Session 12: Keeping It Going

This final chapter of the workbook provides information about how to maintain the gains made during treatment after the treatment has ended. The chapter includes a review of all the skills that were taught in the treatment program and instructs participants to think about which skills were helpful and which were not. The chapter also includes a troubleshooting worksheet as well as a worksheet that can be used for a self-check-in after treatment has ended to review things that are going well as well as those skills that need to be practiced.

Session 9: Self-Coaching

Self-coaching or cognitive restructuring is a valuable skill for those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This chapter continues the discussion of the cognitive component of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) introduced in the previous chapter. It includes instructions regarding how to review thought records, and it uses a coaching metaphor to discuss various styles of coaching. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how to formulate helpful alternative thoughts to use in place of negative automatic thoughts.

Session 6: Figuring Out Your Attention Span and Learning How to Delay Distractions

This chapter contains instructions for gauging the length of time that one can reasonably expect to work on a boring or difficult task, followed by information on how to break tasks down into smaller “chunks” that will likely take that amount of time or less. The chapter also contains information on the “distractibility delay” skill. This is a skill that involves setting a timer during which one commits to staying on task, writing down distractions, and then deciding if they are tasks that need to be done immediately, tasks that can go onto the task list, or tasks that are pure distractions and can be discarded.

Session 4: What to Do When Things Aren’t Getting Done: Breaking Down Tasks and Problem-Solving

Problem-solving skills and how to deal with large projects are the focus of this chapter. This session contains information about how to manage overwhelming tasks, those that remain on the task list for many days or weeks without getting completed. Information is provided regarding how to use structured problem-solving to arrive at a solution to a problem. Additionally, the chapter contains information about how to break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks to increase the likelihood of task completion.

Session 2: How Can Parents Help? First Parent/Adolescent Session

In this session, a joint meeting is held with the adolescent client and their parent or parents. The chapter includes educational information for the parents about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and an overview of the treatment for the parents. The primary goal of the session is to ensure that all involved parties are “on the same page.” Parent and adolescent goals are set, and the use of a motivational/reward system is discussed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the role that parents will play in the adolescent’s treatment.

Session 7: Optimize Your Setting

Distractions are a problem for people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This chapter focuses on how to identify environmental distractions when trying to focus on important tasks like homework and how to modify the environment accordingly. There is information presented about the importance of keeping track of important objects (for example, backpack, phone) and how to set up systems for this. Finally, the chapter contains a discussion of how to use reminders to help with staying on task.

Session 10: How Can Parents Help? Second Parent/Adolescent Session

This chapter discusses the second parent/adolescent session. In this session, a joint meeting is held with the adolescent client and their parent or parents. The main goal of this session is to discuss how the treatment program is going, revisit treatment goals set at the beginning of treatment, and talk about how things are going with the level of parent involvement and the reward system that was developed (if applicable). The chapter also includes information about how to set reasonable expectations for future improvements and how to continue to use the learned skills after the treatment program has ended.

Session 5: How to Organize Everything

This chapter contains information on how to develop effective organizational systems. Information is presented on how to assess the organizational needs of schoolwork, a backpack, a locker, and materials needed for projects. The question of how to transport items to and from school is addressed. Also, the chapter includes a discussion of how to develop systems for other items that might be problematic, including papers, electronic files, clothing, sports equipment, and other items.

Session 11: Don’t Put It Off—Stop Procrastinating

This chapter includes a discussion of the attractive aspects of procrastination as well as instructions on how to identify the negative consequences of procrastination. An exercise is presented which involves writing out pros and cons of procrastination using a specific example. Finally, the chapter includes a discussion of how previously taught skills of problem-solving and adaptive thinking can be applied to procrastination.

Session 8: Thinking, Feeling, and Acting

This chapter provides information about the cognitive component of the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The identification of automatic thoughts and the relationship between thoughts, behaviors, and feelings is outlined. Information about various types of thinking errors/thinking traps is provided, as well as instructions about how to begin to self-monitor thoughts and identify different types of thinking errors/thinking traps using a thought record.