Dave Pughe-Parry - Conversations
We all have different views on Christmas time. The month of December is a time of bonuses, of spending on the feasts to come, and of course the buying of gifts for family, and even friends.
From every written page, billboard, TV screen and radio channel we are bombarded with well-meaning - but trite - words exhorting us to be good to others, to do everything with joy, be merry, experience the magic of Christmas, and so on.
It is also a time for family. I mean extended family, the grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins that you saw last Christmas, and that wasn´t too pleasant.
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- Written by: Dave Pughe-Parry
Curiosity killed the cat.
These four words are only the first half of the proverb. The complete saying is curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back.
The earliest reference is found in a comedy written in 1598 by Ben Johnson titled ‟Every Man and His Humour.” The word `care´ which in those days meant curiosity was used.
The reason I am writing about this strange proverb is ADDers are naturally curious.
We can almost not resist investigating anything and everything. Sometimes we might even duplicate the temptation just to make sure nothing has changed since the first - or last - time.
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- Written by: Dave Pughe-Parry
I have been actively coaching ADDers for two-and-a-half decades now. When I started as a total novice way back in 1999 the notion that a person with ADHD could be ‟coached” to improve their symptoms was other-worldly.
The last 3 months or so I have been reviewing what I do, and especially how I do it. This is different to my daily review. I have been dealing with what I define myself as, yes I carry the title of ADHD Coach, but does that tell people what I do?
To the best of my knowledge I am the only ADHD coach that uses a modular system as the foundation for the coaching. In order to better serve my clients I have developed an in-depth Impairments Assessment to determine accurately where to focus with each client.
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- Written by: Dave Pughe-Parry
I am a great fan of word-apps and websites. This is probably because I enjoy writing and public speaking. The more I write and speak though, the more aware I become of how critically important the meanings of words are - it's communication that creates understanding!
We use words to define people and places, emotions and reality, states of mind and body, and so on. In this vein, I recently came across an unfamiliar word that describes people with ADHD.
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- Written by: Pat Pughe-Parry
Read more: Is being a Temporizer Better Than a Procrastinator?
Whether we dwell on negative thoughts or daydream about an amazing future, our minds are constantly engaged with vivid imagery. The majority of our brain activity occurs in the occipital lobe, located at the back of the right side of our brains.
It is in this area where we think in pictures. When we recall a memory, the only element we cannot recreate are the smells or odors associated with that memory.
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- Written by: Pat Pughe-Parry
Welcome to my new home on the interweb.
I am Dave Pughe-Parry.
More than twenty years ago I founded and launched Living ADDventure® to serve the needs of people who live with and alongside ADHD.
Early in 2023 my wife asked me whether I wanted to be remembered as the founder of Living ADDventure®, or as Dave Pughe-Parry? The answer required quite a bit of thought, surprisingly!
Like my wife Pat, Living ADDventure® has been an integral part of my life for some 23 years. In that time the main website spawned 5 specialist ADHD sites for women, teenagers, teachers, parents, and a dedicated training site.
We trained more than 7 000 teachers around South Africa - a small drop in a vast ocean. We spoke at schools in every province in South Africa, we trained a few ADHD coaches, and a few Support Group Leaders, and worked with over 1 000 families.
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- Written by: Pat Pughe-Parry