Annual ADDA Regional Conferences on Adult AD/HD
Saturday, October 21, 2006 (New York City)
Program Descriptions

Myths and Facts about Adult AD/HD
Presented by Lenard Adler, MD (NY)        
Audience:  Intermediate, Advanced

Lenard A. Adler, MD, is the Director of the Adult AD/HD Program in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine and  Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the NYU School of Medicine. He has been interviewed numerous times in national media venues, including 60 Minutes and the Today Show discussing his treatment methods for adults with AD/HD.  Dr. Adler has been a principle contributor to numerous new treatment trials in AD/HD and in the development of new scales to diagnose and evaluate symptoms of adult AD/HD. A Diplomat in Psychiatry to the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Adler is board-certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners. He is an active investigator and frequent lecturer, who has authored and coauthored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.
This session will review recent advances in the understanding of the neurobiology, epidemiology, ratings and treatment of adult ADHD.

At the end of this presentation, participants will:

• List recent advances in the neurobiology of adult ADHD
• Identify symptoms of Adult ADHD
• Identify impairments of Adult ADHD
• Utilize new Adult AD/HD Symptom Assessment and Diagnostic Scales
• Identify new medication treatments of Adult ADHD

AD/HD and the College Experience
Presented by Tracey Rush, M.S. (both PA and NY)                          
Audience: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Tracey A. Rush, MS, is the Learning Resources Advisor and Coordinator of Student Disability Services at Swarthmore College, where she works with students, facilitating their transition from high school to college and their progression through college academics to graduation.  Students with AD/HD represent a segment of her practice.

The transition from high school to college can be daunting for any student.  It is particularly challenging for students with ADHD.  The laws protecting them change upon their graduation from high school.  Often, their support system is miles away while professors expect them to manage an unstructured schedule filled with long-range assignments, papers and exams.  This session provides the attendees with practical suggestions for coping with the complexities of college life as well as a brief explanation of the legal changes effecting their education.

At the end of this presentation, participants will:

• Understand the changes in disability law from high school to college
• Appreciate the unique challenges presented for postsecondary students with ADHD
• Develop practical strategies to assist ADHD students at the postsecondary level

AD/HD and the Workplace
Presented by Kevin Oldis (NY)                                                     
Audience:  Beginner, Intermediate

Kevin Oldis is currently a Vice President of Human Resources and Administration with a Premium Cable Broadcaster, located in NYC, where he supports the organization’s HR and Administration needs nationally.  During his twenty-eight years in Human Resources, he has worked in all aspects of HR as well as managing various Administration functions. For the past 4 years he has also served in the area of Business and Career Coaching for adults with AD/HD to assist with privately developing and transitioning the careers of Managerial & Executive staff.  He has volunteered help with the Management team, Staff and Board of GLAAD as they implemented strategic initiatives and to ADDA’s Workplace Initiative Committee.

This session will present practical information in managing the job for the AD/HD adult, as well as their supervisors and co-workers.  Included will be information on identifying AD/HD and it’s impact at work, reasonable accommodations and easy solutions, approaching your employer when you choose to disclose, impact of ADA and resulting responsibilities of the employer, issues of job security and career choice decisions.

At the end of this presentation, participants will

• Understand employee vs. employer rights and responsibilities regarding AD/HD on the job
• Evaluate why some work environments work, and others do not
• Identify the impact of AD/HD on their workplace
• List reasonable accommodations and easy solutions to overcome AD/HD related work difficulties

Living Well with Adult AD/HD – Permission to Proceed
Presented by David Giwerc, M.C.C (NY)
Audience:  Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

David Giwerc, MCC has been coaching for more than a decade with a specific focus on entrepreneurs with AD/HD and mentors some of the world’s leading coaches.  Having founded ADD Coaching Academy in 1998, David serves as President and offers the premier comprehensive, long distance AD/HD coach training program.  President of ADDA from 2003-June 2006 and past President of Optimal Functioning Institute, David has served as a featured speaker at ADDA, CHADD, and International Coach Federation conferences as well as teleclasses for ADDA, ICF and Coach Academy.      

The stories that adults with AD/HD tell themselves can either immobilize or catalyze their ability to create positive momentum in their lives.  Many of their stories are a reflection of their own negative beliefs that have been handed down to them from generations of family members, teachers and employers.  Participants will learn the different stages of development and self-discovery the AD/HD client learns during the coaching process.  Models and strategies will be shared that empower adults to change their old immobilizing stories and to replace them with new life stories that give them “Permission to Proceed” with building a new life that was subconsciously desired.

At the end of this presentation, participants will

• List coaching stages of discovery and self-development that is experienced during the coaching process
• Identify types of stories that adults with AD/HD create during each stage and how to convert those stories to support personal goals
• Utilize coaching models and skills to educate and support adults with AD/HD as well as empower them to reinvent a life that is aligned with their personal mission

AD/HD Coaching 101-A Perfect Match
Presented by David Giwerc, M.C.C. (NY)                                                           
Audience:  Beginner

David Giwerc, MCC has been coaching for more than a decade with a specific focus on entrepreneurs with AD/HD and mentors some of the world’s leading coaches.  Having founded ADD Coaching Academy in 1998, David serves as President and offers the premier comprehensive, long distance AD/HD coach training program.  President of ADDA from 2003-June 2006 and past President of Optimal Functioning Institute, David has served as a featured speaker at ADDA, CHADD, and International Coach Federation conferences as well as teleclasses for ADDA, ICF and Coach Academy.      

This seminar will provide participants with a picture of what coaching is and why it works so well for individuals with AD/HD. This will be an interactive exploration with examples and resources regarding how you look for a coach and what you would ask in interviewing for a coach.

At the end of this presentation, participants will

• Define coaching as per ICF guidelines and as distinct in comparison with therapy
• Visualize a coaching model
• Explore the elements of coaching through examples
• List written and web resources

AD/HD and Relationships: We Can Both Be Happy
Presented by Ari Tuckman, PsyD, M.B.A. (both PA and NY)            
Audience: Intermediate, Advanced

Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA, is a clinical psychologist in private practice who specializes in diagnosing and treating children, teens, and adults with AD/HD. Dr. Tuckman is an avid participant in education about AD/HD as support group facilitator, author for many professional journals and the general public, media appearances including CNN’s Headline News Network, and service as one of ADHDbalance.net’s Online Community Advocacy Leaders (OnCALs) and the Chester County CHADD Professional Advisory Board.  An enthusiastic presenter, he has earned excellent reviews from mental health professionals on presentations regarding the diagnosis and treatment of adult AD/HD, as well as numerous presentations for members of the public about AD/HD and related disorders.

AD/HD presents certain challenges in relationships. Everybody wants to be happy, but typical AD/HD difficulties can make that happiness elusive for both partners. This session will help attendees overcome those hurdles. This will cover romantic relationships, as well as relation-ships with other family members, friends, co-workers, etc. Happiness in many relationships involves re-negotiating who does what and how in order to better match each person’s strengths and preferences—this is especially true for those with AD/HD. The goal is to keep things fair, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be equal. Creative problem-solving can eliminate many of the gridlock arguments that ruin relationships. By defining and accepting a new balance, attendees will learn to work together and break the tug of war.

At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Define how AD/HD impacts relationships
• State that fair doesn’t always mean equal—but fair is still important
• Understand the importance of advocating for one’s needs, as well as being aware of others’ needs
• Create a plan for developing better balance in the relationship