MAPS for ADHD Workshop - How Does Mindfulness for ADHD Work?
- cofloweroflife
- Jun 9
- 8 min read
"So, you want to have people who have trouble sitting still and paying attention to sit and pay attention in meditation? Isn't this a set up for failure and frustration?" This question, posed by Lidia Zylowska, one of the founders for MAPS for ADHD workshop, echoes a familiar sentiment most people with ADHD and executive dysfunction have felt: meditation, mindfulness, and peace are out of my reach. They just aren't for me.
While this perspective certainly echoes a lot of feelings that neurodivergent people feel, as pointed out by Zylowska herself later, this perspective ignores the fact that meditation is a skill, and like trying out a new workout routine, it takes time to be proficient in a new skill. Mindfulness and ADHD are seen as two opposing forces that cannot exist together, rather than as two different facets than can co-exist.
What is Mindfulness?
Similar to words like "justice", "freedom", or "love", it can be quite difficult to place a finite definition on mindfulness. According to the MAPS for ADHD program, mindfulness (or mindful awareness) is the practice of being attentive to and accepting of experiences in the present moment. This mental practice can either be done in silent meditation or mindfully during daily activities, and encourages moving away from busy mental activity to moment-by-moment noticing of sensations. By taking a moment to slow down, mindfulness allows us to develop attention, emotional self-regulation, and offer new choices in how you choose to respond.
In short, ADHD is a self-regulation disorder, and mindfulness is self-regulation training.
Well, How Does Mindfulness for ADHD Work?
While the research regarding ADHD and mindfulness is ever evolving, current evidence suggests the following benefits in mindfulness work with ADHD:
Improved attention stability and flexibility and improved control over mind wandering
Improved emotional awareness, reappraisal of negative emotions, and willingness to experience
New response choices and new adaptive behaviors, such as: increased non-judgmental awareness of distractibility can invite more frequent and gentle self-correction of attention
Detachment from a fixed sense of self through expanded knowledge of one's brain function, ADHD patterns, and skills
Developing a more compassionate, supportive relationship with oneself
Improved stress management and mental resilience skills
Improved interpersonal communication
The MAPS for ADHD approach was originally developed at UCLA using a modified version of mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness based CBT, with modifications for those diagnosed with ADHD.
Typically, when one thinks of meditation, they imagine someone sitting up straight, perfectly still, and mind completely blank. Not only is this mental image incredibly discouraging to someone with ADHD who wants to get into mindfulness, but it also isn't the full picture. Just how many people have different learning styles, we all have different ways in which our bodies respond to trying to relax. Your meditation rituals will be personal to you, and that's what a large part of this workshop is about: finding out what works specifically for you!
Compared to other mindfulness based programs, here are the adaptations that were made to accommodate ADHD symptoms:
Formal meditation periods are shorter than in other similar programs (i.e., typical mindfulness-based stress reduction program has recommended at-home practice for 45 minutes; MAPS for ADHD program has recommended at-home practice for 5 to 15 minutes)
Multiple different meditation methods are introduced (sitting, walking, while doing everyday activities, with sound, etc.) to see what works best for the individual
Didactic visual aids are included to address different learning styles
Psychoeducation on ADHD symptoms and how one's experience as an individual with ADHD may color their perspective on mindfulness
Training is done in incremental steps, with lessons building off one another and reviewing content covered in previous sessions
At the end of each session, an appreciation meditation or loving-kindness meditation is included to address the low self-esteem frequently found in ADHD
MAPS for ADHD Workshop Overview
The workshop can be completed in either four 2-hour sessions, or eight 1-hour sessions. Below, you will find the overview for both workshops and what to expect on each day! If you are interested in booking this workshop, head over to our contact page and let us know!
Four 2-Hour Sessions
Session 1: Overview of Course & Intro to Mindfulness
Opening questions:
What is your motivation for taking this course?
What is your lived experience with ADHD? How has it affected your life?
ADHD psychoeducation
Diagnostic criteria
Assessment and professional opinions
Medical vs. Dimensional model with ADHD
What is mindfulness?
Automatic pilot mode
Driving with music example
Break :)
Intro to attention and 5 senses
Rubin's vase visual example
Mindful eating exercise
Common difficulties with mindful awareness and ADHD
What is your lived experience with this?
Acceptance-change didactic
Mindfulness of breath activity and discussion
It takes time to relax!
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 2: Noticing Shifts in Attention and Body Awareness
Review from last time
Brief counting meditation opening exercise
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
The 3 anchors to the present moment:
Sound
Breath
Body
Mindful awareness of music exercise
Mindful awareness of sound demonstration
Mindful stretching and standing
How do we balance our focus on the 3 anchors?
Hourglass meditation
Foreground and background of awareness visual example
Break :)
STOP acronym
S = stop (or pause)
T = take a breath and relax
O = observe the present moment
P = proceed
Getting into one's body - how does ADHD show up in your body? Fidgeting? Restlessness? Picking at nails? Leg shaking?
How does your body feel when it is ready to work on a task? How does it feel when you really don't want to work on a task?
How do feelings of overwhelm affect your breath and body?
Working with pain and discomfort meditation
Shoe tying exercise
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 3: Mindful Awareness of Thoughts and Emotions
Review from last time
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
Intro to mindful awareness of thoughts and non-judgmentally observing thoughts
Mind like a sky concept
You are not your thoughts!
How can we change our relationship with our thoughts?
Mindfulness of thoughts exercise
What does your sky look like?
ADHD and judgmental thoughts - what is your lived experience?
Other common out-of-balance thinking with ADHD discussion
What is your lived experience?
Both overly negative and positive can be bad!
Break :)
Intro to mindful awareness of emotions
Emotions have 3 main components:
Thoughts
Body sensations
Feelings
Why positive and negative emotions are both important
Do you tend to avoid negative emotions?
Emotional states are impermanent and everchanging, much like ourselves!
ADHD viewed as only cognitive and behavioral - but always has had large emotional component
How do you believe ADHD has affected your emotions or emotional regulation?
RAIN acronym
R = recognize
A = accept
I = investigate
N = not personalize
Cultivating loving kindness
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 4: Mindful Awareness of Presence and Life as a Journey
Review from last time
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
Mindful awareness of presence and interactions: a key to effective communication!
Ties into common difficulties with ADHD, like not listening, day dreaming, being unaware of tone, or losing thought.
Avoiding rumination
Mindful presence exercise and discussion
Different facets of attention:
Alerting
Orienting
Conflict
Shoe tying meditation and discussion
Break :)
Mindful awareness of interactions intro
ADHD-related cognitive behavioral symptoms: interrupting, blurting things out, talking too much
ADHD-influenced communication can lead to others feeling frustrated and the ADHD individual feeling insecure, isolated, or criticized
Rejection sensitivity and how this influences our communication style
The flow of conversation visual example
Mindful listening and speaking exercise with discussion after
Mindful awareness of life as a journey
What does it look like to integrate mindfulness into our every day lives?
Acceptance-change didactic
Renewing intentions
Why use mindfulness for ADHD?
Closing meditation and discussion of intention for future
Eight 1-Hour Sessions
Session 1: Overview of Course & Brief Intro to Mindfulness
Opening questions:
What is your motivation for taking this course?
What is your lived experience with ADHD? How has it affected your life?
ADHD psychoeducation
Diagnostic criteria
Assessment and professional opinions
Medical vs. Dimensional model with ADHD
What is mindfulness?
Automatic pilot mode
Driving with music example
Intro to attention and 5 senses
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 2: Continued Intro to Mindfulness
Review from last time
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
Rubin's vase visual example
Mindful eating exercise
Common difficulties with mindful awareness and ADHD
What is your lived experience with this?
Acceptance-change didactic
Mindfulness of breath activity and discussion
It takes time to relax!
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 3: Noticing Shifts in Attention
Review from last time
Brief counting meditation opening exercise
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
The 3 anchors to the present moment:
Sound
Breath
Body
Mindful awareness of music exercise
Mindful awareness of sound demonstration
Mindful stretching and standing
How do we balance our focus on the 3 anchors?
Hourglass meditation
Foreground and background of awareness visual example
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 4: Noticing Shifts in Body Awareness
Review from last time
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
STOP acronym
S = stop (or pause)
T = take a breath and relax
O = observe the present moment
P = proceed
Getting into one's body - how does ADHD show up in your body? Fidgeting? Restlessness? Picking at nails? Leg shaking?
How does your body feel when it is ready to work on a task? How does it feel when you really don't want to work on a task?
How do feelings of overwhelm affect your breath and body?
Working with pain and discomfort meditation
Shoe tying exercise
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 5: Mindful Awareness of Thoughts
Review from last time
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
Intro to mindful awareness of thoughts and non-judgmentally observing thoughts
Mind like a sky concept
You are not your thoughts!
How can we change our relationship with our thoughts?
Mindfulness of thoughts exercise
What does your sky look like?
ADHD and judgmental thoughts - what is your lived experience?
Other common out-of-balance thinking with ADHD discussion
What is your lived experience?
Both overly negative and positive can be bad!
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 6: Mindful Awareness of Emotions
Review from last time
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
Intro to mindful awareness of emotions
Emotions have 3 main components:
Thoughts
Body sensations
Feelings
Why positive and negative emotions are both important
Do you tend to avoid negative emotions?
Emotional states are impermanent and everchanging, much like ourselves!
ADHD viewed as only cognitive and behavioral - but always has had large emotional component
How do you believe ADHD has affected your emotions or emotional regulation?
RAIN acronym
R = recognize
A = accept
I = investigate
N = not personalize
Cultivating loving kindness
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 7: Mindful Awareness of Presence and Interactions
Review from last time
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
Mindful awareness of presence and interactions: a key to effective communication!
Ties into common difficulties with ADHD, like not listening, day dreaming, being unaware of tone, or losing thought.
Avoiding rumination
Mindful presence exercise and discussion
Different facets of attention:
Alerting
Orienting
Conflict
Shoe tying meditation and discussion
Closing meditation and discussion of at-home practice
Session 8: Mindful Awareness of Life as a Journey
Review from last time
Discussion of at-home practice - any difficulties? strengths?
Mindful awareness of interactions intro
ADHD-related cognitive behavioral symptoms: interrupting, blurting things out, talking too much
ADHD-influenced communication can lead to others feeling frustrated and the ADHD individual feeling insecure, isolated, or criticized
Rejection sensitivity and how this influences our communication style
The flow of conversation visual example
Mindful listening and speaking exercise with discussion after
Mindful awareness of life as a journey
What does it look like to integrate mindfulness into our every day lives?
Acceptance-change didactic
Renewing intentions
Why use mindfulness for ADHD?
Closing meditation and discussion of intention for future
Comments