Executive coaching, ADHD coaching, ADD coaching, craniosacral, yoga

CHILDREN WITH ADHD/ADD

Helping children with ADHD/ADD to grow and develop in healthier, happier ways is a great privilege and responsibility that I take very seriously. It is also a great joy! It's incredibly satisfying to help people at such an early point in their development. They are less ingrained in their habits, beliefs and behaviors -- and consequently, making needed changes is often easier and has more lasting impact than with adults. Also, helping children with ADHD/ADD to feel and function better inevitably improves life for their entire family and the widening circles beyond.

For children with an ADD/ADHD diagnosis or who exhibit symptoms and behaviors on the ADD/ADHD spectrum, coaching adapted to their age and special challenges has the potential for wonderful, life-changing improvements. I can help children understand and appreciate the often- paradoxical nature of their extraordinary strengths and challenges. We explore together how to appreciate their strengths and identify their special learning styles. Using this knowledge, they begin learning how to make changes in their thoughts, attitudes and behaviors so that they can operate more effectively and confidently.

We can integrate ADHD coaching with biodynamic craniosacral therapy and/or yoga therapy as needed to reduce your child’s stress and build confidence. These can be powerful combinations because as children learn to reduce and manage their stress, they become calmer, more confident and more capable of tackling their challenges. Sometimes it is best to begin with a physically-oriented modality and then move into coaching once a child has learned to access calm and to become better at self-control and self-comforting.

Biodynamic craniosacral therapy and/or age-appropriate yoga therapy for children can be remarkably effective, probably because their nervous systems are not yet as deeply imprinted with stress reactions as those of adults. We will adapt the length, timing and structure of sessions to fit your and your child's needs. Children who are old enough will benefit from age-appropriate coaching, through questions and suggestions to help them process and later access their new experiences and learning.

Coaching for parents can also be very beneficial -- here, too, we will incorporate coaching in ways that suit your needs and lifestyle. This coaching has two goals:

•	To improve your ability to help your child reduce and manage his or her stress.
•	To improve your ability to reduce and manage your own stress reactions so that they do not inadvertently compound whatever stress your child is experiencing.

Client comments:

It’s a great responsibility and a great pleasure to work with children. Here is what some of my clients say:

	"For the first time in his life, at 8 years old, my son, Aubrey, learned what “calm” feels like and that he can make a choice to stay calm. Since he was 18 months old, Aubrey had several tantrums a week with prolonged yelling and throwing things. He has ADHD and is dyslexic, and his frustrations got worse after he started school. We helped him regain control mostly by holding him physically, but this became increasingly difficult as he got older. The intensity of Aubrey’s tantrums started to diminish about 5 weeks after he began craniosacral therapy with Faith. His tantrums stopped about three months into treatment. He would still get angry or frustrated, but I could actually see him gaining control over his temper. About five months after we started coming, Faith suggested that Aubrey read to us while she held his feet. When he got stuck, she would remind him to focus on his internal sensations of calm. He began reading on his own and even sneaking books to read under the covers at night. It’s now 5 months since we stopped coming to see Faith, and Aubrey has continued to progress. He still gets frustrated easily but now he can ground himself and continues to be tantrum-free. He is much more affectionate, more confident, and better able to verbalize his feelings. His sleep has improved; so have his reading, writing and spelling. Life for our whole family (we have four children) has improved enormously. Aubrey always enjoyed going to see Faith. She is very child-friendly and put us both at ease. Aubrey was even willing to miss play dates to go to his craniosacral appointments. -- Aubrey’s mother
	“Mrs. Faith is nice, understanding and patient. I have better control of my temper. I learned that I can control not getting in trouble as much and that practicing reading makes me better. The best part was reading while she was holding my feet.” -- Aubrey, eight years old
	"Since my coaching with Faith, I have been looking at my teenage son with ADHD and seeing him differently. I am taking the time to understand him more – it has been astonishing to observe his behaviors. I am more patient because I do this. It has been amazing." -- Senior Manager, Planning & Evaluation