Have you wondered how you can best use the evaluations provided by the school and professionals? Understanding your child’s learning and behavioral profile is essential in helping you and those who work with your child best meet your child’s developmental and academic needs. As I always say, you must “Parent the Child You Have.” With professional assessments and clinical observations, we can have a more accurate view of our child’s strengths and challenges. One of the essential elements of the … Read more
Supporting Children and Teens with ADHD, Coexisting Conditions, and ADHD-like Conditions When your child is struggling in school or at home, it’s often hard to determine what are “typical” behaviors or learning struggles and what is beyond what might be considered within the normal range. I asked licensed clinical psychologist and author Dr. Gene Carroccia to share his expertise to help parents determine when and how to seek support. Question: What are diagnostics? When should a parent consider getting diagnostic … Read more
If you have a teen who is getting ready to go to college in the fall, you may be wondering, or dare I say, concerned, about what services they will qualify for. Or perhaps equally concerned about what role you, and your teen will play in advocating for those services. I asked Lorri Comeau, an ADHD Parent Coach, Learning Support Specialist, and Educational Consultant to share some important information that will help you and your teen be prepared for the … Read more
Sports often play a large role in children’s lives, for better and for worse. If you have a child who enjoys engaging in athletic activities, whether on their own or in organized activities, their attentional and sensory processing challenges may make it difficult for them to fully enjoy their pursuits. And for children who may not want to engage, they are still often in a position where they will still be expected or required to participate. I recently connected with … Read more
Picky eating and ADHD often go hand-in-hand. In fact, researchers at Duke University found a high correlation between selective eating problems and ADHD. Additionally, many children with ADHD are more predisposed to crave sugar due to the surge of dopamine that sugar delivers to the brain. Add emotional dysregulation, inflexibility, and sensory processing issues to the mix, and it can be extremely difficult to introduce healthier foods into a child’s diet. But there is hope! I recently connected with Dana … Read more
As more people reach out to me wanting to know more about incorporating mindfulness into their lives (as adults and in their role as parents), I decided to ask my friend and professional colleague Jo Futerman to share some of her knowledge. While we had similar training in learning about ADHD and Executive Function, she has taken a path that led her to develop a specialty in meditation and mindfulness for the past ten years. Using her training, she has … Read more
After the recent National CHADD Conference, I met with my Coaches Cohort – a special group of ADHD specialists, advocates, and passionate professionals like myself – whom I have known and worked with for over ten years. Each year after the Conference, we meet to discuss new takeaways and insights to further our knowledge and understanding to support the ADHD community. We decided to do a ten-year “lookback” to share what we felt has changed most over this time. Without … Read more
For all the negatives we know about Facebook, there are some positives. I recently heard from someone I went to high school. She responded to my January 5th post about my daughter teaching yoga to the students in her school after the recent fires here in Boulder, Colorado. Forty of the students in her school lost their homes, and many others were displaced due to severe smoke damage. Carly, and the other teachers, are doing their best to meet the … Read more
Sometimes, it’s hard to recognize how much growth and self-improvement your child has achieved each year. This is especially true when we focus so much on the challenges and stressors that we are working so hard to mitigate and improve. Children also have a difficult time recognizing that they have improved and achieved. They can sometimes feel as if someone keeps moving the goal post out further to mark success. As soon as they accomplish one marker, they are told to immediately … Read more
I received a phone call the other day from a client who has a child struggling with anxiety and depression. While the support I have provided the family through our parenting work has done a great deal to improve their relationship with their child, their son is dealing with mental health issues beyond what they can manage. They have seen a few therapists, but in each case, they found a lack of proper understanding and knowledge of their child’s struggles. … Read more
Many of you may already be familiar with the book Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven, his inspiring graduation speech at the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement Day. Taking inspiration from the university’s slogan, “What starts here changes the world,” he shared the ten principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his training and long Naval career but also throughout his life. I often reference this book … Read more
During my current professional ADHD Parent Coach Academy training, we addressed the value and importance of movement and flexible seating for children with ADHD. During this discussion, one of my coaches, Bonni Cohen, expressed that as a school principal, she had the opportunity to incorporate significant opportunities for movement in her classrooms and that it had a positive impact. Manorhaven School in Port Washington, NY, is a K-5 suburban elementary school. In 2015, Manorhaven school was honored with the Michelle … Read more
It is an honor to have Chris Dendy and Ruth Hughes share about their new book to my PTS Coaching community. I have known both Chris and Ruth for many years through my involvement with National CHADD. They are each compassionate advocates and outstanding practitioners. Their new book, Launching into Young Adulthood with ADHD…Ready or Not! is full of guidance and strategies to help your preteens and teens develop the key life skills necessary for the adult world and identify … Read more
Ok, school started. Back to the grind. For some parents, it’s a relief to have the kids back to a routine. But for others, it’s a daily nightmare of prodding them along to reach the potential you know they have. I wish I had the magic bullet for you to convince your child that if they JUST create and stick to a realistic routine, stay off their devices, get enough sleep, eat well, and exercise, the year would go so smoothly! … Read more
In this podcast with Sean McCormick from Earn More Tutoring, Cindy Goldrich discusses the progression of how PTS Coaching began and grew. There are many good take aways if you have a coaching or tutoring business that you are getting off the ground.
We hope you enjoy it.
If you are concerned about your child’s college search, ADHD, and accommodations, you are not alone. I recently spoke with independent college consultant Sara Zessar about college search considerations for students needing accommodations. Please see her poignant advice below. If you have concerns about how you can best support your child as they consider the role that accommodations will play for them in college, please read my article ADHD and College: Making it Work on Sara’s blog. And as always, please … Read more
An Interview with Jeff Copper of Attention Talk Radio
If you realize the challenge that emotions play in your or your child’s life, this is a show you won’t want to miss.
In this interview, Jeff Copper and I discuss the importance of practicing calm, and it’s benefits for you, and your child.
Calm really works. It is powerful. When we can first calm down, we can engage differently.
If you find yourself feeling agitated, or repeatedly frustrated with the same issues, it may be that an appropriate boundary is not set.
Learn how practicing calm helps you to set, and stick to boundaries that you are comfortable with, and feel good about.
Calm is your Power.
Feel free to reach out with any questions: [email protected]
APCA: ADHD Parent Coach Academy professional training Learn More & Register
In this interview, Cindy Goldrich discusses with Dulce Torres how Parent Coaching helps the child. You will learn: How Parent Coaching puts the parent at the center of support for the child. What Cindy’s Calm and Connected© parent workshop is and how it began. What Cindy’s Professional Training, APCA: ADHD Parent Coach Training© is and why it was created. Who are Calm and Connected© and APCA© for? What age are the children of parents who take Calm and Connected©? Am … Read more
Adult ADHD and Motherhood can be stressful. Below are 6 tips from Dr. Scott Shapiro, Psychiatrist and Therapist, that will help bring more calm, organization, and enjoyment to your daily life. I first became acquainted with Psychiatrist Scott Shapiro when we were colleagues years ago working for Dr. Edward Hallowell at the Hallowell Center in New York City. Dr. Shapiro is a highly regarded Psychiatrist and Therapist whom I have continued to consult with on behalf of my clients. Very … Read more
Are you familiar with metacognition and SEL Learning? Have you wondered what the terms really mean and how you can help your children or students develop these skills? It’s simpler and so much more important than you may think. I would like to introduce you all to Rick Cohen, Assistant Superintendent & Principal in Metuchen, New Jersey. I first got to Rick almost a decade ago when he asked me to come to his district to do professional development. Through … Read more
I recently had such a meaningful discussion with Paula Phillips from On the Right Road regarding stress and executive function and its effect on learning, and motivation. After a year of pandemic living and online learning, a whole lot of kids (and adults) have been hitting a “fatigue wall”. There are many related reasons, but in general, the “wall” has to do with the executive function part of our brains. Listen to the Podcast below to learn how stress effects … Read more
If it sometimes seems that your child is not working or studying at their best, it may be that they need a study break. The concern that many parents have about taking study breaks is – how am I going to make sure he gets back to work? Experience and science have shown that our brains need time to rejuvenate after doing the same type of activity over an extended time. Helping your child know how to take effective, limited … Read more
When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, Parent Coaching can make all the difference in improving the quality of your and your child’s lives. Parents usually receive standard recommendations for raising kids with ADHD, such as accommodations and modifications for school, perhaps therapeutic interventions for the child, and sometimes medication. Many times, parents are unaware of the social and emotional impact that ADHD has on learning, motivation, behavior, and the whole family system. That’s where Parent Coaching helps. By relying on … Read more
If your child has an IEP or a 504 Plan for ADHD or other learning challenges, you may need some new tools and ideas to help your child adjust to working remotely. My daughter, Carly Goldrich-Wolf, MS. Ed. offers some solid guidelines on how to smooth out the challenges your child may face with distance learning. As a special Education Teacher, Carly knows firsthand, the struggles that kids with ADHD and other learning challenges are facing. In the article she … Read more
Taking time to reflect and evaluate how satisfied we are with our lives may seem like something only adults do. I have found that helping children (of all ages) examine key areas of their lives in an intentional exercise can be very beneficial. Positive change is most likely to occur when we first assess our current situation. I have found that the “Wheel of Life” assessment is a safe, non-judgmental, non-evaluative tool that allows for reflection and creates a structure and … Read more
I recently wrote this article for ADDitude Magazine online. I hope you find it helpful. Your child or teen may be ignoring your requests for very good reasons. Instead of insisting on compliance and obedience, we can find out the source of their resistance by engaging in teachable moments. “My son just doesn’t listen to me.” “My daughter snaps back when I ask her to do something.” “Why doesn’t he show me a little respect?” I hear comments like these … Read more
Parents ask me all the time, “How can I help my child choose the best career for them? What are the best jobs for people with ADHD? Will my child succeed in the future? Will they be able to support themselves when they are adults? Will they get a college degree? Will they get a job? Will they be able to afford to live on their own?” Careers and ADHD I firmly believe that Career Development should begin early in … Read more
I have known Nancy Weinstein, of Mindprint Learning©, for many years. Now that parents are seeing their children’s struggles more intimately during home learning, I have been asked by so many of them, what they can do to better understand their children’s challenges. I thought it might be helpful to ask Nancy to explain a bit about what she does and, more specifically, to help you understand how difficulty with Flexible Thinking, one of the measures used in her assessment … Read more
I’m excited to share that PTS coaching and Esteem Therapeutics are working together to bring my parent education and coaching services to their ADHD parenting app. I was attracted to collaborate with the founders of Esteem because, like me, they recognize that parents need education and support to help their children thrive, not just treatment for their children. Over the last few months, we have been strategizing together on how we can help as many people as possible. An App … Read more
Two years ago, when I first moved to Colorado from New York, I met Beth Blacker, Founder and Chief Clutter Controller of It’s Just Stuff. I love her enthusiasm and passion for helping anyone struggling to create and maintain organizing systems for daily life. As a specialist in ADHD, I certainly know how complex and deeply rooted these struggles can be. In this article, Beth shares some really good organizing tips and advice for children with ADHD (& their parents) and … Read more
As High School and College students embark on their journey into a new school year, whether in-person/on-campus, virtually, or a combination of both, I’d like to offer this very important reminder regarding ADHD stimulant medication, and its use, misuse, overuse, and safekeeping. We know that a significant number of kids take stimulants, either not prescribed to them or prescribed inappropriately, in an effort to deal with academic pressures. Some also use stimulants as part of a weight-loss strategy or to … Read more
Science has come a long way in the last decade. Mainstream medical, psychological, and educational organizations have concluded that ADHD is a real, brain-based medical disorder. Getting a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment can significantly improve the lives of those who struggle. This guide will help clarify what is involved in getting a proper diagnosis and the various treatment options that have been recognized as effective. Diagnosing and Treating ADHD What is involved in a proper diagnosis? A proper diagnosis … Read more
I am often asked if I think ADHD is over-diagnosed. My answer – yes. I also believe it is underdiagnosed. The problem is that there is still not one agreed-upon cohesive and comprehensive protocol for diagnosing ADHD; a real, life-impacting disorder that affects a significant percentage of people. And yet there are still many practitioners who do not include an ADHD screening in their assessments. I believe, and evidence supports, there are enormous lifelong risks to mental health, physical health, employment, … Read more
Have you ever walked into the room, and your child’s whole demeanor changed? You watch her face go from relaxed to stressed. Or his body tenses up in anger or frustration. You have not uttered a word, yet your child has heard an entire lecture and is already reacting. You think to yourself, “Don’t Look at Me in That Tone of Voice”. Ok, perhaps there was something you planned on reminding your child of, or maybe you weren’t happy that … Read more
Several of the parents I am working with have been struggling to have their children work independently, without the structure and guidance of their teacher. And for many parents who need to get THEIR OWN work done at the same time – well, it’s been a lot to deal with! For many clients, we have been successful in developing routines and practices that have been very effective. I would be lying, however, if I said it was easy or always … Read more
Last month I took part in a panel discussion at the Innovative Learning Conference in San Mateo, California. This conference brought together top people in the fields of learning, neuroscience, and clinical practice, including Ned Hallowell, Thomas Brown, Akihiko Takahashi, and Adam Gazzaley. Following our panel discussion, we collaborated to answer some of the questions that we did not have time to address during our talk. I am sharing the questions and answers below, along with some additional helpful resources. … Read more
Now that the school year is in full swing, I am often asked by parents if they should seek an evaluation for their child to address concerns that either they have or that someone at their child’s school has raised. I have asked a licensed psychologist, Dr. Cynthia Johnson, if she could answer a few questions to help parents determine when, where, and how to go about having their child evaluated. The Importance of Evaluating a Child for ADHD If … Read more
Whether your child is five, fifteen, or twenty-five, the issue of career development is an essential and valuable discussion. I believe this to be true for “typical” children, along with every other person. Why – because how we view ourselves, how we picture our future, and what we are exposed to as we learn and grow into our future selves has a tremendous impact on the trajectory of our lives. Now before you start thinking that I want young children … Read more
This blog post originally appeared on WootTutor.com As parents, we want nothing more than for our children to reach their potential and thrive in the world. Fortunately, science now helps us understand what gets in the way of some people being able to achieve their goals, large and small. You may have heard the term “Executive Function.” It is part of the brain located in the prefrontal cortex, and it is the last part of the brain to develop. Executive … Read more
For over ten years, I have been working with parents of children who have ADHD, executive function challenges, learning challenges, and behavioral challenges. When parents initially contact me, they are often seeking support to help their children directly. Our skilled Coaches do provide direct support to teens and college students. But, parents sometimes become disappointed to find that their child is not ready or willing to fully engage in the coaching process, yet. While parents may feel it would be … Read more
Russell Barkley, recognized authority on ADHD, gave a powerful keynote presentation at the November 2018 International Conference on ADHD titled Advances in Understanding the Symptoms of ADHD. He outlined the numerous and potential serious impairments that ADHD can have on major life activities. When not properly treated and managed, people with ADHD do not learn to regulate their moods, impulses, and actions. This makes them more susceptible to health issues (not properly managing weight, exercise, alcohol, drugs), anxiety, depression, risky behaviors, … Read more
In a previous article, What makes sleep so difficult for kids with ADHD, We explored the difficulties that children and adolescents may have with falling asleep. As we have mentioned in many sessions with parents and professionals, research shows that between 25 and 50% of people with ADHD have clinically reported sleep difficulties. These can be attributed to biology, stimulant medication side effects, lack of consistent bedtime routine, and characteristics related to the ADHD itself. For many parents, getting their children … Read more
Life lessons often come from places you least expect. Now before you become concerned that I am going to preach the virtues of running or changing your diet, no worries – that’s not my agenda. I would like to share, however, what I have learned this past year, NOT about Time Management, but TRUE PRODUCTIVITY. After all, isn’t that the real goal of managing time, to increase your overall success in accomplishing what you want in life? If anyone would have … Read more
In this article that I have written for the PESI Blog, I highlight two skills that we discuss in ADHD, Executive Function & Behavioral Challenges in the Classroom (co-authored with my daughter, Carly Wolf, M.Ed.). One of the most common struggles for students with ADHD or executive function challenges is staying focused on a specific accomplishment during a given time period. These students may have an especially hard time getting started or simply staying on task while other thoughts or external factors … Read more
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