My Story:

As someone who has struggled and succeeded with ADD and poor short-term memory, I am in a unique position to help others with similar deficits find a system that works for them. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 6 years old. My main symptom has always been poor short-term memory. Through the years, I have learned how to effectively manage my poor short-term memory. For instance, in high school I had trouble in my freshman year. Through eliminating foods from my diet, exercising, meditating, minimizing distractions (T.V., video games etc) and regulating my sleep schedule, I was able to effectively keep important facts in my memory long enough to turn them into long term memories. My increased focused allowed me to do well in my classes and get a competitive score on the SAT. The most profound change in my life was an increased awareness through cultivating mindfulness.
 
I then attended Reed College (Portland, OR), one of the most difficult colleges in the country, as rated by students. Here, I started to learn techniques specific for helping those with ADD. I also learned how to interact with professors to receive appropriate accommodations and learn ways I could be most successful in their courses. I graduated with a 3.4 GPA.
 
Next, I attended UT Southwestern. For me to complete my thesis on the development of the mouse nervous system, I needed to create my own schedule and develop a detailed plan of how I would implement my project. Some of the methods required great precision in terms of timing and required that I stayed fully present throughout. Other methods were very tedious, making it more difficult for me to stay focused. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA. I am uniquely qualified to help biological science graduate students with their theses and graduate studies.

My Training:

• Master of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (UT Southwestern, 2006)
• Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Reed College (2002)
• ADD in the Spirit (2010). Completed 200 hours of training in ADD Coaching combining lectures with peer coaching (taught by Kate Kelly & Peggy Ramundo).