By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – April 14, 2025
As an ADHD and attention coach, I am often asked whether exercise is good for those with ADHD? The answer is a resounding yes! In fact, if exercise could be bottled into a pill, it would be hailed as the drug of the century—not just for everyone, but especially for those with ADHD. Continue reading “ADHD and Exercise: A Fascinating Connection”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – March 3, 2025
Today, we’re talking about one of the most powerful tools for managing ADHD challenges—brainstorming. I don’t mean just the outcome, but the process itself. For those with ADHD, understanding and managing brainstorming can be a game-changer.
Continue reading “Brainstorming: An ADHD Power Tool”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – January 20, 2025
Heading to college can be tough for students with ADHD and keeping in touch as a parent can pose some challenges, too! I had a talk with Rob Tudisco, former president of Edge Foundation, to talk about the struggles of students with ADHD as they go off to college.
Continue reading “ADHD Tips for College Parents: Stay Connected and Supportive”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – December 23, 2024
In the world of ADHD awareness and advocacy, few voices are as compelling as Alan P. Brown, creator of ADD Crusher. In an episode on Attention Talk Video a few years ago, Alan shared his remarkable journey with attention coach Jeff Copper. He openly discussed his struggles, diagnosis, and ultimate breakthrough.
Alan’s early years were marked by chaos—substance abuse, reckless behavior, and brushes with the law. He was, as he puts it, “this close” to jail. Sadly, it’s a reality many undiagnosed ADHD individuals face, and this is supported by statistics. Up to 45% of the prison population and 70% of alcoholics are believed to have undiagnosed ADHD. Yet, even as he was spiraling out of control, he knew he had potential. He often worked twice as hard as others but didn’t understand why he couldn’t break out of the spiral.
But his turning point came when he noticed a small newspaper ad for an ADHD support group. Alan attended the group where he finally realized his AHA MOMENT. It was the missing piece of the puzzle, leading to his diagnosis and a new sense of direction. As he began to understand the root of his challenges, he dug into learning how to manage his ADHD, ultimately sparking the idea for ADD Crusher™—a program designed to deliver ADHD strategies in a fun, visual, and accessible way.
Today, Alan is a testament to his transformation. He has turned his once chaotic life into a source of inspiration for others. His journey is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to turn things around. Please watch the video interview with Alan, “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What an Aha Moment Looks Like,” to learn more of his story.
If you are struggling with undiagnosed ADHD, this experience offers hope and an opportunity to seek support and strategies that will work for you. The AHA MOMENT isn’t just a revelation—it’s the start of a life-changing transformation.
TRANSCRIPT:
Jeff Copper: Welcome everybody to this edition of Attention Talk video. I’m your host, attention coach, Jeff Copper. And I’m here with ADD Crusher, Alan Brown. Alan, welcome to the show.
Alan Brown: Well, thanks for having me here.
Jeff Copper: We’ve interviewed Alan on Attention Talk radio, and he’s storied, he’s legend, he’s Mr. Detention because I’m Mr. Attention. And sometime after the show, get Mr. Intention on, but anyway, Alan Brown had… You were quite the character for a period of time and weren’t diagnosed with ADHD until later in life. And can you just tell us a little bit about your background? And what the show’s about today is the aha moment where you kind of changed things. So pre-diagnosis and kind of pre-getting your act together. Can you explain to everybody a little bit of your background?
Alan Brown: I’ll tell you what, it’s just very, very close to home. The huge potential problem that is undiagnosed adult ADHD. And in fact, I’m giving a TED Talk in San Diego next month on the 85% who are undiagnosed adults that, for instance, 45% of the prison population is undiagnosed ADHD, up to 70% of alcoholics. You know all these stats, but it’s scary stuff. So what were my teens and twenties like?
Jeff Copper: Yes.
Alan Brown: I was this close from jail, this close from-
Jeff Copper: Okay, so when you say this close from jail, what is… I mean, they’re chasing you down the street with guns or…
Alan Brown: Well, first of all, it’s alcohol abuse. Second, it is stupid, crazy behavior. Third, it is crime. I was engaged in some crime. I was a drug dealer. I was buying large amounts of drugs in Harlem in the height of the crack epidemic. And a couple of my friends were doing something similar and they got caught. I didn’t get caught. So I came within an inch on more than one occasion of really having a completely different life than the one I do now with our nice suits on.
Jeff Copper: Yes, yes. This was not the uniform back in the day.
Alan Brown: No, it was not. No, it was not.
Jeff Copper: So I’m hearing that you had some substance abuse issues, run-ins with a law possibly and got in close because your friends were there, plus there was an adrenaline junkie side to you. If I’m not mistaken, you had… Matter of fact, Rent-A-Car companies hate you, I would imagine.
Alan Brown: Yes, they do. I just got a letter from one the other day. It’s a woman in Philadelphia. I did something in Philadelphia. But anyway, I do feed my adrenaline addiction in a little bit more of a healthy way. I race motorcycles. I was actually just doing that last weekend. So it’s a healthier way. No drinking and driving when you’re on the racetrack.
Jeff Copper: But that’s today. Before you had flipped a car in the Jersey Turnpike a couple of times.
Alan Brown: Yeah. And bottom line, I hit bottom with the drugs, with the behaviors, etc. And I kind of turned myself over to self-help groups and was able to finish college and get a job in advertising. But-
Jeff Copper: I’m going to cut you off there because I want to just kind of fast-forward today. You are ADD Crusher. You’ve put together a program that you’re promoting, but also you’re an advertising executive. You’ve been very successful and you’re splitting time between the two and wearing a very nice suit here, I might add.
Alan Brown: Thank you.
Jeff Copper: So we talked about the before and now we’re at the after. Oh, and recently married.
Alan Brown: Yep.
Jeff Copper: So you got a lot of things going for you. And what I want to ask here, the focus of this program is for our viewers out there is what was the aha, how did that kind of come about? Because I mean, there’s a lot of people who are sitting there probably identifying with this a little bit, but somehow something clicked for you and it turned. Can you just talk about that experience?
Alan Brown: I was struggling in the advertising business, working as hard as I possibly could, twice as hard as my peers and not get anywhere. I’m sitting in a cafe in the East Village of New York, and the back page of the Village Voice has a little ad for a support group for ADHD. I had already been told about three years before by my doctor that ADHD was a myth. Don’t worry about it, Alan. You might think you have ADD, just do more crossword puzzles. Well, I went to the support group, it’s the Manhattan Adult ADD Support Group, and they’re still going. I love these people.
Jeff Copper: Yes, yes.
Alan Brown: And I went into this one meeting and the speech happened to be one, the talk happened to be one about doctors who get it and doctors who don’t. And the light bulb went off. And I said, man. And by then I had a new doctor whom I went and I asked her, “Do you believe or do you not believe?” And she said, and this is 15 years ago, she said, “Do I believe? My son is a classic case. Let’s send you through a battery of tests. Let’s make sure it’s not something else.” Diagnosis, more light bulbs go off. And then of course ADD Crusher happens because that all flows out of wow.
Jeff Copper: So what I’m interested in, and this might be difficult, is that you’re sitting there, life is on the skids, but what you see this ad, what compels you? I mean, you could have done things before that, but what was it about that that enabled you to say, I’m going to go to this?
Alan Brown: Well, I think it was a really frustrating point where I just couldn’t understand why it was that as hard as I worked and I worked long hours, I worked every Saturday for about seven years, every Saturday. Why couldn’t… And I know I’m no dummy, I just couldn’t break out. And then when I saw that thing, and I remembered that three, four years prior, a doctor had told me ADHD is BS. I said, “That’s got to be it. This has got to be it.”
Jeff Copper: So I think what I’m hearing you saying is deep down your self-esteem was a wreck, but there was something inside that was telling you that you weren’t a wreck and you saw this and you said you were looking… This has to explain it. This could be the difference between what I feel and what is and that compelled you to go.
Alan Brown: You just characterized it perfectly.
Jeff Copper: And this is very difficult, I guess to kind of explain, but my intuition is when you… There’s so many that I’ve coached that they’re just bright people. They know that they’re bright, but they just haven’t executed. And to be on the rock bottom and say, “Wait a second, this is not making any sense to me. I’m not that dumb. I shouldn’t be here. There’s got to be a reason for it.” To me, is what I’m hearing is like, hey, I’m looking… This could be the reason, which is enough to kind of get going. And I’m assuming, I’m inferring that once you went, you found a little bit of a tribe and you start identifying and then slowly… Am I putting words in your mouth?
Alan Brown: No. Well, you know what? Right up until a certain point, because once I was diagnosed, I ran out and grabbed all the books I could so I could learn strategies. And of course, I’m a horrible reader, so I couldn’t really pull the info. That’s what really started the idea of ADD Crusher. I wanted to find a way where I can get strategies delivered to me in a fun visual way and not have to read them.
Jeff Copper: This is interesting because I’m having a little bit of aha because I didn’t really think about this, but the epicenter of this is the disconnect in your mind with here’s who… I know that I’m better than this, but this is where I am. And one day you look and say, if this is the explanation, the relief to say, hey, no, I am and get myself out. This is kind of a weird moment for me because it’s mechanical, but literally it all boils down to that is you know that were capable of more, but you weren’t seeing it. And that was the, hey, this is the ticket.
Alan Brown: That was the hey. And it was a moment of potential relief because you knew at least you could see the path. The real relief came when I started to learn strategies and teach myself strategies for how to be a better performer at work and in my personal life. And that’s where the real-
Jeff Copper: And I think that in my experience coaching people, there’s this huge euphoria of when they get the diagnosis that, oh, that explains it.
Alan Brown: Yes, yes.
Jeff Copper: But then they kind of go back to it for a period of time. Okay, great, I’ve got… What do I do?
Alan Brown: What do I do now?
Jeff Copper: The second piece of it is some of the things that ADD Crusher doing and the coaching side is, okay, let’s talk about what you do, how do you get past procrastination. So with that, Alan, I appreciate you coming on the show. Everybody, if you want to learn more about Alan, the best place to go is AddCrusher.com.
Alan Brown: AddCrusher.com. Yeah.
Jeff Copper: It’s A-D-D-C-R-U-S-H-E-R dot com. And I have to think about that because I can’t spell.
Alan Brown: I know, you’re terrible. That was pretty good.
Jeff Copper: Well, I know…
Alan Brown: You’re awesome.
Jeff Copper: So anyway, thank you very much for coming on the show.
Alan Brown: Thanks for having me.
Jeff Copper: Take care.
Alan Brown: God bless.
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – December 2, 2024
In this blog post, I address how individuals with ADHD often thrive by using strategies that are nontraditional and are more suited to their brain’s unique wiring. With ADHD, their ability to focus and process information is impaired, and traditional methods may not always work. Instead, they should experiment with different environments and other approaches, like using background music or movement to optimize learning or productivity. Continue reading “Writing a Harvard Dissertation While Listening to Punk Rock”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – November 4, 2024
If you have ADHD, you may find that your biggest problems are related to specific types of tasks. For example, boring things can feel like a big challenge. But more importantly Multifaceted or unclear tasks can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stuck. So how do they relate to ADHD? Continue reading “The Truth About ADHD: Is It Really a Thinking Impairment”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – October 14, 2024
There are lots of conversations around when you should disclose your ADHD and when you shouldn’t. In fact, it may be better to disclose only the symptoms, not the diagnosis. But sometimes it’s kind of cool and clever to find that there are benefits around disclosing it. Continue reading “Surprising Perks of Disclosing Your ADHD”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – September 23, 2024
Play is not just for kids… especially for adults with ADHD. Let’s talk about de-stigmatizing play. All too often, adults think of play as childish, but for those with ADHD, playing or having fun in the workplace has value in the business world. In this blog post, we are exploring the significance of play that can enhance creativity and executive functioning. Continue reading “ADHD and the Workplace: Finding Fun in Every Task”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – August 26, 2024
In the classroom, ADHD students are often fidgety and energetic, unable to sit still and pay attention. What can teachers do? In my experience as an ADHD and attention coach, I have heard schoolteachers and other educators talk about their challenges in managing these students. It calls for a balance of structure with flexibility that can reduce the student’s impulsivity and anxiety, and, thus, the concept of in-house field trips was born. Continue reading “Tips to Manage Wiggly ADHD Students”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – August 5, 2024
Knowing what to do is often the easy part, especially for folks with ADHD. A phrase coined by ADHD expert Dr. Russell Barkley captures the essence of ADHD that says it’s not a disorder of knowing what to do but rather a disorder of doing what you know. In other words, you know you’re supposed to do something, but you don’t actually do it. Continue reading “ADHD: The Gap Between Knowing and Doing”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – July 8, 2024
We often talk about memories. It feels like it’s just one thing and one kind of memory, but there are several different kinds of memory. Today, we’re breaking down memory into three key types of memory for those with ADHD: long-term memory, working memory, and prospective memory. In other words, memories are remembering backwards, remembering in the moment, remembering into the future. Continue reading “ADHD: Unlocking the Three Key Types of Memory”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – June 10, 2024
Are you a parent looking for effective strategies to improve communication with your ADHD child? In an interview with Elaine Taylor-Klaus (https://impactparents.com), we discussed simple and fun approaches to keep the lines of communication open without resorting to constant instructions. These methods focus on creating a positive and engaging environment for your children, allowing them to express themselves freely while fostering a stronger bond. Continue reading “ADHD Tip: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – May 13, 2024
Students, whether they’re teenagers, adolescents, or young adults in college, need to have their own goals, their own reasons to succeed, which really leads to whether they are motivated. Sometimes this means they need professional help, and coaching is an effective means to help them move forward because research is showing that coaching has a positive impact. However, there is a caveat. Are they coachable? Meaning, are they ready for coaching? That’s a very important question, because the answer apparently is, no, they are not all ready for coaching. Continue reading “ADHD: Are Teenagers Coachable?”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – March 4, 2024
It might be surprising to learn that kids with ADHD are twice as likely to land in police custody at some point. In fact, as we learn more about behavior in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, it’s an easy jump to say that many of the kids in the criminal justice system should have been in the mental health system instead.
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – February 5, 2024
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is confusing and key ADHD symptoms are often misunderstood in relationships. One of the patterns that couples fall into that is damaging for them is that they don’t understand the symptoms as they’re expressed in the relationship.
Continue reading “ADHD Relationships: Misunderstood Symptoms”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – January 8, 2024
As an ADHD and attention coach, I’m often asked what works for those with ADHD. So, I want to dive into that, but I also want to explore what doesn’t work. First, it’s essential to understand that everyone’s experience with ADHD is unique, so what works for one person may not work for another. But in general, the key to success is finding strategies that support the individual’s strengths and challenges.
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – December 4, 2023
If you have ADHD, do you have trouble getting started? Sometimes that looks like procrastination or a lack of motivation. Have you considered a body double? Most of us think of body doubles in terms of stand-ins or stunt actors in movies or on television. I think it’s an valuable concept as a strategy to help those with ADHD. Continue reading “ADHD Solutions: Body Doubles Can Help”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – November 6, 2023
Get ready to get ready to go? How can that concept help manage time for those with ADHD? How can it help them manage transitions? First, we need to understand the concept.
Get ready to get ready to go is a concept that many ADHD coaches use to help their clients. Those with ADHD tend to wait until the very last minute and then they race around, gathering things they need to take with them… keys, shoes, papers, lunch, whatever. The problem with this is that there’s no transition time spent in preparing to go. Continue reading “ADHD: Get Ready to Get Ready to Go”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – October 16, 2023
As we age, we have memory loss, and hormonal changes present some attention deficit symptoms. This can get confusing. So, how can you tell the difference between ADD symptoms and age or hormonal changes? It’s a tough question. But the ADDiva, Linda Roggli (https://addiva.net) has a lot to say about it. Continue reading “Is It ADD, Age, or Hormones?”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – August 28, 2023
ADHD is an issue of self-regulation. As an ADHD and attention coach, I know that many of the tips, tricks, and strategies on the Web don’t typically work for those with ADHD. Often, these tips tell you there is a logic behind using a weakness to overcome a weakness, but this sets you up for failure. And that’s why good ideas or good solutions don’t work in the world of ADHD.
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – July 31, 2023
Those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder typically procrastinate when something is unclear. Are you clear on your specific, methodical process of studying? As an ADHD and attention coach, I find that the more you understand your process with specificity, the higher the probability you will study and be successful.
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – July 3, 2023
ADHD relationships can spiral out of control and end up in hurtful conversations. Is that an outcome you will really want? How do you stop these interactions that only end up damaging your relationships? Once the damage is done, how do you repair or rebuild the trust? It’s not just by saying you’ll do better or you’ll try harder. You really have to get at the dynamics of the relationship and then work to understand each other. That’s what you need to develop conflict intimacy. Continue reading “Hurtful Conversations in ADHD Relationships”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – Published June 5, 2023
What is it like for someone with ADHD when their executive functioning brain is being taxed and becomes a distraction? It’s like starting the task all over again. If you have ADHD, it’s just like rebooting your laptop; you have to reboot your brain. That’s why I’m using a computer as a metaphor to understand what happens when you get distracted while engaged in an activity that requires your executive functioning brain. Continue reading “ADHD Insight: Impact of Distractions on Executive Functioning”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – May 15, 2023
Dr. Russell Barkley (https://www.russellbarkley.org) likes to think of the ADHD brain as a two-level system, that is, the automatic brain and the executive functioning brain. The use of the executive functioning brain is effortful because it takes great effort to step in and override the automatic brain. Continue reading “ADHD Tips: Use Your Executive Functioning Brain to Override Impulse”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – April 17, 2023
Just as a physical activity requires exercise on a regular basis to develop a skill, ADHD requires attention exercise to develop attention skills. With that in mind, I’m sharing a cool tip with you that correlates physical exercise and attention exercise. Continue reading “ADHD and Athletics: Combining Physical and Attention Exercises”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – March 13, 2023
When you’re observing someone else, it can be easy to make judgments and describe who they are and what they do. When you have to turn the tables on yourself, particularly if you have ADHD, it can be challenging. This is especially true if you are a creative type or a problem solver.
When emotions come into play, they can overwhelm you and make it difficult to articulate who you are and what you do. Continue reading “ADHD: A Different Mindset to Selling Yourself”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – February 13, 2023
Many with ADHD are stuck applying the obvious solution as if they are the same as everyone else. The bottom line is this: Those who are diagnosed with ADHD have brains that are just wired differently.
By the same token, we need to think differently about ADHD, to look at strengths and what’s right or natural for those with ADHD. It’s not always a deficit in attention, but it is always a difference, and that’s the main thing. Continue reading “Is it Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Difference Disorder?”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – January 23, 2023
Athletes who have ADHD often suffer from psychological issues such as depression or anxiety and other emotional challenges that stem from ADHD. These athletes may experience less than ideal performance on the playing field. As an ADHD and attention coach, this topic is significant as I coach sports players who suffer from symptoms of ADHD in their performance, both on the field and off.
Continue reading “Impact of ADHD on Sports Psychology from a Sports Psychiatrist”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – January 2, 2023
During the COVID pandemic, many people had no recourse but to work from home. Unfortunately, they struggled with getting things done and their productivity declined, perhaps for one simple reason. There’s no one around to take off some of the stress on your working memory. The home environment is much different from the workplace where others are around and are readily available for interaction. So, working at home means you often don’t have an accountability partner. Continue reading “ADHD, Productivity, and People: Two-Second Solutions”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – December 12, 2022
Knowing what works for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is just as important as knowing what does not work. Some of the tactics you use might not be helping. In fact, they might even exacerbate your symptoms. For example, pressure to perform based on other people’s ideas of how you should perform almost always leads to failure because it doesn’t work and it’s detrimental. For those with ADHD, doing things that do not fit their natural way of doing things can often paralyze them at most and at least inhibit their performance. Continue reading “ADD Tip: What Doesn’t Work for Those with ADD”
Organizing things is a real challenge, especially for those with ADHD. They think they’ll just jump in and start organizing until they get into a mess and then things seem to explode.
It has been said, if you don’t understand something as a process, you don’t understand it at all. I find this rings true for those with ADHD in the context of organization.
Continue reading “ADHD: Getting Organized about Organization”
Working with those with ADHD, I find they have a certain processing style that varies by individual. While this is not ADHD specific, those with ADHD are more dependent on a more dominant style. It’s a common occurrence in those with ADHD, as they have a working memory issue in how they process things. Let me give you an example. Continue reading “ADHD and Conflicts in Style”
Pain! Energy! ADHD! They just don’t seem compatible with each other, but yet, they go hand in hand for those who struggle with chronic pain, no energy, and ADHD.
Those with ADHD often have endless amounts of energy, but when they don’t, they may be suffering with chronic low-level pain that seems to suck their life away. It keeps them from doing what they want to do, and they beat themselves up and blame their ADHD. Continue reading “The Impact of Pain on ADHD and Energy”
In the context of ADHD, do your eyes glaze over when you start talking about digital means and methods? If so, I’m here to say that the cloud can set you free. So, let’s talk about what I mean by “the cloud.”
With the explosion of technology and our need to manage home, cell, and work phones, as well as emails, texts, instant messages, and direct posts on Twitter or Facebook and other social media, it’s difficult to understand just how dramatically technology is growing. All this digital activity can create problems for those with ADHD who are already challenged with organization. Continue reading “ADHD: The Cloud Is Here to Set You Free”
As a former athlete and competitive swimmer, I understand how important rest is for the body. After intense workouts or stressful training, the body needs time to replenish its energy stores, and your muscles need time to recover. To illustrate my point, I want to share some important lessons I learned as a triathlete. But these insights are not aimed just at those with ADHD. They truly apply to anyone who is on that track but not realizing they’re running on empty. Continue reading “ADHD: Rest and Recovery”
Conflict and struggles can arise when one partner in an ADHD relationship travels frequently. When connection is lost due to being out of sight, out of mind, the challenge is to figure out how to handle this in a manner that suits both partners. Continue reading “ADHD Relationship Tip: A Traveling Partner”
Those with ADHD struggle with working memory. A working memory impairment hinders the ability to follow a sequence of steps because they’re not able to hold the steps in their mind. It takes a lot of effort because they have to override their automatic instincts and use an already taxed working memory to work through a problem.
Continue reading “ADHD: A Thought versus a Plan”
Those who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have difficulty with what we call transitions, that is, starting and stopping projects when they are in the middle of something and get interrupted or they have to look elsewhere for further information. Those are transitions, like having to reboot the computer (or the brain) to get back to the thought process where they were. It’s tough enough for non-ADHD people, but with ADHD, it’s much more effortful. It takes a lot more time to get back in the game and it can be exhausting. Continue reading “ADHD and Transitions: The Concept of Rebooting”
I’ve always been curious what stops someone from getting rid of things. Having coached many, many borderline hoarders, I’ve seen the overwhelm this clutter bestows on them. So, let’s talk about purging. I have several suggestions to illustrate this, but as an example, I’ll use the tassel on my cap when I graduated from the University of Tampa. Continue reading “ADHD: Is Clutter Trash or Museum Bound?”
Are you aware that meditation is often more difficult for those with ADHD? Experts certainly are. They say the practice of mindfulness or meditation is very helpful for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. As an ADHD and attention coach, I have found that those who have difficulty with mindfulness, which is self-regulation, may benefit from the practice of yoga. The reasoning is that it becomes easier to practice mindfulness by using yoga poses that require balance. What I mean by that is this. Continue reading “ADHD, Mindfulness, and Yoga”
Can help sometimes actually foster learned helplessness? There are times when one partner helping the other can diminish the partner being helped. Partners in an ADHD relationship especially need to be aware that helping may hurt the relationship. Continue reading “ADHD and Relationships: When Helping Hurts”
“What did you fail at today?” Seems like a stupid question, but really, it has significant value in helping to humanize failure, to understand trials and errors, and to move forward toward success. So, here’s a unique idea! When your family is seated around the dinner table, ask each one that question. With their answers, you’re actually teaching your kids and yourself how to humanize each other, to be real and to let everyone see that no one is perfect. It also teaches a bit of humility to hear that others have failures, as well. Continue reading “ADHD Tip: Failing Forward at the Dinner Table”
Can we say that those with ADHD are “voice-activated”? It’s funny that we would apply that phrase to a human when it’s a term usually reserved for electronic devices, but in the case of ADHD, it may be true. For those with ADHD, talking a lot seems to be natural for them. Although they may not be aware of it, talking out loud is actually a good tactic because it eases the load on the working memory system. It’s almost like they need to walk their way through the whole thing so they can get to where they are going. Continue reading “ADHD: Is It Voice Activated?”
What’s more tempting to you… reading a book online or reading a book you can hold in your hands? Often, people with ADHD gravitate to those shiny and new gadgets in technology, thinking those devices can help, but sometimes it’s old-fashioned paper that is a lot more productive. Why do I say that? Because it can benefit self-regulation. Continue reading “ADHD High Tech: The Advantages of Paper”
By Jeff Copper, MBA, PCC, PCAC, CPCC, ACG – July 5, 2021
What’s the value in having someone who knows how to use a hammer and hits the right spot? Do-it-yourself sounds good, but there is a cost. I call it tuition at the school of hard knocks, in other words, EXPERIENCE. That’s what I want to share with you here. ADHD is very much a challenge. If you’ve got ADHD and have been struggling to manage it, I encourage you to find a professional who’s got the insight to accelerate your learning. After all, if you get the diagnosis and you get some help, you can really live a fulfilling life. Continue reading “ADHD, DIY, and Help: Knowledge vs Knowledge with Insight”
If you’ve been surfing ADHD videos on and on and on for hours, you have to realize that you’re struggling with something, and that’s the issue of self-regulation. I’ve often spoken about dopamine being the reward neurotransmitter, and that’s what’s driving this behavior. It’s your brain’s perpetual search for dopamine. The issue is whether you can pay attention to things where you don’t get dopamine. Continue reading “ADHD and YouTube”
If you have attention deficit hyperactive disorder, you probably find yourself struggling with working memory. What is working memory? It’s the system in your brain that allows you to hold multiple thoughts in mind while you organize and sequence them. It is important to understand what working memory is in relation to ADHD, and this condition can be very problematic when you’re trying to solve problems. Continue reading “ADHD and Working Memory”
Those who have ADHD usually have trouble managing emotions. That would include episodes of the blues or just generally feeling down or sad, anticipating a negative outcome or even experiencing post-event letdowns. And it’s likely even to become a pattern concerning certain situations. ADHD coach Jeff Copper knows something about it. Continue reading “ADHD and the Blues”
Several years ago, the question was asked whether ADHD looks different in boys than it does in girls. I was curious to know more about that subject and began searching for an expert who could answer the question. I found Dr. Patricia Quinn, a developmental pediatrician and medical doctor specializing in child development and the treatment of ADHD. Dr. Quinn gave me some eye-opening insight on the subject and agreed to a brief interview on Attention Talk Video. Continue reading “Does ADHD Manifest Differently in Boys and Girls?”
What are code words? Can code words help ADHD families? We asked Elaine Taylor-Klaus, a professional certified coach and family advocate. With both her professional and personal experience as a mother of five, Elaine explained how code words work in her own family and why they are useful to get someone’s attention, change a course of action, or constrain a meltdown. Continue reading “ADHD Strategies: Using Code Words in ADHD Families”
