Index of talks

• The Future of ADHD Coaching: A View From The Outside In Friday PreConference Session
• Introduction to Career Services Specialty Training Friday PreConference Session
• Sari Solden
• Using the Nurtured Heart Approach in Coaching
• The ADHD Coach, The Doctor and the Psychologist
• Overcoming the Challenges of ADHD & ADHD Coaching in Turkey in global Collaboration with JST Coaching, LLC
• The Top Ten Apps for Clients and Coaches
• Innovative ways of serving a bigger audience – how to reach out to the undiagnosed population
• Tips and Tools for Masterful ADHD Coaching
• Integrating New ADHD Research into Your coaching
• Your Roadmap to ADHD Coach Training and Credentialing
• Advocacy in the School System: What the Coach Needs to Know
• Mind & Heart, Science & Art: Using Marketing & Collaboration to Build a Coaching Business
• Deciphering Psycho-educational Evaluations
• Time management for Unmanageable People
• Mastering Medical Connections
• Add Educators to you List of Clients: How to coach and educate teachers
• What Does the Research Say and What Does it Have to do with Me?
• Coaching with the Hierarchy for ADHD Success in Mind
• Transitioning from teleclasses to webinars. Five things you MUST know before making the leap
• ADD Coaching and CBT for Adult ADHD: Differences, Similarities and Benefits
• Jody KEYNOTE
• “Extreme” Self-Care Coaching Lab: Tending the Mind, Body, Heart and Spirit
• Awesome Coach Seeks, Um, Revenue? Two Marketing gurus show you how to launch your business into overdrive
• Building Your Own ADHD Center – Using Assets You Already Have!
• How to Get Out of you Own Way and Get Things Done: The 7-Step PowerPlan to Success with ADHD A New Coaching Paradigm
• Building Bridges of Support for ADHD Youth who are Transitioning from High School to the Real World
• Tell Them it Works: What ADHD Coaches can say to Collaborators and Clients
• Understanding Social Interactions in the Worksplace – for the ADHD Adult – 24-hr job!

Session Descriptions

Friday PreConference Session

The Future of ADHD Coaching: A view from the outside in

Robert M. Tudisco

The field of ADHD Coaching has been faced with unique challenges in the past which are based upon popular misconceptions and misunderstandings.  Whether accurate or not, these perceptions, in addition to a lack of unity in the field have made it difficult for the field to blossom as it should.  This program will take a sobering look at the current misperceptions about coaching with a view toward educating the public more accurately about the nature and effectiveness of an ADHD Coaching model.  The session will explore issue such as the challenges in credentialing, accountability, self regulation and insurance in addition to the prospect of a greater body of research to educate the public with accurate science based information and change the current misperceptions of the field. 

The session will also discuss a longer term plan to develop unity and self regulation with a hope toward encouraging a climate where ADHD Coaching can flourish in an academic environment as a widely understood and accepted academic pursuit in postsecondary education.  Additionally, the session will discuss the need to recruit bilingual coaches and coaches of color to reach out more effectively to currently underserved communities.

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Friday PreConference Session

Introduction to Career Services Specialty Training

Wilma Fellman, M.Ed., LPC & Victoria Roche, MSW, PCC

Being mindful of this year’s ACO Theme: Coaching the Heart and Mind, we recognize that for effective results, coaching must be a collaborative effort that utilizes sound practices and methods targeted at the entire person.  Often in the coaching profession, we work with clients on a host of priorities, always including the multi-faceted puzzle-pieces that make up our complicated species.  Often too, when we reach the place along the coaching path that deals with “the Career piece,” we are forced to stop our process, and hand the client off to a career professional to address that.  What we especially find with the ADHD population is that this “handing off” process can be disruptive of the coaching relationship we have established, and can further lead to losing the client due to loss of inertia, lack of follow-through on their part, or lack of collaboration with the career professional.

In order to be more inclusive in your services, it is now possible for you to gain valuable tools and skills needed to be able to address the “career piece” within your coaching practice, and thereby retain more clients through to completion!

Methodology for this session will include lecture as well as opportunities for hands-on experiential exercises.  Q & A will allow for participants to discuss specific case studies with opportunity for supervisory/corrective input.

Participants will benefit from a Pre-Test and Post-Test Evaluation of their pre-conceived ideas of how to deal with career issues.  They will receive a PowerPoint Presentation and will receive a correlated handout. 

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Reaching The Hearts And The Minds Of Adults With ADHD

KeyNote Address

Sari Solden

The objective of her talk is to increase understanding and appreciation of the emotional complexity of these individuals. Her presentation includes, but is not limited to these topics: seeing the whole person, avoiding common pitfalls for helping professionals, healing instead of curing, striking a balance between change and acceptance, recognizing the multiple levels of acceptance, and the effects of unacknowledged loss and chronic invisible assaults on a person’s self image. Sari emphasizes how shame, avoidance, and the dislike of one’s own differences have a much more destructive effect on an individual’s life than the challenges of ADHD themselves and how a supportive professional can play a pivotal role in reversing these often deeply internalized views.

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Using the Nurtured Heart Approach in Coaching

Coaching Practice

Dema K. Stout

The Nurtured Heart Approach™ is a way of interacting with children and adults that assists in transforming who they are. It is used as a Parenting methodology; as a Tier One Positive Behavior Support system in schools, as a major technique in therapy and a way of being in the world. After receiving advanced training in the Approach, I found it has greatly enhanced my coaching practice.

The Session will begin with an overview of The Nurtured Heart Approach™ through a Power Point presentation with some audience participation. These basic principles include taking three stands:

• Purposefully creating and nurturing successes
• Refusing to be drawn into energizing negativity
• Having clear rules and boundaries

The portion on recognitions will include an introduction to active, experiential and pro-active recognitions and feature group practice with the principles.

Attendees will receive an outline of the Power Point for note-taking purposes. There will also be video examples of The Nurtured Heart Approach in practice. The attendees will then be led into a discovery of how the Approach has influenced my own coaching practice, resulting in a larger percentage of clients signing up for coaching, plus enhanced clients’ self image and self understanding…resulting in recognizing and celebrating their inherent Greatness. Finally, there will be dyad and triad practice coaching opportunities utilizing this Approach in brief coaching sessions, followed by a debrief on the effectiveness realized during these activities.

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The ADHD Coach, The Doctor and the Psychologist

Partnering & Collaborating: Neuro-Diagnostic Center

Susan Macintosh. R.N. ADHD Coach,
Dr John Clarkson M.D.

Lecture by 2 speakers (Susan and John) with handouts and Power Point for graphics and short video. The conversation will be interactive, with audience participation.
Content will include:

• A description of our combined backgrounds, and knowledge base, which has led to this successful model
• A description of our unique Model, which supports our clients locally and internationally without their having to physically attend our Clinic
• The positive approach and outcomes gained by combining the medical and non medical model
• Our adhd and treatment methodologies which have been compiled from years of “in house” research and clinical practice
• A description of the use and success of our interactive on line assessment tools
• The inclusion of how other collaborative professionals are brought in to work with our clients for best outcomes. (may include professionals such as radiologists, psychologists, physiotherapists, behavioural optometrists, educators with specialist skills, specialist yoga instructors , accountants, lawyers etc.).

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Overcoming the Challenges of ADHD & ADHD Coaching in Turkey in global Collaboration with JST Coaching, LLC

Partnering & Collaborating: International

Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, Eda Aydogan, Suzan Tana Alalu, Elgiz Henden, & Pinar Kobas

ADHD Coaching has gained momentum in the United States over the past 15 years while acceptance of ADHD and coaching is moving at a slower pace in other countries around the globe. Turkey is one such country, struggling with the acceptance of ADHD as a diagnosis for children by psychologists, pediatricians and psychiatrists, let alone as a diagnosis for adults.
In Turkey, health and cure is the domain of psychology and psychiatry. It is not well recognized that coaches also become a part of this domain. A holistic approach is needed and ADHD coaches need to become an integral part of the holistic treatment for ADHD for both children and adults with the disorder. In Turkey, as in other developing countries, a distinction needs to be made that ADHD coaches are actually helping ADHD people regulate their ADHD, acknowledge their strengths and learn skills for success. There is a lot to do to get rid of the prejudices about ADHD coaching as seen by our ACO member coaches in Turkey.
In this panel discussion, each of the four (4) credentialed Turkish ADHD coaches will offer an overview of their coaching style and how they are working to create ADHD awareness in Turkey. We will share strategies for creating business partnerships with a developing country, and the importance of global collaboration between coaches in the United States and Turkey to improve the understanding of ADHD and ADHD coaching. Jodi Sleeper-Triplett will discuss how she created a global collaboration with Elgiz Henden of IzKocluk providing coach training to coaches and allied professionals in Istanbul. Our goal is to motivate the audience to create partnerships with Turkey and other developing countries to increase awareness of ADHD and the value of ADHD coaching. A PowerPoint presentation will be used.

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The Top Ten Apps for Clients and Coaches

Technology

Jay Carter

Content: In this session we will cover the top 10 must-have apps for coaches. We are fortunate to live in a time when technology levels the playing field in a lot of different areas. As coaches, technology can help our small businesses seem professional and legitimate. Our ability to share our thoughts and ideas with a broad spectrum of people who are interested in our unique perspective is unprecedented. We will cover the top 10 applications that can help us in communicating with clients, managing our practice, researching and learning more about our specific area of specialization, and communicating with the world in a highly leveraged and more. Even apps for getting paid! If you believe technology can help your business, this is the session for you.

Handouts: Handouts will include slides from the presentation as well as “one-pagers” for each of the apps with details on how to get started.

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Innovative ways of serving a bigger audience – how to reach out to the undiagnosed population

Anna Maria Lindell

Business

There are great differences between my home market Sweden and the US when it comes to ADHD: Sweden is behind in diagnosing ADHD, providing effective support, and the attitudes differ as ADHD is still viewed primarily as a problem.

However, we also share common challenges, in particular how to reach the majority of people being undiagnosed – 80 % of the 4-5 %.

I will explain how I found a new way to serve my home market and the opportunities this implies for the US.

Studying research I found that ADHD seems to be overrepresented among entrepreneurs. My idea is to explore two new groups: entrepreneurs and so called intrapreneurs, recognized as crucial for the growth of these companies.

To reach these often undiagnosed individuals, I needed a different approach and non-traditional partners to collaborate with.

The method is based on recognition and to connect the traits to high status-groups in society.

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Tips and Tools for Masterful ADHD Coaching

Master Coaching

Elizabeth Viera-Richards & Chana Klein

What’s unique about ADHD coaching? How does it differ from other coaching specialties?

Join us…two Master Certified ADHD Coaches and Credentialing Assessors, in an interactive session as we demonstrate ADHD coaching competencies, and share Tips and Tools for Masterful ADHD coaching. You will observe masterful ADHD coaching in a coach/client session, and share your observations and feedback. You will have an opportunity to practice what you learned with a partner, and give and receive feedback. There will be a handout for this session.

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Integrating New ADHD Research into Your coaching

Research

Barbara Luther

DESCRIPTION HERE

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Your Roadmap to ADHD Coach Training and Credentialing

Business

Sarah D. Wright

There are an increasing number of options for both ADHD Coach training and ADHD Coach credentialing. Simply figuring out what’s available, never mind which options to pursue, can be daunting. With an eye to concisely presenting you with the information you need to make these fundamental decisions, this session will provide information on the following:

• Basic and advanced ADHD Coach training options
• Life Coach credentialing options (including requirements for the credential)
• ADHD Coach credentialing options (including requirements for the credential)

This session will give you the lay of the land, help you to make sense of your options, and give you the road map you need to plan your career in ADHD Coaching. This will be a lecture with PowerPoint. A summary of the lecture material is provided in the handbook.

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Advocacy in the School System: What the Coach Needs to Know

Partnering and Collaboration

Jeffrey S. Katz, Ph.D.

Coaches who work with AD/HD students can easily become frustrated when schools don’t understand the student and seem to make things worse.  It is important for coaches to understand the educational laws and regulations that can help to support and protect their clients and how to successfully use that knowledge when difficulties in school arise, empowering the student and their parents to advocate successfully.  This session will give a brief overview of Special Educational Law as it relates to students with AD/HD, as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  Attendees will understand the differences and how to decide which may be most appropriate for the client.  Individualized Educational Plans and Section 504 Plans will be discussed in regard to how they can be written to address the needs of AD/HD students.  Examples will include difficulties with executive cognitive functioning, learning issues and behavioral issues.  Most importantly, the presenter will share the practical, “nitty gritty” of  meeting with school personnel who may  want to do the best for the student, but do not understand the client’s AD/HD, their needs, nor how best to intervene.   We will discuss how teachers and administrators think and how to use that knowledge to respond in a way that reduces conflict and that will further the goals for the meeting. 

The presenter will provide opportunities for questions and discussion.  The presenter will provide to attendees resource lists and contact information for relevant agencies, offices and advocacy organizations that are involved in educational concerns.

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Mind & Heart, Science & Art: Using Marketing & Collaboration to Build a Coaching Business

Business

Elaine Taylor-Klaus

Elaine will cover the fundamentals of a Value Proposition and Marketing Plan, with some added features about what makes internet marketing different. 

She will cover four core areas of the planning process for a business:

• Identifying a unique value proposition
• Developing a marketing plan
• Marketing requirements for business (particularly in light of today’s social media environment)
• Recruiting a team to compliment your skills and capabilities.

Finally she will provide a context for bringing heart into the science of marketing, using the coaching skills of collaboration and empowerment to enhance marketing efforts and turn all competitors into allies.

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Deciphering Psycho-educational Evaluations

Coaching Practice

Kirsten W. Miliken

The “Deciphering Psychoeducational Evaluations” presentation is for new coaches as well as seasoned coaches who have the opportunity to review their client’s psychoeducational testing report. These reports can be a source of information to inform the coaching partnership about the client’s areas of strengths and challenges and the client’s preferred learning modality. This presentation will include an overview of what prompts a psychoeducational evaluation, what some of the jargon means, and the focus of various types of tests that may be used. Tests for cognitive skills, personality tests, projective tests, and self/other report tests will be discussed in regards to how they inform the development of an ADHD profile.

Power point handout will be provided along with case presentations for review. The powerpoint will be dynamic and may include some pencasts and video content to capture the attendees attention and increase learning. The speaker will allow ample time for attendees to ask questions during and after the main presentation.

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Time management for Unmanageable People

Coaching Practice

Rudy Rodriquez

Most individuals with ADHD are both time and organizationally challenged yet it’s fair to say that most time management books and resources do not work well for those of us with ADHD. Desperate for solutions, adults with ADHD have likely experimented with any assortment of planners, day timers, classes and now ‘apps’ available in the marketplace. Unfortunately, typical time management models are designed for the linear-non ADHD brain that processes information in a manner foreign to the ADHD individual.

I have been designing and conducting 1-3 hour Time Management seminars and workshops for small business owners, entrepreneurs and various professionals and hospital staff. The participant feedback has been extremely positive. The content is packed with practical, highly useful tools and effective strategies and essentially designed to address the needs of adults with ADHD. I am considering a book format of this presentation.

I have designed this RFP specifically for the ACO Conference and have based it upon my prior work. “Time Management for Unmanageable People” promises to be a fast paced and entertaining, a unique a collection of ready-to-use tools, effective strategies and stories for improving time and organizational self-management skills of ADHD.

Method of presentation will be PowerPoint slides and handouts

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Mastering Medical Connections

Partnering & Collaborating

Dr. Charles Parker

To connect with medical professionals coaches should master three important subjects: 1. Content: Understanding meds, their actions and expectations – even better than the medical folk. 2. Marketing: Understanding their role on the medical team and designing a way to regularly communicate effectively with that team – specifics will be addressed. 3. Compliance: Create a grid for problem resolution from the outset. Without these three arms you will not be respected as a player. Medical groups need your help they just don’t have a workable grid for communication. If you make that part easy, you will be very busy as most med folk are not happy with the passivity of many in current psychiatric, mental health practices. Medicine and coaching are about balanced, informed action, not just passive listening.

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Add Educators to you List of Clients: How to coach and educate teachers

Partnering & Collaborating

Judith Champion

The purpose of this break-out session is for ADHD Coaches to learn how to add Educator Training and Coaching to their toolbox. Next to parents, teachers are the most influential people in a child’s life. Our children are shaped in so many ways by their teachers.

When a child with ADHD is placed in a classroom with a teacher who does not have the knowledge to understand his differences, difficulties ensue for the child, the teacher, and the whole classroom. Negative feedback is often what our children receive from the uneducated teacher when learning and behavior differences are exhibited. Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness are often seen purely as behavior problems and a disruption to the classroom.

We will discuss the need for ADHD Coaches to become involved in our public school systems. Session participants will learn how to obtain entry into a school system, and what to do when they are accepted as an ADHD Coach and Educator. Participants will receive a copy of the Power Point presentation, as well as a link to access various presentations that can be used to provide educator training and coaching.

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What Does the Research Say and What Does it Have to do with Me?

Research

Michelle Novotni

Staying informed is an important part of being a professional coach. Your clients and colleagues are depending on you to stay in the know.

With so much changing so rapidly it can be difficult to keep up with the research and keep your coaching practice going. It can also be difficult to wade through information trying to find the nuggets that may be helpful. And even once you find the information it can be difficult to understand what it actually means and how you might be able to use it.

An overview of what’s new out in the research world in the field of ADHD will be provided.

In addition, participants will learn about quick, effective and efficient ways to find the research information they can use. Details about research sites and methods, as well as list serves and search strategies will be provided. And finally ways to get through the information and understand what it means will be discussed. Research doesn’t have to be difficult and boring.

Participants will develop a personal plan to research one question that they feel would benefit their practice.

Methods of presentation: Power point lecture and discussion; Live demo (if live computer link avail?); Discussion

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Coaching with the Hierarchy for ADHD Success in Mind

Master Coaching

Barbara Luther

Most coaches are familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, but my experience as a Master ADHD Coach has led me to develop an ADHD version of elements needed for ADHD success. This session is designed to introduce my Hierarchy for ADHD Success, explain why and how it informs my coaching, then demonstrate how I use it in a live coaching situation. Without the context of this Hierarchy for ADHD Success, coaches too often begin their work with a missing foundation which prevents them from achieving long-term success with their clients.

While I will bring a couple common client scenarios with me, I will ask for scenarios from the participants and use an immediate one if I can. I will identify someone at the conference to volunteer to be my client for the coaching demonstration. There will be opportunity to look at a few scenarios to see how the Hierarchy impacts each situation. My intention is that participants will leave with greater confidence that they can really help a client succeed as well as a deeper appreciation for the value that ADHD coaching can deliver.

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Transitioning from teleclasses to webinars. Five things you MUST know before making the leap

Business

Linda Roggli

Almost everyone believes they have a book "inside.” And almost everyone believes that a literary agent will be eager to sell the manuscript to an established publishing house, which will edit, proof, print, market and sell it. Ah, if only it were true!

Though the number of new book titles has exploded over the past ten years (from 300,000 to more than three million!) traditional publishing houses produce about the same number of books each year. The odds are stacked against a new author; chances of being represented by a reputable agent are dwindling. Self-publishing, however, is a viable option for ADHD coach authors.

In this highly practical session, award-winning ADHD author Linda Roggli will share the secrets to self-publishing success, with special emphasis on the ‘self help’ genre, the most common category for books about ADHD and coaching,

Through a combination of lecture and interactive coaching, she will help participants identify the most effective path to write, publish and market a book to the audience who will most appreciate (and buy) it.

She will also review the rapidly changing options for self-publication and printing, offering comparisons that include price, customer service and quality. She will share vitally important marketing strategies, including the all-important book launch, personal appearances and contest entries.

She will coach one or two prospective authors to niche their topics to fit their target market and provide a detailed blueprint (handout) with a step-by-step publication plan.

In the crowded world of book publication, Linda Roggli offers the reassuring voice of experience and pragmatic voice of reason!

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ADD Coaching and CBT for Adult ADHD: Differences, Similarities and Benefits

Partnering & Collaborating

Russell Ramsay & David Giwerc

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and ADHD Coaching are commonly mentioned psychosocial options for the treatment and management of adult ADHD. However, many people ask “What is the difference between them?” The current session is led by a CBT therapist and an ADHD Coach who will explore the similarities and differences between these options using slide presentations, dialogue, case examples, and audience questions.

The proposed session will be led by a CBT clinician-research and an Adult ADHD Coach, each of whom is experienced in his respective field and has been influential in that field. The format will inovlve presentations of each presenter’s treatment, process, model/approach, discussion of the benefits and limitations, and question and dialogue between presenters regarding the similarities, differences, and cooperation of these approaches. The session will start with each presenter providing his definition of the other model, in order to identify and discuss potential misunderstandings (e.g., The CBT clinician will provide an “outsider” definition of the strengths, weaknesses, and future directions of the Coaching model and the ADHD Coach will assess CBT in the same manner). Specific client scenarios will be used to illustrate similarities and differences in managing individual challeneges and encouraging positive change will be presented and audience questions and comments will be used to ensure the session is relevant for attendees, including coach practitioners and individual clients with ADHD.

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On Collaboration: A Look at Post Secondary Coaching Opportunities

Keynote Address

Jody Haserodt

As college readiness concerns and completion and retention rates are examined more and more closely, best practices such as targeted coaching interventions that address specific needs are essential for positive impact in these areas. College readiness is a challenge and one in which synergistic collaboration can make a difference. The connection between an ADHD coach and the Disability Support services Office at any college is a means to better prepare college students with ADHD or executive functioning concerns.

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“Extreme” Self-Care Coaching Lab: Tending the Mind, Body, Heart and Spirit

Self-Care for Coaches

Peggy Ramundo & Madelyn Griffith-Haynie

Beginning with a review of the Listening and Languaging Competency Handouts, this presentation will focus on coaching practice. The goal of this session is to give participants an experience with the competencies in action: how and when to use them to forward a coaching session.

Using the Client Scenario Handout, the presenters will model a mock coaching session that will be followed by round-robin coaching by the participants. Over fifteen years of Coaching Lab feedback seems to indicate that the round-robin format is a more effective learning exercise than sequential, one on one coaching mocks. In addition, it facilitates the participation of a greater number of attendees, increasing the value of the experience by reinforcing the learning.

The practice sessions will focus on ADD/ADHD self-care from the perspectives of Mind, Body, Heart and Spirit. As the mock coaching exercises develop, we will provide content that underscores the principles that have been demonstrated.

Balance is an essential piece of the ADD/ADHD coach’s toolbox. An included Coach-Client Self-Care Inventory will underscore the importance of balance for both coach and client. Coaches must understand how to touch their inner core as a vehicle for assisting their clients in understanding how to touch their own.

Self-care competencies illuminate the most effective pathway to balance. Only with personal balance is it possible for an ADD/ADHD coach to avoid burnout as they model effective ways to manage the various challenges of Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity.

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Awesome Coach Seeks, Um, Revenue? Two Marketing gurus show you how to launch your business into overdrive

Advanced Coach Training and Mentoring

Laurie Dupar & Alan Brown

Less than 35% of new coaching businesses last beyond five years. More often than not a talented coach opens her practice and doesn’t generate enough revenue to pay the bills, let alone turn a profit. In the end, emerging ADHD Coaching businesses fail, dreams die, passions flounder and the ADHD community remains underserved. In this 90 minute breakout session, self professed “reluctant marketer” and owner of a six figure coaching business, Laurie Dupar, is joined by advertising/marketing veteran and ADD Crusher™ creator Alan Brown. Together, using an interactive lecture format, PowerPoint, handouts and small group discussion, they will provide eye-opening, profit-building, business marketing information to dramatically increase a coach’s reach and revenue. Indeed, the ADHD Coach entrepreneur must wear multiple marketing hats, including the advertising hat…the social media hat…the public speaker hat…the networking hat…the blogger/newsletter hat…etc.  Laurie and Alan have both built successful businesses by understanding and applying the latest best practices in all these areas, and will show coaches how to take their “business” to…A BUSINESS!!! Effective marketing, i.e., creating a sustainable successful business, requires that you know the answers to these fundamental marketing questions…do you?

• What is my Brand?
• What makes me unique?
• What’s my list size?  How am I growing it?
• What are my top three marketing strategies?
• What social media am I using?  Which is best?
• What two things must be included on my web-page?
• What’s my opt-in?
• How am I taking advantage of simple ways to increase my SEO?
• What are my Squeeze Pages?
• What are my different revenue streams?
• What is my Pain Question? Am I asking it?
• How am I keeping in touch with my market?

Attendees will walk out of Laurie and Alan’s presentation with an arsenal of “ahas” and powerful tools to help them help more clients…and their bottom line.

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Building Your Own ADHD Center – Using Assets You Already Have!

Business

Sarah A. Ferman, Robert M. Wilford, & Billi Bittan

Join the team from ADHD Specialists, multi-modality ADHD Center, as they share there first hand insights, practical advice, and proven strategies that will help participants successfully build their own ADHD Center.

This interactive and lively session draws form 16 years of first hand experience as Southern California’s leading integrative based ADHD Center. Using PowerPoint, lecture, and interactive techniques, this dynamic team draws on both the personal and professional experiences of all members of this collaborative team of experts.

As successful entrepreneurs, practitioners, and people living with ADHD, our team includes members from the medical, psychological and ADHD coaching disciplines. Understand the real world of “team collaborative care”. Experience first hand what it takes to build a successful ADHD Center of your own.

In addition, the team from ADHD Specialists will also provide you with the tips and concrete strategies to help you pinpoint who you will need on your ADHD Dream Team.

Understand first hand how to avoid the particular perils that ADHD Coaches encounter in the real world as they attempt to start an ADHD Center

You will discover the must-have beliefs and values that will launch your ADHD Center using resources you already own! Finally participants will receive several valuable handouts that they can use alone or in the presentation to immediately lay out the foundation for a successful and passion driven ADHD Center. A panel style question & answer session to follow the presentation.

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How to Get Out of you Own Way and Get Things Done: The 7-Step PowerPlan to Success with ADHD A New Coaching Paradigm

Coaching Practice

Susan Lasky

Creating change is a challenging process for anyone, but especially complicated when ADHD gets in the way. The 7-Step PowerPlan to Success with ADHD™ is a powerful coaching/self-coaching paradigm I developed, that focuses on learning how to get out of your own way and get things done.

Our ability to successfully strategize and take action is dependent on understanding, and working with, the way we think. For most people with ADHD, the ‘Just Do It’ phrase popularized by Nike is not often an option. If we could, we would. ADHD is not so much a disorder of not knowing what to do; but of doing what we know. The 7-Step PowerPlan to Success™ is an externalized system that helps clients understand the process of making internal changes, so they gain ownership of their actions and experience greater success.

The 7-Step PowerPlan is an easy, but effective process that begins with self-awareness (a realistic look at who you are… and aren’t; what you do… and don’t) tempered by self-acceptance (as Popeye the Sailorman said, “I ‘yam what I ‘yam) and an empowering focus on possibility and the power of choice. Starting with this ‘reality check’ you can successfully move forward into action by clarifying your real goals, consciously prioritizing them and only then developing personalized strategies to get and stay motivated, overcome overwhelm and accomplish those goals. ‘Taking Action’ doesn’t happen until Step 6, when it is done with insight, purpose, clear intention and the benefit of appropriate strategies.

This is a workshop, with a handout, explanatory exercises and q&a.

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Building Bridges of Support for ADHD Youth who are Transitioning from High School to the Real World

Partnering & Collaborating

Kay Axtell

Through an interactive presentation between facilitator and audience, a plan will be outlined that can be utilized by coaches and other professionals who want to respond proactively to a growing need for direction in charting the “next steps” in life that bridge the gap between high school and independent living for students identified with symptoms of ADHD.

Students who plan to go to college are suddenly expected to manage time, money and stress; make necessary social adjustments; meet new rigorous academic demands; stay out of trouble, and basically…. survive, often solo.

Young adults planning to join the workforce face those same challenges. Parents ask “Does my student have the skills to find or keep a job? Will the job be a match his/her skills and interests? Is a financially independent future possible for my youth?”

The presenter will discuss with the audience the reasons young adults and their parents find this “future planning” challenging and stress producing. Some strategic solutions can be developed through the collaborative effort of parents, students, coaches, professionals and agencies.

The presentation will also discuss methods of supporting parents who want to empower their youth by creating independence and self advocacy skills through mutual agreements.

Participants will explore a variety of post secondary options available for students after high school. The presentation will describe specific collaborative opportunities that are available through state and local agencies. Specific strategies for building alliances with colleges and universities will be addressed.

Information will be presented via power point and handouts. (Both of the presentation and of resources available).

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Tell Them it Works: What ADHD Coaches can say to Collaborators and Clients

Business

Dr. Virginia Hurley

This lecture on professional collaboration offers participants specific talking points, easy-to-remember coaching facts, and a look at the theories behind them. It is not unusual for coaches with ADHD clients to collaborate with schools and universities. Because of the frequent occurrence of co-morbid conditions, coaches also have more opportunities to collaborate with health care professionals, including psychiatrists and physicians, nurses, therapists, and social workers. Of recent interest to coaches has been collaboration with nutritionists and cognitive neuroscience researchers, and mindfulness practitioners. In each case of collaboration, coaches want to advocate for specific benefits to clients offered by ADHD.

Using the “A” in “ADHD” as a mnemonic, participants will review six areas of discussion that can help explain to others why ADHD coaching works. These are: Awareness of ADHD “neurodiversity,” Accountability, Appreciative Narrative, Autonomy, Accomplishment, and Advocacy.

Participants can use this information as a type of “elevator speech” as they create links between coaching and education, therapy, nutrition, and well being.

Finally, participants will take away four simple examples of coaching strategies to share with collaborators and clients: “If … then” strategy for accomplishment; “Touch It Once” strategy for organization; “The Priority Filter” grid; and the “Time Is Finite” dyad.

The method of presentation for this session includes lecture and discussion, a PowerPoint presentation with handouts, and a time for questions and answers.

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Understanding Social Interactions in the Worksplace – for the ADHD Adult – 24-hr job!

Self-Care for Clients

Joan Teach

The HEART of the matter comes with the knowledge that ADHD Adults are often socially immature and unaware of their interrelationships with others. The MIND understands the need to communicate accurately and smoothly, but emotions and behaviors mismatch social thinking, creating an unsuccessful event. Not understanding how others perceive them, ADHD adults misread the workplace, may even be fired, and have no idea as to their part in this process.

This presentation will explore the need for the socially immature ADHD adult to work daily on three facets of understanding: Inner personal Identity; Intrapersonal Dynamics of life changing social understanding; as well as Focused Workplace Dynamics.

Inner personal Identity explores the use of Art of Extreme Care by Cheryl Richardson and Mindfulness: Resilience by Lynda Klau leading to personal awareness.

Intrapersonal Dynamics focuses on behavioral awareness, and stronger social thinking that leads to problem solving success. Learning to avoid the blame game cycle, inattention to time, and an inability to adapt to varying social situations. Understanding verbal and non-verbal interaction, visual contact, tone, voice inflection, facial expression lead to successful communication.

Focused Workplace Dynamics need these skills to provide a backdrop for communication and better social interaction. Developing Social Thinking as presented by Winner and Crooke, provides the third leg of the journey to workplace socialization.

Experiential interactions are planned for each area of exploration – including practical strategies to use with clients as well as easily attainable materials that can give a new twist to coaching with efficiency, positive outcome and fun.

5th Annual International ADHD Coaches Conference

Atlanta, Georgia
March 23—March 25, 2012

Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia

Please note this new date!
Lock it in!

The Many Faces of ADHD

Make your commitment to attend the 2012 ACO Conference, The Many Faces of ADHD, where we will celebrate the rapid expansion of our ADHD Coaching profession.

In 27 creative workshops over two and one-half days, attendees will participate in stimulating presentations and learn about new, emerging client and niche opportunities for business building.

Non-traditional business growth opportunities will be explored for their value and viability as emerging business markets.

Come and stretch the concept of your practice boundaries and celebrate the opportunities with new eyes!

Join us for the Celebration!

Look for an early bird discount registration coming soon.

Mark your calendars now. This will be a conference you’ll talk about for years to come.

March 23—March 25, 2012

Don’t Miss This Opportunity!Two talks on credentialing for ADHD coaches
One each for IAAC and PAAC!

Both IAAC and PAAC will present their takes on the need for credentialing and how each organization helps guide you through the steps to become a credentialed ADHD Coach. This is an opportunity to listen to back-to-back speakers on a topic that is so very important to all of us.

To Credential or Not!

IAAC Member Coach Speakers:
Lynn Moran, MBA, ACC
Dee Crane, SCAC, ACC
Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 8:00pm eastern
Bridge: (919) 424-5871 PIN: 144 809#

ICF CCEU credit available for attendees
Sponsored by the ACO
To read more about this presentation and register your attendance.

Getting Certified as an ADHD Coach – What’s the Deal?

PAAC Member Coach Speakers:
Barbara Luther, MCC, EFT-ADV, MA
Jeff Copper, MBA, ACG, CPCC, PCC

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 3:00pm eastern
Bridge: (212)457-9879 pin 176818#
ICF CCEU Credit available for attendees
Sponsored by the ICF ADHD SIG (open to ICF and ACO members)
To read more about this presentation and let us know you’re planning to attend.

Thank you,
ACO Programs Committee

Want to have a space to share info about your product or service?

$25 for one space… could be a half a 6-foot table or a similarly sized round table.

Spaces will be assigned.

Product sales must take place in the ACO Bookstore. For more information about sales, please contact Pat Wood

Please fill out this form so we have the right info about you and your class for our publicity.
Thanks

This is the first of TWO web pages you’ll complete for this class

When you submit this form, you will jump to a copy of our on line agreement/contract regarding your teaching of an ACCE class for the ACO.

You must fill out the form at the bottom and send that in.
You’ll get a copy of the agreement in a confirmation email.

Please read this agreement and fill out the format the bottom so we know you’re ready to give your ACCE class to paying participants.

When you submit this form, you will receive an email confirmation of your answers and this complete form. Thank you.

PLEASE NOTE: The signer recognizes and agrees that a copy of this agreement is acceptable and binding and will serve as an original in any instance. Additionally, the signer recognizes and agrees that should this form be emailed instead of posted or FAXed, the header information from their email address of record is acceptable and binding and will serve as a valid signature.

This is a letter of agreement between the undersigned speaker and the ADHD Coaches Organization (also known as ACO) and represented in this agreement by Joyce Kubik, ACO Programs Chair.

The speaker agrees to:

1. Provide the talk listed below on the dates listed below.
2. Notify the ACO immediately in the event that an emergency should prevent the speaker from meeting the obligation as a speaker.
3. Authorize the ACO to use his/her name, likeness, photograph and/or biographical data in connection with the use and promotion of the ACCE program.
4. Authorize the ACO to audio record this teleclass presentation.
5. Provide, not less than 30 days before the presentation, the following information:
   1. Short bio of the speaker: not to exceed 75 words to be used on the website and as an introduction to the session
   2. Short description of the talk: not to exceed 100 words
   3. Any books to be promoted must include the full title, author information and a direct link to its associated page in amazon.com

The ACO agrees to provide

1. Bridge line to conduct and record the teleclass
2. Publicity to the membership by
   1. announcements in Circle (the monthly newsletter of the ACO),
   2. in the members list serve and
   3. on the website
   4. MP3 recording of the teleclass for use by the speaker and also for download by class participants.
   5. Instructions on how to download a copy of the recorded teleclass when it is available, generally within about one week.

   The speaker further agrees the following:

   • I warrant and represent that, to the best of my knowledge, nothing in my presentation violates any proprietary or personal rights of others (including without limitation, copyright or privacy rights); is factually accurate, and contains nothing libelous or otherwise unlawful.
   • I am aware that I will be paid 75% of the total income derived from this class, to be paid in two installments. In addition, if I pay a fee to the ICF for CEU credits, the ACO will reimburse me for that fee.
   • I agree to indemnify the ACO and/or hold the ACO harmless in the event that the representations made by myself, either during or before said program(s) that is knowingly false, misleading or a departure from a generally accepted industry practice. I shall indemnify and hold the ACO harmless in the event any litigation arises from the content provided by the Speaker in the program(s) referenced herein.
   • I understand that the name ACO, its likeness, logo, materials, content are the exclusive intellectual property of the ACO and may only be used for the exclusive purpose of fulfilling its obligations pursuant to this agreement.
   • I understand that the database of participants, and the information contained therein is the exclusive property of the ACO and shall not be used, accessed, shared, leased, licensed or sold to any other entity, without the expressed written consent of the ACO.

   I hereby understand and agree to the above conditions as listed.
   
   The signer recognizes and agrees that a copy of this form is acceptable and binding and will serve as an original in any instance. The date of the submission will be captured by the software in place. Additionally, the signer recognizes and agrees that should this form be emailed instead of posted or FAXed, the header information from their email address of record is acceptable and binding and will serve as a valid signature.

If you choose leave the ACO: And we hope you won’t

Please fill out and send this form and we’ll stop the payments.  If it’s less than 15 days since you were charged, we’ll happily refund your last payment.

ADHD Awareness Week is September 14-20, 2009. This is a great opportunity for coaches to join our colleagues and other professionals in the ADHD community to inform and support our clients and communities about ADHD.

What can you do?

Here are some ideas:

• Offer to speak at your local business association about ADHD
• Partner with other professionals in your area
• Write an article or make an announcement in your own e-newsletters and blogs
• Include a brief announcement about ADHD Awareness Week in your e-signature
• Write an article for your local newspaper
• Hang fliers in your local coffee shops
• Offer a free coaching session

What are your ideas?

Use the comment form at the bottom to share your ideas.

Let’s band together to spread the word and increase the awareness and factual information about people with ADHD.

To learn more,visit Awareness Week Sections at:

• CHADD.org
• ADD.org

Frequently asked questions about ACO Professional Membership Criteria.

1. I graduated from ADDCA, OFI or some other ADHD coach training school. Do I have to have 12 MORE hours in ADHD training?
2. I don’t have a certificate from the workshops I attended.Can they still count?
3. I didn’t study in any specific coach school. Can I still be a professional member?
4. I didn’t actually attend a certain conference, but I listened to the sessions on CD or tape. Does that count?
5. What do I have to provide to show that I have an active practice?
6. What are the dues?

1. I graduated from ADDCA, OFI or some other ADHD coach training school. Do I have to have 12 MORE hours in ADHD training?ADHD Coach Training programs that are taught by MCC or PCC level ICF Coaches that include at least 72 hours of training will fulfill the requirement of 60 + 12 hours. Therefore, completion of ADDCA or OFI training programs would fulfill the full requirement.
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2. I don’t have a certificate from the workshops I attended. Can they still count?Yes. You will need to provide the name of the session, the instructor including appropriate credentials, sponsoring organization, if appropriate, the date of session and the length of the class.
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3. I didn’t study in any specific coach school. Can I still be a professional member?You may apply as a professional member of the ACO if you provide documentation outlining your training. That means you must show 60 hours of coach-specific training and an additional 12 hours of ADHD education. The training must be specifically provided for each category (coaching and ADHD education) and may not be part of some larger nonspecific coach training.This means, for example:
   • Coach training included in some larger course work in management training would not count because the class was not specifically provided as coach training.
   • Personal development courses such as Forum, Landmark, Lifespring, Life Training, Science of the Mind, etc., do not count as coach-specific training.
   • Likewise education in psychology, counseling, NLP, etc. does not count as coach-specific training.
   • ADHD training acquired as part of a college class in behavioral psychology would not count toward the 12 hours of ADHD education.

   So what counts?

   Specific training includes classroom work, direct observation and/or teleconferencing. It must be taught specifically for each category, coaching and ADHD education. Coach training must be provided by a PCC or MCC level ICF certified coach. ADHD education must be provided by a Masters or PhD level trainer with expertise in the field of ADHD. ADHD coach training must be provided by a PCC or MCC level ICF certified coach.

   There is space on the membership form to list the courses you completed including the instructor’s name and credentials, class description and training hours.

   If your training is not coach-specific, you may be an Associate Member of the ACO until you complete appropriate coach training.

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4. I didn’t actually attend a certain conference, but I listened to the sessions on CD or tape. Does that count?Yes. ACO members ascribe to the ICF code of ethics. As such they do not misrepresent themselves or their training. If you listened to the session on CD or tape, you may claim the training time.
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5. What do I have to provide to show that I have an active practice?The primary reason for this criteria is to insure that people visiting our site and searching our “Find a Coach” database will be directed toward coaches who are actively practicing. We ask that you provide the URL of your website or an email address which refers to your business. e.g. Coachmary@xxx.com at least sounds like a coach; mary123@xxx.com does not. You may also provide a scanned copy of your business card.
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6. What are the dues?
   Membership in the ACO is $120 per year for Professional members and $60 per year for Associates.
   Using a credit card for payment, members may choose to:
   • automatically renew membership annually—every 365 days or
   • to automatically renew membership quarterly—every 90 days, paying just 1/4 of the total yearly dues every three months. For professionals this is just $30. For Associates just $15!

If you elect any automatic payments, you will receive a receipt for your payment at the time that your card is charged. But currently we are unable to send a reminder before that date. If you decide to leave us, just let us know within 15 days after payment. We’ll happily refund your money.

Please note:

• Currently PayPal payments can not be use for recurring payments.
• The ACO is no longer accepting international checks as payment for services.
• And starting January 1, 2012 we will no longer accept any checks.

Further explanation of renewal options is available here.

If you have another question not listed here, please use the reply form to ask.

Thank you.

This information has been moved to the Members’ Site here

If you have questions about using the ACO logo, please use our Contact form here.