Tuesday, September 7, 2010

October 5th ~ Hormones and the Brain

October 5th ~The Adult Group will welcome Marjorie Taylor, who will educate us about the role of "Hormones and AD/HD."

November 2nd ~ The Adult Group will welcome Rick Manning who will discuss, "It All ADDs Up!  How AD/HD will save the world in 2012!"

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

September 7th ~ Paula Thompson, President, and Heidi Kortman, of "In Utter Words,"

Whether you are "working on your roar" or your purr, please come join us!

If you have had a personal experience you would like to share, related to the topic, or a comment, please post it on our blog.
AD/HD can create a virtual minefield of misunderstanding when people try to communicate! But there is hope!!!

'A New Cure for "Foot-In-Mouth Disease!"'

Does the cat get your tongue,
The harder you try,
When you are trying to get your point across?

Does your brain go dead?
Does your mouth go dry?
And then you find yourself at a loss?

Once your brain engages,
Do you interrupt,
So you won’t forget what you were going to say?

And after their eyes glaze over,
Are you still on a roll,
But figure, “No one is listening, anyway!?”

Do people think you’re obtuse?
Or that you like to hear yourself talk?
Do they think you are selfish or rude?

Do you wish you could explain what you mean,
Instead of getting mad or defensive,
So they won’t think it’s your "attitude?"

Foot-In-Mouth Disease,
Can be tough to treat,
Especially if it’s deemed an excuse.

Because the more you try to tell folks
What they don’t want to hear,
The more you set yourself up for abuse!

If you want to learn to speak their language,
So they will listen.
And so that we can learn from them, too,

So we can play by the rules,
And can stand up for ourselves,
Then we have just the right place for you!
~By: Linda Brauer~ July 20, 2010~

Calvin College, Meeter Center Lecture Hall Off of the Library Lobby
7-9 pm, First Tuesdays, Year Round
No Cost or Pre-Registration, All Interested are Welcome!

Our Adult Group meets on first Tuesdays, from 7-9 p.m., at Calvin College in the Meeter Center Lecture Hall, to the right of the fireplace off of the library lobby. Membership is encouraged, but not required. Membership information is available at our meetings.
Come join the discussion!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

August 3rd, Richard Ten Hoor "Anger, HMMMM..."

PLEASE COMMENT ON OUR BLOG BEFORE OR AFTER THE MEETING - WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK!
August 3rd, Richard Ten Hoor, will facilitate a discussion on, "ANGER, HMMM..."   Do you ever wonder who that was who just yelled at the kids?  Do you turn into the Incredible Hulk?  If anger causes us to get out of control, and alienate ourselves from those we want to help, why does it seem so instinctive?  Richard has recently read a book that sorts ways people express anger into 5 categories.

What do you think about when you think of anger?  Is is good, bad?

How did the people in your family express anger, while you were growing up?

What kinds of situations push your buttons?

When does anger seem justified?

Does anger help us feel more in control when we are feeling out of control?

What helps you stay in control?  What doesn't?

What is the difference between being assertive and aggressive?

Don't let your anger catch you off guard!

STRANGER AT THE DOOR!          

DO YOU HOPE IT GOES AWAY
IF YOU PLAY IT COOL AND JUST IGNORE IT?

BUT THEN IT KEEPS ON GROWING                                    
'TIL THERE’S NO ROOM TO STORE IT?

DOES IT MAKE YOU SULK,  “MAKE ‘EM PAY?”
DOES IT BRING YOU DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL?

OR MAKE YOU A “DAMSEL IN DISTRESS,”
ALWAYS FLEEING FROM “THE DEVIL?”



IF YOU  “GIVE IT AN INCH--”
DOES IT ALWAYS TAKE A MILE?

SO YOU PUT ON A HAPPY FACE,
AND STAY IN DENIAL?

WHEN ANGER COMES TO YOUR HOUSE,
DOES IT MAKE YOU ACT POSSESSED?

OR IS IT LIKE A FAITHFUL WATCH DOG,
WHO ONLY WANTS WHAT’S BEST?

Calvin College, Meeter Center Lecture Hall Off of the Library Lobby
7-9 pm, First Tuesdays, Year Round
No Cost or Pre-Registration, All Interested are Welcome!

Our Adult Group meets on first Tuesdays, from 7-9 p.m., at Calvin College in the Meeter Center Lecture Hall, to the right of the fireplace off of the library lobby. Membership is encouraged, but not required. Membership information is available at our meetings.
Come join the discussion!

22nd Annual International Conference on ADHD

Join us in Atlanta from November 11-13, 2010 for CHADD’s 22nd Annual International Conference on ADHD:"Pathways to Wellness, Healthy Minds, and Resilience." Get the latest information from leading experts in the field. The convention will be featuring keynote presentations by Russell Barkley, Ph.D.-on the role of emotions, Rick Lavoie- (creator of the F.A.T. City Workshop), and Sharon Weiss, M.Ed., (managing oppositional youth).  www.chadd.org to sign up.

September 24th~The annual "Michael Golds Memorial AD/HD Conference"

The annual "Michael Golds Memorial AD/HD Conference," September 24th, at Oakland Community College; Orchard Ridge Campus in Farmington Hills, MI, Keynote speaker, author, Sandra Rief.  Contact Marie Faulkner at 248-522-3645. www.oaklandcc.edu/MGMC

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

July 6th 2010 ~ Access To Care Discussion

The Adult Group will have a facilitated discussion and survey regarding "Access to Care," followed by a request for input on future meeting topics, and a discussion about issues that best meet the needs of the group.

Monday, June 28, 2010

June 1- Mary Dykstra, MBA, CPO, "You've Kept It, But Now Can You Find It?"

Turn your next spring cleaning into a spring CLEARING!
Join us

June 1, 2010,

7:00 to 9:00PM

“You’ve Kept It, But Now Can You Find It? It’s Time to Refocus!”

Mary Dykstra, Certified Professional Organizer for Office, Home, & Life, has been helping corporate, residential, and entrepreneurial clients get organized since 1984, including individuals with AD/HD! Mary speaks and consults nationally. Join us for a great conversation and some very practical tips.

To find out more about Mary, visit: www.withinreach.biz or call 616-453-2976

May 4- "Kevin's Story"

May 4th: One member of the Adult Group, who found his niche in creative design, has graciously accepted our invitation to share his journey of self-discovery.  Please join us to hear Kevin's Story.

April 6- Nicole Beurkens, M.Ed., "A Developmental Approach to Improving Social Skills in Adults with AD/HD"

Turn your next spring cleaning into a spring CLEARING!
Join us
June 1, 2010,
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
“You’ve Kept It, But Now Can You Find It?
It’s Time to Refocus!”
Mary Dykstra, Certified Professional Organizer for Office, Home, & Life, has been helping corporate, residential, and entrepreneurial clients get organized since 1984, including individuals with AD/HD! Mary speaks and consults nationally. Join us for a great conversation and some very practical tips.
To find out more about Mary, visit: www.withinreach.biz or call 616-453-2976

April 6- Nicole Beurkens, M.Ed., "A Developmental Approach to Improving Social Skills in Adults with AD/HD"

April 6th: Nicole Beurkens, Director of Horizon's Developmental Remediation Center, http://www.horizonsdrc.com, will be discussing Social Skills in Adults with AD/HD. If someone is impatient, they may interrupt. If someone can't remember a sequence of instructions, they may be viewed as irresponsible. If they fidget, they may appear disinterested. Nicole has found that there is more neuroplasticity in the brain than people realize. It's never too late!

March 2 and 9th- Russell Barkley, Ph.D., "Impact of AD/HD on Major Life Domains"

March 2nd: Russell Barkley, Ph.D.'s presentation will be shown, "AD/HD in Adults: Impact on Major Life Activities and Implications for Intervention."  Do you know when AD/HD was first recognized in adults?  Barkley and a team of researchers took 91 of the most common symptoms of AD/HD and found 9 that could best differentiate AD/HD from some other disorder.   In what three areas of life does AD/HD cause the most impairment?

February 2, 2010 -"Input on Naming AD/HD as a Disability in Adults Under the Social Security Administration"

Did you know that AD/HD is considered a disability in children but not in adults?

We have been invited to provide comment on How AD/HD Impacts Occupational /Functioning to the Occupational Information Development Panel of the Social Security Administration.

Have you ever lost a sales job because you can't memorize, let alone stick to, a prepared script?

Have you ever lost a job because you were late, absent, had forgotten appointments, or missed deadlines?

Do you have trouble filling out call reports?

Has ambient noise from co-workers distracted you, or have you quit because you were bored beyond belief?

Do you suspect you lost a job because your boss may not appreciate all of your advice about how he or she could do things better?

Some individuals, who are severely affected by AD/HD, go from one temp job to the next and can't live independently. They may be bright in many ways, but are still living in their parents' basement or ailing relative. Come join the discussion!

January 5, 2010- Oren Mason, MD, "Executive Function: A New Understanding of ADD"

January 5, 2010:  Oren Mason, M.D., author of a recently published book, will present: "Problems of Executive Function: A New Understanding of ADD."   Just as an executive at a company has to coordinate everyone's efforts to get the job done, parts of the brain have to work together, too.  A person may have a great memory, but not when they most need it!  Problems of Executive Function usually persist throughout life.   Dr. Mason will explain how they can affect people and how to address them.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

DISCUSSION TOPIC JUNE 2010

What problems do you see being caused due to misunderstandings about AD/HD?