Mindfulness Practices for ADD/ADHD

(Guest Post by Child's Mind author Dr. Christopher Willard)

One of the more common questions I’m asked by parents and teachers is whether meditation and mindfulness can help kids with ADD/ADHD. The answer, according to scientific research and according to parents, teachers, and kids is a resounding yes!

So what exactly is ADD? It is an inability to continually maintain and direct mental focus. Often people describe ADD/ADHD as an inability to focus, but it can be more helpful to think of it as a brain type that focuses on too much- rather than just paying attention to the teacher, an ADD child focuses on the teacher, on the kid next to him, on the window outside, and in his or her itchy leg and reacting to all of these, seemingly all at once. This is not actually such a bad thing in certain circumstances, but it’s a not always the easiest brain type to have for our education system.

One place it get hard for kids with ADD/ADHD is settling down to start their schoolwork or homework. Starting up, switching tasks and getting into gear is often more difficult for kids with ADD and other “executive functioning” issues than other kids. This is a time where some mindful grounding exercises can really help. They works as mental grease that makes getting into gear and changing gears a lot smoother than without. I recommend these for transition times, (recess to classroom, dinnertime to study time, outdoor time to indoor time), as well as a bridge to starting up with homework or chores. I call this practice “Counting to Your Senses” and it is inspired by Jon Kabat-Zinn and other teachers. This is a simple mindfulness practice that you can adapt to what you and your kids enjoy most. It also is not just for kids- I have a lot of friends who do these exercises before they start writing, or when they walk into an unfamiliar or anxious situation.

Counting to Your Senses:

This is a much more interesting version of counting to five or ten to calm and settle down. The idea is to become more aware of our surroundings and our bodies, calm our busy and scattered minds and settle into the task or setting. Kids can do this on their own, but its a lot more fun to do together as a family, classroom or group.

Sitting comfortably but upright in the workspace, whether its at the kitchen table or classroom desk, take just a moment to bring your attention to your breath, bringing it down to your toes and feeling it in your belly. Now take a moment to bring your attention to your ears, and just start counting whatever sounds start to enter your awareness through your hearing. Try either five or ten depending on how much practice you have... airplanes overhead, cars outside, breathing next to you, birds chirping, water rushing through a pipe, footsteps or voices outside... it is amazing how many things are there when we start to pay attention. But the hard part is not getting caught up in the story of whats happening with the sound- noticing the airplane, but staying out of it, being aware of the footsteps, but not wondering who they belong to or where they are going, just bringing our minds back to the next sound. With practice, start listening to the sounds and the spaces between the sounds- is there ever really any quiet? You can do this practice for seconds, minutes or hours, and it will help you settle and focus, but even just five or ten sounds can make a big difference.

A second part you can add on or do instead is focusing in your body and what sensations you feel, again counting to five or ten. Noticing the sensation of your socks on your feet, an itch on your arm, the air on your face, and deeper down the pulse of your heart, the vibrations of your stomach. Without getting carried away by the stories that tempt you, just counting to five or ten sensations, or practicing for a minute or two.

Notice your level of focus now, and start in on your work. If you feel distracted or frustrated, pull your mind back to the sounds or sensations, and from there back into your work.

Dr. Christopher Willard, Psy. D
Dr. Willard is a licensed psychologist and educational consultant. He is most recently the author of "Child's Mind," a book about teaching meditation to children and teens. He lives and works in Cambridge, MA.

Mindfulness Practices for ADD/ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

My oldest son suffers from ADHD.  It took me 5 years to accept the diagnosis and treat my son because I didn't believe it truly existed.  I would suffer for hours in the bathroom crying while my son tore the house upside down destructing everything in its path, treated his brothers cruelly and became more defiant to my husband and myself. 

The thing was, I didn't believe in this diagnosis.  I believed that all children had different outlets and levels of energy.  I believed that it was a stage and the tempers, tantrums and trashing would eventually stop.  I made excuses, "he's a free spirit", "a new soul", "he is just a boy", whatever would work at that moment.  It wasn't until I was called into a routine IEP meeting at the end of his kindergarten year that I woke up and realized that there was more to this behavior.  When the teachers and staff sat across from me and explained that they thought it was in my son's best interest to stay in kindergarten another year.  That's when I learned that the behaviors were being acted upon at school as well.  That's when I learned that my son and the principal were very close.  That's also when I learned that changing diets and exploring other options was not enough for my son.  I turned to medication.

It was the hardest thing I have ever done.  I did not want my child to rely on medication but I didn't want him  to stay back because of behavior and not grades.  I took him to his pediatrician who referred us to a neurologist, went through a lot of tests and his diagnosis was made.  I know many who would debate my decision to put my son on medication, that is not what this blog is about.  This is my starting point to help my son overcome or at least stand up to a lifetime disease.

Why did I wait so long to treat this disease?  Would I have waited if it was diabetes?  What caused me to think that this was any different and why did I allow his behaviors for those years to help mold who he is today?  Two years later, he is doing great in school.  He is still struggling in certain subjects but he also has a few other disabilities that stand in his way.  The thing is, that now he is maturing, he is focusing on what is important and although he still has his tantrums they are far and few in between.  He is finding his true personality, and is starting to find interests, something he struggled with beforehand.  The new problem...he thinks his medication makes him good.  When he goes a day or two without it, he reverts right back to the old and blames the fact that he didn't take his medication.  My new struggle is dependency.

I have been trying different methods with him lately to help with his focus, keep him more mindful.  I hope that as he matures the medication can be dropped and he can find other outlets to control himself.  So far we have tried, yoga, meditation, breathe control and focusing on colors.  Sometimes, something random helps that I would have never thought of trying, others I have found through the internet, books and other resources.  No matter what, we will work through this together with an open mind.

Dr. Christopher Willard, Psy. D., and author of the new book, Child's Mind: Mindfulness Practices to Help Our Children Be More Focused, Calm, and Relaxed, has graciously offered to guest blog next weekend,  here at Mindful Moments about the topic of ADHD and Mindfulness Practices for children.  A psychotherapist at Tufts University, he has a doctorate in clinical psychology and his research focuses on the psychological applications of meditation and mindfulness practice.  I am very thankful that he found my little corner of the internet and has offered his expertise in this topic to my readers and myself.



__________________

**update 10/20/10**


Here is the link to Christopher Willard's guest post on ADD/ADHD.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Don't leave Peace behind.

September 11, 2001, I stepped outside my office building when I heard of the attacks on the World Trade Center, so close to my home, family and friends.  It was a beautiful day. The skies were blue without a single cloud and it was very silent.  Not a bird seemed to fly, the winds forgot to blow, the temperature was perfect and everything seemed to stand still.  

As I sat outside this morning taking a moment of silence; I took a look at the sky and listened to my surroundings.  It brought me back to that day.  Today the weather is exactly as it was, nine years ago.  The sky is blue and cloudless.   The wind, birds and animals are silent as well.  Everything is still. 

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Jimi Hendrix

 Tragedy came to us that day.  It hit close to home to all Americans, on our land.  But, it also happens all over the world, daily.  Take a moment today to not just think of our loss on that day, but the loss of mankind all throughout the world who have innocently lost their lives at the hands of violence and war.  Also, take a moment today to thank and bless the men and women all over the world who help save, rescue and promote peace.  Without these people, mankind would be lost.

“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one." ~ John Lennon

Today is a day for great sorry, but it is also a day of awareness and awakening.  Until we apply love and unity to our lives and diminish hate and violence the world will never know peace.  Be mindful in your thoughts, words and actions.  "Peace is not a season, but a way of life."

Don't leave Peace behind.

Our Universal Identity

The first chakra we are going to explore is the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara translation: Thousandfold).  The Crown Chakra is located at the very top of the head.  This Chakra is associated with divine wisdom, our spirit, our Oneness with the Universe, our Unity with all that is, and Enlightenment.  In Yoga, this centre is referred to as the Thousand Pedaled Lotus, representing purity, refinement and beauty.  We use this chakra as a tool to communicate with our spiritual nature.

To truly open this chakra, one has to let go of all earthly attachments, forget the past and let spirituality in; bringing you to complete awareness.  It is then that we actualize spiritual qualities such as love, trust, clarity, confidence and well-being and let go of qualities of impulsiveness, lack of confidence, fear and depression.  It is only when the other six chakra's are opened that we can reach this state.  Just as we are all interconnected, so are the chakra's.  When one chakra opens or closes it affects the rest of the system.

Environmental conditioning and cultural attitude are the prime sources of a closed crown chakra.  They perpetuate fear, anxiety, suspicion, worry, self-doubt and can even lead to depression.  But if looked at from a spiritual perspective, the fear of inadequacy is generated by identifying oneself with one's behavior rather than spiritual identity.  Fears of being unsafe in the world or death occur when people do not recognize that their physical body is temporary and our true essence or spirit is eternal.  Indicators that the crown chakra is not functioning optimally is if you find yourself  stuck in the past, without faith or just have a feeling of disconnect from the world in general.

"Ultimately, all beliefs rooted in fear can be transformed through drawing on spiritual principles such as love, compassion and balance; and working to manifest them in everyday life."

Inspiration, Devotion and Spontaneity are ways to unblock the crown chakra.  It is impossible to be frightened when we manifest any of these.  I for one find inspiration through pictures, poetry, prayers, blessings and short stories.  I share them on my blog, Chasing My Bliss, so others can find a happy spot to sit and relieve some stress and anxiety.  But what inspires me, may not inspire you.  You need to look within yourself to see where you find inspiration.  Devotion creates a feeling of unity, which opens the Crown Chakra as well.  Whether it is a dedication or worship that is focused on spiritual matters, a child, spouse, friend or pet.  Spontaneity is the by-product of trust which of course eliminates fear making those care-free moments wonderful ways to open the Crown.

"People who attempt to meditate with closed crown chakras can achieve a form of relaxation, but they are unable to experience expansion and direct contact with Spirit.  Meditation is listening to Spirit; therefore the door to Spirit - the crown chakra - must be open.  With an open crown chakra, insight and connection to the spiritual life force are available to everyone."

Because the Crown Chakra is a tool to communicate with our spiritual nature, the best yoga method is meditation.  The asana's (poses) that you may like to incorporate into your practice are lotus pose (Padmasana), Headstand Pose (Sirsasana), Easy Pose (Sukhasana), or any other meditation pose that you prefer.

 There are three steps to achieve Vipassana or mindfulness meditation - Awareness, Mindfulness and Intention.

Attention is the first step.  By being attentive to one’s own breathing, thoughts, feelings or bodily sensations, the mind becomes calm.  The most common technique is to observe one’s own breathing, either by feeling the air move through the nostrils or by being aware of the abdomen moving in and out. The calming of the mind alone doesn’t constitute vipassana or mindfulness meditation. As long as the underlying causes of restlessness and suffering are not removed, they will keep coming back.   Until the mind is fundamentally transformed, it will keep getting disturbed again and again. Most minds are being caught in (usually unconscious) patterns of reactions to certain stimuli, leading to cycles of negative emotions and suffering. The mind has to be made aware of these patterns by the practice of mindfulness.  Inspiration, devotion and trust are all tools that can be used to help become aware.  You may want to start with an inspiring poem, visualization or prayer to help aid your focus.

The second step is mindfulness.  When attentiveness becomes lasting and strong and the mind is sufficiently calm, it becomes mindful of its own workings. This includes putting a stop to the endless judging and commenting going on in the mind.  Being mindful means neither grasping nor pushing things away. It also means living truly in the present moment and seeing things as they really are.  A tool to use to stay mindful is an affirmation or universal truth.  It could be something as simple as "I am" or as long as "I soar upward on wings of joy!"  Find one that connects with you and sit with it.

The final step is intention.  It happens spontaneously as the result of the practice of calmness and mindfulness.  When one releases the affirmation and works to hold the mind still.  Just as muddy water becomes transparent again once it is allowed to be still, and the mud has settled down; so a mind purified by the practice of calmness and mindfulness will spontaneously reveal its true nature.

"When we focus on the gift of being Spirit in human form, sources of inspiration become abundant.  We appreciate the possibilities of learning and creativity in life.  Happiness becomes a state of being, not a state of acquiring."

 This week, I offer you the following practices to help open yourself to your spiritual nature.

Day 1 ~  Take a sheet of paper and list all your fears.  Everything from the smallest insecurity to the biggest struggle.  When you are finished listing them go back to the first item and write why you have this fear and how you can overcome it.  Continue this throughout the list.  How many can you overcome with simple inspiration, devotion or spontaneity?  Would you be able to meditate on these fears to release them?  Please share which fears you can not overcome so maybe you can find inspiration from another person.

Day 2 ~  I invite you on a creative journey today.  What inspires you?  Share your inspirations with us by making a vision board, painting, writing a poem, making a video or other creative way and share it with the group.  Tell us how these inspirations can help you open your crown chakra.

Day 3 ~ Today we are going to look at The Key to Happiness.  Again, take a sheet of paper and list all of your desires from the ones you share with those close to you to the ones you harbor inside.  Now look at your list.  Are the desires spiritual or cultural?  How would you feel if certain desires could not be fulfilled?  Sit on this mindfully for as long as you can.  Release the desires that contaminate your happiness.  Come back here and share with us how you feel now that you no longer are carrying these burdens.

Day 4 ~ Stress and anxiety are our focus today.  I want you to be mindful of your body, mind and spirit; and what causes you anxiety or stress.  Whether it is from a social, personal or spiritual standpoint.  I want you to become aware of the triggers and journal about how you paused and released it.  Share this journal with the group.

Day 5 ~ Today we will begin focusing on meditation.  When you have 10 minutes of calm, I invite you to use this Guided Meditation with Karen Kallie.  Share with the group your experience.

Day 6 ~ Today's meditation comes from David Pond's book, Chakra's for Beginners.  "Draw a beam of white light and trace the movement of the white light down through the chakras and, let it rise to your Crown Chakra and out.  Picture a violet glow surrounding you and as you hold your breath, fill yourself with this light.  Realize that you are no longer alone as a separate being; you are one with all.  Feel the sense of spiritual protection as you align with the Divine.  Breathe out and send the energy of your being to the Divine and the world around you.  With your eyes still closed, begin to sense that you are sitting in the room.  Again become aware of your surrounding noises and smells.  Still keeping your breathing regular, open your eyes and notice the refreshing awareness of NOW."  Share with the group your experience. 

Day 7 ~ Today is our last day focusing on the root before we move onto the third eye chakra.  After a week of absorbing information and guided practices, I ask that today you sit on your own.  Use any of the tools I have shared to help you open your crown chakra.  For the final day on this chakra, I ask that you write about your experience this past week.  How have you grown spiritually?

Do not forget the practice in upcoming weeks.  Remember all the chakras work together.  To share in this exploration journey, please join us over at Meditation and Weight Loss.  Namaste.

All information on the Crown Chakra has been collected through various sources and personal experience with the intention of sharing them with like-minded individuals who are exploring the chakras.  All quotations are from The Wisdom of the Chakra's by Ellen Tadd unless otherwise noted.  I highly recommend this book.

Our Universal Identity

Cleansing

Since becoming a mother, the luxury of bathing comes few and far between.  Showering is a rushed experience done simply out of necessity.  While in the shower, my thoughts circle the many things I have to accomplish, the kids homework assignments, meal ideas, etc. and my anxiety grows. 

However, last night when I stepped into the shower, I cleared my mind of the worries and woes and I actually felt the water wash over me.  I enjoyed massaging my scalp while lathering shampoo through my hair, taking in the smell of my soap against my body and the heat of the steam rising around me and the goosebumps that raised from the contrast of the cold room to hot shower.  When my mind tried to wander off, I brought my attention back to the water. 

With my focus only on the shower and my thoughts only on cleansing myself, it made the experience serene.  Instead of jumping out like I normally do and haphazardly wiping myself dry and throwing my pajamas on, I stepped out slowly.  I let the cold air hit me and patted myself dry slowly, making sure to dry every inch of my body.  While brushing my hair I felt the teeth touch every part of my scalp.  I lathered my body in lotion and dressed slowly.  I exited the bathroom with a sense of peace and shared the experience with my husband.  

It just takes a mindful moment -- small pauses throughout the day to transform everyday moments into something meaningful.  There are no ordinary moments in life; every moment is sacred and deeply spiritual if we are open to changing how we relate to them.  

Cleansing

The Right Focus

While grocery shopping, I take my time and keep mindful.  I do not like to rush the experience rather I take the experience slowly and enjoy the moment. I enjoy the open layout of my neighborhood store and the way the bright lights reflect off the fresh foods they offer. I enjoy searching for the perfect fruits and vegetables and feeling their textures in my hand. When I pass the bakery, the aroma is so sweet it is intoxicating. I smile at the little child begging his/her mother for a sugary treat then raise my eyes to the mother's flustered face with compassion.  The weight of my cart as it fills reminds me of how I am providing nourishment for my family which brings me a feeling of satisfaction.

In Ellen Tadd's new book, The Wisdom of the Chakra's she uses The Grocery Store experience as an example.  An example of when a person usually leads away from The Third Eye Focus, or as she calls it "The Kingpin" and moves their focus to the Solar Plexus which is an emotional focus. 

"When perceiving from the solar plexus, most people experience fear or anxiety of some sort, whether it is about time, decision making, or people."

Today, while grocery shopping with my boys (which is normally something I do alone) I enjoyed watching my little ones in the car attachment beeping at the other patrons and my oldest proudly holding my list getting ready to cross off the next thing that I was going to place in the cart.  While waiting at the deli for them to call my number, I reflected on what Tadd said in her book.  I was curious what would happen if I changed my focus to my solar plexus.  

I started absorbing the mood of the gentleman behind me, shifting his wait from one foot to the other in frustration.  I noticed the sound of an unhappy toddler a few aisles down and sensed the aggravation of the mother.  The chatter of one patron beside me insulting someone or something to the person she was having a cell phone conversation with while ignoring the lady behind the counter who was asking her if she needed anything else.  The anxiety that I felt in those brief few moments swept over me completely.  I lost focus on being mindful and was overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions.  I could feel the frustration building more and more.  

"With your eyes closed, you would have to depend on feeling to find your way.....If you opened your eyes and walked down the same street, you could still use your hands to feel, but the addition of sight would increase your selectivity and discernment."

I took a deep breath and slowly brought my energy back to the Third Eye Focus.  I let go of the emotional tension around me, concentrated on my breath and once again found my positive energy.  I enjoyed the rest of my shopping experience with my boys.  Later, in the afternoon I reflected on other times that I too had those types of fears and anxieties while food shopping.  When did I start becoming mindful of the experience?  What triggered it to become a positive experience rather than a negative one?  The answer was right there before me, Practice.  

Mindfulness is a practice.  It is not something that can be achieved over night nor is it something that most can experience every moment of the day.  However if we take a moment during each activity to pay attention to the present (the task at hand); whether in our actions, our thoughts or our daily conversations we can learn to become more aware of the moment and not let it slip away. 

*Quotes are excerpts from  The Wisdom of the Chakras: tools for navigating the complexity of life by Ellen Tadd.

The Right Focus

Morning Artist

Every morning you are an artist with a blank canvas.  What your day becomes depends on how you want to paint it.  What colors will you choose to use throughout your day?  Will they be earth tones? pastels?  Will you use light strokes or sharp brushes?

The colors you choose and the way that you apply them, will create the backdrop of your day.  To create a happy and sunny day paint your day in yellows and golds.  Add a little energy and creativity by mixing it up with orange.  To really show how special and unique you are splash some purple on the canvas.  Maybe this is too much for you.  Maybe you need a bit of serenity in your day?  Blue creates a sense of calm and comfort.  Express how compassionate and open your heart is with pink and throw in some green when you feel nurturing or are ready to turn over a new leaf.    Also white offers cleansing and a fresh start.  Tread carefully with blacks and grays, they could lead to depression.  Best to use them to outline and sharpen your outlines.

What color is YOUR day?

Inspired by my friend, Chelsea's post over at  Om School, I decided to share this lesson with my children.  After our morning meditation, we sat in circle time and shared our favorite colors.  I then asked them why they resonate with that color.  For Mikey, (7 year old), he likes Red because it reminds him of energy.  For Max, (4 year old), he likes Green, because he loves to play outside in the grass.  And for Alex, (3 year old) he likes blue, because it is pretty.  Mikey turned to me and said, "I know your favorite color is pink."  I looked at him and felt terrible that my favorite color had changed once again.  I told him, "Actually, today I like Green.  My favorite color changes everyday with my moods..."  And so our lesson began.

We explored the colors - which were hot, warm and cool, what they represent to us and how they would be useful in our day.  We colored pictures of happiness and sadness.  We labeled emotions with colors. (love-pink, sadness-gray, etc)  We discussed our feelings and what colors we should paint our day with.  The boys loved the exercise and continued to use it throughout the day.  When one was acting up, another would approach and point out that they are adding too much black to their day.  Hopefully this practice will continue and keep them in the present moment,  mindful of how their outlook and actions are projected to others.

Morning Artist

Be as a Child

While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about. ~Angela Schwindt

Children always inspire. They make you yearn for days gone by. The simpler times. The times of carefree joy and innocence. We miss it. We miss those times, but are they really out of reach or have we just forgotten how to enjoy them?.

As we grow older we begin looking towards the future. We begin living with goals that are slightly out of reach - college, careers, homes, children, retirement - It's a never ending cycle. Yet, when we look at children it causes a yearning.

Children are the greatest inspiration for mindfulness. They live in the moment with no thoughts of tomorrow. They enjoy the little things -- those simple pleasures that we take for granted. They let their natural curiosity and imagination take them where ever they want to go. They are free spirits in a closed-minded world. Something we as adults still harbor inside of us.

I could watch my boys for hours. They can sit and build "the largest tower in the world" with their blocks without thinking about what they will be doing later or what happened yesterday. When they fall and get a "boo-boo," they will act as if it's the most traumatic experience in the world as they sit there crying. The moment I place that band-aid on it and give it an "all better" kiss, it is forgotten and they move on as if nothing happened. It amazes me that these little creatures can live in the moment and just the moment. So innocent and carefree. Full of life.

What we yearn for from our childhoods isn't far out of our reach. If we let go of the woes of yesterday or the unknowns of tomorrow. If we let children inspire us -- let them remind us to live in the moment. Maybe then, we can enjoy the moment for what it's worth and most importantly, just live.

Be as a Child