Full Course Description

Part 1, Module 1-2: Changing the ADHD Brain - Moving Beyond Medication

Program Information

Objectives

Articulate the relationship between the frontal lobe of the brain and ADHD symptomology for the purpose of client psychoeducation.
Determine the impact of movement and exercise on the reduction of ADHD symptoms as it relates to assessment and treatment planning.
Implement treatment interventions for improving impulse control and working memory in clients.
Analyze the influence of diet and nutrition on ADHD symptoms in relation to assessment and treatment planning.
Develop clinical strategies to calm the nervous system of clients diagnosed with ADHD.
Assess the clinical implications of environmental influences on ADHD symptoms in clients.

Outline

Why Not Medication?

Useful as a short-term tool
Concerns with long-term use: Effects on the brain

ADHD and the “Immature” Brain

Brain imaging evidence of ADHD
Research regarding ADHD brain development
- Frontal lobes mature more slowly in the ADHD brain
- Excess theta brainwaves
Implications for treatment

Movement-Based Strategies

Wake up an underaroused ADHD brain
Hyperactivity as an adaptive mechanism
The impact of play and exercise on the brain
Role of rhythm and timing training
Integrated movement systems for ADHD

Frontal Lobe/Working Memory Strategic Tools

Use it or lose it: Increase memory, attention and focus
Games for impulse control and working memory
Computerized cognitive training programs
Meditation and mindfulness for ADHD
Neurofeedback

Diet and Nutrition

The impact of sugars, fats, proteins and water
Diet and dopamine
Omega 3-6-9: What you need to know for brain health
Multivitamins/minerals: Do they make a difference?
Gluten, food additives and pesticides

ADHD and Nervous System Overstimulation

”Overaroused” subtype of ADHD
Stress, anxiety and ADHD: the connection
Breathwork and movement for nervous system calming
Heart rate variability biofeedback
Art therapy techniques to quiet and focus the brain

Environmental Influences

Video games and Social Media
Sleep deprivation
- Same symptoms as ADHD
- Strategies to help insomnia
Environmental toxins: lead, phthalates, pollution
The impact of time in nature on ADHD symptoms

Copyright : 18/08/2017

Part 2: Advances in the Management of ADHD: Evidence-Based Medications and Psychosocial Treatments

Program Information

Objectives

Assess and characterize the utility of current FDA approved ADHD management medications for symptom management
Discriminate between effective and unproven adjunctive ADHD interventions and its treatment implications
Articulate the beneficial effects and potential side effects associated with ADHD medications in relation to assessment and treatment planning

Outline

Purpose of medication interventions

Stimulant medications most effective and well researched ADHD interventions
Safety, convenience and cost effectiveness are well established

Mechanisms of action for the three categories of ADHD medications Neurobiological mechanism of operation

Traditional stimulants as compared to new alpha-2a receptor conceptualizations

Primary US approved stimulant medications

Efficacy and factors in noncompliance
New developments in delivery systems
OROS, Pulse delivery, transdermal, lisdexamfetamine

Stimulant efficacy in preschoolers

Gains smaller, side effects greater than in older children

Behavioral benefits of stimulant interventions

Academic, temperamental

Primary side effects of stimulant interventions

Insomnia, appetite suppression, head ache, gastric distress, cardiac effects

Common misconceptions related to stimulant use Predictors of positive response to medications Newer medication interventions

Atomoxetine – positive and side effects, rationale for use
Guanfacine XR - positive and side effects, rationale for use

Importance of early intervention in ADHD

Neuroprotective effects

Off label medications used for ADHD Factors involved in choosing which medication to use

Intervention context, patient characteristics, comorbidity

Conclusions

Evidence based treatments
Experimental psychosocial treatments
Nutritional interventions
Disproven therapies

Copyright : 28/08/2018

Part 3, Modules 1-2: Executive Function, ADHD and Stress in the Classroom

Program Information

Objectives

Implement strategies to increase students’ executive functioning skills during both structured activities and open learning times.
Employ classroom interventions that will improve time management, organizational and study skills for kids diagnosed with ADHD.
Apply simple breathing and mindfulness techniques to reduce students’ stress levels, improve emotional regulation in order to meet classroom expectations.
Adapt traditional behavior modification programs to address non-compliant behavior in kids who have ADHD.
Utilize classroom management strategies that apply to the whole class while also meeting the needs of students who are easily distracted or who have cognitive processing delays.
Implement strategies to improve homework compliance and improve study skills among students.

Outline

Impact of ADHD, Executive Function and Stress on Learning and Behavior

Challenges ADHD creates beyond impulsivity, inattentiveness and hyperactivity
Relationship between ADHD, executive function and stress
Determining eligibility for services

Techniques to Strengthen Emotional/ Self-Regulation in School

Self-monitoring strategies for students to adjust their self-talk and focus control
Specific time management techniques for deepening concentration and perseverance
Environmental modifications to help students harness innate strength
Addressing the issues of ADHD medication in school

Strategies to Reduce Disruptive Behaviors, Stress & Anxiety

Powerful changes in the classroom environment to support student independence
Supporting lagging developmental skills required for self-regulation
Class-wide culture shifts to aide calm and focus for all students
Problem solving and self-advocacy tools to increase self-monitoring

Strategies to Improve Attention, Organization, Time Management and Memory

Powerful use of graphic organizers facilitate writing, organizing and problem solving
Specific timers, paper organizers, and homework management systems
Keys to incorporate movement, fidgets, and mindfulness techniques
Making IEP and 504 plans more effective and impactful for teachers and students

Copyright : 13/03/2017

Part 4, Modules 1-2: ODD, ASD, ADHD & Mood Disorders - Over 50 Behavior-Changing Techniques for Children and Adolescents

Program Information

Objectives

Utilize over 50 proven techniques for working with kids with behavioral issues, high-functioning ASD, ADHD and mood disturbance.
Distinguish how to promote “whole brain” change in children with verbal processing and auditory learning issues.
Develop tools for daily mindfulness and self-regulation practice.
Apply strategies to develop life skills for a wide variety of emotional disturbances and behavioral problems.
Implement strategies for treating intolerance, anxiety and impulsivity.
Dissect how to reduce power struggles & anger through CBT and validation techniques.

Outline

DSM-5® Updates & Making Effective Treatment and Academic Goals for:

ODD/CD
ASD
ADHD
Anxiety/Depression
Trauma
Substance Abuse

The Brain-Behavior Connection

Executive Functioning
Auditory Processing
Emotion Regulation
Sensory-Motor

Treatment Techniques for ODD

Increase autonomy through established environmental support
Decrease arousal states with immediate use self-regulation techniques
Reverse aggression and inattention caused by technology exposure and videogame play
Promote healthy brain function with structured daily living practices
Reduce power struggles and anger through CBT and validation techniques
Foster positive peer involvement & altruism
…and more

Treatment Techniques for ASD

Group and individual techniques for developing social skills of:
Improved prosody
Appropriate eye contact
Awareness of personal space
Effective use of gesture and posture
Redirection from preoccupational interests
Coping with transitions
…and more

Treatment Techniques for ADHD

Reducing excessive movement and climbing
Improve executive functioning and attention to detail
Develop an effective teaching/learning environment
Promote fluid task shifting
Develop “whole-brain” problem-solving skills
Boost sensory regulation
Effectively advocate for seating assignment, home/classwork planning, and task fatigue
…and more

Treatment Techniques for Anxiety/Depression/Trauma

Inoculate anxiety in high pressure situations with behavioral tools
Facilitate anxiety control and decrease escapism at school and home
Reverse lethargy and withdrawal through CBT techniques
Increase distress tolerance skills utilizing sensory tools and imagery
Nurture mindfulness skills and prevent hopelessness and worthlessness
Prioritize worries for mindfulness practice through narrative activities and engagement of acceptance and commitment
Create hands-on tools for decreasing sensory sensitivity
Teach body awareness

Copyright : 06/02/2018

Part 5: The Two Attention Disorders: Identifying, Diagnosing, and Managing ADHD vs. SCT

Program Information

Objectives

Characterize the specific nature of the inhibition and attention deficits in ADHD
Apply DSM-5 criteria effectively to accurately diagnose ADHD and develop successful treatment interventions
Utilize modifications to DSM-5 criteria to improve diagnostic rigor and identification of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT)
Discriminate effectively between ADHD and SCT

Outline

Advances in understanding the symptoms of ADHD

Dimensions of deficits – hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention

Subtypes of attention impairment

DSM-5 criteria for diagnosis of ADHD and varied presentations

Inattentive, Hyperactive, Combined

Changes in criteria from DSM-IV to DSM-5

Overlooked issues needing further explication

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo as distinct from ADHD

History of presentation

Distinguishing SCT from Inattentive ADHD

Prominent discriminating symptoms
Use of Barkley SCT Rating Scale
Demographic differences
Cognitive presentation
Current SCT research findings
Comorbidity with ADHD and personality traits
School and academic correlates
Family and social distinctions

Impairment associated with SCT

Relative comparison with ADHD impairments

Possible etiologies Basic nature of SCT – differentiating from normal styles of cognition Treatment interventions for SCT

Medication research
Psychosocial treatment considerations

Limitations of SCT conceptualization Summary and consideration of factors that potentially establish SCT as distinct from ADHD

Part 6, Modules 1-2: Smart but Scattered Adults - Manage ADHD by Targeting Executive Skills

OUTLINE

The Executive in the Brain

How the brain’s “control center” governs executive skills
The impact of ADHD on frontal lobe functioning
How effective behavior change revolves around executive skills

Assessment tools

Executive Skills Questionnaire—a rating scale to help clients determine their executive skill strengths and weaknesses
Workplace assessment tools to help clients better use their executive skill strengths and minimize the impact of their weaknesses
Home management tools to help clients understand why they avoid some chores like the plague—and what to do about it!
A rating scale to help partners understand each other’s profile and the impact of profile differences on relationships

The Impact of Executive Skills in the Daily Life of Adults with ADHD

Executive skills in the workplace
- Goodness of fit between executive skills profile and the job
- Maximizing executive skill strengths
- Managing weaknesses
- Creating an action plan
Executive skills in the home
- The concept of “effortful work”
- Matching executive skills profiles to appropriate tasks
- Effective roles for family members living with adults with ADHD
Executive skills in relationships
- How the executive skills profiles of adults with ADHD affect those they live with
- The impact of mismatches and different executive skills profiles on relationships
- Tips for working with couples where one partner has ADHD

Key Strategies to Help ADHD Clients Cope with Weak Executive Skills

Environmental modifications to reduce the impact of executive skill challenges
- Change the physical or social environment
- Modify tasks to make them more do-able
- Enlist the help of others

Strategies for Improving Executive Skills

In the workplace
- 12 executive skills that impact productivity and behavior change
- Make a SMART goal
- Using a deadline
- Make a plan
- The importance of clear start dates
- Using technology to support behavior change
In the home
- Find logical ways to share the work load
- Understand the start point
- Start small, build incrementally
- Practice, practice, practice
- Using visible reminders
- Motivators
In relationships
- How different profiles signal tension points in relationships
- Keys to resolving conflicts arising from executive skill differences
- The liberal use of humor, patience, forgiveness, negotiation
- Using self-talk to motivate, problem solve and persist
- The power of positivity

OBJECTIVES

Outline the key role executive skills play in understanding adults with ADHD.
Compare and contrast assessment tools to determine clients’ profiles of executive skill strengths and weaknesses.
Communicate with clients on the best way to restructure their environment to reduce the impact of weak executive skills.
Build a realistic change plan that enables ADHD clients to improve executive skills in situations and settings they identify as problematic.
Discuss effective strategies ADHD clients can use to cope with executive skill challenges in the workplace, the home and in relationships.
Identify tools to enhance 12 executive skill domains.

Program Information

Objectives

Outline the key role executive skills play in understanding adults with ADHD.
Evaluate assessment tools to determine clients’ profiles of executive skill strengths and weaknesses.
Formulate with clients on the best way to restructure their environment to reduce the impact of weak executive skills.
Build a realistic change plan that enables ADHD clients to improve executive skills in situations and settings they identify as problematic.
Determine effective strategies ADHD clients can use to cope with executive skill challenges in the workplace, the home and in relationships.
Evaluate tools to enhance 12 executive skill domains.