Volume 1, Issue 19 August 7th, 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. - Featured Article: The #1 Hurdle To Seeing Our Own Greatness - A Note From Rory: Have We Really Had A Summer? - News & Announcements: Group Coaching Starts Next Week 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, Last time I wrote, we were gearing up to celebrate my daughter's 3rd birthday.  I might be a little emotional here, but it is really something to see all that she has become in just three years.  I can't even imagine what is in store (laughter and tears) in the years to come. As I sit in my office, I can't help but wonder today (and most days to be honest) about where the summer has gone...  Here it is the beginning of August already.  Like it or not, back to school is right around the corner.  Hard to believe - but I hear that some schools in the US go back next week. Beyond that, I see summer as a time to enjoy the warm weather.  But at this point I am beginning to wonder if that is nothing more than a myth here in the Northeast United States.  This year, summer is all about rain storms and lots of them. Well, on that note...wherever you may be...I hope you are enjoying the summer months and taking in all that you can while it lasts. Rory Stern, PsyD http://www.theADHDparentsmovie.com - Have you seen it yet?

Featured Article: The #1 Hurdle To Seeing Our Own Greatness By, Dr. Rory Stern  Note: The following article describes a young school-aged girl, but is relevant to who we are regardless of age or level of success in life. One of the fundamental principles to finding success in life, is being able to understand ourselves or in being able to understand our children.  Better yet, if we are parents, then we are also charged with helping our children better understand who they are.  (This can be particularly difficult when parents must balance and model the good and the not-so-good). It is said that people with ADHD hold themselves to incredibly high standards...  Along with having high standards, we tend to be our own harshest critics or judges.  And while this might sound like a bad thing, it actually can be a tremendous benefit if we use this properly. Proper Use:  Being a harsh critic to motivate ourselves to work harder and accomplish more. Improper Use:  Never realizing or giving credit to what we have accomplished. Unfortunately this is not an easy balance...  And for many people, this is incredibly difficult to maintain. The following story is an example that clearly (and perhaps dramatically) demonstrates how difficult a challenge this can be: Not too long ago, I was introduced to a family, who wanted me to sit down with one of their children to go over strategies for managing new situations.  As it was explained to me, this child did not like new situations - and would often get pretty nervous about them (regardless of ability or past success). Sidebar:  Many people (ADHD or not) get uncomfortable and nervous in new situations. As I got to know this child, one thing stood out for me the most.  One thing was more apparent than anything else, as is often the case.  While the "presenting concern" was about the response to new situations - it was pretty clear to me that this incredibly gifted and talented young girl did not realize how special she was. Respecting the details of the situation, I will only say that this girl was doing things that many accomplished professionals cannot even master in their lives.  Truth! Yet when we talked about these tremendous accomplishments, she spoke about them as if anyone and everyone can do it.  And while this is true - anyone can do these things - very few ever do them with such ease and with such immediate success and reward. So - the #1 hurdle - is really the fact that when "we" can do something, "we" tend to believe that everyone is just as capable of doing this thing...  It comes from the idea, "Well, if I can do it and I can do it easily, then everyone else must be able to as well..." I've seen this time and time again, and I even experience this.  We really can be our harshest critics...  We really can be our own most ruthless judges... Again - regardless of age or level of success - the key to beating this #1 hurdle is being around people (friends, peers, parents, children) who will remind us of how special we are, along with the ability to accomplish so much. Closing Note: While it will NOT always be this clear or dramatic, it is important for us to recognize that we are not alone.  It is critical to understand that no matter the circumstances we face, our challenges are still challenges.

News & Events Small Group Coaching - Parenting Support We are ready to get started!  But before we do, I want to give everyone one last opportunity to learn more and get involved if you have been considering it. The response to my "Everybody Gets Coached" initiative has been great.  We have a small group of dedicated parents who are interested in 2 calls per month.  As it stands right now, we will focus on providing relevant content on specific, targeted goals that "we," as a group, can address and evaluate, all while taking steps towards these goals. If you are a parent looking for this type of support, please contact me immediately.  The group kick-off will be Monday night. If you have already contacted me, I will be providing you with the details shortly. Thank you to everyone who has responded.  It has been a treat speaking with all of you. Almost forgot - All calls will be recorded and archived in case you can't make them live!

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 Parenting Questions: 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 up 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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