Disabled Books

There were times that I enjoyed reading Thom Hartmann's "Healing ADD" and other times that I felt cheated. It is strange that one book could move me in such a way. I could resonate with some of the less technical material, perhaps more towards the books beginnings. I loved the quotes he used to begin each chapter. Words about the ambiguous ways we define "normal" as a people were welcome, for I have had those thoughts as well. Technical advice from later chapters, however, were completely lost on me. I tried to conceive of my brain as a highly-technical camera, zooming in, zooming out, contorting the image, adding smoke, mirrors, and some groovy music, but it did nothing for me. I am glad I didn't get a head ache through it all!

I am coming at the problem only late, having been diagnosed in mid-life. I am open to what the so-called "self-help" books have to say, especially the experiences of the people who write them.

The book is easily readable, and you will be more blessed if you have a the creative imagination that I don't have. Again, I cannot say enough about the material which came across as a good pep talk, material which was easily comprehensible. It was the more complicated, multi-layered concepts I could not get my head around.

I say, "give it a try".

You really need to be careful when reading this book. Understandingly, people facing the challenges of ADD/ADHD are stressed out and overly receptive to a voice like Hartmann's. Strangely unprofessional, Hartmann offers a "soft ball" lob to those looking for a feel good camp-fire-like discussion of the challenges of ADD/ADHD. This is not a productive way to approach these challenges. Overcoming these challenges takes discipline, a manner of thinking totally absent in Harmann's writing. I would go so far as to say that the author's writing style, the manner in which he presents his ideas, and the thinking behind those ideas represents the worst, rather than the most optimal aspects, of traits associated with ADD. Beware.

Thom Hartmann has written a series of books related to ADD/ADHD.

They all are wonderful easy to understand and useful books.

They introduce a powerful perspective to those labeled ADD/ADHD. ADD/ADHD, being based on labeling behaviors is challenged in many ways by these books of Hartmaan's.

Thom Hartmann's books provide a useful tool to help people recognize the psychological coping mechanism that are associated with ADD patterns of behavior. This was very helpful to me since I am not ADD/ADHD and had no idea how to relate or what I was relating to!!!

This book Healing ADD gave me some useful tools for me and my daily life! That alone was worth the cost of the book!

Bottom-line these books helped several people I know and love.

So this review is one of a personal point of "been there done that!" I learned much as did my family and friends.

These books of his help!!!

Yours in good health

nieema

This book is an amazing self-improvement resource; only rarely does a book impress me, but... I'm impressed!

Hartmann has an extremely engaging writing style, and displays great deftness in walking a very narrow path; most books gravitate toward either theories that are interesting but engender no action, or strident calls to action that would do a nagging parent proud.

Instead, his phrases twist, and turn, and *slide* through that narrow gap, right past all sorts of carefully-developed defenses, and inspire the amused reader to actually TRY some of the exercises he suggests. For some of us, believe me, that's no small task! As an added bonus, this book is also the best USEFUL quick-and-dirty introduction to NLP I've seen... I've toyed with experimenting with my internal programming before, and even seen some useful results when guided by a friend that's proficient in it, but Hartmann's descriptions and exercises immediately made sense and intrigued me.

An example - he talked of how most of us have a spatial representation of time, and picture the future extending in one direction and the past in another. Those with a less-than-functional internal sense of time have usually shifted them to a less-than-useful location and sure enough, I found my own representation to be within reason but somewhat skewed. After trying the associated mental exercise in the book, I suddenly found myself getting up, two mornings in succession, the *first* time my alarm went off - usually I'd hit "snooze" for at least an hour. As if that weren't enough, on the third day my alarm clock failed... the outlet was bad, and the alarm didn't go off. I STILL woke up at the appropriate time. This is fascinating stuff; next I'm going to play with resetting some old anchors and creating some new ones.

Whether you consider yourself to have ADD, consider yourself not to, or think it's just a negative label created to minimize people who shake things up a bit, this book is worth a read. Doubly so if you're an iNtuitive Perceiving personality type; it's a quick, entertaining, and very likely useful read... well worth a try in my book!

I found this book very interesting and useful from many different perspectives.

It gave me a better understanding of those who are diagnosed or labeled as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and the issues faced by these people. In particular, I liked the idea of looking at ADD as `a normal and natural part of the spectrum of human behavior, and that it is not as useful in modern society as it may have been in the past'. That is, a person diagnosed with ADD has characteristics more like a hunter compared to the rest of the population who are more like farmers.

This is an excellent book for students of NLP to see how NLP can be used to assist those who have been diagnosed as ADD. This however is also a short-coming of the book for those readers who have not studied NLP.

The NLP techniques and concepts, presented in this book, are adequately described for anyone who has been trained in NLP. Thus, NLP practitioners can easily use these simple and elegant techniques with their ADD clients and achieve outstanding results. However, for those readers who have not studied NLP, my concern is that the techniques are not presented in sufficient detail nor with the full understanding as to why or how they will assist a person diagnosed as ADD. Thus, some of these readers may feel the techniques are too simple or even flaky.

delivered in good time. I like this book paired with Writing Better IEPs by Barbara Bateman.

You could boil this puppy down to a tablespoon full. Seriously, there was something of substance on a few pages. And it was good! But that was it. Was required text for me- says something either about the prof. or the institution. Look for something meatier!

This is a great quick read for parents just learning about goals and objectives as well as a nice resource to have around to refer to when you are going over IEP goals and objectives. It is an easy read, clear and has been a valuable tool to educate parents who want to be a more active or involved member of their child's IEP. For those of you who want the goals to really have meaning I strongly recommend this book.

Extremely helpful book. Our county has adopted the Maryland State IEP format this year. Having read this book, I feel much more prepared to produce meaningful documents that will meet the needs of my students and measure their progress.

I am new to writing IEPs and now writing the transition goals for a young adult program. This book has been so helpful in making sure everything is up to par. In fact, our IEP co-ordinator was impressed with my first efforts and has used some of my work in plan of care meetings.

Not bad for a beginner!

I stayed in the Inn that this book is based on which is where I heard about it. After purchasing it from Amazon, I couldn't put it down. If you like mystery novels, I would certainly recommend it.

I liked this one. It's the story of an old house that has a history of brutal murder and suicide. Seventy years later a young couple purchases it with plans to restore both it and their marriage. The town, however, is not very receptive to their new neighbours and the search for the truth of the house's history begins.
Great characters make the book enjoyable and entertaining. The ending could have used a little bit more but overall it was a good read, with a little comedy but little spook.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. I appreciated the attempt at intertwining two mysteries, separated by nearly one hundred years, into a single conclusion. Unfortunately, each character that I was introduced to, both present and past, rang hollow and flat and incapable of holding my attention. Each were little more than cliches that evoked neither care or concern from me. The "special" child, the uncaring & absentee father, the strong yet naive mother, the attractive yet emotionally stunted handyman. None of the characters ever swam in waters deeper than a desert stream.

I had hoped to be shocked, frightened or at least concerned while reading this book. Unfortunately, bored was as far as I got.

I just finished this book and loved it! I really enjoyed the weaving of the past with the present. Also, I thought I knew who was responisble for the murder, but I was surprised. I think the book was an excellent read! I have to wonder what is wrong with the people who gave it a one and tossed it before they could finish. I can't imagine that we read the same book.

I loved, loved, loved, loved, love, loved it! It's a story that takes place in two different times. Each chapter is either in the present or in the past and the way time slides back and forth is just way,way, way cool. It's perfect for a nice summer read or even for rainy days. Kept me turning page after page after page. But I recommend you do not read it at night. Although it doesn't seem scary as you read it...you get absolutely spooked out when night comes...

I am a special education teacher who used this book while teaching middle school students, (high functioning autism, emotional disability, non-verbal learning disability, Asperger's Syndrome) who have social intelligences that range from 1st-3rd grade. The book was used as a guide throughout the year with other activities that I created to foster growth in social-emotional areas of learning. The students found the worksheet scenarios relatable and easy to understand. I would have to agree with another commenter that the children depicted and names of children in the book fulfill stereotypes of races and nationalities. Being an educator, I took the opportunity to teach my children about cultural awareness and breaking down stereotypes depicted in the book. The students were able to identify and discuss the illustrator's point of view about his perceptions and stereotypes of people. We created are own social story worksheets with better representations of people. The book is best used as a guide.

Have already started using in my class. Seller was very true to description and shipping.

This book is helpful for the social skills group that I run, however the book has worksheets, not activities to do with the kids. It is mostly focused on behavior in school. It is a good supplemental tool for me.

I am using this book in my special education class. The kids understand it and it is very easy to use. They enjoy working and I enjoy that.

I have used this book to help teach foster children in both a group and individual setting. It works well for children of all levels of functioning, not solely special needs. The examples in the book are well writen and cover all aspects of a childs socialization in school, at home, and with peers. I did have to omit a couple of worksheets that gave examples of how not to behave as it presented ideas that would be copied by low functioning or defiant kids. The systematic review of social skills utilizing worksheets and discussions has made this book a great addition to my work library.

What a great book and story of a pain and IC patient. A must read

This book is very helpful to one with a chronic illness and for someone trying to cope. I highly recommend that patients, doctors and family read it and be enlightened.

I have an auto-immune disease and often have trouble with folks not understanding that I am ill or how ill I am .... because "I don't look sick" , I don't have a cast on my leg, bandages... this book helps me deal with my internal dialogue and my process of dealing with some of these emotions. It has helped me deal with what to say to others as well.

You don't look sick. Although our stories may vary, this is the one phrase that all of us living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and other invisible chronic illnesses have experienced, dread, and fear the most. It's hard enough to live in pain, fight through fibrofog, and deal with lost independence but this simply utterance makes us feel like we have to explain ourselves and frankly the explanation is never quite good enough. We leave the conversation with a feeling that getting sick was somehow our fault and that we aren't getting better because we aren't trying hard enough. Somehow we are flawed human beings.

You Don't Look Sick! is the experience of one woman (with the help of her doctor). Her story is very familiar. Like most of us, her journey just to get a diagnosis was long and painful. Getting appropriate help and coming to terms with the "Chronic" part of her condition contained even more challenges. Still, the author's illustrates that although it may not be possible to rid ourselves completely of this terror, we can bring ourselves to a place where we live well. A message we could all take heart in.

This book made my laugh, cry, feel like I was not alone.....I hope Joy writes another and soon......

An audio version of this book is desparately needed! Please make this book, and others that address ADD, LD and issues that young adults with these issues face available in audio. These young people are overwhelmed by the printed page, in many cases. The books have relevant, important information that they will absorb if they have access to it in a version other than the printed, overwhelming page. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Hello. This is the 2nd Dr. Levine book I've purchased and read. The scenarios are simple enough for me to read with my 5 year old son (diagnosed with fine motor/graphomotor dysfunction.) Some reviewers were not satisfied that this is a book geared for children. It's far better utilized if the book is used with the "Guidelines for All Kinds of Minds" which is sold separately. The guidelines present the lesson format that instructors should use when teaching with All Kinds of Minds. Even though I'm not a teacher, I am able to use the suggestions in the Guidelines to help my son through a difficult learning period. I am so much more well informed now. Thank you Dr. Levine!

After 5 1/2 years of intensive phonics training, vision therapy, private tutoring and stress beyond belief, I picked up this book at the library. It was the answer to a prayer.

Using the info presented in this book along with "A Mind at a Time" also by Levine, we were able to finally get my son on the right track. If you have a child with a learning problem of any kind I couldn't recommend these books any more highly.

I saw a reviewer mention that the book is written to children and so they found it boring, but I think that reading this book helped me see what I had been missing all along, my child's perspective.

A wonderful, funny, informative and helpful book. The magic is in the details, introducing first the strengths and then the weaknesses of each child, the names of the kids and dogs and the procedure for diagnosis and treatment. My son finally gained a vocabulary of the different kinds of minds, so now he can say I may have ADHD but I may also be as grate as "ever ready Eddie".

I am a psychologist that works with children and adults. I read Dr. Levine's self disclosure to on of my kids. It is important for people who are not classifyable within the Special Education system to get help before the bright star of learning burns out or explodes into anger. My experience over the past 28 years has caused me to develop a similar approach. I suggested to a psychologist friend who has ADD to read this. It wasn't me talking to him but a book. Dr. Levine writes for "Everyman." His target is not the professional but the customer. It is a way to become an informed motivated consumer of intervention for children and adults. I have been inspired to write my own book. Wonder if I can be half as effective?

As I read the book I came away with loads of useful strategies to use when dealing with students that have social issues. I highly recommend this book to parents and teachers!

As a developmental and behavioral pediatrician, I have spent a great deal of time working with children like Rick Lavoie talks about in his book. These children want to have friends and want to be good friends to others. They struggle to understand the social underpinnings, however, which leads to misunderstandings and sorrow from losing friends, or not even beginning to make a friend. This book looks at the neurodevelopmental issues that these children face, provding the adults who live and work with them more insight into their struggles. He basically is challenging us to step back and decipher what the child's intent was in a situation, rather than just jump to conclusions that frequently are very negative toward the child.

Whether the child has ADHD, learning disabilities, Asperger Syndrome, or some other disability/disorder, taking time to understand why the child's attempts at social interaction is not working, and developing a plan of intervention and accommodation based on that understanding is what will make a positive difference. I think that all parents, teachers, and other professionals who work or live with these children should read this book.

Writing as someone who has lived with learning disabilities for nearly 50 years now, I cannot say strongly enough that I sincerely wish all of my teachers and parents had read this book. I will go a little further than that---I wish the pastoral counselor, psychologist, and psychiatrists that I have dealt with as an adult would read this book.

This book brought back memory after memory of times that I have been misunderstood (and rejected) by those around me, and also times that I have greatly misunderstood social and job-related incidents (and acted inappropriately as a result). Some of the long-lasting psychological damage that I have had as a result could have been alieviated if only those around me had been aware of the difficulties that I was having (and continue to have).

Notice that I did not say that the misunderstandings and social errors I make would have stopped. I don't think they would have.
The book does not offer any cure-alls. Its biggest contribution is to increase the understanding of the social ramifications of learning disabilities. I have found that very few normal people have any understanding of this at all; and their response can be quite damaging.

I bought this book at the recommendation of my child's pediatric psychologist- it is a great help for parents of kids with learning disabilities and other challenges. I am familiar with Rick LaVoie from his other works and his incredible video series called "Fat City", in which he shows parents and teachers just what it is like to walk a mile in the shoes of the kids who deal with these challenges daily. I would highly recoomend both this book and the video series to anyone whose child is having trouble with social skills and/or facing a learning disability.

This book is what I've been looking for: a book that teaches you HOW to teach social skills and organization skills for kids that just don't pick it up from interactions in everyday life. It's made a big difference in our everyday family and school life for my 2 ADHD/LD kids. My thanks to Rick Lavoie!

This book is Great.It explains a lot about ADD and Creativity. It may help you understand yourself or ADD child. You make look differently at ADD when you are done with this book..

I have read many books on ADD. In "ADD and Creativity," Dr. Weiss manages to present familiar and new information with an interesting twist! Dr. Weiss reveales in her book that she has ADD. You can DEFINATELY tell the difference! Although she explains the basics of ADD, her book is not clinical. She relates to me and advises me in a way that most other ADD books haven't.

I highly recommend this one!

There are many good thoughts and observations in this book, and I had high hopes for it initially. However, it reads like the publisher asked for 200 + pages and Dr. Weiss expanded her thoughts to fill the space allotted. Although I hate abridged books generally, this one would be a great candidate for aggressive editing. I'd love to see it boiled down to its essentials, but I'm not interested enough in the author's personal experiences to read the whole thing.

A rambling autobiographical swamp of crystal-power feel-good-isms mixed with the author's unresolved issues with "the man."

Highlights include: a 10-year search for a cliff glimpsed in a dream, how "they" should take drugs to be like us, and an unintentionally amusing section where the editor chides her for writing a whole book without actually giving any practical suggestions for living with ADD.

* * *

I recommend Driven to Distraction instead.

This book takes a different stance and gives us lots of food for thought. I also liked ADD, The Natural Approach, which gave me some reasons for my attention deficit. The creativity part was really beneficial and made me feel good about myself.

ADD is not just a mental disorder. Those of us who are ADD or know somebody with ADD are very much aware of that. There is so much more to ADD than just a text book definiton. Dr Emery introduces us to a different concept of ADD. I bet most people who are ADD themsleves can relate to many of his ideas.

This is very well written book on the subject of ADD. Many of his ideas and suggestions can still help those people who choose to see ADD as only a negative problem. This book is also set up so that an ADD person can read though it with ease.

I have Attention Deficit Disorder. I was diagnosed way back in the 3rd grade. I am 24 years old now ans was on Ritalin all theway up to Concerta until just last year when I found out medication wasn't the answer for my Add thanks to Dr. Kevin Ross Emery and his wonderful Book Managing The Gift. It gives people wonderful insights on how Emotional Coffee Breaks, good diet, good sleeping patterns,and protocols developed by a medical intuition do really help those affected with ADD. Dr. Krvin Ross Emery also goes to schools with parents to talk to teachers about the child's IEP or Individualized Educational Plans and works with thefamily and the student to make sure the child gets the adequate and wonderful education the child deserves instead of labeling the child with a disability. ADD is a gift not a diffability.

People stop putting the book down and open your brains to a new idea and new ways of thinking instead of being so close minded. Maybe Dr. Levy needs to take a closer look at his life and take some courses in ADD or early childhood education itmight help him think better. Get a life Dr. Levy.

Take a 13 year old boy with no self-esteem, no self-confidence, a failure in school, academically and social, started taking Ridlin in hopes to a means with no end; put him with Dr. Ross-Emery, NOT RASS!!, and what do you get?? A-B student, teachers dream student, makes new friends daily, plays any sport that is available at school, even if he is not the best on the team, has become STRUCTURED in his life, does his homework, if OFF Ridlin, takes life as it is, has accepted his own worth, and now thinks he can do anything, which all equals the power one gifted person gave another. Thank you Kevin Ross Emery for your support, for giving Cody back his life, giving us a family, taking the Attention Defecit and for teaching Cody to MANAGE HIS GIFT. Jacqui and Bill

This book contains some interesting ideas, based on Emery's private practice. However, they are offered in a vacuum. The author does not discuss current research, or other alternative practitioners widely known in this field. Can one man's intuition with individual patients carry over in a meaningful way to schools, or other psychologists? If not, where do poor parents go to help their children? Emery has made a contribution here. It will be richer if he develops useable, tested protocols with professionals for widespread application. Ths book, is a starting point. Despite its flaws, I recommend it.

In this book Dr. Emery has explored new territory and techniques for managing ADD. He discusses the four levels - physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual - impacted by ADD. "Emotional coffee breaks", using checklists, learning in motion, modification of diet, and timed learning are a few of the strategies explored as alternative approaches to medication. While Dr. Emery recognizes that medication can be useful in some cases, he offers other methods for parents to explore. He offers suggestions to help children with anxiety, shame, and isolation which children with ADD often experience. Steps to help your child, your child's educational rights and additional resources are discussed. Sections of the book deal with adults with ADD too. As a parent of a teenager with ADD I highly recommend this book to parents of ADD children.

I've read much on ADHD, but if I were only reading one book, I would pick this book. Straight forward, well organized, empathetic, thorough, and realistic, this guide provides a road map to success. Additionally, the medication and legal issues sections will serve as handy and quick references. Quinn has provided the ADD student and parent with an outstanding guide book.

This book is, at best, an intro to ADHD.I bought it hoping that there would be some specific "how to study" tips for highschool and college students with AD/HD, but there is nothing of the sort. In fact, there is very little in this book that isn't found in other books written for children or adults. The chapter, "Legal rights of students with ADD" is useful and relevant, but that is 10 pages out of a 150.

There are two other annoying things about this book. First, Quinn uses the term 'ADD', which has been scientifically obsolete since the 1980s. Second, Quinn's writing style is somewhat condescending.

I would recommend that a person new to their diagnosis, or even somebody who is old hand, read "You Mean I'm not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy?" as opposed to this book.

this book is great! It's like it was written special for me!
now if i could only sit and actually read it ...............

I learned alot form this quick read. I am the mother of a 16 year old girl recently diagnosed with ADD. I learned that much of my frustration with my daughter is really frustration with her ADD. Good info on coping strategies and resources, and an especially nice chapter about ADD as it manifests for girls, as opposed to boys.
My daughter also enjoyed reading it and it helped to improve her self esteem, reinforcing that much of the frustration she has faced was the result of her ADD, and there are ways to work with this so she can enjoy more success in her life.
This book was recommended by the psychologist we worked with.

which, given its target audience, could be a good thing?

Either way, I got *very* little new information out of this book... and I'm no expert... I've only spent a few hours looking ADD up online.

If you need something to tell a student with ADD what ADD is like (as if they wouldn't know), and offer some overly obvious solutions... this is your book... or pamphlet.