Springboard Clinic

Naoki Higashida breaks barriers of silence by sharing his beautiful and layered voice with the world. Diagnosed with severe nonverbal autism, he has learned to “type out” sentences with an alphabet grit and a QWERTY keyboard. He has been tireless in his resolution to share his story. He has given words that resonate with so many, especially those who are impacted by autism.

What is so profound about this book is Naoki’s ability to take you into his world. He encourages us to avoid setting limitations for individuals with mental health diagnoses.

The Springboard Team has learned so much from Melissa Orlov. Her process for naming the effect of ADHD on couples has made an enormous impact around the world and on the work we do at the clinic. What we find so powerful about it is her ability to help us all understand the root of where emotions come from when a family is living with attention issues.

By understanding ADHD deeply, both you and your partner can explore your relationship with a new lens. Whether both individuals have ADHD, or one does, ADHD symptoms can get in the way of honest communication, feeling loved and the overall dynamics of relationships.

We posted about the app Timeout previously, but we are bringing it up again because we have had so many clients share how helpful it is for “chunking up their day” and adding structure to their schedule. When you have ADHD, it is our experience that some of the simplest apps can be the most effective when properly put into a routine.

It is not that often that you find a book that you keep referring back to time and time again (especially one about parenting!). For several years we have been recommending the book “The Whole-Brain Child” by Dr. Dan Siegel. He has this amazing way of helping educate about the developmental stages of children so that parents/caregivers can alter their approach as their child evolves. By being a step ahead with the science of the brain, you can be prepared as your child’s behaviour shifts through different stages.

“It isn’t too late. Time is not running out. Your life is here and now. And the moment has arrived of which you’re finally ready to change,”  Cheryl Strayed.*

This month, the Bell Let’s Talk Campaign encourages us to look inwards and speak up. Their slogan “mental health affects us all” calls us to share our stories not only for ourselves and those we love, but also for our communities. By doing so, we can create a momentum of change in reducing stigma, and we can open a space for new dialogue and connections.

Of interest, lately Instagram has been using their platform to support mental health by connecting you to community resources. As the co-founder and CEO Kevin Systrom outlined in a press release: 

"If you see a post on Instagram from someone who may be in need of mental health support, you can report it anonymously. The next time that person logs into the app, we will connect them to organizations in their country that offer help. We have teams working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to review these reports. We also display these resources when someone visits a hashtag page for a sensitive topic."

This is a great initiative and has the potential to help a lot of people! #hereforyou