Many parents are looking for psychological help for their kids who have ADHD but often have difficulty connecting with a child psychologist who specializes in providing the comprehensive approach these children need to succeed in school and get along at home. This can be due to lack of professionals in their area, long waiting lists, insurance problems or busy schedules that make it difficult to keep up with the appointments. According to a 2014 article in Journal of the American Medical Association: Pediatrics, 75% of children who are receiving medication for ADHD do not receive any concurrent psychosocial interventions.
Since 2006, Total Focus, a multimedia program has been helping thousands of parents and kids receive the help they need by forming a team and working together to achieve common goals. The time requirement of this very affordable program can easily fit into the daily routine of a busy family.
In a review of the program, child psychologist and Chairman of the Psychology Department at UC Berkley, Dr Stephen Henshaw, a leading ADHD researcher and author of The ADHD Explosion: Myths, Medication, Money, and Today’s Push for Performance said, “In a nutshell, I am most impressed with this program, which incorporates a wealth of extremely helpful information and programming, derived largely from evidence-based practice presented in an extremely user-friendly format for the families of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).”
The program consisting of a workbook and CDs with programing for parents and kids provides all of the key elements found to benefit ADHD children (6 to 12) whether or not they are taking medication. These include parent education to help parents better understand and engage with their child, behavior modification to improve behavior and achievement motivation, relaxation training and biofeedback to improve impulsivity and emotional control, simple cognitive exercises to improve executive functioning, social skills training to improve relationships with adults and peers and cognitive behavioral therapy to improve problem solving skills and build self-esteem.
The program developer, Robert Myers, PhD is a clinical child and adolescent psychologist with over 30 years of experience helping ADHD children. He received his PhD at the University of Southern California and is currently Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. Through the CDs he is able to use his laid back style to provide information, teach skills and provide the encouragement needed by both parents and kids. The written materials are easy to understand and provide practical solutions that can effectively be put into practice.
Mental health month is a great time to get Total Focus and be prepared for a smooth sailing summer as well as be prepared for the start of a new school year in the fall.
