One of the first news stories of 2012 reported that the previous year's shortages of the medication Adderall would continue and likely worsen. Adderall is a stimulant medication used primarily in treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in millions of Americans. With the availability of one of the primary treatments in doubt, a great many people stand to benefit from Lidia Zylowska's eight-step program for applying mindfulness to relieve symptoms associated with the disorder. Readers familiar with Jon Kabat-Zinn's pioneering studies in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and his following books will find Zylowska's work familiar. Rather than letting our minds get tangled in concerns about recent events or projections about what may happen--whether planning a response in a conversation or worrying about the distant future--mindfulness involves remembering to bring your attention to what's happening in the here and now.
The writing nicely balances a thoughtful, comprehensive presentation of the various aspects of a mindfulness practice with a format geared toward making the content accessible for readers seeking to learn self-treatment skills. Nearly every page features bulleted lists, short paragraphs and narrative-form stories about mindfulness and ADHD. Structured to be accessible for its target audience, this supportive guide to managing ADHD through mindfulness offers a clear and detailed program for putting an effective treatment in the hands of consumers and is a great contrast to the many didactic, jargon-laden self-help books available. --Matthew Tiffany, counselor, writer for Condalmo