I gave a one hour webinar for ADDResources.org not too long ago on the topic of "Reigniting Romance in ADHD Relationships" and they have been kind enough to let me link to the recording so you can see it. It's an hour long and one of a whole library of webinars that they offer. If you don't have time to watch, consider putting a reminder into your cell phone (or two, or three!) that will remind you to do something special for your partner on Feb. 14.
Conversations go all wrong when we inadvertently invalidate our partners (or worse, do so on purpose!) Lots of people are confused about what “validating” means – they think it means “agree with” or “empathize with,” neither or which is accurate. So I want to try to clarify what validation is, and why it’s important by sharing some examples.
There's a really interesting conversation going on in response to my last blog post that has morphed into whether or not a non-ADHD spouse should secretly record conversations to demonstrate to an ADHD spouse that they really are mishearing and mis-remembering things. An ADHD spouse has also suggested that recordings might be a good learning tool for "where things go wrong." Here's what I think:
I often am asked about why a person with ADHD should try meds, and one response I give is that meds can give you the clarity and calmness of mind to finally have a chance to let the talented, interesting person “inside” shine through without interference from ADHD symptoms. Along those lines is the story of Andres Torres, who helped the SF Giants win the World Series in 2010. He struggled and underperformed for years until he finally accepted his diagnosis of ADHD and decided to treat it.
Okay, I admit I stole this idea, but I will give full credit to Experience Life Magazine staff for writing a bit about why it’s important to think carefully about this year’s successes before setting your New Year’s resolutions (you can read the article here). This is a particularly smart idea for couples who’ve been struggling with ADHD issues for a while. Let me give you my specific thoughts…
Does it make sense for you to use a coach to get more organized? If so, how do you find the right coach? Certified Organizer Coach®, Sue West, has written a guest blog post to help you understand the different types of organization coaches, and where you might go to find one who fits your needs.
Bryan Hutchinson, who wrote a memoir about growing up with ADHD called "One Boy's Struggle" has just released a support group discussion guide with Sharon St.
Ned Hallowell likes to talk about the "moral diagnosis" of ADHD - the idea that those with ADHD are lazy or ill-willed. The 'moral diagnosis' was what people used to turn to when they didn't know as much about ADHD as we do now. Yet the idea that an ADHD spouse is 'lazy' is amazingly persistent. How to get at that?
I'm happy to announce that the audiobook version of The ADHD Effect on Marriage is now available for download for the same list price as the paperback ($19.95) Here's to all of you out there who like to listen to your books, rather than read them!