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On today’s podcast, guest Niki Olsen, licensed clinical mental heath counselor, is teaching us how Mind Body Bridging tools and techniques can help those struggling with ADHD. Niki gives us some great tips as parents, as well as tools we can use ourselves. She specifically covers being more attentive in the classroom, during homework, and better sleep habits.

Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.

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Show Notes!!

Niki Olsen explains to Hillary how there are 2 different types of ADHD: Inattentive and Hyperactive. Those with the condition may have one or both types. Niki uses Mind Body Bridging to reactivate the executive function of the brain to get those neurotransmitters working again. Treatments can include medication, learning tools and skills to cope or a combination of both.

Classroom Strategies

Part of Mind Body Bridging is to reconnect your mind and brain with your five senses. Waking up senses by noticing surroundings is a great way to get those neurotransmitters moving.

Some ideas for doing this while in the classroom would be to:

notice the textures in the carpet

look at the colors on the wall

see what shapes appear on the desk

listen for 3 different sounds

feel the texture of the desk or of your shirt

feel how gravity is pulling your shoes down to the floor

think about what a lemon would taste like

smell, or just feel the air in the your nose

For the best chance of succes, write out your plan of how and when to use the five senses exercises. Notice these things all throughout your day. Click here for more about Helping Your Kids Focus from Niki.

Homework Helps

Chunk and Chew

Neuro-pathways struggle when some one with ADHD is multitasking, even more so than someone with out ADHD. Chunk and Chew is a way to eliminate everything except for a single task.

For example if you have a sheet of math homework: chunk out problem #1. Block out every thing else on the page (cover everything with except for that problem with a piece of paper if you need to). Chew on that one problem until it is finished. Then chunk out problem #2, chew on that until it is all finished- and so on.

2. Feed them right when they get home

When they first walk in the door, have them eat something. It activates their senses and nourishes their body. Talk about their 5 senses as they eat.

3. Set up a Homework Plan

Back to the Chunk and Chew- use that in creating a plan to break down homework in smaller doses. Problem by problem, or in time chunks. Give them breaks where they can refresh and restore.

Get ride of distractions. Have them in a zone of the house where the TV isn’t on and people aren’t walking in and out.

Standing or sitting on an exercise ball may be very helpful. Rolling putting, playdough or some other object in their hands my help them as well.

Good Sleep Hygiene

Niki tells us that if you need to start somewhere, this is the most important place to start. When we aren’t rested we have trouble focusing or acting as our best selves.

Ways we can get better sleep:

Same Routine Every Night
No Screens 2 hours before bed. The blue light in our TV/computer/phone screens is stimulating and can make it hard to unwind or go to sleep
Exercise during the day until the body is worn out- run, play ball, swim, do jumping jacks, etc.
Take a warm bath and then go to sleep in a cool room. When your body is heated and goes to a cooler area it helps the body relax. Make sure the room isn’t freezing, just cool.

For night waking:

Have a senses bucket by the bed. This can be filled with things like a soft stuffed animal, a pouch or animal that is scented with lavender or another essential oil, white noise machine, diffuser
Switch around medication. Take in the morning- if this still isn’t working, ask for a shorter acting dose