Genes

ADHD & Marriage News - May 3, 2023

Quote of the Week
“Genes do not seal your fate.”
-Joel Nigg, PhD
Genes
There is no one gene that accounts for ADHD…there are many. But it is largely hereditary and so it makes sense that some people wonder if their genes seal their fate.
Having a set of genes is different from the expression of those genes. And the expression of genes can be impacted by environmental changes. This is what the non-medicinal parts of ADHD management are often about, in fact. An adult with ADHD does not have to be a victim of their ADHD. Improving sleep hygiene, increasing exercise, and managing stress all impact the severity of, and expression of, ADHD symptoms. Medications do, too. In fact, research done by Russell Barkley and others suggests that the majority of adults with ADHD can find a medication that significantly improves their management of ADHD. Meaning, of course, that genes do not dictate what your life is about.
One refrain that I hear from ADHD-impacted couples is “is this just the way it is? Does the non-ADHD partner just have to adapt to ADHD?” From the ADHD partner’s perspective, the question is asked as “Can’t you just love me as I am?” My answer to both is ‘It’s important that both partners contribute their ‘best selves’ to their relationships.” That means that ADHD partners do need to manage ADHD symptoms that get in their way…and non-ADHD partners need to address their frustration, anger, co-dependency and more.
Genes do not seal your fate. There is much that couples can do to improve their partnership.
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 9-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
Filling Spaces

ADHD & Marriage News - April 25, 2023

Quote of the Week
“What if tomorrow is the only time I have? Am I going to fixate on what I don’t have?...I came into my relationship as an individual and my primary responsibility is to work on myself. We can’t experience our lives fully if we expect someone else to fill in our spaces.”
-A support group member
Filling Spaces
Staying in the present moment and making the most of every day is so important to emotional well-being, and this woman put such an interesting spin on this idea! We all have ‘spaces’ inside us, and many people make the mistake of going outside of themselves to get those spaces filled in order to feel more complete.
And yet, we are only in control of ourselves and only responsible for ourselves. Our spaces are ours to fill. No one else can do that for us, no matter how we love them, or they love us.
The first part of this process is realizing we are responsible for ‘experiencing our lives fully.’ That means self-care and compassion and understanding we are responsible for ourselves. The science on happiness also suggests living fully includes having a sense of purpose.
Are you expecting a partner to fill in your spaces?
NEWS and EVENTS:
➤ My next live seminar will be in Fall 2023. If you can't wait, register for my Self-Study Seminar - Available to start now / 1 year access / Move at your own pace / Includes materials & recordings from the live seminar.
*If you wish to be notified of future live seminars, please add your name to our seminar notification list.
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 9-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
Over-giving

ADHD & Marriage News - March 30, 2023

Quote of the Week
“You can’t give from an empty cup.”
- the daughter of a friend, encouraging her to work less and sleep more
Over-giving
Some people are natural givers and caretakers. We are so lucky to have them in our lives. And yet, it is too easy to ‘over-give’ to one’s own detriment.
What does over-giving look like? A few examples:
- Working so hard you rarely sleep
- Always putting other people’s needs ahead of your own
- Taking it upon yourself to educate other adults about how they might do better
How does over-giving show up in your own life? Perhaps you…
- Feel under-appreciated or resentful you must take on so much
- Are sleep deprived on behalf of others
- Regularly rescue others from their messes or problems
- Feel depleted or depressed
- Feel responsible for other adults’ outcomes
Giving is wonderful. But too much giving takes a real toll – on your health (you need that sleep and less stress!); on your family (you aren’t available to them when you are depleted); on your relationships (repeatedly rescuing a partner often feels like a put down to that partner) and more.
I urge you to take some time to think about what you need to feel more emotionally and physically whole, and then start pursuing some of that. Others can, and should, get along without quite so much help from you. Try it! Even in small shift in ‘over-giving’ can make a big difference.
NEWS and EVENTS:
➤
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 8-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group (two session have openings) and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group (Apr - Jun 2023 full) - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
A Simple Moral Code

ADHD & Marriage News - February 23, 2023

Quote of the Week
“(My husband) has a simple moral code. He tells the truth and does the right thing.”
- My Aunt
A Simple Moral Code
Relationship expert, John Gottman, has done a lot of research into what comprises the elements of trust. His research suggests a simple equation – ‘transparency’ plus what he calls ‘positive moral certainty’. Transparency is about being honest (transparent) as well as following through on what you promise. Positive moral certainty is knowing that your partner is ethical and will treat you with respect and kindness.
In my couples’ seminar I talk about rebuilding trust in your relationship, as well as the way that this trust equation must be modified to accommodate ADHD. Because it is impossible that a person with ADHD who sometimes doesn’t follow through on promises due to the presence of ADHD symptoms is inherently and always untrustworthy! Yet, the inconsistency that ADHD symptoms adds must be accommodated in some way that is reassuring to both parties for trust to remain intact (or be rebuilt).
The ‘secret sauce’ is to add the ideas of owning ADHD symptoms and symptomatic behaviors, and being transparent about issues as they come up. That might mean putting a backup system in place to call a partner if you’re running late to pick up the kids. Or owning that you didn’t complete an important project and taking responsibility for creating (and executing) a plan to get it done now. And…if you don’t have the skills in place to fully execute, taking responsibility to figure out how to learn those skills…or admitting that the project must done a different way – perhaps hiring it out, or exchanging tasks with a partner.
Doing the ‘right thing,’ as my Aunt would say, means taking responsibility…even if one is not always consistent…and making sure you are always honest as you do so.
Does trust need to be repaired in your relationship? Consider taking my spring Couples Seminar that starts March 13. I won't give it again until the Fall.
➤ REGISTER NOW for the ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' LIVE 9 session Seminar, 7:30pm EASTERN time.
March 13: Session 1: Optimizing ADHD treatment; Understanding the differences between you
March 21: Session 2: Interpreting ADHD symptoms; Symptom/response/response cycles & how to interrupt them; Defensiveness & anger intro
March 28: *Break (No live lesson) – Please put in your calendars for catch up work
April 4: Session 3: Getting out of parent/child dynamics; The healing process; Setting boundaries
April 11: Session 4: NEW SESSION IN 2023! Dealing with strong emotions in ADHD-impacted relationships
April 18: Session 5: Communication strategies that work
April 25: Session 6: Getting away from fights and chore wars; Bonus video: Getting organized with ADHD–the emotional issues plus what works
May 2: Session 7: Difficult to understand behaviors: The skinny on lying, affairs, pornography, and more
May 8: Session 8: Rebuilding trust; the science of finding joy in your ADHD-impacted relationship
May 16: Session 9: Conflict intimacy; sex and desire; setting personal boundaries; next steps
- For a more detailed curriculum, go to this page.
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 8-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships. The next live session STARTS March 13, 2023.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group (few openings) and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group (Spring 2023 Group - April 19, 2023 - June 7, 2023 - Registration open now!) - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
The Rescuer

ADHD & Marriage News - March 4, 2023

Quote of the Week
“…the impetus to offer up a solution comes from an instinct to avoid conflict and minimize pain, namely your pain. What we’re really saying is, Your pain is causing me pain, so I’ll tell you what to do in an effort to stop feeling this pain. Compulsively fixing happens to carry a major side benefit: we get to avoid dealing with our own emotional experiences.”
-Teri Cole, describing high functioning codependents
The Rescuer
I resemble this. Some people call it fixing. Some call it rescuing. Some call it being controlling. By any name, it’s one person offering solutions to another so that you don’t need to feel some sort of pain. Partners do this in all sorts of ways. Here are some examples:
- Instructing your kids to tell their absent father how much they love him to try to build connections between them (and lessen your own pain that this isn’t happening more naturally)
- Creating a social life for your partner because your partner doesn’t do this on their own (lessens the pain of observing their isolation, possibly lessens your own pain of being with someone less social than you)
- Reminding your partner for the 10th time to get their prescription filled (lessening the pain of their irritability when they aren’t medicated)
- Suggesting ways your partner might clean up his closet or office to make it more orderly (lessening the discomfort you feel when you come across the mess)
There are a number of specific issues that rescuing creates, most notably that the person being rescued has less reason to address the issue themselves because you’re taking over responsibility for it. But in the long run, precisely because the person doesn’t need to address the issue, your rescuing may well result in resentment. Do you want to rescue forever?
When trying to move away from rescuing (and please do this!) it can help to identify the pain is inside yourself that you are trying to address…this can help you create a plan of action for yourself (first) and how to address your partner in a respectful way (second) if that’s called for.
Would you consider picking one way one of you is rescuing the other and changing your patterns?
NEWS and EVENTS:
➤ REGISTER NOW for the ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' LIVE 9 session Seminar - 7:30pm EASTERN time. Starts MONDAY, March 13
What you both need to know - now!
- Learn how to trust again
- Get out of destructive patterns such as parent/child dynamics and the chore wars
- Become closer than you have been in a long time, and find the joy and intimacy you miss
- Let go of your anger and frustration
- Move from “correcting problems” to “enjoying each other”
- Navigate and optimize ADHD treatments
- Tap into hope for your relationship
- Cope with having a partner who is not yet in control of their anger
- Improve your communication skills
- For a more detailed curriculum, go to this page.
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 8-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships. The next live session STARTS March 13, 2023.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group (few openings) and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group (Spring 2023 Group - April 19, 2023 - June 7, 2023 - Registration open now!) - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
Unsafe

ADHD & Marriage News - March 29, 2023

Quote of the Week
“Often, playing, resting, saying no, slowing down, having fun, being imperfect, living in our bodies, feeling our emotions, and asking for help feel unsafe in the present because they were unsafe in the past.”
-life coach Sarah Noble
Unsafe
I was struck by how true this statement is, particularly for people used to criticism in their lives. For ADHD partners, that Constant Critique (as Ned Hallowell calls it) comes early on. One research study suggests that children with ADHD are the recipients of 20,000 more critiques by the age of 12 than their neuro-typical counterparts. The hurt represented in that number is astounding.
Non-ADHD partners, and particularly women, have other issues that may have made their past impact their present moment, including our societally common concerns about female body image and, for some, asking for what one wants. Even strong women may give too much of themselves to others because they believe it is expected of them.
Where to go with all this pain? Creating a safe space for ourselves means learning self-compassion. Slowing down and giving oneself an internal hug. Allowing that our emotions may be messy, but that’s okay. Having the courage to confront the issues we bring forward with us from the past. It is important to learn to love ourselves, and make ourselves safe, one step at a time.
Are there parts of your past that deserve reflection and self-compassion?
NEWS and EVENTS:
➤ In this Psychology Today post, I write a personal story about learning how to be more self-compassionate in the face of strong emotions, and how doing so helped me grow.
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 8-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group (two session have openings) and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group (Apr - Jun 2023 full) - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
Joy Snacking

ADHD & Marriage News - March 15, 2023

Quote of the Week
“Here’s an antidote to an ever-stressful, busy, and uncertain world. Try finding and savoring little bites of joy in your day. I call them “joy” snacks.”
-Richard Sima, Washington Post (11/17/22)
Joy Snacking
Mindfulness is well known to improve mental health, but I had never thought of it in these words. And, truth be told, joy snacking sounds so much more fun than setting up a mindfulness practice!
So I started joy snacking and love it! You might, too.
What moments give you joy is personal, but here is one example of how this works. In the mornings my cat, Pepper, likes to jump in my lap as I’m finishing my breakfast. In the past I’ve petted him a little, then put him off my lap to continue with my day. Now I joy snack and spend several minutes noticing how lovely his loud purring is (and how happy it makes me!), the feel of his fur, the pleasure he shows at being with me. Sometimes I tell him “This is a great joy snack! Thank you!” Feeling gratitude in the moment makes it all the better.
There are other moments I’m much more likely to notice than before I started thinking about joy snacking. Really, these little snacks make my days sweeter. Which, of course, is the point.
What joy snacks might be in your life?
NEWS and EVENTS:
➤ REGISTER NOW for the ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' LIVE 9 session Seminar - It started on Monday, but you can still join us. Listen to the recording (all sessions are recorded) and then join in Tuesday March 21st.
MONDAY, March 13: Session 1: Optimizing ADHD treatment; Understanding the differences between you
TUESDAY, March 21: Session 2: Interpreting ADHD symptoms; Symptom/response/response cycles & how to interrupt them; Defensiveness & anger intro
Tues, March 28: *Break (No live lesson) – Please put in your calendars for catch up work
Tues, April 4: Session 3: Getting out of parent/child dynamics; The healing process; Setting boundaries
Tues, April 11: Session 4: NEW SESSION IN 2023! Dealing with strong emotions in ADHD-impacted relationships
Tues, April 18: Session 5: Communication strategies that work
Tues, April 25: Session 6: Getting away from fights and chore wars; Bonus video: Getting organized with ADHD–the emotional issues plus what works
Tues, May 2: Session 7: Difficult to understand behaviors: The skinny on lying, affairs, pornography, and more
MONDAY, May 8: Session 8: Rebuilding trust; the science of finding joy in your ADHD-impacted relationship
TUESDAY, May 16: Session 9: Conflict intimacy; sex and desire; setting personal boundaries; next steps
- For a more detailed curriculum, go to this page.
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 8-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships. The next live session STARTED March 13, 2023.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
Starting Tomorrow...

ADHD & Marriage News - January 10, 2023

Quote of the Week
“When your partner is in a state of disrepair, it’s a one-way street. Everybody gets this wrong. It’s not supposed to be “Well, these are your issues, here are mine.” When your partner is in disrepair, it’s like you are working at the customer-service window. Your partner says, “I want a new microwave.” They don’t want to hear that your toaster doesn’t work. They want you to fix their microwave. Later on, we can hear about your issue, but not then. The question of who’s right and who’s wrong is irrelevant. What matters is how we, as a team, are going to make this work for both of us.”
-Terrence Real
One Thing at a Time
How many times have you felt unheard because your partner responded to a complaint of yours with a complaint of their own?! And how often have you done the same to your partner? (Be honest, now!)
Yeah, I recognized myself in this quote as well as most of the couples I’ve worked with.
But as is Real’s way, this is a lighthearted example for a really important habit partners create. When your partner comes to you, it’s not about you…it’s about them and their problem. Later it can be about you.
This replying to a complaint with a complaint is a hard habit to break. One way to do it is to have regular meetings (perhaps one hour per week) set aside to talk about emotional or relationship issues. The speaker gets a chance to really talk about their issue in-depth. Learning conversations can help because they are structured. Another would be to have a verbal cue that allows the initiating partner to communicate “hey – this is about my issue right now…we’ll talk about yours at another time!” asking the other partner to listen first.
Does thinking of yourself at the service window give you any ideas?
NEWS and EVENTS:
➤ Don't Delay- Starting TOMORROW January 11, 2023 - REGISTER NOW for the ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' LIVE 8 - Now 9 with same price - session Seminar - . This is MY premier seminar that has changed the lives of many, many couples impacted by ADHD.
Podcast Naming Challenge!
I'm looking for some assistance coming up with a great name for a podcast with fellow ADHD relationship expert, Susan Tschudi. Not surprisingly, the podcast will be all about ADHD and relationships - primary partnerships as the focus, but also family, friendships and more. The tone will be friendly, with lively and informative conversations between Susan and me about important topics, plus regular guests, useful tips, and some topics based specifically in the real stories of struggling couples.
Can you help us create a great, catchy podcast title? If it helps, our initials happen to combine into MOST (Melissa Orlov and Susan Tschudi).
Please use this contact form to send your ideas (all are welcome!) by January 15. And thanks in advance for sharing your creativity with us!
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 8-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships. The next live session STARTS January 11, 2023.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
Fear and Bravery

ADHD & Marriage News - March 9, 2023

Quote of the Week
“(Those who want to be braver need to remember that) feeling fear is not the opposite of being brave. It’s a necessary requirement for being brave.”
-Abigail Marsh, neuroscientist
Fear and Bravery
Marsh gave a fascinating speech I attended a couple of months ago. The topic was the neuroscience of courage. It made me think of what it takes to be brave in a relationship. To address walking on eggshells; to initiate intimacy after years of a hiatus; to ask for counseling; to reach out and repair when you also feel shame. All of these are examples of being courageous in a relationship.
Fear is often present in these situations, most notably fear of failure, rejection or anger. But believing that one must feel safe in order to address these situations may invert the order of events – for one must be courageous to address difficult topics, and thus it is likely that one will feel fear. The safety comes after the courage, and because of the courage to be open and work things through.
That said, emotional dysregulation blows up a couple’s ability to utilize either partner’s willingness to reach out courageously, because acts of bravery such as reaching out or making oneself vulnerable may turn into acts of self-destruction when a triggered partner responds thoughtlessly. It’s one of the reasons that emotional dysregulation is often a bigger issue than classic ADHD symptoms in relationships.
The good news is that emotional dysregulation can be addressed in many people either with medication, therapy or both. There is often childhood trauma at the heart of emotional dysregulation.
If you are an emotionally dysregulated partner, make it a top priority to get that under control so that you both can head bravely towards a better future together. And remember – fear is part of the courageous acts needed to turn things around – including starting the process of managing your emotions.
NEWS and EVENTS:
➤ STARTING THIS MONDAY - REGISTER NOW for the ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' LIVE 9 session Seminar - Begins MARCH 13, 2023. This is MY premier seminar that has changed the lives of many, many couples impacted by ADHD.
"We are in the best place we have ever been as a couple - and without your course we would never have managed that - in fact, without your course we wouldn't have managed to stay together...."
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 8-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships. The next live session STARTS MARCH 13, 2023.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
![]() |
Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |
The Brain Cannot Do Negatives!

ADHD & Marriage News - February 15, 2023

Quote of the Week
“You won’t be successful for very long if you try to stop yelling at work or at home. The frustration of trying to suppress the impulse to yell while focused on not yelling will likely make you yell more. That’s because the brain cannot do negatives; it must do something instead of what you don’t want to do. If you practice speaking to others respectfully, with sensitivity to their individual sensibilities, you will not yell at them and are far more likely to get cooperation from them.”
-Steven Stosny, PhD
The Brain Cannot Do Negatives!
Okay, this concept is a biggie when it comes to ADHD-impacted relationships!
How many times have you said “I’ll try to stop (fill in the blank – yelling/being late/criticizing etc)?” You try and it works for a bit, but then comes back. The idea that our brains require us to replace a bad habit with a better one is critical to creating change that works.
This is one reason why the behavioral strategies for ADHD are so helpful. Rather than just ‘trying harder’ to be on time, a tardy person might set alarms and reminders to enable a different approach. Focusing on creating a habit of alarms is proactive, as well as effective. A partner who is wishing to be less critical, must practice being more positive (i.e. the thing that replaces the negativity) to be able to employ it more easily. Verbal cues for do-overs, gratitude and appreciation practices, and thinking about what one wishes to say ahead of time are all replacement strategies shown to help.
And, as Stosny points out, the benefit is both that you are working with your brain, and that you increase the likelihood that your partner will respond positively to you.
Where in your life might Stosny’s information about how the brain cannot do negatives help?
NEWS and EVENTS:
➤ REGISTER NOW for the ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' LIVE 9 session Seminar - Tuesdays and 2 Mondays, 7:30pm EASTERN time.
MONDAY, March 13: Session 1: Optimizing ADHD treatment; Understanding the differences between you
TUESDAY, March 21: Session 2: Interpreting ADHD symptoms; Symptom/response/response cycles & how to interrupt them; Defensiveness & anger intro
Tues, March 28: *Break (No live lesson) – Please put in your calendars for catch up work
Tues, April 4: Session 3: Getting out of parent/child dynamics; The healing process; Setting boundaries
Tues, April 11: Session 4: NEW SESSION IN 2023! Dealing with strong emotions in ADHD-impacted relationships
Tues, April 18: Session 5: Communication strategies that work
Tues, April 25: Session 6: Getting away from fights and chore wars; Bonus video: Getting organized with ADHD–the emotional issues plus what works
Tues, May 2: Session 7: Difficult to understand behaviors: The skinny on lying, affairs, pornography, and more
MONDAY, May 8: Session 8: Rebuilding trust; the science of finding joy in your ADHD-impacted relationship
TUESDAY, May 16: Session 9: Conflict intimacy; sex and desire; setting personal boundaries; next steps
- For a more detailed curriculum, go to this page.
Resources For those in relationships impacted by ADHD
SEMINARS, GROUPS:
ADHD Effect In-Depth Couples' Seminar - Is your relationship in trouble? My highly acclaimed 8-session Zoom seminar has helped many couples thrive in healthier, happier relationships. The next live session STARTS March 13, 2023.
Non ADHD Partner Support Group (few openings) and ADHD New Habit Coaching Group (Spring 2023 Group - April 19, 2023 - June 7, 2023 - Registration open now!) - Be part of a community exploring similar issues, successes and struggles and find new, effective ways to be your best self in your relationship.
FREE RESOURCES:
How to Optimize Treatment for Adult ADHD;
Downloadable chapters of my books;
A community forum with other couples facing similar issues;
A large number of blog posts on various topics;
ADULT ADHD CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life!
Question? Contact Melissa.
© 2023 Melissa Orlov
For those in marriages impacted by ADHD
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Adult ADHD can have a huge impact on your relationship. ADHDmarriage.com can literally change your life! Questions? Contact us |