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but they're still gifts. They may even point the way that our species is evolving.

If we medicate those gifts to minimize them, we risk losing those gifts altogether.

ADD, ADHD, UNDERSTANDING AND "THE BOX"

During the following months, my practice attracted many clients with Attention Deficit Disorder and forms of hyperactivity. I was one of the few who understood them as gifts, not diseases.

My staff and I used to joke that I'd become an "ADD magnet." But, those months were a tremendous educational experience. Some of my clients already knew about ADD and ADHD. They'd already been diagnosed. They knew the terminology and the popular medical solutions. Some even chose the ADD label because, finally, it defined who they were.

Those clients can be the most difficult to work with. The ADD "box" acts as a protection and a defense. To help them, we must convince them to step outside that box. For someone who has lived without boundaries, that's a very scary step. The box is the safe place to be. Convincing them to step outside can be challenging.

HOW TO HELP

The following basics can help anyone who is dealing with ADD and ADHD in children and adults.

* ADD and ADHD are gifts.

* The ADD and ADHD labels are over-used. They may mask other conditions that need to be examined.

* In addition, ADD and ADHD can be masked by other, more obvious conditions. Medication can make it even more difficult to identify attention, activity and boundary issues.
* Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity, affect four levels: Physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Each level must be addressed separately.
* In most cases, ADD and ADHD need to be managed, not drugged.

* In almost all cases, these people also have heightened perceptions of - and sensitivities to - spirituality. That spirituality can provide a bridge to help them, as well as support during episodes of extreme activity and/or vulnerability.

Because these and other conditions can be "layered," diagnosis and treatment can be difficult with some clients. However, this also makes the work constantly engaging, challenging and intriguing.

THE FIRST STEP

In most cases, the first major issue is the client's feeling of isolation. To resolve that, clients may have developed inappropriate behaviors. For example, they may be accustomed to creating emergencies and drama to attract attention and support.

Until the sense of isolation is addressed, those behaviors can slow treatment. Once the client feels a stronger connection to those

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