my ADHD coaching skills.

In 2020, I started my own private practice, where I now work with clients virtually across the US and locally in the Atlanta metro. I’m also the lead coach for an online company called Mindful Health. This work is very personal to me, I have ADHD myself, and I’m the parent of adult children with ADHD, so I truly understand both the professional and lived experience side of this work.

I’m passionate about helping clients build practical, sustainable skills to manage ADHD and strengthen executive functioning. I also love supporting clients with career and academic goals, and I genuinely get excited right alongside them when they land the job, earn the promotion, or get into their top-choice college.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The most challenging part of this process was launching my own private practice. That was a very intimidating decision having worked my entire career within a 9-5. At times I experienced imposter syndrome, which felt strange to me because I am typically a very confident individual. I didn’t know how quickly I would be working full-time, I didn’t know the best ways to market myself in this field, and I didn’t know of anyone doing this work on their own that I could model on the business side, so there was a lot of trial and error at the beginning. I committed to learning everything there is to know about how to manage a private practice and to continuously improve my competency by diving into research, joining professional originations in my field, and attending ADHD conferences. At the end of the day, with a psychology, counseling, and education degree, I was definitely more qualified than I realized at the time. I come from an entrepreneurial family, so my mindset and business knowledge also helped me through those early days and months.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I selected lotus for my business name to depict the daily journey of this flower rising from the mud towards the sun, to bloom. It is the journey my clients take each day through their daily challenges. My goal is to inspire my clients, instill hope, confidence, and provide skills and knowledge of how to rise above obstacles so they can also bloom, sharing their beauty and talents with the world. I am honored to have the opportunity to help clients learn to manage their executive function challenges, to find and excel on their career path, and to navigate the college application process. These are all pivotal transitions in individuals lives, so my skillset, education, and experience in these areas is what sets me apart from others in my field. I’ve been helping students and adults realize their goals since 2000. When they work with me, they get someone that sees their potential before their failures, sees the person before the challenge, and someone that brings competence and passion to each session.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I believe that my empathy is the most important quality in my success. Empathy motivates me to stay on top of the latest research in my field so I am using the most effective strategies, it allows me to push through the longer days prepared and alert so I can show up as my best self for my clients. Empathy allows me to do my best work because doing so improves someone else’s quality of life. It also allows me to self-care and to have compassion for myself if I don’t get it completely right every day. As an entrepreneur, empathy helps me get through the ups and downs of the more challenging aspects of this path so I can show up tomorrow even better.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lotuscoachingservices.com
• Instagram: @drpaulamichaeldass