“I wish more people understood how it felt to be neurodivergent”: What to Know About Neurodiversity
Time for a societal change? Awareness of neurodiversity is one step, acceptance and valuing these differences are the goals. This would mean a shift from ‘corrective’ behaviour therapy offered by Early Intervention centres. Here’s what to know about the Neurodiversity movement.
‘There is nothing wrong with being neurodiverse. It is simply a different way of thinking. Some of the greatest minds in history are suspected of being neurodiverse and their discoveries have changed the world. If as a society, we could find a way to embrace neurodiversity and support individuals rather than treating it as a problem to be solved, we might be a lot further in finding solutions for some of the major problems we are currently facing’ says Donna who is neurodivergent herself and has two neurodivergent children. As Autism Acceptance Week (previously referred to as Autism Awareness Week) nears, two mamas and Speech and Language Therapists Fátima Ionescu and Melanie Muttit advocate for a societal change to move from awareness of autistic individuals and neurodiversity to acceptance, support and inclusivity instead. The autistic community would like us to move away from Autism Awareness and instead to Autism Acceptance due to the ableist views and perceptions created by Autism Awareness Day. This would also mean not aiming to “fix” or “correct” neurodivergent attributes and characteristics as some Early Intervention centres aim to do and instead looking for neurodiverse-affirming approaches
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YourTango: How To Talk To Kids About School Shootings & Process The Grief We're All Experiencing
"Ten days after the racially-motivated shooting in Buffalo, New York at a grocery store and ten years after the unspeakable tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, Americans are once again dealing with a horrific mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. This small community west of San Antonio will be forever marked by this unspeakable event: parents, siblings, friends, extended family members, coworkers, and neighbors whose lives will never be the same. My thoughts, my heart, and my grief are with the people of Uvalde. This tragedy has also undoubtedly reminded thousands of people who lost loved ones to similar atrocities: Parkland High School, Sandy Hook, Columbine High School, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Charleston, the list goes on and on. It’s nearly impossible not to be affected by this devastating school shooting news. In fact, it may be related to a biological response based on vicarious trauma."
Read the article featured on YourTango!
"How To Talk To Kids About School Shootings & Process The Grief We're All Experiencing"
YourTango: The 4-Step Process That Helps People With ADHD (And Everyone Else!) Break Free Of Bad Habits
"While some habits like engaging in daily exercise, wiping down the kitchen counters before going to bed, or laying out your clothes for the next day can be useful and even good for you, others can hold you back and fuel unwanted clutter, chaos, or unhealthy lifestyles. Habits like these can be even more of a challenge for people with ADHD. But, as the saying goes, "Old habits die hard" and, as much as you may want to change what you know doesn’t serve you, it can seem impossible to make a much-needed shift." Read the full YourTango article for tips on breaking ADHD bad habits and creating new, lasting ones!
Read the full article on YourTango!
"The 4-Step Process That Helps People With ADHD (And Everyone Else!) Break Free Of Bad Habits" by Dr. Sharon Saline
Learn More with Dr. Sharon Saline
Read Related Blog Posts:
- The 4 Steps to New Habits with ADHD: Taking control of your routines to better meet your goals
- Creating an ADHD-Friendly Morning Routine with Your Family: Wake up to a smoother start and a better day
- New Year, New Habits, Same ADHD: How to plan for and maintain new habits together, as a family
Watch Related Videos on Dr. Saline's YouTube Channel:
MSN: An ADHD Specialist Explains Why Female Symptoms Are Often Ignored By Professionals Until Later In Life
"Historically, ADHD was been considered a condition for rambunctious little boys who don't listen to their teachers. However, that stereotype is based mostly upon myth. Plenty of boys with ADHD don't disrupt class, and little girls can also have ADHD — as can adults. This stereotype isn't the only reason little girls often grow into adult women without being diagnosed with ADHD, even when their clinical symptoms should have been clear."
Read the full article on MSN!
"An ADHD Specialist Explains Why Female Symptoms Are Often Ignored By Professionals Until Later In Life" by Dr. Sharon Saline
YourTango: An ADHD Specialist Explains Why Female Symptoms Are Often Ignored By Professionals Until Later In Life
"Historically, ADHD was been considered a condition for rambunctious little boys who don't listen to their teachers. However, that stereotype is based mostly upon myth. Plenty of boys with ADHD don't disrupt class, and little girls can also have ADHD — as can adults. This stereotype isn't the only reason little girls often grow into adult women without being diagnosed with ADHD, even when their clinical symptoms should have been clear."
Read the full article on YourTango!
"An ADHD Specialist Explains Why Female Symptoms Are Often Ignored By Professionals Until Later In Life" by Dr. Sharon Saline
ADHD Online: Understanding Hyperfocus and How to Make It Work For You
"Usually, hyperfocus happens when you’re doing an activity that you find fun or interesting, explains Sharon Saline, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist, author and speaker. But it can also happen when you’re trying to meet a deadline or work through a task you find boring, according to Susan Ciardiello, Ph.D., LCSW, an ADHD coach and psychotherapist. This is what Saline calls “productive hyperfocus,” and it’s the opposite of scrolling for hours. “In a way, hyperfocus is like sustained attention on steroids,” she says."
Read the full article on ADHD Online!
"Understanding Hyperfocus and How to Make It Work For You" by Sarah Ludwig Rausch, featuring Dr. Sharon Saline
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Intrepid Ed News - Dealing with 'Back To School' Anxiety: 5 Tips To Assist Your Child or Teen Make A Smooth Transition
5 Tips to Assist Your Child/Teen With ADHD Make A Smooth Transition: Kids have an incredible radar. They easily pick up when their parents are stressed or anxious, and it increases their own distress, conscious or unconscious. The first step in decreasing the anxiety your child or teen is feeling is to lower your own.
Take a few minutes and discuss your concerns with your partner, a friend, an extended family member, or counselor. Write these down and then strategize responses or to-do action items to each one by creating an "Anxiety Decelerator Plan." This ADP will help you feel like you have some control.
Read the full article!
"Dealing with 'Back to School" Anxiety: 5 Tips To Assist Your Child or Teen With ADHD Make A Smooth Transition" by Dr. Sharon Saline
Additude Webinar Replay - Start with ‘Hello’: How to Reduce Social Anxiety and Foster Connections
Start with ‘Hello’: How to Reduce Social Anxiety and Foster Connections
An ADDitude Webinar by Dr. Sharon Saline
Watch the webinar here!
Webinar description:
"Do you hesitate to reach out to old friends — uncertain whether they’re eager to hear from you? Do you seldom make new friends — apprehensive about risking rejection or just too exhausted to invest time and energy in social endeavors? Is speaking in public so uncomfortable that you avoid ordering take-out at your favorite cafe? Are you looking for support to reduce social anxiety? Many adults with ADHD struggle with fears of embarrassment, rejection, or criticism and hold back from participating in the relationships they truly desire. Still others are worried about missing conversational cues, and then being mocked or excluded. During these past two years of pandemic isolation and restrictions, social anxiety and rejection sensitivity have increased across the board. In other words, you may feel alone, but many others are sharing this experience. In this webinar, Dr. Sharon Saline — award-winning author, international speaker, and consultant — will help you to reduce social anxiety and learn to participate in social situations with more confidence and less self-criticism. She will explain how social anxiety works and offer tools for reducing your discomfort while improving your communication skills. You will learn how to initiate and maintain friendships, manage rejection sensitivity dysphoria, and improve your ability to connect with partners, peers, children, and even love interests. By developing resilience and shifting your mindset, you’ll be prepared to head out into the world with courage, authenticity, and concrete techniques."
In this free, hour-long webinar you will do the following:
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- Understand how social anxiety and rejection sensitivity dysphoria impact adults and older teens with ADHD
- Learn to overcome limiting beliefs and behaviors with practical tools based on cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness
- Develop effective strategies for managing social situations and personal relationships with ease and confidence
- Improve communication skills to engage in clear, appropriate, and meaningful conversations
- Explore tools for improving resilience and maintaining a growth mindset.
Watch the webinar here!
MSN: The One Word You Must Remove From Your Vocabulary When Parenting Kids With ADHD
"What would it be like to remove the word "failure" from any description of your parenting and replace it with "efforting"? Failure is generally defined as a lack of success. There is a finality associated with the word that doesn’t really apply to the long-haul process of parenting. Parenting is a journey marked by highs and lows, joy and frustration, closeness and disconnection. Parenting a child or teen with ADHD, learning differences, anxiety, depression, addiction or other issues means redefining success. What you see on social media, television, or films may not make sense for your family and your particular situation." "The One Word You Must Remove From Your Vocabulary When Parenting Kids With ADHD" by Dr. Sharon Saline
YourTango: The One Word You Must Remove From Your Vocabulary When Parenting Kids With ADHD
"What would it be like to remove the word "failure" from any description of your parenting and replace it with "efforting"? Failure is generally defined as a lack of success. There is a finality associated with the word that doesn’t really apply to the long-haul process of parenting. Parenting is a journey marked by highs and lows, joy and frustration, closeness and disconnection. Parenting a child or teen with ADHD, learning differences, anxiety, depression, addiction or other issues means redefining success. What you see on social media, television, or films may not make sense for your family and your particular situation."
Read the full article on YourTango!
"The One Word You Must Remove From Your Vocabulary When Parenting Kids With ADHD" by Dr. Sharon Saline
Intrepid Ed News - Knowing what to do next: Tips for better planning and prioritizing
"Does it ever seem like you and your kids have way too much to do, and every task looks equally important and daunting? Many people, especially those with ADHD, struggle to make realistic plans, figure out what the order of doing things should look like, and wrestle with how to get started. Sometimes folks can make a plan but there’s so much packed in that the only way to do it all is to multitask or give up. At other moments, there needs to be a crisis or the possibility that something unpleasant will occur if you don’t do the task right now."
"Knowing what to do next: Tips for better planning and prioritizing" by Dr. Sharon Saline Click here to read the article!
YourTango: 5 Things To Try When Your Kid Says 'No!' To Everything
What can you do when your kid says "No" repeatedly? What is your child really trying to communicate? "Recently, I was in my office with Kieran, an eighth-grade boy who was complaining about being bored after school to his mom, Tara, and me. 'There’s nothing to do except gaming and you only let me do that for an hour. What else am I supposed to do?' His mom gently suggested going back to some activities that had previously interested him — guitar lessons, indoor soccer, swim team, or improvisational theater classes. 'No, no, no.' His mom turned to me and said, 'I used to do this to my mom. She called it ‘Shoot ‘em up, and knock ‘em down.’ There’s never a right answer.'"
Women & ADHD Podcast: How do we know if it’s ADHD?
The ADHD & Women Podcast features Dr. Sharon Saline
"Dr. Saline and I talk about how her interest in ADHD as a psychologist was sparked by her own neurodivergent family. We also talk about inattentive type ADHD in childhood and why so many kids — both boys and girls — with inattentive ADHD end up overlooked and ultimately diagnosed with depression and anxiety instead of ADHD. We also talk about the adult diagnosis experience and the best ways for you and your doctor to determine whether you have ADHD as opposed to possibly another situational struggle."
ABC4 Utah - Good Things Utah: What do you get when you combine Krispy Kreme and Twix?
"It’s time to start letting go of the shame of daydreaming and be proud of being scatterbrained. Many parents and teachers are concerned when they see children or teens daydreaming or spacing out. They wrongfully assume that daydreaming is not “productive” and is, therefore, a waste of time. However, periodically letting your mind drift is actually good for you. It allows for creativity, exploration, and rest that the brain doesn’t otherwise engage in. Letting go of the shame of daydreaming is key The importance of occasional attention wandering is something that author Daniel Goleman refers to as “open awareness.” So how do you harness it? Tune in or click here for more: https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dr-sharon-saline/embrace-wandering-mind."
YourTango: Daydreamers Are Basically Creative Geniuses — How To Harness A Wandering Mind
"It's time to start letting go of the shame of daydreaming and be proud of being scatterbrained. Many parents and teachers are concerned when they see children or teens daydreaming or spacing out. They wrongfully assume that daydreaming is not "productive" and is, therefore, a waste of time. However, periodically letting your mind drift is actually good for you. It allows for creativity, exploration, and rest that the brain doesn’t otherwise engage in."
Intrepid Ed News: Let’s get started! 5 tips for helping kids get things done
"Do you wonder why some kids struggle with starting things, sticking with them, and finishing up? Whether it’s working on a school project or preparing for their birthday party, many children and teens struggle with getting started on tasks that seem important but can be tedious, boring, unachievable, or overwhelming. Sometimes it takes the urgency and pressure of deadlines to get anything done, and it’s often at the last minute..."
YourTango: It's Not Just Puppy Love — 4 Things You Must Do When Your Tween Has A Crush
"Is your tween showing signs of a first crush? Do you notice them spending more time in front of the mirror, carefully picking out just the right outfit, and doing their hair? Are they suddenly showering more often, texting with intensity, or casually dropping someone’s name in conversation with a slight blush? Brace yourself: It’s your tween’s first crush! They are awash in a range of new, powerful emotions that, when combined with the hormonal surges related to puberty, might transform them into someone you barely recognize!"
Taking Control, The ADHD Podcast: Call Out Your Stinking Thinking! ADHD & Self-Compassion with Dr. Sharon Saline
Dr. Sharon Saline joins Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright on Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast!
"We'd never heard of the phrase stinking thinking until Sharon Saline used it with us on the show this week. But we knew what it meant immediately. We live with it. It's the thinking we use about ourselves when we're compromised or when our reserves of resiliency have been tapped, and when what we need more than anything else is just a little bit of self-compassion. But as ADHDers, finding self-compassion isn't always natural. We have to make a practice of it, integrating the language and behaviors of compassion into our days and hours such that when we need it, it's not so hard to find..." Listen to the episode below, or click here to listen at TakeControlADHD.com.
YourTango - The 5 Most Overlooked Symptoms Of Inattentive ADHD & How To Cope With Each
"Inattentive ADHD is often characterized by difficulties in keeping focused, staying organized, and following directions or conversations. These experiences may lead to a sustained pattern of losing things, careless mistakes, and mental fatigue. There are three different types of ADHD, each with differences in how they present and in how the affect a person's life. As a psychologist, I understand how often the issues associated with inattentive ADHD are often misunderstood as defiance, lack of comprehension, lower intelligence, or laziness..."
Intrepid Ed News - Improve your student’s study and work habits: Using my GRIT method
"Does it ever seem like once your child or teen gets started on a project that they struggle to sustain their interest and complete it? Sustained-attention and goal-directed persistence are two key executive functioning skills that work together to help a student cross the finish line. Sustained attention refers to the ability to maintain focus and extended efforts over time..."