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Welcome New Members

• Be sure to sign up for the members listserv. (You'll need your login name and password.) Share information or ask questions of other members on this email list. Emails will have [Members] in the subject line and replies go back to the list. That way we can share info with the whole group. Or send an introductory email to members@adhdcoaches.org and we'll be sure you get "buzzed in."
• Be sure to Update Your Profile (After logging in, choose "Update Your Profile" in the navigation bar on that page)
• We're looking forward to finding out what you're most interested in, and learning how you might want to get more involved. The Membership Committee will be contacting you soon.
  In the mean time, let me know if there's anything I can do or if you'd like to contribute to Circle.

ACO Round Table Calls

The topic of the ACO Round Table calls always match the theme of the current issue of Circle. Check calendar of events for the dates, the call in info and the topics we'll be discussing. If you missed last month's call, this time about organization, you can find out how to listen to the recording on the same calendar listing.

July topic: clients who are diagnosed -- or who you suspect might be -- depressed.

• The next ACO Round Table call (on the third Tuesday at 8 pm EDT) on the will be on July 19
  
  • To participate in this call, please dial 1 (218) 486-1105, then enter the code 107287#
  • To listen to the previously recorded call, dial 1 (218) 936-1055, then entering the code 107287#
• A new ACO Round Table call is being added on the first Tuesday of the month at 2 pm EDT. The first meeting will be August 1.
  
  • To participate in this call, please dial 1 (218) 486-1105, then enter the code 227339#
  • To listen to the previously recorded call, dial 1 (218) 936-1055, then entering the code 227339#

Coaching Support Call

Coaching Support for Coaches: the fourth Tuesday of each month at 8 pm EDT – this month on July 25. This call is open to all ADHD coaches and has no particular theme. Discussion is based on the questions, comments and concerns of the coaches present.

RSVP by email to Pauline at plaurent@gutsycoaching.com or call her at 707-578-4226 for the bridge line and access code to participate in this call.

New Member Benefit

ADD Planner is the only software planner specifically designed to address the challenges of ADD. It can help ADD Coaches create noticeable improvement for their clients by:

• Making clients accountable and encouraging compliance with email-able planner files
• Improving client self-reporting with task notes
• Helping clients learn how to plan by breaking down projects into manageable pieces
• Sharing strategies for success with portable planner templates
• Enabling clients to stay on track, get places on time, and manage focus and transitions with smart reminders and automatic program launch

Log into the members-only part of the website for the details of how to get 20% off the cost of ADD Planner.

Depression in people with ADHD

editor's note

According to Delivered From Distraction (p. 133)⁽¹⁾, "mood disorders, ..[occur in] about 25 percent of people who have ADD. Mood disorders include depression; mild depression, or which is not called dysthymia; and manic-depressive illness, or what is not called bipolar disorder."

Coaches can not and should not attempt to diagnose these or any other medical conditions. However, information about common co morbid, or co-occurring, conditions can make you smarter and a better coach. To that end we present this issue on Depression.

⁽¹⁾Hallowell, E.M. & Ratey, J.J. (2004). Delivered From Distraction. New York: Ballentine Books

Recognizing depression in clients with ADHD

by Joyce Kubik

We all know that it's not up to the coach to diagnose or determine the severity of any diagnosable illness. But helping your client to better express himself to get what he needs is.

If you are hearing too many excuses in a hopeless tone of voice, your client might have something more going on than just ADHD. Individuals with depression may not see or hear their own warning signs. Their hyperactivity fools them into thinking they are not depressed.

Joyce has come up with a tool that's included with this article -- "Life Skills Signs of Depression" checklist. Use it when you think there is more going on than just that your client is in some "uncoachable place." It does a great job of putting clinical symptomology into every day terms.

If you are a member you can read more on line.
           Join now!

Talking about the "S" word

by Kerch McConlogue, CPCC, PCC

If you’ve never heard a friend, colleague or client talk about suicide, count yourself lucky. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a "history of mental disorders, particularly depression is seen as a risk factor," but not a cause, of suicide. Check out the statistics on the website of the CDC. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Most suicides give some warning of their intentions. So don't be afraid to ask if you think a person might be considering it.

Therapists and doctors have more tools in their kits for dealing with suicidal ideation. That’s precisely why I must refer a client who is talking about suicide to a trained medical professional. Nevertheless, I know I can't pull the plug on a conversation just because the other person says she’s too tired to live. I can't just shove her out the door, or drive her immediately … where?

I know suicidal thoughts are serious. I also need to know if it was a throw away line or something she is really thinking about. So we have to talk about it.

For more information on what to do when you think a person is serious, check out the website of the AFSP.

Read the full text of this article on line.

Random notes on depression for people with ADHD

Depression, as a clinical term, has a specific meaning. But "depression" also has meaning for the general public.

Helpguide, a project of the Rotary Club of Santa Monica and Center for Healthy Aging, isn't a site I would have thought of as a first source of information. But these points seem useful for coaches to remember when working with clients in general.

Practice enjoying success – People with ADHD often crave stimulus: the "high" from the thrill of the chase, or preparing to master a challenge. Once the success has been reached, depression often hits. Retrain yourself to consciously savor successful moments, and allow this feeling to become sustaining over time.

Expect depression after success. People with ADHD commonly complain of feeling depressed, paradoxically, after a big success. This is because the high stimulus of the chase or the challenge or the preparation is over. The deed is done. Win or lose, the adult with ADHD misses the conflict, the high stimulus, and feels depressed.

Coming soon: ACO Library

The ACO wants to build a library of sorts, an online listing of new and old books that our members have found particularly useful to the practice of coaching or the management of a coaching business. If you have a particular book you keep going back to, or a new one you've found particularly useful, we want to know about it. Drop me a short review, a book report, that lists the name of the book, the author, and other particulars. We'll start a library. We'll let you know where the books are available. We want you to keep up with what's going on in the literature of our business.

Thanks for reading.

It would be great if you'd contribute. What is your particular expertise? Drop me a note and let's talk about it.

At this time we can't pay writers who submit articles to this newsletter, but we'll give you credit and links as appropriate. Articles received by the 15th of the month will be considered for the upcoming issue. Sometimes we'll elect to hold an article for later publication. Writers' guidelines are available on line at this minute at newsletter.adhdcoaches.org/writersguidelines.html

I'm looking forward to making this publication top notch. So if you've got any questions, comments, concerns or gripes, please drop me a note. It does no good to grumble alone!

Onward and upward!