Kathleen Nadeau received her Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 1971. She was trained in those long-ago days that ADHD (then called Minimal Brain Dysfunction and Hyperkinesis) was a condition that only affected boys and that was outgrown at puberty.  It was also believed, in those days, that these children were all hyperactive behavior problems that tended to do poorly in school.

In her early years of practice, it became increasingly clear that what was widely believed about ADHD was not true.  She discovered that there were many girls that struggled with attentional problems, but didn’t fit the standard ADHD profile that developed through research on boys. She and others also recognized that there were children with attentional problems, both boys and girls, that were not at all hyperactive or impulsive.  Perhaps most importantly, she very quickly realized that this condition, supposedly outgrown at puberty, still affected many of the parents of the children she treated.

In the 30 plus years that she has been in practice, Kathleen Nadeau has devoted her career to identifying and engaging in public education about the myths of ADHD and what the real needs and issues are.

As co-director of Chesapeake Psychological Services, a clinic in Virginia that specialized in treating children with learning and attentional problems, she co-authored her first book, Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention. This book was inspired by her observation that there were no books available that addressed children directly, explaining what ADHD is and what they can do to improve their lives at home and at school.  This book, originally self-published as a hand-out for clients at her center, is now a best-selling children’s book published by the American Psychological Association, now in its third edition.

Focusing on Adult ADHD

By the late 1980’s, it became clear to her that ADHD was a lifelong condition and that adults didn’t have a mild “residual” form of ADHD, but a significant condition that impaired their ability to live well in their daily lives and achieve up to their potential. She began to think about the need for a book on adult ADHD for professionals and gathered together a group of 18 ADHD experts to contribute chapters to a book she edited titled A Comprehensive Guide to ADD in Adults, the first book for mental health professionals on the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults.

Focusing on women and girls

By the mid-1990’s there was more widespread recognition of adult ADHD. Kathleen Nadeau and her partner, Patricia Quinn, MD, turned their attention to another important, but overlooked population of individuals with ADHD – girls and women. Because ADHD was initially viewed as a childhood disorder primarily affecting boys, the diagnostic criteria were ill-suited to identify girls and women. Together, she and Patricia Quinn began writing and lecturing on this important topic. They founded the non-profit organization, the National Center for Gender Issues and ADHD, published a bi-monthly magazine, ADDvance, A Magazine for Women with ADHD, co-authored Understanding Girls with ADHD with Ellen Littman, Ph.D., and co-edited Gender Issues and ADHD  and Understanding Women with ADHD.  Both Kathleen Nadeau and Patricia Quinn were recognized for their work in raising awareness of the needs of girls and women by CHADD (the largest national advocacy organization for ADHD) receiving the CHADD Hall of Fame Award.

Focus on young adults

One of the most difficult life passages for someone with ADHD is the transition to adulthood. Because organization, time management and daily life management skills can be very difficult it’s very challenging to leave the structure and support of home and learn the skills to succeed independently.   Kathleen Nadeau has worked with young adults for many years, helping them to make this transition. She wrote her books Help4ADD@HighSchool  and A College Survival Guide for Students with ADD and LD. She is currently working on a new book for the parents of young adults to help them balance on the tight rope of providing their children with enough support to succeed while not creating dependence through too much support.

Focus on real world life management for adults

One of the things that Kathleen Nadeau realized as she reviewed the many books published on ADHD in the 1990’s was that many books focused on understanding what ADHD is, but few of them provided practical guidance on how to live well with ADHD. In working with the many adults in her practice over the years, her focus has always been on structured, solution-focused treatment. This approach is reflected in her books: ADD in the Workplace, Adventures in Fast Forward (Life, Love and Work for Adults with ADD), and ADD-friendly Ways to Organize Your Life (co-authored with professional organizer Judith Kohlberg).

Time Management Software

Consistent with her pragmatic, solution-focused approach to ADHD, she has worked with her partner, computer scientist Alex Turetsky, to develop Skoach, a web-based time management software tool specifically designed to improve daily life management skills. (For more information about Skoach, visit skoach.com.)

Kathleen Nadeau is the director of the Chesapeake ADHD Center of Maryland, in Silver Spring, Maryland, a private specialty clinic that provides assessment and treatment for ADHD and the broad spectrum of related conditions. She provides professional consultations, and works closely with her staff to provide the most up-to-date comprehensive treatment for ADHD.  She continues to actively write and lectures nationally and internationally.