5C’s of ADHD™
Reduce Stress, Increase Calm and Improve Cooperation with the 5C’s of ADHD™
In over 30 years of working with children, teens, families and adults, I have created a method of living fully with ADHD that builds confidence and competence. It helps parents raise happy, capable, neurodivergent kids that really works.
This approach is called the 5C’s of ADHD™: self-Control, Compassion, Collaboration, Consistency and Celebration.
Whether it’s applied to parenting issues, adult struggles or mental health challenges, this method helps people reduce stress and emotional reactivity, improve cooperation and communication and increase self-esteem and satisfaction in relationships.
You will find more peace within yourself, your family and your work when you practice the 5C’s of ADHD™.
- Self-Control: Identify triggers so you can slow down and manage your own feelings first before engaging with a friend, colleague, child or partner. Once you are settled, then you can work on assisting others to do the same.
- Compassion: Meet people where they are, not where you think they should be. This means treating people, including yourself, with empathy and kindness despite struggles or upset.
- Collaboration: Work with others (your children, other caring adults, partners or colleagues) to find solutions to daily challenges together instead of imposing your ideas on them. Focus on cooperation and partnership using incentives and realistic expectations.
- Consistency: Aim for steadiness instead of perfection. Do your best to follow through and expect that some situations require shifting and flexibility. Practice persistence and efforting, using a growth mindset.
- Celebration: Pay attention to the positive and acknowledge when things go well. No effort is too small to go unnoticed. Validate how you and those around you try to grow and change. Do more of what works day after day.
Incorporating the 5C’s of ADHD™ into your daily life
The trick to using the 5C’s of ADHD™ is making them part of your daily life. Take time to cool off when you are aggravated with your son; offer support for your partner when he’s received disappointing feedback at work; discuss issues with chores using a team approach and incentives that work; practice steadiness instead of setting unrealistic goals; notice the good stuff of efforting and both small and big wins. Even when you feel like giving up because of ADHD, anxiety or more, keep going. When you stumble, just like all people do, regroup, pivot and begin again. Start today and you will see a difference before you know it!
Dr. Saline’s philosophy
I believe being neurodivergent doesn’t mean you have limits. Rather, you have a unique and valuable way of seeing the world and expressing yourself. I have dedicated my life’s work to helping people with all things ADHD (and beyond) to reduce anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, improve executive functioning skills, and embrace their neurodivergent brains.
With the compassion and practicality of my 5C’s of ADHD™ approach, I’m here to offer you the caring support and evidence-based strategies you need for a lasting change.
My approach comes from a unique perspective as a sibling of a child who wrestled with untreated ADHD and discovering my own diagnosis later in life. Combined with decades of academic excellence and clinical experience, my perspective helps guide individuals and families as they navigate the confusing maze of diagnoses and conflict to successful interventions and connections.
