ADHD & Marriage Consultants
Melissa Orlov, Founder
Consultant - Couples; Support group moderator
Founder of ADHDmarriage.com, Melissa Orlov is a top expert in how ADHD affects relationships, the lead consultant for ADHD & Marriage Consulting, and an award-winning author. She has been writing and speaking about the topic since 2007, researching it since 2005. She teaches couples, therapists, counselors and coaches about how ADHD impacts relationships and offers private counseling to couples who wish to improve their ADHD-impacted relationships. Her very popular couples seminar has helped many struggling couples turn their relationships around. Melissa blogs for Psychology Today, at this site, and guest writes for many others. She wrote the Your Relationships column for ADDitude Magazine from 2008-2014
She is the author of The ADHD Effect on Marriage, which was awarded "Best Psychological Book of 2010" by ForeWord Reviews. Her second book, The Couple's Guide to Thriving with ADHD, with Nancie Kohlenberger won three book awards, including best psychology book of 2014.
Melissa has been interviewed frequently on the topic of ADHD and marriage by organizations as diverse as the New York Times, CNN, and the American Psychological Association Monitor (more complete list here). Her hobbies include road biking, singing and playing the cello.
"I love helping couples find the love they thought they had lost and keep their families together. Knowing about ADHD - and responses to ADHD - is a game changer!"
Tami Anderson, MFTC, M.S.
Consultant - Couples; Individuals with ADHD; Partners of those with ADHD
For 25 years Tami has been helping couples and individuals focus on issues of intimacy, communication and developing the intentional, meaningful connections that lead to hope and playfulness in their relationships. She has broad training that includes family systems and psychology & theology, and has worked in clinical, non-profit, ministry, and higher education settings. She is also a certified yoga instructor and pays attention to the mind-body connection and somatic work that impacts relationships and self.
Tami uses a collaborative and effective ‘get it done’ style pulled from a large variety of research-based models such as Gottman, Solution-Focused, Mindfulness and Imago work. She creates a safe, non-judgmental and compassionate space to explore the barriers you face so you can break through impasses to reach your goals. Her style is warm, but also efficient enough to help you realize your potential and see results.
Tami will be offering couples intensives during the summer of 2023 - 8 weeks of two sessions a week - for those who are interested.
“Work towards growth does not always need to be a painful or grueling process. Partners can create positive, light and fun ways to find their path and enjoy a more hope-filled and fulfilling relationship.”
Amy Borla, M.S., MFT
Consultant – Couples; Individuals with ADHD; Partners of those with ADHD. Welcomes members of the LGBTQ+ community and those in non-traditional relationships such as consensual non-monogamy and kink
When working with couples, Amy starts from the position that every relationship is as unique as the people in it. No matter how much they love each other, misunderstandings, paired with ADHD and responses to ADHD, can reinforce damaging dynamics. When things get off track, each person has the ability to reestablish a deep and loving relationship – it can just take some help breaking free of those negative patterns.
Amy’s approach to providing that help is based in the science of attachment and connection which helps strengthen a couple’s emotional bond. When not consulting for ADHD & marriage, Amy works as a therapist at the Limerick Counseling Center in PA and is also a certified pre-marriage counselor.
When not in the office, Amy enjoys all sorts of crafts, doing puzzles and spending time with her family.
“It is the best feeling to know that couples’ relationships are improving as we work together. I am honored to be trusted as part of their process.”
Katherine Buoscio, ACC
Consultant – Individuals with ADHD; Couples seeking structural support; Non-ADHD partners seeking structural support
Katherine Buoscio is an ICF-certified, professionally trained ADHD coach who also happens to have decades of personal experience with ADHD in her family. She helps her clients reach their aspirations through goal setting, skillsets, and mindset work. Her passion for working with adults with ADHD comes from her deep appreciation for the struggles and frustrations of ADHD and the admiration of their superpowers such as Hyperfocus, Creativity, and Big Thinking. Her long-term goal for every client is that they not only reach their goals, but also learn how to better understand their own brain and learn the skills to become their own coach.
When not coaching, Katherine enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids, being outside or in a cafe reading a good book.
“I love seeing people make real changes in their lives, accomplish goals they didn’t believe they were capable of, and develop a newfound understanding of, and belief in, themselves.”
Kidan Kassahun, MA, ACC
Consultant - Specializes in working with women, both with and without ADHD
Kidan Kassahun is an Internal Family Systems life coach and ADHD coach, using gentle pathways for restoring self-trust and self-confidence. She focuses on women with ADHD, with guidance for navigating professional challenges and personal responsibilities. Her clients learn to access the right systems, structure and support that allow the gifts of ADHD to shine.
She is a graduate of Spelman College and Yale University. With over 20 years of experience as a non-profit director and entrepreneur, Kidan understands the impact of ADHD on achieving important goals and building strong partnerships.
Kidan parents two dynamic teenagers and her hobbies include tennis, hiking and travel.
"My greatest joy is when clients recognize their true capabilities and release limiting beliefs. They are finding the ways to achieve success that work for them."
Ashley Paradise, LMHC
Consultant –Couples; Professionals and executives; Adults with ADHD; Adult students
Ashley Paradise is a mental health professional who has been working in both corporate and clinical settings for over 18 years. Her approach is personally tailored to each client, and she pulls from her training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based and psychodynamic therapies to provide the approach best suited to every client’s or couple’s specific issues. Her passion centers around helping those that struggle with ADHD in their professional, academic, and personal/relational life. Those closest to her say it is her warm, compassionate, and down to earth nature that make her so good at what she does. She is a graduate of CUNY Queens College and Long Island University-CW Post.
Ashley is a mother to boy/girl twins who always keep her on her toes and enjoys reading, teaching, and spending time with her family in her free time.
“It is my clients who keep me motivated and energized! It’s inspiring that they have the courage to seek support, a commitment to staying focused, and an ability to discover strengths they often did not know they had.”
Alisa Wedemeyer, M. Ed
Consultant – Adults with ADHD; Couples
Alisa utilizes a warm, direct, strength and evidence-based approach in her work with individuals and couples impacted by ADHD. Currently a therapist and coach at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center in Washington state, she has been working with adults with ADHD for 4 years. Alisa has a degree in Liberal Studies and Psychology from Seattle University and an M. Ed from City University of Seattle. She excels in helping clients explore, identify, and overcome patterns and relational dynamics that serve as barriers to reaching their full potential as individuals, partners, and professionals.
In her home territory out west, Alisa enjoys sport climbing, gardening, reading and researching.
"What makes me happiest is seeing clients gain a new sense of self-belief, break free from limitations, discover new perspectives, and uncover their hidden strengths."
ADHD & Marriage Group Moderators
Rachel Ban, MSW, LiCSW
Support Group Moderator
Rachel Ban (she/her) is a clinical supervisor and therapist in a couples therapy group practice, and supports individuals navigating ADHD dynamics in their relationships in her private practice. She brings her extensive professional training in evidenced-based couples therapy and ADHD marriage dynamics, and personal experience in a former long-term ADHD impacted relationship to supporting non-ADHD partners in groups.
Rachel is committed to supporting all relationships, inclusive to all genders and sexual orientations. Her clients appreciate her calm, compassionate and incisive approach to difficult moments, and her fierce intelligence. Rachel is a graduate of Smith College and the University of Southern California School of Social Work. She is a mother to two kids, three cats and a very large and irrepressible puppy. She enjoys swimming with her kids, bringing friends together over a delicious meal, having her hands in the dirt in her garden, and hiking in national parks with her partner.
Lee Crespi, LCSW
Support Group Moderator
Lee Crespi is a psychotherapist in private practice for over forty years who specializes in working with couples where ADHD is an issue. She is trained in multiple approaches including Emotionally Focused Therapy and Collaborative Couples Therapy as well as having studied with Melissa Orlov on the ADHD Effect on Couples. She is a graduate of SUNY StonyBrook School of Social Welfare and the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy.
As a clinician and teacher she is known for her warm, compassionate style and her sense of humor. She and her wife have been together for 45 years and have one adult son. She is also a watercolor artist, a swimmer, and a dog lover.
Cameron Gott, PCC
ADHD Coaching Group Leader
Cam, a thought leader in positive accountability, effectively uses coaching techniques to support some of the most successful professionals and entrepreneurs challenged by ADHD. Cam has been coaching ADHD individuals for 20 years, supporting clients to make the changes they want to make. Cam co-hosts the podcast Translating ADHD. Cam also mentors ADHD coaches-in-training and speaks and teaches on a variety of topics including ADHD, coaching, leadership, accountability and his AEC Model for Change.
He was certified through The Coaches Training Institute and co-develops content and trains coaches through Coach Approach for Organizers with Denslow Brown and teaches for Laurie Dupar’s IACT-C coach training group. His Global Creative blog addresses the challenges and opportunities facing creative entrepreneurs and leaders and how mastering one’s life starts with understanding one’s brain. He lives outside of Charlottesville in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains with his wife of 25+ years and their two children.
Julie Heflin, LGPC, NCC
Support Group Moderator
Julie Heflin is a graduate of The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development with a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Her warm, direct, and engaging style combined with her ability to distill complicated relationship dynamics make her an excellent choice to lead non-ADHD support groups. In addition to her work with ADHD & Marriage, Julie provides individual counseling to young adults managing the impact of ADHD in their lives.
Julie has a passion for running, scuba diving and gardening. She and her husband of 35 years live in Maryland and western New York.
Administration
Kirsten Anders
Administrative Assistant
Many people first hear back from Kirsten after they contact us. She is our 'front office' contact who helps people get quick answers to some of the more common questions we field before moving them to be answered in more depth by another person, if needed. A native of Arizona, Kirsten recently moved to Nebraska and is enjoying the transition to family life in the cold.
Karissa Rigali
Executive Assistant
Karissa is the point person for all group and seminar registrations and logistics. She is the glue that holds these programs together so that Melissa can focus on delivering the content couples seek. She is also the coordinator for the ADHD & Marriage Consulting group. Karissa loves photography, nature, and living in western Massacusetts.
Christina Veal
Communications Guru
Christina Veal is a communications specialist who loves the blogosphere and has enough ADHD in the family to be interested in working as Melissa's right hand person. She searches the internet for content she thinks will be of interest to our readers and helps keep everything up-to-date. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and has a passionate interest in tennis. Ms. Veal lives outside Boston.
About Our Content
The opinions expressed on this web site are those of the individual authors and posters and should not be considered a substitute for counseling or medical guidance. Please see you doctor for specific medical advice.
