Mindfulness for Adult ADHD A Clinician's Guide

Mindfulness has emerged as a valuable component of treatment for adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This concise manual presents an evidence-based group intervention specifically tailored to the needs of this population. The Mindful Awareness Practices for ADHD (MAPs) program helps participants cultivate self-regulation of attention, emotions, and behavior; awareness of ADHD challenges; self-acceptance; and self-compassion. With a stepwise teaching approach and meditation periods that are shorter than in other mindfulness programs, MAPs is designed to optimize learning. Included are step-by-step instructions for conducting the eight sessions, scripts for guided meditations, 32 reproducible handouts and session summaries, and “Adaptation for Individual Therapy” boxes. Purchasers get access to a companion website where they can download printable copies of the reproducible tools and audio recordings of the guided practices.

Lidia Zylowska, MD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Minnesota and a faculty member at the University’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing. Dr. Zylowska is a Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. Internationally recognized as an expert in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and mindfulness-based therapies, she is a cofounding member of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Zylowska pioneered the application of mindfulness in ADHD and led the development of the Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs) for ADHD Program. She has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and is author of the award-winning self-help book The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD.
 
John T. Mitchell, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University and a faculty member in Duke’s ADHD Program. Dr. Mitchell has published over 65 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, with a primary focus on ADHD, including developmental outcomes, assessment and treatment, and co-occurring substance use. He conducted the first controlled study of a mindfulness-based treatment program--the MAPs for ADHD Program--with a sample composed entirely of adults with ADHD. Dr. Mitchell regularly provides training to clinicians on the assessment and treatment of ADHD in adulthood.
 

Foreword, Russell A. Barkley
I. Overview: Knowing the “Why” before the “What”
1. Introduction
2. Conceptual and Research Review
3. Teaching Considerations: Common Questions and Answers
4. ADHD Psychoeducation
II. MAPs for ADHD 8-Week Program: Seeing the Forest for the Trees
- Session 1. Introduction to ADHD and Mindfulness: Reframing of ADHD
- Session 2. Mindful Awareness of ADHD Patterns: “What Is My ADHD Like?”
- Session 3. Mindful Awareness of Sound, Breath, and Body
- Session 4. Mindful Awareness of Body Sensations
- Session 5. Mindful Awareness of Thoughts
- Session 6. Mindful Awareness of Emotions
- Session 7. Mindful Awareness of Presence and Interactions
- Session 8. Mindful Awareness as a Life Journey
III. Beyond Initial MAPs for ADHD: The End May Be Just the Beginning
5. Considerations of Next Steps
Appendix: Session Summaries and Session Handouts
References
Index