In our work with ADHD adults, we urge our clients to take their ADHD very seriously. That is, we encourage them to take responsibility for their behaviors and habits and to mitigate their Executive Function Impairments (EFIs) with the help of DBT principles and practices. There is too much at stake for the ADHD adult, such as relationship chaos, poor self-respect, and even early morbidity that can result from impulsive and distracted diets, lack of exercise, and self-care.

Dialectically, we seek to balance this push toward self-responsible engagement with self-compassion and self-validation. Mitigating ADHD symptoms is both a necessary and challenging task for ADHD adults. So, we find it helpful to bring a heavy dose of radical acceptance to bear upon our progress within the present moment while also holding to commitments to build a life worth living into which we invite compassion for ourselves. The SLACK handout presents our efforts to articulate a balance of compassion for ourselves and daily committed action.

We’d like to present here a sample of Mariah's current draft of our SLACK handout.