Volume 1, Issue 17 July 17th, 2008 Published every Thursday morning and distributed to subscribers for one of our programs. To change your e-mail preferences, please see the link at the bottom of this e-mail. Sign me up for this ezine. - A Note From Rory: From Mystic, CT - Featured Article: Reflections From The ADDA Conference - News & Announcements: Everybody Gets Coached Please add "Info@thetruthbehindadhd" to your whitelist or address book in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble receiving future issues!

A Note From Rory Dear Reader, Ahhh... It feels so good to be working on the newsletter again.  I really thought that between travelling to Minneapolis, and my duties at the ADDA Conference, I would still have time to publish the newsletter. Honestly...this thought process truly shows you how incredibly busy and wonderful the conference was.  In fact, if you have never attended an ADDA conference - I would strongly encourage you to think about it in the year to come.  It was a life-changing experience for many people, including myself.  But I'll get to that in a minute... Without having a moment to pause, I have returned from the conference and am now spending a few days with my extended family (and many more).  My sister-in-laws wedding is this week, and the action is already underway. Rory Stern, PsyD http://www.theADHDparentsmovie.com PS - Still tweaking "Everybody Gets Coached" - so there is time to get involved if you are looking for coaching. PPS - And there is also still time to ask your question for the July call with "Dr. Cerulli."

Featured Article: Lessons Learned From The 13th Annual ADDA Conference By, Dr. Rory Stern  Having the opportunity to attend my first ADDA conference last week was a remarkable opportunity...one that I cannot wait for again.  The energy itself was tremendous, let alone the entire weekend's events.  It was truly amazing to be around a group of people who were so warm, welcoming, inviting, and honest. There was no pressure to be someone who you weren't, and despite the busy schedule, there was just about something for everyone to do and be a part of. As I reflect on the weekend, along with being at a wedding this week, I am truly able to appreciate the value and comfort of being at this conference.  The following is just a quick list of what I experienced, and saw others experiencing: Being Yourself Being Around Others Who "Get It" Being Able To Laugh Having Fun No Expectation No Judgment Living, Loving, & Laughing Of course there was so much more that took place at the conference, but this list is what comes to mind as I prepare the weekly newsletter. I guess the entire point of my writing this is that not once did I see people feeling "out of place" or being judged.  No one had to hide their "ADHD" or their behavioral styles.  There just wasn't this level of negativity that I think so many people have experienced with a diagnosis of ADHD. For one entire event, we all got to be exactly who we wanted to be.  We were all around people who truly understood and could offer sound advice and support. I hope this is coming across the right way to you.  My one hope for this "article" is to really demonstrate the strong sense of community that exists for people who have ADHD.  And within this community is the ability to laugh, love, and live life without judgment or repercussion about trying to be more. At no time did I find myself walking around seeing "people with ADHD."  On the contrary, I saw human beings who were finally free to express themselves.  I saw people being people - and there was no one whispering beneath their breathe, "Oh, I think he or she must have something wrong with them." While I might be fumbling for the right words, I am hoping you understand that ADHD offers tremendous opportunity to be free and creative.  The hard part can be about making sense of who you are, and understanding how ADHD impacts you or your life.

News & Events Everybody Gets Coached Many of you have contacted me about coaching options, and I am still sorting out all the details.  But we are going to be moving ahead with "Everybody Gets Coached."  In fact, I am actually going to be working on two different coaching programs:  1) Different levels of information, different levels of access (based upon your interest and 2) Everybody Gets Coached Format. What's the difference? Option #1: Getting you access to the information you need on a consistent, reliable basis. Option #2: A more in-depth level of coaching that relies on group support and feedback, rather than just hearing from me (and my opinion / experience). While I have NOT yet formally introduced "Option #1," I wanted to keep the dialog open as I explore what options are available for anyone interested.

Questions Ask Dr. Theresa Cerulli We are doing this AGAIN!  We have received such wonderful feedback, and honestly, Dr. Cerulli and I had such a blast answering your questions - we can't wait to do it again. To ask Dr. Cerulli a question, you may visit http://www.askdrcerulli.com As always, you are still more than welcome and encouraged to contact me directly if you have questions, comments, or feedback about your children, this newsletter, or all things ADHD. Send in your questions here...  Just be sure to use "Question" in your subject line.

Who Is Dr. Rory Stern? Dr. Stern is a father, husband, son, "former therapist", ADHD coach, and information provider.  He works from home while caring for his two young children (3 y/o daughter Dylan and 9 month old son Gavin).  His blog, The Truth Behind ADHD, is really an expression of a message he once delivered to children and parents while working as a psychotherapist. Having left the workforce to care for my two children, I still feel the burning desire to share my message with others.  I am passionate about supporting children and their parents, and making sure that the right information gets to the people who need it the most.  In terms of ADHD, I became active in the community because too many of my patients and their families did not have enough information.  And often times, the information they were getting was as absent as the support and understanding they received from colleagues, friends, and professionals. Dr. Stern's message is just as much about education and advocacy, as it is about understanding ADHD.  I do what I do because I want to change all that.  It is my intent to make sure that parents and children all over the world realize that while ADHD is real, it is also a label and a name to characterize certain traits and qualities that can do so much good in a time when there is so much bad. "I don't want to see another child simply be misunderstood, mislabeled, misdirected, and mistreated," says Dr. Stern. Professional Bits: Dr. Stern earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology.  While studying, he also completed a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching.  He is a member of the American Psychological Association and currently serves on the National Board of Directors for the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA). ___________________________________________________________________________ Twitter. I'm on Twitter.  Are you?  Twitter is a great way to keep in touch and follow what your friends are doing.  If you'd like to follow me and see what I am to, you can check out my Twitter profile. ___________________________________________________________________________ Facebook - You can also see what I am up to on Facebook.  But more  importantly, I'd love for you to join the ADHD Support Network - where you can connect with like-minded people.

Disclaimers The material contained within this newsletter and any additional mailings are only for educational and informational purposes. The Truth Behind ADHD does not guarantee or provide any warranty for the information presented. You should continue to make any and all medical and mental health decisions with your licensed medical professionals. The Truth Behind ADHD cannot make any specific diagnosis or recommended individualized treatment plans in this capacity.

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