ADHD Community Comes Together for Annual Conference
The largest gathering of the world ADHD community will come together for the 2021 Virtual International Conference on ADHD, starting today, November 4, and continuing until Saturday, November 6. The annual conference is hosted by CHADD, along with partners ADDA (Attention Deficit Disorder Association) and ACO (ADHD Coaches Organization), and features ADHD-focused science, education, and essential information, as well as support and community.
Audience members will include adults with ADHD, parents and caregivers of children with ADHD, educators, coaches, advocates, and clinicians who diagnose and treat patients with ADHD.
The conference is held every year in November, directly following ADHD Awareness Month in October. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this gathering will once again be presented in a virtual format. This necessity invites the opportunity for a greater number of people to attend as travel is not a barrier and amplifies the number of sessions available.
Themed Learn. Laugh. Connect. this year’s conference will feature 180 sessions of various kinds―a sizable increase from previous years―presented by renowned ADHD clinicians, researchers, and coaches, including trainings for service providers in the ADHD Professional Institute workshops; numerous peer-to-peer sessions, activities, and networking opportunities; a virtual exhibit hall; a talent show; and much more.
“As always, the conference offers a multitude of useful information for anyone who has an interest in ADHD, whether for themselves, a romantic partner, child, client, patient or student,” said Ari Tuckman, PsyD, one of CHADD’s professional experts and a conference co-chair. “The past 18 months have proven particularly challenging for children and adults with ADHD, and these individuals are once again facing a new set of challenges in the transition back to the classroom and the office. Whether you’re new to ADHD or quite familiar with this diagnosis, if you want to learn more, this conference is the place to be.”
Featured as this year’s keynote speakers are Sarah Vinson, MD, coauthor of Social (In)Justice and Mental Health, who will offer “Structural and Cultural Considerations in ADHD” as the opening keynote; Caroline Maguire, MEd, who will discuss “How to Get Along with Everyone” in the Friday keynote; and Dani Donovan, whose ADHD Storytelling graphic amassed over 100 million views (and a celebrity re-post from Mindy Kaling!) will speak on “The Art of Self-Disclosure: How I Accidentally Became an ADHD Influencer Overnight” as the closing keynote.
Session topics include:
- Supporting ADHD at Work
- Helping Distracted and Unmotivated Teens with ADHD
- ADHD and Relationships
- Mastering Emotions
- Building Resilience in Kids
- Social Anxiety
- Remote vs. In-Person Instruction and ADHD
- Seeking Accommodations for ADHD Students
- ADHD and Public Policy
- Self-Compassion and Mindfulness
- Untreated ADHD and Suicide Rates Among Black Youth
- Legal Issues in Special Education
- Preparing Young Adults to Launch
- How Hormones Influence Your ADHD
- Introduction to Medications for the Treatment of ADHD
- Strategies for Top ADHD Productivity
The international event is a natural extension of ADHD Awareness Month, aimed at educating the public about ADHD by disseminating reliable information based on the evidence of science and peer-reviewed research. CHADD, ADDA, and ACO have joined forces for this awareness initiative as well, collectively shining the spotlight on ADHD, sharing the facts, working to remove the stigma, and highlighting the resources available to support the ADHD community. The theme of ADHD Awareness Month this year is “Reframing ADHD: Discovering New Perspectives.”
While October may officially be ADHD Awareness Month, increased knowledge and understanding of this disorder is critically needed every day.
For more information about the conference or to register, please visit the 2021 Virtual International Conference on ADHD website.