Libraries across the country are recognizing the power of neurodiversity programming to create inclusive spaces for all learners. This summer, our own Nadine Schumont demonstrated this commitment when she was featured at Stratford Public Library’s “Voices of the World” program on July 23.
Nadine shared her book Owen’s Rainbow Mind: A Mysterious Summer of Discovery — a story inspired by her client Owen and his younger brother Caleb. The book follows their magical summer adventure sparked by a mysterious map. Guided by a wise old owl, Owen learns to embrace his picture-thinking mind and use his unique strengths.
The story reflects the core philosophy behind the Davis Method: thinking differently isn’t a deficit — it’s a gift.
During the library event, participants engaged in interactive activities designed to help them step into Owen’s world. This hands-on approach mirrors the Davis Method’s signature clay-based learning techniques that help neurodivergent learners master concepts through tactile, visual experiences.
Recent research shows that libraries nationwide are developing programming specifically for neurodivergent youth and their families, creating sensory-friendly environments and autism-inclusive early literacy services. These initiatives recognize that different minds require different approaches to learning.
Neurodivergent individuals, including those with dyslexia, ADHD, and autism, tend to think non-verbally using mentally generated sensory impressions that can be visual, tactile, kinesthetic, or auditory. They are imaginative, creative, empathetic, and often solve problems by looking at the whole picture rather than working step-by-step.
This thinking style, which can seem challenging in traditional learning environments, becomes a superpower when properly understood and supported.
The Davis Method doesn’t rely on accommodations like special devices or medication. Instead, it teaches learners to:
The method is based on mastery — clients receive tools that enable them to master symbols and concepts that are foundations of learning and life. Once mastered, information is understood inherently and can transfer across situations and experiences.
Owen’s story resonates because it shows a neurodivergent child discovering that being different is something to celebrate, not hide. Current research emphasizes the importance of books that promote respect and understanding for neurodiverse communities, advocating for positive learning environments that strive to make accommodations for all.
This aligns with our mission to help families understand that neurodiversity brings gifts alongside challenges.
Libraries are increasingly offering specialized programs for neurodivergent individuals, including sensory story times, neurodiversity clubs, and programming designed specifically for different learning styles. These programs recognize that traditional approaches don’t work for everyone.
The “Voices of the World” program at Stratford Public Library represents this growing awareness. By featuring stories like Owen’s, libraries help normalize different ways of thinking and learning.
As a Licensed Davis® Dyslexia Facilitator and Davis Autism Approach® Facilitator, Nadine brings unique insight to neurodiversity education. Nadine brings unique insight to neurodiversity education. Having completed the Davis® Program herself in 2018 after years of undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia, she understands firsthand how life-changing this approach can be.
The Davis Method recognizes that dyslexic and many neurodivergent individuals are picture thinkers who experience perceptual disorientations in the senses of time, vision, hearing, and balance coordination. Nadine’s personal experience with these challenges allows her to connect with clients on a deeper level and guide them through their own transformation.
Rather than viewing these differences as problems to fix, the Davis approach teaches individuals to:
Events like Nadine’s library presentation demonstrate the importance of community education about neurodiversity. When we share stories that celebrate different minds, we create a culture where all learners can thrive.
Whether you’re a parent, educator, or community member, understanding neurodiversity helps create more inclusive environments for everyone. After all, the world needs all kinds of minds — including rainbow minds like Owen’s.
Math teachers routinely use multiple words for the same concept — add, plus, added to — switching between them naturally during lessons. But for dyslexic children, this seemingly simple language flexibility can create profound confusion.
A recent planning meeting with math teacher Geoffrey Ashiono highlighted this challenge and sparked a discussion about how Davis Method clay modeling can provide clarity where traditional teaching methods fall short.
Math teachers naturally use synonymous terms interchangeably:
While teachers understand these words mean the same thing, dyslexic children often don’t. When a teacher says “add” one minute, then “plus” the next, then “added to,” confusion sets in. Do they mean the same thing or different operations?
This uncertainty undermines mathematical confidence before calculations even begin.
Dyslexic learners are primarily picture-thinkers who benefit from concrete, visual representations. They need context and narrative to connect with learning — something that makes abstract concepts tangible and relatable.
Clay modeling provides exactly this foundation.
One 8-year-old learner came from a farm where they grew watermelons. The child loved watermelon, so his context for learning became watermelons. He also wanted to learn the meaning of “equal” — if his sister had three melons, he definitely wanted three melons too!
This personal connection became the foundation for understanding mathematical concepts.
First, establish the core concept:
Addition means “putting together” two or more quantities. When you add, you join something to something else so there is more. The “more” is crucial — it helps children realize the answer should always be bigger than the starting number.
Next, connect multiple terms to one meaning:
Using clay models, children learn that “add” has the same meaning as “plus” and that both connect to the + symbol. This gives certainty to children listening to mathematical language.
The child creates a visual representation using clay balls to represent quantities. For the equation 2 + 3 = 5:
Reading left to right: 2 plus 3 equals 5 Alternative reading: 3 added to 2 equals 5
Both phrasings use the same clay model and the same + symbol, making the connection clear.
Mathematical symbols often confuse visual-spatial learners. Clay modeling addresses this by making abstract symbols concrete:
Where is the meaning of plus? → Point to the + sign Where is the meaning of add? → Point to the + sign
The physical model shows that different words point to the same symbol and concept.
After creating the model, the learner takes control. They guide others through a summary of their clay work, pointing at the model while explaining the meaning. This active teaching role reinforces understanding and builds confidence.
Picture-thinking learners need:
Clay modeling provides all these elements while addressing the specific challenge of mathematical language confusion.
This approach works for all mathematical operations. Whether working with subtraction (minus, take away), multiplication (times, by), or division (divide, share), clay models help dyslexic learners understand that multiple words can represent the same mathematical concept.
The key is providing concrete, visual anchors for abstract mathematical language.
When dyslexic children understand that mathematical terms are simply different names for the same operations, confusion decreases and confidence grows. They can focus on learning mathematics rather than decoding conflicting language.
This clarity becomes the foundation for mathematical success, allowing picture-thinking learners to engage with math using their natural strengths rather than struggling against language barriers.
Learn more about the Davis® Mastery for Dyslexia here, connect with Claire or find a Davis® Facilitator in your area.
When children consistently resist authority, refuse demands, or seem to oppose everything, parents and professionals often turn to labels like Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). But what if these behaviors aren’t about defiance at all?
As both a parent of a child with ODD and PDA traits and a Davis facilitator, I’ve witnessed the complexity of supporting these children firsthand. This dual perspective has given me professional insight and deeply personal understanding of the daily challenges these families face.
Parents of children with ODD and PDA often live in constant crisis mode, even when they don’t recognize it. The relentless cycle of conflict, avoidance, and defiance leaves families feeling powerless, isolated, and emotionally drained.
This chronic stress creates a psychological burden that:
Parents function in survival mode without realizing it. This profoundly impacts their ability to support their child, themselves, and their wider family. Any effective support must address both the child’s missing conceptual foundations and the parents’ fragile emotional state.
The Davis approach offers a fundamental shift in understanding. Rather than viewing defiance as deliberate misbehavior, we recognize it as a child’s attempt to regain stability and control in an unpredictable world.
This reframes ODD from “willful bad behavior” to a protective strategy for children lacking internal anchors.
From a Davis perspective, ODD and PDA behaviors stem from disorientation — when children lack secure internal anchors like sequencing, cause and effect, time, or consequence. Without these concepts, the world feels chaotic and unpredictable, producing stress, anxiety, and helplessness.
To cope, many children create an imaginary system of control. In this inner world:
This provides temporary stability.
The conflict emerges when external reality strips away that control. Adults set necessary rules and limits, but for children without strong cause/effect concepts, these boundaries feel arbitrary. Adult authority collides with the child’s internal script: “I am the one who decides.”
Defiance becomes self-preservation. Saying “no,” refusing, or arguing aren’t simply oppositional acts — they’re strategies to protect the inner world and ward off helplessness.
This often creates a destructive pattern:
From the Davis perspective, this isn’t willful misbehavior but a protective strategy for managing overwhelming uncertainty.
Children with ODD and PDA aren’t “choosing” defiance. Their behavior reflects gaps in essential life concepts. When these concepts are missing, rules feel random, consequences seem unfair, and relationships break down.
Key concepts that often play a role:
Change – Without it, transitions feel threatening; defiance protects against perceived instability
Cause/Effect/Consequence – Missing links make outcomes feel arbitrary; sanctions are experienced as injustice rather than learning
Before & After/Time – Weak sequencing makes requests like “homework first, then play” seem random; poor time sense fuels frustration
Order/Disorder – Structured environments feel arbitrary; chaotic ones overwhelming. Both provoke resistance
Fear – Without recognizing fear, defensive anger masks underlying anxiety
Responsibility/Control – Weakness makes self-regulation difficult; children feel controlled by others but unable to control themselves
Intention/Motivation – Misinterpreting motives creates mistrust; unclear motivation makes tasks meaningless
Energy – Difficulty pacing leads to swings between hyperactivity and exhaustion
Relationship/Trust/Agree/Rules/Belief – Missing these makes cooperation hard, rules feel unsafe, and agreement seems like submission
When these foundations are underdeveloped, the world becomes unpredictable and threatening.
Why it helps: Reduces anxiety around change and order
Tools: Orientation; Concept Mastery of Change, Time, Sequence and Order
Examples: Visual timetables; model “before” and “after”; practice transitions with Release and Ting to reduce stress
Why it helps: Helps children link behavior to outcomes, reducing feelings of unfairness
Tools: Concept Mastery of Cause, Effect, Consequence
Examples: Use natural demonstrations (plants growing, baking, switches) instead of punitive systems; reinforce logical links (spill water → wipe it up).
Why it helps: Supports self-regulation and reduces overload
Tools: The Davis Dial; Concept Mastery of Emotions
Examples: Teach interoception cues; practice Dial adjustments in calm moments; co-regulate with Release or sensory tools
Why it helps: Meets autonomy needs without unlimited control
Tools: Concept Mastery of Control, Want, Need
Examples: Give limited choices (“pen or pencil?” “wash up or vacuum?”); offer safe areas of full control, such as organising their desk.
Why it helps: Rules make sense when grounded in trust and relationship
Tools: Symbol Mastery of Relationship, Trust, Agree, Rules
Examples: Phrase relationally (“Before coats on, after we go to the park”); co-create agreements with the child
Why it helps: Prevents rules being seen as arbitrary
Tools: Concept Mastery of Good, Bad, Right, Wrong
Examples: Use clay models to explore scenarios; reinforce mistakes as learning opportunities, not proof of being “bad.”
By mapping ODD and PDA behaviors against the Davis Autism Approach® framework, we can reframe these conditions in a way that honors the child’s inner world while providing tools that anchor them more securely in reality.
Each concept mastered offers greater self-regulation, resilience, and trust in relationships.
This perspective moves us away from seeing ODD and PDA as behavioral disorders toward recognizing them as challenges of concept development and internal anchoring. With the right tools, children can gain the stability they need to thrive — without losing their creativity, individuality, or spirit.
The Davis Method’s global reach expanded significantly in August 2025 when Davis UK & Ireland partnered with Dyslexia Tanzania to host two groundbreaking “Ask a Davis Expert” sessions. These live Zoom Q&A events brought together parents, educators, and neurodivergent adults seeking practical guidance grounded in the Davis approach.
The response exceeded all expectations.
The inaugural session on August 5th drew strong attendance and lively engagement from across Tanzania. Three experts led the discussion:
Questions flowed freely on topics including dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism, and how Davis programmes can adapt to the Tanzanian context. Participants showed genuine hunger for information about alternative approaches to neurodiversity support.
The enthusiasm was so overwhelming that organizers immediately scheduled a follow-up session.
The second session on August 12th featured international Davis neurodiversity expert Cathie Geraci. While attendance was smaller, the quality of discussion remained high.
Participants showed particular interest in Davis solutions for non-speaking learners with autism. The demand for this specialized knowledge was so strong that Cathie committed to returning for a dedicated session planned for after mid-September.
These events represent more than just information sharing. They mark the beginning of a purposeful collaboration between Davis UK & Ireland and Dyslexia Tanzania, with Rahma Amer Mbarak at the center.
Rahma’s unique position makes this partnership particularly powerful:
Her passion, credibility, and cultural grounding transformed this initiative from possibility into impact.
The success of these initial sessions has sparked ambitious plans for expansion:
Tanzania’s neurodivergent population has historically had limited access to specialized support. Traditional approaches often don’t account for cultural context or local resources. The Davis Method’s focus on strengths-based, individualized support translates well across cultures.
These sessions demonstrate that geographic barriers don’t have to limit access to quality neurodiversity support. When passionate advocates like Rahma and Caudence connect with international expertise, real change becomes possible.
The initiative’s success reflects the generous collaboration of all involved. Special recognition goes to Caudence Ayoti for her open and generous approach to partnerships of this kind. Her leadership at Dyslexia Tanzania created the foundation for this meaningful connection.
The willingness of Davis UK & Ireland experts to share their knowledge freely demonstrates the broader Davis community’s commitment to global accessibility.
These two sessions represent just the beginning. The momentum generated points toward a sustainable model for international Davis Method support that could extend well beyond Tanzania.
As discussions continue about expanded programming and training opportunities, one thing is clear: the appetite for alternative approaches to neurodiversity support exists worldwide. The challenge is creating sustainable ways to meet that demand.
The Tanzania partnership provides a promising template for how international collaboration can bridge expertise gaps while respecting local knowledge and cultural context.
The Davis UK & Ireland hub is dedicated to growing connections in Tanzania and beyond. Find out more about their programmes and partnerships at www.davismethod.co.uk.
Mwezi Agosti 2025, Davis UK & Ireland iliungana na Dyslexia Tanzania kuandaa vipindi viwili vya moja kwa moja vya Uliza Mtaalamu wa Davis vilivyolengwa mahsusi kwa hadhira ya Kitanzania. Vipindi hivi vya wazi vya maswali na majibu kupitia Zoom viliwaleta pamoja wazazi, walimu, na watu wazima wenye utofauti wa neva waliokuwa wakitafuta mwongozo wa vitendo na majibu yanayotokana na mbinu za Davis.
Kipindi cha kwanza, kilichofanyika tarehe 5 Agosti, kilizidi matarajio kwa mahudhurio makubwa na ushiriki hai. Kikao hicho kiliongozwa na: Richard Whitehead, Mkurugenzi wa Davis UK & Ireland; Rahma Amer Mbarak, ambaye kwa sasa ndiye Fasiliteta pekee wa Davis nchini Tanzania; na Caudence Ayoti, Mwanzilishi wa Dyslexia Tanzania.
Maswali yalihusu mada mbalimbali zikiwemo dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism, na jinsi programu za Davis zinavyoweza kubadilishwa ili kufaa mazingira ya Tanzania. Mwitikio ulikuwa wa kusisimua kiasi kwamba kipindi cha pili kilipangwa wiki iliyofuata, tarehe 12 Agosti — safari hii kikimshirikisha Cathie Geraci, mtaalamu wa kimataifa wa utofauti wa ujifunzaji kupitia mbinu za Davis.
Ingawa kikao cha pili kilikuwa na mahudhurio ya chini kidogo, kiwango cha maswali na mjadala kilikuwa cha juu. Washiriki walionyesha hamu kubwa ya kupata suluhisho la Davis kwa wanafunzi wasiozungumza (non-verbal) wenye autism — mada ambayo Cathie atarudi kuijadili katika kikao kingine kinachopangwa kufanyika baada ya katikati ya mwezi Septemba.
Matukio haya yanaashiria mwanzo wa ushirikiano wenye matumaini na malengo mahususi kati ya Davis UK & Ireland na Dyslexia Tanzania, huku Rahma Amer Mbarak akiwa kiini cha ushirikiano huu. Rahma anashikilia nafasi muhimu katika mashirika haya yote mawili — kama Fasiliteta aliyeidhinishwa wa Davis, mwanachama wa Hub ya Davis, na mjumbe wa bodi ya Dyslexia Tanzania. Shauku yake, uaminifu wake, na uelewa wake wa kiutamaduni ndivyo vimefanya mpango huu kufanikiwa kwa namna ya kipekee.
Majadiliano sasa yanaendelea ili kuandaa matukio zaidi, kuboresha upatikanaji wa mafunzo kwa Watanzania wanaotamani kuwa Wafasiliteta wa Davis, na kuanzisha programu za uwamsho katika shule na idara za serikali za elimu maalum (SEN). Tunafurahishwa sana na maendeleo haya, na tunamshukuru kwa dhati Caudence Ayoti kwa mtazamo wake wa wazi na ukarimu katika kushirikiana kwenye miradi ya aina hii.
The Davis UK & Ireland hub is dedicated to growing connections in Tanzania and beyond. Find out more about their programmes and partnerships at www.davismethod.co.uk.
Guest Post by Stephen Martin
Stephen Martin is a leading voice in the adult dyslexia and ADHD space, best known as the host of The Truth About Dyslexia podcast — a raw, real, and relatable show that’s reached over 1 million downloads. Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, Stephen now uses his lived experience and deep curiosity to empower neurodivergent adults through coaching, storytelling, and practical tools that actually work. He’s the founder of Truth About Dyslexia Coaching, where he helps adults shift from confusion to clarity using strategies tailored to the dyslexic mind.
Because if you don’t get time right, everything else starts falling apart.
I’m not just talking about being late to a meeting or missing a birthday. I’m talking about the way time can feel bent, malleable, or straight-up invisible when you’re dyslexic.
If you’ve lived with dyslexia or worked with adults who have, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Time is one of those invisible concepts we’re supposed to just get. But many of us don’t. And no one ever taught us how.
For most people, time moves in a straight line. 10:00 am leads to 11:00 am leads to 12:00 pm. It’s structured, segmented, and measurable.
But for the neurodiverse brain? It’s not that simple.
I remember catching up with a friend recently. I could have sworn I’d seen her just a couple of weeks ago. She laughed and said, “Stephen, it’s been six months.”
And I believed her. But it still felt like two weeks in my head.
I’ve had business projects I thought would take six months, and 18 months later, I’m still knee-deep in them. I wasn’t being lazy. I wasn’t overpromising. I genuinely thought I’d nailed the timeline.
And that’s the challenge. Our brains can see the finished picture — vivid, clear, exciting — but that mental image doesn’t come with a realistic sense of how long it takes to build in the real world.
We see the vision. But we skip the ruler.
If you’ve been told all your life that time management is a “basic skill,” and you can’t seem to nail it, you start to feel broken. You start saying things like:
• “I’m terrible with time.”
• “I’m just not organised.”
• “Why do I always underestimate everything?”
But what if it’s not that you’re broken… What if your concept of time was never properly developed?
That’s what I learnt when I did the Davis® Concepts for Life program. (Which, let’s be honest, should really be called the Davis Life Concepts for Humans — because it’s powerful for anyone neurodiverse.)
This was the first time someone had taken the abstract idea of “time” and actually helped me build it in 3D.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve read plenty of books about managing time. Some were helpful. Most weren’t. I’d remember one or two tips — maybe something like “use a timer” or “break tasks into chunks” — but the rest? Gone.
What Davis did differently was this: they didn’t just tell me about time… they made me experience it.
In the course, we looked at time not as a clock, but as a concept. A structure. A ruler for life.
Through the clay work and exercises, I wasn’t just learning time — I was building it, piece by piece, in a way that made sense to my dyslexic brain.
Suddenly, time wasn’t abstract anymore. It had form. It had weight. It had meaning.
And that meant I could use it.
Most of us didn’t learn this stuff as kids. We just got told off for being late or unrealistic or “away with the fairies.”
But Davis doesn’t shame you. It shows you.
And here’s the kicker. Once you “get” time — not just as a word or number but as a functioning life tool — your whole life starts to shift.
• You stop overcommitting
• You stop underestimating
• You start finishing things you start
• You feel less guilty and more grounded
It doesn’t mean you suddenly become super rigid or perfectly punctual. I still work with my natural rhythms. But it gives you the structure to make real choices about how you spend your energy.
Let’s be real. Time isn’t just about “getting stuff done.”
When you don’t understand time, you don’t understand rest either.
You might lie on the couch for three hours scrolling TikTok and then wonder why you still feel fried.
Understanding time helps you recover, not just schedule. It helps you regulate. It helps you get your needs met, especially if you’re juggling dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety, or the cocktail of neurodiverse companions many of us carry.
Time is not just a ticking clock. It’s a container for your life. And if that container is cracked or fuzzy or invisible… everything leaks.
If you’re a Davis facilitator then thank you. Honestly. You’re doing the work most people don’t even realise is needed.
If you’re working with adults especially, don’t skip the concept of time. It can be a game-changer. It’s not just for people with time blindness. It’s for anyone who struggles to bring their internal visions into external reality.
Time is the bridge between the picture in your head and the life you want to live.
And the way Davis teaches it? It sticks. It lands. It lasts. 🙌
Stephen Martin runs The Truth About Dyslexia, one of the top adult dyslexia podcasts in the world, with over 1 million downloads and counting.
If you’re looking for honest stories, neurodiverse hacks, and the kind of truth they never taught you in school, it’s worth a listen.
🎧 Listen here: Dyslexia Podcast
Or search The Truth About Dyslexia wherever you get your podcasts.
He’s also created a support space for dyslexic and ADHD adults called the Right Brain Reset. It’s a private community for people who want to make progress without burning out.
🧠 Learn more about ther Right Brain Reset Here
If you’re dyslexic and tired of doing it all alone, this might be the space you’ve been missing.
Find a Licensed Davis® Facilitator in your area or learn more about the program here. If you are unsure whether the Davis Concepts for Life program is right for you or someone you support, fill out the form below for a free Discovery Call – one of our team will speak with you about your specific needs.
After years of struggling with traditional executive function strategies that promised change but delivered frustration, many neurodivergent individuals and their families have discovered an approach that truly creates lasting transformation by addressing the root causes of executive function challenges.
The Davis Method represents a fundamental shift in how we understand and support executive function difficulties. Instead of managing symptoms with external tools and behavioral modifications, this approach builds the conceptual foundation that makes strong executive functioning possible.
The Davis Method was developed by Ron Davis, who experienced severe dyslexia and autism himself and understood from personal experience that learning differences stem from how the brain processes information. His breakthrough insight was that many learning and attention challenges arise from confusion about abstract concepts that most educational approaches assume people automatically understand.
When applied to executive function challenges, this insight reveals why so many traditional strategies fail: they’re built on assumptions about conceptual understanding that may not exist for individuals.
At the heart of executive function lie several abstract and foundational concepts that most people take for granted:
Time: This is not about reading a clock, but truly understanding what time means, how it flows, and how to sense its passage.
Sequence: Understanding different types of sequences, what comes before and after, and how steps build upon each other, in order to prioritize and plan.
Cause and Effect: Grasping the relationship between actions and outcomes – positive and negative.
Order vs. Disorder: Recognizing patterns, understanding organization, and knowing how to create ‘order’ in different aspects of life.
Responsibility: Understanding the components that need to be present within self, in order to be able to take responsibility.
For many neurodivergent individuals, these concepts remain partially understood or completely confusing, despite being able to define them verbally. This gap between intellectual knowledge and true understanding creates the foundation for executive function struggles.
The Davis Method uses clay modeling to help individuals create concrete representations of abstract concepts. This hands-on approach allows people to literally build their understanding of time, sequence, cause and effect, and other foundational concepts.
Why clay? Because it engages multiple senses, allows for three-dimensional exploration, and enables people to manipulate and adjust their understanding until concepts become clear. For visual-spatial thinkers especially, this approach transforms confusing abstractions into tangible, understandable realities.
Stephen Martin, host of The Truth About Dyslexia podcast, describes his experience: “It felt like rewiring parts of my brain that had been running on guesswork for years. The clay work helped me understand concepts I thought I already knew but had never truly internalized.”
The Davis Concepts for Life Program provides intensive, one-on-one work with a trained Davis facilitator. Over the course of this individualized program, participants:
This individualized approach allows for complete customization to each person’s learning style, processing preferences, and specific goals and challenges.
The Davis Concepts for Life Workshop teaches parents, professionals, and neurodivergent individuals themselves how to facilitate this transformational process for others, or to better understand themselves.
Over five intensive days, workshop participants learn:
This workshop empowers attendees to become agents of change in their families, classrooms, or therapeutic practices.
Addresses Root Causes: Instead of managing symptoms, the Davis Method builds the conceptual foundation that supports natural executive functioning.
Works with Neurodivergent Strengths: The visual-spatial, hands-on approach aligns with how many neurodivergent brains naturally process information.
Creates Lasting Change: Once someone truly understands foundational concepts, they don’t need to rely on external supports—the skills become internalized.
Reduces Mental Load: Rather than adding more systems to remember and maintain, this approach eliminates the confusion that was creating executive function struggles in the first place.
Individualized and Flexible: The method adapts to each person’s unique processing style and learning needs.
Families and individuals who have experienced the Davis Concepts for Life program or workshop report:
The Davis Concepts for Life is particularly effective for individuals who:
Whether you’re recognizing executive function challenges in yourself or someone you care about, we offer multiple pathways designed to meet different needs:
Want to Learn More First? Watch the replay of our webinar “Beyond the Struggle: Demystifying Executive Function for Neurodivergent Minds” featuring Mary Martin, Melanie Curry, Anne Mataczynski, and Anna Berghamre for additional insights before choosing your path forward. BONUS! Get our Free Executive Function Challenges Checklist to identify exactly where the gaps might be.
Individual Support: Work one-on-one with a trained Davis facilitator through the Davis Concepts for Life Program for personalized, intensive skill building. Find a Facilitator near you Facilitators Archive – Davis – English
Learn to Support Others (or Yourself): Join our Davis Concepts for Life Workshop to learn these life-changing techniques for your family, students, or clients.
September 22-26, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Central Time (US) Transform your understanding of executive function challenges and learn proven solutions. Register now
October 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM NZ / 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM AET Perfect timing for our Australia and New Zealand participants. Register now
Executive function challenges don’t have to be a lifelong struggle managed through external systems and constant effort. The Davis Method offers a path to genuine transformation—one that builds from the ground up and creates lasting change by addressing the foundational concepts that support natural executive functioning.
If you’re ready to move beyond managing symptoms and start building real skills, we invite you to discover how the Davis Method can transform executive function challenges into strengths.
The journey to clearer thinking, better organization, and greater self-confidence begins with understanding. And understanding begins with the right approach.
Read post 2 in this series: The Davis Method: A Different Approach to Executive Function Challenges→
You’ve probably tried them all: color-coded planners, phone alerts, reward charts, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and countless apps promising to revolutionize your organization. Yet somehow, you’re still struggling with the same executive function challenges. Sound familiar?
If you’re neurodivergent, whether you have ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or simply a brain that works differently, you’ve likely discovered that traditional executive function strategies often fall short. But it’s not because you’re doing something wrong. The problem lies in how these strategies are designed.
Most executive function interventions are designed for neurotypical brains. They assume that everyone processes information, manages attention, and regulates emotions in similar ways. But neurodivergent brains operate with different strengths, challenges, and processing styles.
Consider the common advice to “use a planner.” For someone with ADHD, the planner might become another source of overwhelm rather than organization. For an autistic individual, rigid planning systems might increase anxiety when unexpected changes occur. For someone with dyslexia, traditional written planning methods might not align with their visual-spatial strengths.
Traditional approaches typically focus on external supports and behavioral modifications—essentially trying to patch over executive function difficulties without addressing their root causes.
What traditional strategies look like:
While these tools can provide temporary relief, they often fail to create lasting change because they don’t address the fundamental issue: difficulty understanding and internalizing abstract concepts that form the foundation of executive functioning.
Here’s what many professionals don’t realize: executive function challenges often stem from lack of clarity around abstract concepts like time, sequence, cause and effect, order, and responsibility.
For example, telling someone to “manage their time better” assumes they have a clear, internalized understanding of what time is and an accurate perception of the passage of time. But for many neurodivergent individuals, time remains an abstract, confusing concept. They might intellectually know that an hour has 60 minutes, but they lack the accurate experience of time that makes effective time management possible.
Similarly, consequences and rewards systems assume someone truly understands cause and effect relationships. Without this foundational understanding, external behaviour modification techniques often feel arbitrary and fail to create meaningful change.
Different Processing Styles: Neurodivergent brains often process information in unique ways. Visual thinkers might struggle with purely verbal instructions, while those with working memory challenges need different approaches than those with attention regulation difficulties.
Sensory Considerations: Many neurodivergent individuals have sensory processing differences that can impact executive functioning. Traditional strategies rarely account for how sensory overwhelm or seeking behaviors affect organization and planning abilities.
Motivation and Interest: Neurodivergent brains often have different motivation patterns. What works as a reward or consequence for neurotypical individuals might not resonate with someone whose brain operates differently.
Masking and Compensation: Many neurodivergent individuals become skilled at masking their difficulties or developing elaborate compensation strategies. Traditional approaches might reinforce these exhausting patterns rather than addressing underlying challenges.
Perhaps most importantly, traditional executive function strategies often increase rather than decrease mental load. When you’re constantly relying on external systems, reminder alerts, and complex organizational schemes, you’re using enormous amounts of mental energy that could be directed elsewhere.
Many neurodivergent individuals report feeling exhausted by the end of the day, not from their actual work or activities, but from the constant effort required to navigate systems that don’t match how their brains naturally function.
Instead of more external supports and behavioral modifications, neurodivergent brains often need:
Conceptual Understanding: Deep, internalized understanding of specific concepts that support executive functioning, rather than surface-level strategies.
Individualized Approaches: Solutions that work with, rather than against, natural processing styles and strengths.
Foundation Building: Addressing root causes rather than managing symptoms.
Simple self-regulation tools: Effective techniques that are quick and easy to use in any situation to ensure focus, stress management and energy regulation.
Sustainable Strategies: Approaches that reduce rather than increase mental load over time that remain meaningful and useable.
The Davis Concepts for Life Program provides one-on-one support and was developed specifically to address these needs, using hands-on learning techniques that help individuals truly understand and internalize the concepts that support strong executive functioning.
If you’ve been frustrated by traditional executive function strategies, know that it’s not a reflection of your effort or ability. You simply need an approach that’s designed for how your brain actually works.
The Davis Concepts for Life Workshop supports parents, professionals, teachers, and support workers—to facilitate this transformation process for others. It is also life changing for individuals to attend who are struggling with executive function. Whether you’re supporting someone you care about or seeking tools for your own executive function challenges, by the end of this workshop you’ll have the skills to guide someone through nearly 50 key concepts and 3 simple self-regulation tools that form the foundation of strong executive functioning.
Join hundreds who’ve watched our expert panel on executive functioning. Get the replay plus our comprehensive assessment checklist – both free for a limited time. Watch now→
Join us for upcoming workshops where you’ll learn why the Davis Method succeeds where traditional approaches often fall short:
September 22-26, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Central Time (US) Discover how to build lasting executive function skills from the ground up. Register now →
October 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM NZ / 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM AET Perfect for participants in Australia and New Zealand. Register now →
In our final post of this series, we’ll explore exactly how the Davis Method creates lasting change by addressing the foundational concepts that support strong executive functioning—and why this approach is revolutionizing how we understand and support neurodivergent brains.
←Read previous: Understanding Executive Function: The Brain’s CEO That Controls Your Daily Life
Read next: The Davis Method: A Different Approach to Executive Function Challenges→
Executive function might sound like corporate jargon, but it’s actually one of the most crucial aspects of how your brain operates daily. Think of it as your brain’s “CEO”—the system that manages planning, organizing, focusing, and regulating emotions. When these skills work smoothly, life feels manageable. But when executive function struggles emerge, even simple tasks can become overwhelming sources of stress and frustration.
Want to know more about how executive function can affect daily life? Join our free Webinar: Demystifying Executive Function for Neurodivergent Minds.
August 11, 5pm PST, 8pm EST, 7pm CDT / August 12, 12pm NZST, 10am AEST
Executive function refers to a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. These skills help us focus attention, remember instructions, juggle multiple tasks successfully, and regulate our emotions and behaviour. Essentially, executive function is what allows us to plan ahead, stay organized, and adapt when things don’t go as expected.
Understanding executive function becomes clearer when we break it down into its three core components:
Working Memory
Working memory is your brain’s ability to hold information front of mind while using it. It’s what allows you to remember a phone number long enough to dial it, or follow multi-step instructions without losing track. When working memory struggles, people might forget what they were doing mid-task or lose track of important details.
Mental Flexibility (Cognitive Flexibility)
This is your brain’s ability to switch between thinking about different concepts or adapt when rules change. Mental flexibility helps you transition from one activity to another, see problems from different angles, and adjust when unexpected changes occur. Without it, people may get “stuck” in routines or have difficulty when plans change unexpectedly.
Inhibitory Control (Self-Control)
Inhibitory control helps you resist impulses, stay focused, and think before acting. It’s what stops you from interrupting others, helps you stick to a task even when it’s boring, and allows you to consider consequences before making decisions. When this system struggles, people may act impulsively or have difficulty controlling their emotional responses.
Why Are Your Executive Functions So Important?
Executive functions are foundational skills that make everything else possible. They’re what allow you to:
Without strong executive function skills, daily life becomes an uphill battle. Work projects remain unfinished, relationships suffer from emotional outbursts, and the constant struggle to stay organized creates ongoing stress and anxiety.
Poor executive functioning can stem from various factors:
Neurological Differences: Different learning styles (picture thinkers), neurodivergent brains, ADHD, autism and dyslexia often involve executive function challenges. The regions of the brain responsible for these skills may develop differently or function in unique ways for neurodiverse individuals.
Brain Injury or Trauma: Traumatic brain injuries, strokes, or other brain-related medical conditions can impact executive function abilities.
Stress and Mental Health: Chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma can significantly impact executive functioning, making it harder to focus, plan, and regulate emotions.
Developmental Factors: Some people may not have had opportunities to develop strong executive function skills during childhood, or may have missed learning key foundational concepts that support these abilities.
This is a common source of confusion. Poor executive function isn’t a diagnosis itself—it’s a characteristic that can appear across many different neuro-types:
However, executive function challenges can also exist independently without a formal diagnosis. Some people simply have brains that work differently and need targeted support to develop these crucial skills.
The good news is that executive function skills can be improved, but the approach matters significantly. Traditional strategies often focus on external supports and behavioural modifications – things like planners, reminder systems, and time management techniques.
While these tools can be helpful, they don’t address the underlying issue: difficulty with abstract concepts that form the foundation of executive functioning.
The Davis Concepts for Life Program takes a different approach by helping individuals truly understand and internalize abstract concepts like time, sequence, cause and effect, and responsibility. Using hands-on, clay-based learning techniques, people develop a solid conceptual foundation that supports lasting executive function improvements.
Absolutely! Executive functioning skills can be taught and strengthened at any age. However, the most effective approaches go beyond surface-level strategies to address the foundational concepts that support these skills.
The Davis Concepts for Life Workshop teaches parents, professionals, teachers, and support workers—as well as individuals struggling with executive function themselves—how to build these foundational skills using proven techniques that make abstract concepts concrete and understandable. Whether you’re supporting someone you care about or seeking tools for your own executive function challenges, by the end of this workshop you’ll have the skills to guide someone through nearly 50 abstract concepts that form the foundation of strong executive functioning.
Read the next post in this series: Why Traditional Executive Function Strategies Don’t Work for Neurodivergent Brains
Now that you understand what executive function is and why it’s so crucial for daily life, you might be wondering: “What does this look like in real life, and how can it be addressed?”
We recently hosted an expert panel discussion where licensed Davis facilitators explored these exact questions. You’ll discover:
Watch the replay now and get our FREE Executive Function Challenges Checklist – a comprehensive tool to help you identify specific areas where you or your loved one might need support.
About the Author: Stephen Martin
Stephen Martin is a leading voice in the adult dyslexia and ADHD space, best known as the host of The Truth About Dyslexia podcast — a raw, real, and relatable show that’s reached over 1 million downloads. Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, Stephen now uses his lived experience and deep curiosity to empower neurodivergent adults through coaching, storytelling, and practical tools that actually work. He’s the founder of Truth About Dyslexia Coaching, where he helps adults shift from confusion to clarity using strategies tailored to the dyslexic mind.
Ever been told a word and just… snapped?
Not because the word was rude.
But because your brain went “What the heck does that even mean?”
And suddenly your whole nervous system feels like it’s on fire?
Welcome to the world of dyslexia and trigger words.
But here’s the twist,
When Ron Davis talks about trigger words, he’s not talking about emotional triggers.
He’s talking about non-picture words.
Words like:
the, if, was, because, even, though, should, could, would.
Words that don’t have a picture in your mind.
And if you’re a dyslexic thinker who processes through images and visuals…
That’s like asking your brain to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
They don’t just confuse us, they disorient us.
We might be reading a sentence fine, then hit one of these invisible words and
💥 Boom, brain fog, misreading, skipping lines, mental exhaustion.
It’s like our brain steps out of sync with reality.
And the worst part?
We blame ourselves.
For years I thought I was lazy.
I heard “just try harder” and “you’re not paying attention” more times than I can count.
But what I’ve come to learn, through the Davis Dyslexia Method, is that my brain was trying.
It just didn’t have the right tools.
It helped me understand disorientation, that moment where your sense of time, space and meaning twists up.
It’s not you being “bad at reading”, it’s your brain spinning because it’s trying to make sense of a word it can’t picture.
And here’s the kicker,
When you learn how to orient yourself, things start to click.
Reading becomes clearer.
Thinking becomes calmer.
Life starts making more sense.
Here’s the thing no one told us growing up,
Dyslexia often brings friends.
ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Emotional storms.
They’re branches of the same neurodiverse tree.
And guess what? The Davis tools can help there too.
For me, the Life Concepts course was a lifeline.
The Attention Mastery program could be helpful for many too.
So if you’ve ever felt:
• Like your brain switches off mid-sentence
• Like a simple word trips you up
• Like you “should” be better at this by now…
Please hear this:
You’re not overreacting.
You’re running a powerful brain, without the manual.
There’s a better way.
And the Davis approach changed everything for me.
✅ Take the Dyslexia Quiz — quick and eye-opening
🎧 Check out my Truth About Dyslexia podcast, raw, honest, and all the things school never taught us
📚 Read The Gift of Dyslexia by Ron Davis, it’s a game changer
P.S. If you’ve ever blamed yourself for being confused by “the” or “was”… you’re not alone. You’re dyslexic. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of.
If you’re an adult looking for support, you can find a Davis Facilitator near you and explore how the Davis Concepts for Life® program or Davis Mastery for Dyslexia program could help you or someone you care about.
Or, if you’d like to guide someone through the program yourself — and even take the first step toward becoming a Licensed Davis Facilitator — join an upcoming Concepts for Life Workshop or upcoming Gift of Dyslexia Workshop to gain the tools and training to make a real difference.
Story by Theano Panagiotopoulou – Davis Facilitator, Αθήνα, ΑΤΤΙΚΗ, Greece
Client age: 26 years old
Profession: Environmental Scientist
K.D. had been diagnosed as dyslexic, with dyscalculia and attention deficit from the age of third grade elementary. Her memories during her school life are characterized by an intense feeling of failure. Being fired from her first job was the catalyst for her decision to attend the Davis Dyslexia program.
Her goal was one: “to see what I read.”
During the program we addressed the full spectrum of dyslexia and everything it contains in terms of emotions and fears. When she heard the word “reading” she felt fear and shame. As soon as K.D. received the alignment tool, she immediately said she felt “certainty.” With the koosh balls she was impressed that she could maintain her balance, catch the balls and not become disoriented. When we finished the program, in evaluating the results she said the characteristic phrase: “I don’t know if I’ll manage to work properly, but my feeling is that it was like I was drunk and someone gave me coffee to drink.”
We met with Despina one month after the program and I observed the following important points:
She continues her training. She got a job a month ago. She feels confident and secure. All this change is also intensely visible in her presence – “she has become more beautiful.”
Ηλικία : 26 ετών Επάγγελμα : Περιβαλλοντολόγος Η Κ.Δ. είχε διαγνωσθεί ως δυσλεξική, με δυσαριθμησία και διάσπαση προσοχής από την ηλικία της Τρίτης Δημοτικού. Οι αναμνήσεις της κατά την διάρκεια της σχολικής ζωής της χαρακτηρίζονται από ένα έντονο συναίσθημα αποτυχίας. Η απόλυσή της από την πρώτη της δουλειά ήταν η αφορμή να αποφασίσει να παρακολουθήσει το πρόγραμμα της Δυσλεξίας Davis.
Ο στόχος της ήταν ένας: «να βλέπω αυτό που διαβάζω».
Κατά την διάρκεια του προγράμματος αντιμετωπίσαμε όλο το φάσμα της δυσλεξίας και ό,τι αυτό περιέχει σε συναισθήματα και φόβους. Όταν άκουγε την λέξη «ανάγνωση» αισθανόταν φόβο και ντροπή. Μόλις η Κ.Δ. πήρε το εργαλείο της ευθυγράμμισης, είπε αμέσως ότι αισθάνθηκε «σιγουριά». Στα koosh balls τής έκανε εντύπωση που μπορούσε να κρατάει την ισορροπία της, να πιάνει τα μπαλάκια και να μην αποπροσανατολίζεται. Όταν τελειώσαμε το πρόγραμμα, στην αξιολόγηση των αποτελεσμάτων είπε την χαρακτηριστική φράση: «Δεν ξέρω αν θα τα καταφέρω να δουλέψω σωστά, αλλά η αίσθησή μου είναι ότι ήταν σαν να ήμουν μεθυσμένη και μου έδωσε κάποιος να πιώ καφέ».
Συναντηθήκαμε με την Δέσποινα ένα μήνα μετά το πρόγραμμα και είχα να παρατηρήσω τα εξής σημαντικά σημεία: · Έκανε το πρόγραμμα της κυριαρχίας ΚΑΘΕ ΜΕΡΑ · Βελτίωσε πάρα πολύ την γραφή της · Θεωρούσε, ότι βρίσκεται ανάμεσα σε 2 κόσμους (τον παλιό και τον καινούργιο εαυτό) · Αποφάσισε να διαβάσει το μάθημα της αεροφωτογραφίας, το οποίο ΦΟΒΟΤΑΝ να ακουμπήσει καν, διότι δεν το καταλάβαινε καθόλου και διαπίστωσε, ότι δεν είχε πλέον αυτή την δυσκολία. Αντίθετα, μπορούσε να καταλάβει απόλυτα αυτά που διάβαζε. · Έστειλε ένα e-mail χωρίς να το ελέγξει «χιλιάδες φορές» , διότι ήταν σίγουρη γι’ αυτό που είχε γράψει Συνεχίζει την προπόνησή της. Έπιασε δουλειά εδώ και ένα μήνα. Αισθάνεται σίγουρη και ασφαλής. Όλη αυτή η αλλαγή φαίνεται έντονα επίσης στην παρουσία της, «έχει ομορφύνει».
When the Neurodiversity Show 2025 was unexpectedly cancelled, families seeking autism support and dyslexia intervention faced a significant gap. The Davis UKIE team responded swiftly, organizing Davis Neurodiversity Online on May 9th and 10th, 2025 — bringing together parents, educators, and professionals from across the globe for two intensive days focused on practical autism support, dyslexia strategies, and neurodivergent parenting solutions.
Led by experienced Davis Facilitators and internationally recognized autism specialists, the comprehensive programme demonstrated the real-world impact of Davis dyslexia methods, ADHD strategies, and autism intervention techniques across multiple areas: dyslexia support for adults, early literacy intervention, attention management for children, autism communication strategies, and evidence-based parenting approaches for neurodivergent families.
🌟 Richard Whitehead — Adult Dyslexia: The Hidden Struggles
Richard explored a critical issue in adult dyslexia support: how high-ability dyslexic adults often develop sophisticated masking strategies, leading to chronic under-identification and profound misunderstanding of their learning needs. His dyslexia intervention session revealed how Davis assessment tools can uncover these hidden struggles and provide targeted support for authentic learning breakthroughs in adults with dyslexia.
In his follow-up session, Dyscalculia Treatment: Maths Makes Sense Now, Richard offered evidence-based insight into addressing dyscalculia through structured Davis methodologies, showing participants how mathematical concepts can become accessible for individuals with learning differences.
🌟 Axel Gudmundsson — ADHD Management: Disability or Gift? and Neuroinclusive Literacy Strategies
Drawing on decades of educational experience, Axel challenged conventional perspectives on ADHD while providing both strategic ADHD management frameworks and practical classroom applications for children with attention differences. His sessions equipped teachers and parents with transformative approaches to ADHD challenges and evidence-based literacy development for neurodivergent learners.
🌟 Carl Nigi — Adult Dyslexia Diagnosis: A Personal Journey
As both a late-diagnosed dyslexic adult and certified Davis Facilitator specializing in adult dyslexia support, Carl offered a uniquely authentic perspective on the long-term impact of undiagnosed learning differences and the transformative potential of appropriate dyslexia intervention — demonstrating that adult dyslexia treatment can create meaningful change at any age.
🌟 Sue Hall — Early Literacy with Davis Learning Strategies
Sue presented practical, immediately implementable strategies for integrating Davis tools into early education settings, showing how neurodivergent learners can achieve success from the beginning with structured, supportive approaches.
🌟 Cathie Geraci — Autism Communication: Supporting Non-Speaking Autistic Individuals
In a particularly moving session on autism support, Cathie demonstrated sensitive, respectful approaches to meaningful communication with non-speaking autistic individuals, illustrating how the Davis Autism Approach can unlock communication pathways and foster genuine understanding between families and autistic children.
🌟 Tessa Halliwell — Autism Self-Regulation: Pain, Purpose and Potential
Combining lived autism experience with professional expertise, Tessa explored the complex emotional landscape of autism, showing how Davis methods can support gentle self-regulation techniques and help autistic individuals discover their unique strengths and purpose while managing autism-related challenges.
🌟 Elizabeth Currie Shier — Parenting Neurodivergent Children: Strategies for Success
Elizabeth provided compassionate, research-informed parenting strategies specifically designed for families with neurodivergent children, helping parents transition from daily crisis management to long-term strength-building and family resilience when parenting children with autism, ADHD, or dyslexia.
🌟 Live Q&A Panels — Expert Autism and Dyslexia Support
Two interactive panel sessions allowed participants to engage directly with autism specialists and dyslexia experts, addressing real-world questions about autism intervention, adult dyslexia support, ADHD management, and parenting strategies for neurodivergent families. These sessions proved invaluable for personalized guidance and community connection around specific learning differences.
The response from our international audience seeking autism support, dyslexia intervention, and parenting guidance was overwhelmingly positive, with participants consistently highlighting the depth of autism expertise, clarity of dyslexia strategies, and immediate practical relevance of ADHD management techniques. Comments praised the compassionate approach to neurodivergent parenting and real-world applicability that characterizes all Davis autism and dyslexia work.
What distinguishes these autism support and dyslexia intervention insights is their foundation in the groundbreaking work of Ronald D. Davis, whose methods emerged from his own lived experience with dyslexia and learning differences. This unique perspective continues to offer an empowering, strength-based approach to autism support and dyslexia treatment that resonates deeply with neurodivergent individuals and their families.
The Davis approach recognizes that autism, dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia and dysgraphia are not deficits to be corrected, but different ways of processing information that, when properly understood and supported through evidence-based autism intervention and dyslexia strategies, can become sources of significant strength and creativity.
Plans are already underway for future Davis autism support and dyslexia intervention events, with our next comprehensive programme featuring autism specialists, dyslexia experts, and ADHD management training scheduled for late September 2025. The success of this rapid-response conference has energized our team and demonstrated the global demand for accessible, expert-led neurodivergent parenting education and adult support.
🎥 All session recordings remain available with unlimited replay access, allowing participants to revisit content and share insights with colleagues, family members, and support networks.
Article by Dolores Gage
We’re excited to share that Davis® methods are now being introduced to a global audience through the #1 international bestselling book The Perfectly Imperfect Family: Real Solutions for Mindful Parents Navigating Today’s Biggest Challenges.
The book features a dedicated section on Neurodiversity and the chapter that opens it, “NEWrodiversity: Minds Decoded, Potential Unlocked,” was written by Davis® Facilitator Dolores Gage. It explains how our unique thinking style can lead to challenges like dyslexia and ADHD, and how the Davis approach helps individuals of all ages understand and overcome those challenges by addressing the root cause.
Thanks to this collaborative book project, the Davis message is now reaching readers across the world — and in a big way:
📚 The Perfectly Imperfect Family became a #1 Bestseller in:
🌟 That’s a total of 175 Bestselling Categories — with 89 of them hitting #1! 🌟
This incredible exposure is helping more parents and professionals discover that neurodivergent minds aren’t broken. They simply think and learn differently. Davis methods show that these challenges are not lifelong labels, but rather solvable puzzles, and that real transformation is possible.
If you’re curious about how the Davis approach works, or if you’re ready to explore a programme for yourself or your child, you can find a trained Davis Facilitator near you via the Facilitator Directory on our website.
And if there isn’t someone nearby, don’t worry: many Facilitators work online, and several offer travel options as well.
Together, we’re helping more people understand the root causes of learning differences and offering clear, strengths-based solutions that transform lives.
Article by Sue Hall
In 2023, The Whole Dyslexic Society (WDS) heard that the Ministry of Education and Child Care in British Columbia, was inviting new opportunities for the professional development of Early Childhood Educators
One of our WDS Board, Julie Brewer, who is a Montessori Early Childhood Educator had attended a Davis Learning Strategies for K-3 teachers Workshop and adapted the tools and strategies for her pre-school 3-5 yr olds…with incredible and unexpected success. All the children learned to relax, to control their energy levels, to focus, and master their alphabet letters individually… regardless of their innate learning style.
This success gave us the courage to apply and to our shock and delight, we were awarded the grant! It was a RUSH ! Acceptance arrived in August 2023, paperwork was signed in October and the whole pilot had to be completed by the end of January 2024. No pressure!
We built the pilot course, NeuroInclusivity for Early Years, around the Davis Learning Strategies and it attracted an incredible response from the ECEs… 60 enquiries within one week! Who wouldn’t want their children to self-manage for free? We conducted interviews, our Administrator got everyone familiar with the Thinkific e-learning platform and then it was all systems go!
Accessibility, ECEs with very little spare time and no funding for substitutes led us decide on live webinars which we recorded and placed on their Thinkific accounts. The modules pre the two day Davis Learning Strategies for Early Years Workshop explained why learning challenges arise and the history of DLS. Julie and I adapted the DLS for K-3 Manual and we were thrilled when Stacey Smith agreed to deliver both the online and in person workshops. Both were successful but the in person had the extra fun and community element.
ECEs then completed weekly Assignments, for Release, Dial, Focus and Koosh ball toss respectively. Some ECEs got to individual Letter Mastery in the time frame. Julie compiled completed assignments into a Google Evaluation form and the colourful pie charts confirmed it was a huge success.
Some of the ECEs want to continue to the end of June and some are even planning their next academic year.
I have attended a great deal of professional development and this was by far, the most inspiring, engaging and applicable by a long shot.
The children have ownership in the atmosphere of their classroom and can help themselves, friends, and teachers to kindly check on each other.
The release technique in particular has been a game-changer for our group of 20 kids. The difference in attention for our circle times since using release has been absolutely incredible!
So what now? The Ministry of Education and Child Care has our report, and so far radio silence, but we (the WDS) are determined more ECEs have this opportunity. We know that these tools can ensure that those who might have been seen to learn differently, never have a learning disability label attached to them.
We are deeply grateful to all those who took part in a very exciting, profoundly beneficial professional development pilot. Hugs all round 😊thank you.
Sixteen months after completing both the Davis Mastery for Attention and Davis Mastery for Dyslexia programs, adult client L.B. shares how these interventions transformed not just his reading and focus, but his entire professional and personal life.
L.B. came to us with clear professional goals that dyslexia was preventing him from achieving. He needed to function effectively in workplace situations, handle required paperwork and online training courses, and overcome the overwhelming hurdle that writing had become in his life.
“My goals were to be able to function in a job/school/professional situation and not have dyslexia hold me back. Things like being able to handle forms/paperwork or required online safety courses that require reading. I didn’t want writing to feel like a huge hurdle anymore.”
Beyond reading and writing, L.B. also struggled with focus, spelling, information retention, time management, and calendar use – challenges that significantly impacted his daily life and career prospects.
L.B.’s reading ability improved from an estimated grade 5 level with great difficulty to grade 8+ independent reading level.
“Before the program, my reading was strained, full of mistakes, and took a lot of effort. By the end of the program grade 8 was ‘independent’ level, and we probably could have done grade 9 level reading too!”
“As far as reading goes, I can get through government documents, and the other day I was reading about finances, stocks and bonds and investing, and I was able to UNDERSTAND what I read!”
One of the most powerful aspects of L.B.’s transformation was learning to manage his attention and mental focus:
“I didn’t expect to be able to see so clearly. Now when I get lost in my thoughts, staring off into the void in my mind (that state where it feels like 5 minutes have gone by but it’s been 5 hours), just having the hands and that part, being able to pull myself out of this void of thought has been unexpected, and also so helpful.”
The Davis Method’s unique approach to alignment and focus provided L.B. with practical tools he continues to use in challenging situations:
“Even the other day when I was in a room full of people talking and I felt social anxiety, being pulled everywhere, I remembered the hands, got focused, and then it didn’t matter anymore, I felt calm and could handle it.”
Beyond the practical improvements, L.B. experienced profound emotional healing from past educational trauma:
“I also had a lot of trauma related to reading from my early years. At one point having the letters of the alphabet in clay in front of me made me feel like my head was underwater, it was so overwhelming. It was incredibly empowering to be able to let go of those negative memories and take control. Once I did that the feeling stopped, and I felt like my self-esteem was restored. It was a very healing experience.”
“I’m really grateful for this Davis training. Being at work and remembering my point of balance and focus has been so monumental to me. To be present for life unfolding is the greatest gift. I look forward to receiving the rest of the skills to feel like I have the capacity to bring what’s in my heart to life by creating my dreams.”
L.B.’s success story demonstrates the life-changing potential of the Davis Method for adults struggling with dyslexia and attention challenges.
Davis® Mastery for Dyslexia program Davis® Mastery for Attention program Find a facilitator
At just 12 years old, T.R. faced a reality that many children with dyslexia know all too well: “I’m 12 and I don’t even know how to write.” His teachers would send him to the hallway to “think about it,” leaving him feeling isolated and frustrated. But T.R.’s story is a powerful testament to how the right approach can transform a child’s entire relationship with learning.
Before discovering Davis dyslexia programs, T.R.’s educational experience was marked by confusion and discouragement. His writing looked like “a bunch of blob letters,” his G’s appeared backwards, and traditional paper-and-pencil learning methods weren’t helping him advance at all. Like many children with dyslexia, T.R. possessed incredible creativity and intelligence, but the conventional classroom approach couldn’t unlock his potential.
“They would just like sort of put me out in the hallway and say, ‘you’ll think about it, T.R.,'” he recalls. This isolation is unfortunately common for children struggling with learning differences, often leading to decreased confidence and motivation. But T.R.’s natural artistic abilities, his love for Lego, clay, and drawing, would soon become the key to his transformation.
What makes dyslexia help through the Davis approach so effective is its recognition that children like T.R. aren’t broken, they’re wired differently. The program tapped into T.R.’s existing strengths, particularly his visual and tactile learning preferences. “I really like doing the program because it let me really interact with the skills that I already had,” T.R. explains.
The Davis Mastery for Dyslexia program uses clay modeling to help students understand sight words in a three-dimensional, experiential way. For T.R., this method was “up my alley already” because it combined his love of building and creating with essential literacy skills. Instead of staring at flat letters on paper, he could sculpt, touch, and manipulate words until they made sense.
One of T.R.’s favorite clay models was the word “else,” which allowed him to “combine two worlds together” by creating an alien talking to itself about people from “another place.” This creative interpretation demonstrates how the Davis approach encourages students to use their imagination as a learning tool rather than suppressing it.
T.R.’s description of his “dials”, his mental focus tools, shows his sophisticated understanding of attention control. He compares them to “Tesla thingamabobbers… like that blue glowing futuristic thing,” illustrating how he can now visualize and control his focus in ways that make sense to his creative mind.
T.R is now is now a confident learner, “I barely make any mistakes now,” he proudly shares. His handwriting evolved from illegible “blob letters” to “clean letters” that aren’t scattered everywhere. His backwards G’s are a thing of the past, and he’s developed remarkable speed and accuracy in his work.
Perhaps most importantly, T.R. has learned to overcome creative blocks, what he calls “word blocks”, by developing strategies like asking family members for ideas and combining concepts to spark his own creativity. This problem-solving approach extends far beyond just writing, giving him tools he can use throughout his life.
T.R. offers valuable advice for other children facing similar challenges: “If you have patience, you can do anything.” He’s discovered that consistent daily practice with clay words builds both speed and confidence, with some easier words taking him just two minutes to complete.
His self-motivation strategies are equally impressive. Rather than relying solely on external rewards, T.R. treats himself for completed work, whether that’s drawing time or other activities he enjoys. This internal motivation is crucial for long-term success and confidence building.
T.R.’s journey from educational isolation to confident learning offers hope for families seeking effective dyslexia help. His advice to parents considering the program is clear: “If you’re doing this at a younger age, this is really useful. So you won’t really end up like suffering.”
The Davis dyslexia programs teach more than reading and writing, they teach you how to leverage natural strengths and creativity. For visual, hands-on learners like T.R., this approach can mean the difference between educational struggle and genuine academic confidence.
As T.R.’s story shows, with the right support and methods, children with dyslexia can transform their perceived weaknesses into genuine superpowers. The key is finding an approach that honors how they naturally learn and think.
Don’t let your child struggle in silence like T.R. did. With the right support, they too can go from “blob letters” to confident writing, from educational isolation to academic success. Contact us today to begin your child’s transformation journey.
Alex’s story is one that resonates with countless families navigating the challenges of dyslexia. Before discovering the Davis Mastery for Dyslexia program, school was an uphill battle. Reading felt impossible, staying focused seemed out of reach, and Alex’s incredible imagination, capable of taking him to the moon, the sun, and every planet in the solar system, felt more like a distraction than a gift.
But what if that vivid imagination wasn’t the problem? What if it was actually the solution?
For many children with dyslexia, traditional learning methods can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Alex described how his mind would “leave the brain” during reading, floating off to imaginary places like “Kokomo” until his mental vacation was over. This isn’t defiance or lack of effort, it’s how many visual, creative minds naturally operate when not given the right tools.
Here’s an expanded section that incorporates information about Licensed Davis Facilitators and the Davis Mastery for Attention program:
The Challenge: When Attention Becomes Elusive
For many children with dyslexia, traditional learning methods can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Alex described how his mind would “leave the brain” during reading, floating off to imaginary places like “Kokomo” until his mental vacation was over. This isn’t defiance or lack of effort—it’s how many visual, creative minds naturally operate when not given the right tools.
Attention difficulties or ADHD often accompany dyslexia, not because these children can’t focus, but because their brains are wired to process information differently. They need learning approaches that match their natural thinking patterns. As said by Dr. Edward (Ned) Hallowell, “ADHD is like having a Ferrari for a brain… with bicycle brakes”. This metaphor highlights the powerful, yet sometimes challenging, nature of ADHD, suggesting that individuals with ADHD possess a high-potential “engine” but may struggle with impulse control or focus.
What makes the Davis approach unique is that Licensed Davis Facilitators are trained to address both dyslexia and attention challenges through specialized programs. While Alex participated in the Davis Mastery for Dyslexia program, families dealing with attention difficulties can also access the Davis Mastery for Attention program, which uses similar hands-on, experiential methods to help children gain control over their focus.
Licensed Davis Facilitators understand that these learning differences often overlap and require individualized approaches. They work one-on-one with students to identify their unique strengths and challenges, creating personalized learning strategies that turn potential distractions, like Alex’s vivid imagination, into powerful learning tools. Whether a child struggles primarily with reading, attention, or both, a Licensed Davis Facilitator can provide the specialized support needed to unlock their full potential.
The Davis Mastery for Dyslexia approach recognizes that children like Alex aren’t broken, they’re brilliant. Instead of fighting against Alex’s imagination, the program taught him how to harness it. Through hands-on clay modeling, Alex could literally sculpt sight words, seeing and feeling them “all the way around” rather than just staring at flat text on a page.
“Clay is amazing,” Alex explains with genuine enthusiasm. “You could sculpt clay models of the words… you could use your imagination.” This experiential, tactile approach transformed learning from a struggle into something exciting, something Alex actually looked forward to.
The changes in Alex go far beyond better test scores. His handwriting improved dramatically. His spelling became more accurate. But perhaps most importantly, his confidence soared. “Everything’s getting better. Pretty much everything,” he shares with a smile.
Alex learned to control his wandering attention, keeping his “mind focusing with his brain” during reading. His imagination, once a source of distraction, became a powerful learning tool.
Alex’s transformation offers hope for families searching for effective help for dyslexia. His story demonstrates that with the right approach, children with dyslexia can not only overcome their challenges but actually leverage their unique strengths.
As Alex enthusiastically tells other struggling students:
“When you’re done with this program, you’ll become smarter, maybe smarter than your mother or father… You may think this is going to be a boring, boring thing, but when you actually do it, it actually turns out amazing.”
For visual, creative learners like Alex, the Davis Mastery for Dyslexia program doesn’t just teach reading—it teaches children how to transform their greatest challenges into their most powerful assets.
Ready to discover your child’s learning superpowers? Contact us to learn more about how the Davis approach can help your family’s journey with dyslexia.
About Stephen:
Stephen Martin is a leading voice in the adult dyslexia and ADHD space, best known as the host of The Truth About Dyslexia podcast — a raw, real, and relatable show that’s reached over 1 million downloads. Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, Stephen now uses his lived experience and deep curiosity to empower neurodivergent adults through coaching, storytelling, and practical tools that actually work. He’s the founder of Truth About Dyslexia Coaching, where he helps adults shift from confusion to clarity using strategies tailored to the dyslexic mind.
Hey there, I’m Stephen Martin, host of The Truth About Dyslexia podcast. If you’ve found this page while looking for real answers about dyslexia in adults or searching for an adult dyslexia podcast that actually speaks your language, you’re in the right place.
Today, I want to talk about something that changed the way I see myself and how my brain actually works — the Davis Mastery for Dyslexia Program. But before we get into the nuts and bolts of the course, I want to share how I even got to the point of needing it.
I was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 10. I was in a private school at the time, and to be honest, I was lucky. Dyslexia wasn’t officially recognised in New Zealand’s school system until around 2007. So to be picked up in the mid-90s was rare.
My mum was my absolute hero. Like many mums of dyslexic kids, she fought tooth and nail for me. She helped me get a Reader/Writer for high school exams, which, around 2000, was pretty rare, and that gave me a real leg-up.
But once I left school, I did what so many of us do. I put dyslexia in a box and shoved it under the bed. I figured if I just worked harder, pushed myself enough, and stayed positive, I’d be fine. Turns out, that’s not quite how it works.
I was about 32 when my dad brought it up again. We were at the pub, having a beer, and he asked, “Do you think your dyslexia might be behind some of the stuff you’re struggling with in life?”
I did what any proud adult (and smart arse son) would do – I ignored him. Multiple times.
But he didn’t let up. Eventually, he found a Davis Dyslexia practitioner who lived walking distance from my house. That kind of luck doesn’t happen often. He kept at me until I messaged her.
It took five text follow-ups from her before I responded. Like many dyslexics, I was stuck in the fog. But eventually, I got myself to her house for an initial consultation.
That’s when everything shifted.
During our session, she noticed my eyes drift off and asked what I was thinking about. I told her I was picturing the builder hammering on her deck outside.
She asked, “Have you ever seen my deck? Or met my builder?”
I said no.
She smiled and explained that I had just created an entire scene in my head, a detailed, vivid, and completely made-up experience and believed it was real.
That moment hit hard. It made me realise just how often I’d trusted mental stories that weren’t rooted in anything real. Stories about myself. About others. About the world.
That was the hook. I was in.
When I first heard about the Life Concepts course, I was more than happy to invest in myself. And honestly, it was worth every cent.
The amount of one-on-one time you get with a facilitator is incredible. And once you get over the fact that you’re learning using clay-yes, actual clay, the depth of what you uncover is profound. It feels childlike at first, but it unlocks things that traditional education never came close to.
I worked with a fantastic facilitator named Vanessa Victor, and I honestly can’t thank her enough. She made me feel seen, respected, and supported throughout the whole process. And I know there are other amazing Davis facilitators out there who care deeply about every client they work with, whether child or adult.
The course itself uses real-life examples and practical application to teach you how to internalise core concepts that so many of us missed growing up. Things like time. Sequence. Cause and effect. Responsibility.
It sounds obvious, but it’s not. Just because you can say the word “consequence” or nod when someone talks about “cause and effect” doesn’t mean you’ve actually embodied what it means. And that’s the magic of this course.
It was like filling in invisible gaps in my foundations, the kind of knowledge you didn’t even know you were missing until someone pointed a light at it.
I can’t do justice to what happens in that room with clay and a brilliant facilitator. But I can tell you it felt like rewiring parts of my brain that had been running on guesswork for years.
After going through Davis, I began to:
But most of all, I stopped trying to fix myself and started learning how to work with my brain instead of against it.
Let me be straight with you: you’re not broken. You’re not lazy. And you’re definitely not alone. Whether you were diagnosed at school or only recently started wondering about it, the Davis approach is one of the most empowering things I’ve ever done, especially for adults who are ready to make sense of the messy, often overwhelming parts of life that never quite clicked.
If you’re looking for a safe place to keep exploring this stuff, come check out my podcast, The Truth About Dyslexia. It’s raw. It’s honest. And it’s made for people who think in pictures and feel like school never really taught them the tools they needed
Start listening to Stephen’s Podcast: The Truth About Dyslexia, or visit his website for core resource page for adult dyslexia for practical support and real stories.
If you’re an adult looking for support, you can find a Davis Facilitator near you and explore how the Davis Concepts for Life® program or Davis Mastery for Dyslexia program could help you or someone you care about.
Or, if you’d like to guide someone through the program yourself — and even take the first step toward becoming a Licensed Davis Facilitator — join an upcoming Concepts for Life Workshop or upcoming Gift of Dyslexia Workshop to gain the tools and training to make a real difference.
Contact us
Celebrating three decades of turning learning struggles into lifelong gifts
Thirty years ago, Ron Davis published a book that changed how the world understands dyslexia.
What started as one man’s journey from 38 years of illiteracy became a global movement. This movement has helped millions of people across more than 40 countries.
The Gift of Dyslexia revealed what others failed to see: dyslexia isn’t a disability. It’s a different way of thinking. When you understand it properly, it becomes an extraordinary gift.
Today, our services reach over 30 languages worldwide. Our research-backed methods have helped countless people discover their true potential.
Ron Davis was born with what we now call severe autism. Doctors labeled him “uneducable and mentally retarded.”
For the first nine years of his life, he had no awareness of the world around him.
When awareness came, it brought terror. He suddenly had to learn in a system that wasn’t designed for minds like his.
The turning point came at age 17.
An IQ test revealed Ron was a genius. He scored 137 points.
By age 27, after using clay modeling to learn concepts and words, his IQ reached 169.
But reading remained impossible.
Words swam on pages. Letters flipped and rotated. Spacing disappeared.
The breakthrough came during his career as a sculptor. He realized he could “go” to a place where language didn’t exist.
If he could go there, perhaps he could go where language did exist.
That curiosity led to his discovery of the root cause of dyslexia: disorientation.
Once Ron understood this, he could read without effort for the first time in his life.
The words held still. The spacing was accurate. He experienced what everyone else experienced when looking at text. You can read Ron’s full story here
For 30 years, The Gift of Dyslexia has created “finally, somebody understands” moments for families worldwide.
Here are stories from people whose lives changed:
Cheryl treasures her signed copy of The Gift of Dyslexia – “one of my most prized books.” As a Davis Facilitator for almost 20 years, she’s witnessed the book’s enduring power firsthand. “It not only changed the direction my life and career took, but it has also helped me in being able to change the lives of numerous people because of it.” What makes it so lasting? “Its simplicity, clarity and the fact that it gives hope.” After two decades of helping others, Cheryl’s verdict: “The scope of the gift of dyslexia is indeed immense and it will continue to help and inspire people for years to come.”
Anne trained to be a reading teacher. Every university strategy she tried with her brilliant son, who was struggling with reading, failed.
When she discovered The Gift of Dyslexia, her son’sresponse changed everything: “Of course we think in pictures, don’t you Mom?”
Within months of implementing the Gift of Dyslexia, her son was reading at grade level.
Today, he’s a college graduate running successful businesses. Anne has been a Davis Facilitator since 2006.
“I knew then and there that had to be my career path to help other individuals overcome some of the struggles they were having with reading.”
Carl spent his entire life “chasing his dyslexia” as a severely dyslexic adult. When he discovered Ron Davis’s work, everything changed. He realized dyslexia isn’t what we think it is. It’s “something really very good, very positive that just needs a different approach.”
“I couldn’t stand by and let a child of eight, nine, ten have the same experience that I have had as a dyslexic learning to read.”
Now Carl is a Davis Facilitator. He ensures no child has to struggle the way he did.
Margot’s story shows how Davis tools extend far beyond literacy.
Before the program Margot:
Had no control over her temper
– Constantly bumped into things
– Dropped items regularly
– Even backed her car into letterboxes
Using Davis self-regulation techniques, she can now:
– Control her anger
– Stay alert and focused
– Manage her energy levels
– Truly relax
The Davis tools keep her “in the here and now.” They changed how she moves through the world.
When Emily’s kindergartener couldn’t learn to read and repeated the grade, she acted.
She went to the library and checked out every book on dyslexia she could find. Reading The Gift of Dyslexia, she cried. “Finally, there is somebody out there that understands my son.”
That struggling five-year-old is now 22. If you heard him read, you’d never know he was dyslexic.
Emily became a Davis Facilitator five years ago. She witnessed what she calls “the magic of this program.”
“We know it’s not magic, but it works like magic.”
Nadine was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD as an adult. She struggled through university in her 40s. She’d used every available resource. Nothing worked. Ready to drop out, she discovered The Gift of Dyslexia audiobook as a last resort.
“It changed my world.”
She completed her degree. She became a Davis Facilitator to “give back and pay it forward to everybody else who’s neurodiverse like me.”
Ready to discover how The Gift of Dyslexia can change your life or your loved one’s life?
You have several pathways:
Perfect for:
Parents and grandparents seeking to understand and support dyslexic family members
Adults with dyslexia looking to understand their own learning style
Professionals considering a meaningful career change to become Davis Facilitators
What You’ll Receive:
Investment: $1,595 USD
Format: Online (US/Canada time zones)
If you prefer personalized, individual support for yourself or your child, our licensed facilitators provide the complete Davis Mastery for Dyslexia program through one-on-one sessions.
Own your copy of the international bestseller that has been translated into 20 languages and changed millions of lives.
The Gift of Dyslexia – Available in:
Paperback: $19.99 USD
Audiobook: $19.99 USD
Available in 20 languages
Connect with thousands of families, adults, and professionals who understand the dyslexic experience:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often makes focusing and maintaining order difficult. This blog explores the unique methods that Davis facilitators use to help individuals with ADHD manage their attention and create order in their environment and in life. It focuses on developing essential life skills through innovative techniques. These concepts are part of the Davis Method, a framework designed to empower individuals with ADHD and other neurotypes.
Orientation and disorientation are two different mental states that drastically impacts how we operate in our daily lives. Orientation is a mental state where perception matches what is actually happening in the environment and provides a sense of structure, focus, and control. This is the mental state where we’re able to be present, concentrate on a task, and tune out distractions. Disorientation, on the other hand, is a state of mental distraction, confusion, restlessness, but is also where daydreaming, problem-solving, and imagination can shine.
For example, a student in a classroom may experience disorientation if they’re bored or easily distracted by noises or sights around them, rather than being able to focus on the teacher’s lesson. Or someone with ADHD may find it challenging to maintain order and organization in their daily routines, which can make life feel chaotic and out of control.
Disorientation is not inherently good or bad – it’s simply a different way of processing information and experiencing the world. The Davis method recognizes that both orientation and disorientation are valuable life skills, depending on the situation and individual needs moment by moment.
This perspective challenges the traditional view of ADHD. Instead of labeling the state of disorientation as negative, the Davis method sees it as a useful skill. Orientation is necessary for tasks requiring precision. Disorientation, on the other hand, can spark creativity or exploration. The key is learning when and how to switch between these states.
The foundation of the Davis method is teaching individuals how to focus. There are three primary methods to guiding an individual to do this:
1. Visual thinkers: These individuals process information with mental images. Using visualization techniques, the Davis Orientation Counseling techniques enable clients to center their attention and focus quickly and easily.
2. Kinesthetic thinkers: These are physical, hands-on learners, such as athletes and artists. The Davis Alignment techniques use movement or physical sensations to stay focused.
3. Auditory thinkers: These individuals benefit from sounds, such as rhythmic beats or specific tones, to guide their focus. The Davis Auditory Orientation sound is highly effective to build focus endurance.
Teaching focus is simple. In most cases, it takes less than 30 minutes. After learning the techniques, individuals practice focusing and becoming more in-tune with the feeling of orientation. This includes noticing when they lose focus and working to regain it. Refocusing builds awareness and control over their attention.
ADHD often affects foundational life skills. Concepts such as time, order, sequence, and consequences may feel unclear. The Davis method introduces these ideas step by step. This process is like installing software in the mind. It fills in gaps that might exist and helps individuals understand key principles of how the world around them operates.
Here are some of the core life skills taught:
ADHD individuals often struggle to connect actions with outcomes. For example, the consequences of certain behaviors, like smoking or excessive drinking, may not appear until years later. This method teaches how to trace back events and identify the cause of unintended outcomes. By doing so, individuals are empowered to make better choices.
Order is more than keeping a tidy room. It involves organizing thoughts, actions, and time. The Davis method encourages practicing order in different ways:
Once individuals identify the cause of negative outcomes, they can explore alternatives. They are encouraged to test these new choices to see if they lead to better results. If the new choice still creates unintended consequences, they can refine it further. This trial-and-error process builds problem-solving skills and opens up new ways of doing things that will better serve them and those around them.
The Davis method offers a refreshing alternative to traditional ADHD interventions. Instead of aiming for constant focus, it embraces the natural rhythm of the mind. Disorientation is not viewed as a flaw but as a valuable state. This mindset fosters self-acceptance, confidence and encourages creativity.
By teaching practical tools and using real-world practice, this approach empowers individuals. They gain the skills needed to navigate challenges independently. The focus on life skills ensures lasting impact, far beyond the classroom or therapy session.
The ultimate goal of this method is to teach individuals how to manage their minds and environments. They learn to:
1. Recognize when they are focused or disoriented.
2. Switch between these states intentionally.
3. Maintain order in their thoughts, actions, and surroundings.
4. Analyze their choices and refine their actions.
By mastering these skills, individuals with ADHD can create a more balanced and fulfilling life. They gain control over their attention and can harness it to achieve their goals and potential. The Davis method provides the tools needed to thrive, one step at a time.
“What makes the Davis Autism Approach different to any other therapy or program I’m aware of, is that Ron Davis really understands autism from within. His program truly reaches to the core of who my son is. It’s hard to imagine what life would have been like if we hadn’t found the Davis Autism Approach when we did.“
Since doing a Davis Autism Approach program when he was 12, my son Isaac has developed a freedom and independence and sense of peace that he wouldn’t have otherwise had.
The biggest transformation our family noticed was that we started to get to know Isaac. He was no longer shutdown and withdrawn. He was gaining a sense of self and a confidence that he had never had before. He started to express himself clearly because his thoughts were much more in order. He is actually a very articulate young man!
As a family, instead of doing things for him all the time, we have had to adjust and let him start doing things his way.
The Davis Autism Approach is the only program I’m aware of that manages to unlock the gifts and resources within people with autism.
I now know that Isaac is going to be OK in life … he will always be able to negotiate the world around him without getting anxious and confused, because within him he has the Davis tools and skills.
It is like a rock he can always come back to.
Juliana, parent, New Zealand
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