**  " EXECUTIVE SKILLS  Coaching Approach" to Intervention
​                                        for ADD/ ADHD & CDD
        *** New  BOOK " The Healthy Brain" Nutrition/ Cognition connection
                        " Helping Children / Youth reach their Potential"

EDUCATIONAL COGNITIVE  PSYCHOLOGY  studies mental processes including how people think, perceive, remember and learn. The CORE focus of Cognitive Psychology is on HOW people acquire, process and store information.

Improving students'  LEARNING and ENGAGEMENT can be  important work  for the Educational Cognitive Psychologist. 
Dr. Brenda E. Abbey's research has helped create educational methods that make teaching more effective and  emphasizes improved LEARNING STRATEGIES to reduce the student's stress and improve confidence.
The Educational Cognitive  Psychologist can  improve human understanding of how learning and processing of information works in the brain, in addition to affirming the importance of understanding the perceptive, Attention  and affective  process.
The brain is the most metabolically active organ of the body and has nutritional needs that are 10 X higher than any other organ. The brain is therefore the first organ to falter when it is improperly fed. Feeding the brain is a life  long project , memory and cognition in later life depend on the care and feeding our brains receive throughout our entire lives.

I recommend the book " THE HEALTHY BRAIN " by Aileen Burford - Mason  Ph. D. . She uses real- life case histories from her practice and summarizes leading - edge  scientific research to support her common sense advice.

Researchers who study child development have discovered that most children who are "SMART but SCATTERED" simply lack certain Habits of Mind called " Executive Skills". These are the fundamental brain- based skills needed  by students to negotiate the demands in school , home and with friends. "Executive Skills" include getting organized, planning, initiating work, staying on task, controlling impulses, regulating emotions , and being adaptable and resilient.

The  book "BRAIN MAKER" by Dr. David Perlmutter  MD highlights the importance and power of Gut Microbes to heal and protect the brain , especially important for children diagnosed with ADHD. Several current research studies are cited in the book to support many correlations that point to changes in gut bacteria and the brain's response to what goes on in the gut.  **Childhood history of C-section { triple the risk of ADHD},  none or limited duration of breast - feeding , chronic ear infections treated by antibiotics correlated with higher incidence of ADHD based on how the gut chemistry is affected. This can mean changing levels of important neurotransmitters and increasing the production of inflammatory chemicals that are irritating the brain and can compromise brain function. Research reports positive results for brain function  by introducing the right balance of  gut microbes through dietary supplements . 

 Promoting an understanding of  Working Memory Difficulties   is another key area of Dr. Brenda E. Abbey's  Educational Cognitive Psychology intervention strategies  as well as focusing on the brain's relationship to language and linguistics.{ **See My BLOG -end of  this website for research  details} 
Educational Research has confirmed that individuals with ADD/ADHD , language difficulties and delays  are at the highest risk for academic failure in our educational systems so an " EXECUTIVE SKILLS APPROACH ",  and  SOCIAL LITERACY  enhancement continue to be specialties of  Dr. Brenda E. Abbey's work with children .  

                                                                               ADD and ADHD 
                   Also a new area of research by Dr. Russell A. Barkley  **CONCENTRATION DEFICIT DISORDER {CDD}
                                                              The Importance of  Emotional Intelligence ,
                                                           Self- Awareness and  strategies for Self- Regulation


Emotional Intelligence is at the heart of NEW approaches to supporting children and young adults with ADD / ADHD.
Current Neuroscience  research indicates that EMOTIONS motivate our thoughts and actions.

Brain- based nutritional research contributes to an increased understanding of the complexity of supporting children diagnosed  with ADD or ADHD. 
**Hertha Hafer's book , THE HIDDEN DRUG  alerts us to eliminate Foods/ Additives high in PHOSPHATE especially in children's diets. In her book, she lists common foods that are high in Phosphates and advises that we should  avoid feeding these to children - especially those children/ youth  diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.
**Recent studies have indicated that children diagnosed with ADD or ADHD may require increased levels of Magnesium supplements - up to 500 mg/ daily. Magnesium is known for its  BRAIN calming capacity.
**The importance of fish oils in  supporting brain functioning for all ages  is  also well documented in nutritional research.
**Several of  my parent clients, who have children diagnosed with ADD, have shared that a supplement called EFALEX {taken with Vitamin D for improved absorption} has had positive results in improving  their child's attention and focus. 
These parents have given this supplement as an alternative to prescription medication to support their child's self- regulation and bio- feedback .

SOCIAL  INTELLIGENCE  - Wired to Connect

                                    "Eyes are not only windows to the soul , but windows to socialization."

Neuroscience has discovered that our brain's design makes it sociable and  our most routine encounters act as regulators in the brain, priming our emotions. The more strongly connected we are with someone emotionally, the greater the mutual force. During these neural linkups, our brains engage in an emotional dance of feelings.
 Our social interactions operate as modulators that continually reset key aspects of our brain function as they orchestrate our emotions and thought patterns.

 Dr. Brenda E.  Abbey's  Applied Research indicates that Equine -Facilitated Learning helps children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.
These sessions   increase AND encourage the child's awareness of  the impact of nonverbal body language/ actions and   their emotional state on the  horses' reactions.
These interactive INDIVIDUALIZED  experiential sessions with the HORSES of different ages  promote Language and Communication  Development for children
        

Our  relationships shape not only our experience but also our biology. Nourishing relationships have a beneficial impact on our health and our brain structure , while STRESS and  toxic relationships can act like a poison in our bodies and brains.

Social Intelligence is a companion to Emotional Intelligence which focuses on a crucial set of human capacities WITHIN us as individuals,  when we connect - the spotlight shifts to  questions like :

                 What are the Intelligent Behaviours and HABITS of MIND  needed for SUCCESS?
                          What do these insights suggest for what really matters in each of our lives? 
                              My  LINKED IN published article PRAISE versus ENCOURAGEMENT 
                                has provided helpful insights  to BOTH  Business Professionals and PARENTS .                              
*  for more of my research ***visit My Blog at end of this website