THE CHADD SOUTH BAY/SO CAL CHAPTER WELCOMES YOU!

 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects our lives in different ways. Symptoms are not the same for everyone and can appear differently over time.  We know that the best support often comes from those who have "been there"...those of us who live with ADHD.  Sharing, talking and networking with other ADHD adults and parents with ADHD children and teens and young adults, is a good way to learn about this neurodivergence. More importantly, we learn that we are not alone.

 

Our Chapter's mission is to provide ongoing support to help us understand this "difference" which affects our lives, our children and our families. With the current concerns about mental health, in addition to the daily social demands among our youth and their families, we recognize a need to support families with hands-on strategies and practices.

 

The South Bay/So Cal Chapter of CHADD offers Support Programs for All interested in learning more about ADHD for themselves and their families. 

 

#1. CHADD ADHD SUPPORT GROUP (AGES 18+)  meets via Zoom bi-monthly. Meeting dates are:  

1.  October 25, 2025 (Sat) @ 1 pm (PST)

2.  November 8, 2025 (Sat) @ 1 pm (PST)

3.  November 22, 2025 (Sat) @ 1 pm (PST)

4.  December 6, 2025 (Sat) @ 1 pm (PST)

5.  December 20, 2025 (Sat) @ 1 pm (PST)

Justine Ruotolo is our meeting facilitator.  Justine Ruotolo, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California and Virginia and an Executive Function/ADHD coach. Justine has been working in the ADHD community for over 30 years and is a graduate of the Pepperdine University clinical master's program, with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy. Justine works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and parents.

If interested in participating, please email Justine at Justine.ruotolo @ narrativeshiftcoaching.com and Carolyn at ckellychadd10g@gmail.com and we will send you the Zoom link. Justine's website is Narrativeshiftcoaching.com.

 

#2.  The CHADD WOW FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP meets once a month via Zoom. For our 2025-26 Program, our meetings will switch to a Thursday evening, from 7 pm - 8 pm. Special guests join us to speak on an ADHD related topic. Guests and Topics for our 2025-26 Program are listed below: 

 

 

Date September 18, 2025 (Thursday @ 7 PM) 

Topic:  The Value of Soft Skills: In Education, In the World of Work, and In Personal Relationships.

Topic Description:  We are delighted to welcome Dr Virginia (Ginny) Erxleben as our special guest. Dr.Erxleben joins us to discuss Soft Skills and how we can learn to master these soft skills to help with our relationships, personal and professional. The ability to “read” other people and to “adapt” to uncertain situations is difficult. Soft skills are important interpersonal skills that help us interact with others within our families, in school settings and in our places of work.

Soft skills -like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability-are important life skills that help with our academic success through better collaboration and learning. In the workplace they help us to work effectively as a team. Soft skills also help with our personal relationships because of greater empathy and understanding of ourselves and others. Soft skills are crucial for navigating complex situations, building trust and fostering positive and supporting environments personally and professionally.

In School:   Soft skills help students to communicate and collaborate more effectively with others which leads to a deeper understanding of complex concepts. Soft skills like teamwork and active listening help with group activities and a more positive and productive learning environment. By developing soft skills, students become more adaptable and better at critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

At Work:  Soft skills are essential to help us work productively and harmoniously with others. In the work place, it is important to work well with diverse personalities and backgrounds. Those with strong soft skills are better able to be in positions of leadership and contribute positively. Soft skills like emotional intelligence, communication and conflict resolution are important skills to work collaboratively with others. Stronger soft skills helps with a more positive and engaging workplace culture

In Relationships:   Soft skills help us to learn empathy and be able to understand different perspectives. With stronger communication skills, we learn to express ourselves clearly which leads to deeper and more meaningful personal connections. Strong communication and active listening skills are crucial to expressing our needs and feelings respectfully. This helps prevent misunderstandings and helps build trust in our personal relationships. By learning to navigate disagreements, find common ground, and manage our emotions all contribute to healthier more resilient relationships. Our overall well-being is most important and by developing our soft skills helps with more positive social interactions which is major in our overall emotional and social well-being.

 

Special Guest: Virginia (Ginny) Erxleben, Ed.D., BCET, Co-Founder and Director of CLU (Center for Learning Unlimited) for over 20 years and now Executive Director of CLU Transitions, a Digital Arts and Animation Studio (DBA Brainstorm Productions)

  

 

Date October 23, 2025 (Thursday @ 7 PM) 

 

Special Guest: T. J. Vanmarter, Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, BCBA, LMFT. T.J. Vanmarter has over 13  years experience treating individuals with a variety of mood disorders, neurodivergency (ADHD, Autism, etc.) academic and behavioral disorders, and managing life transitions (work, school, relationships, grief, etc.) T.J. Vanmarter is licensed in CA and AZ and holds a certification in behavior analysis. His practice is affirming, client-centered and goal-oriented, treating individuals, couples and families.

Topic:  ADHD, ASD, AuDHD Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis, Treatment and Interventions

 

Topic Description:  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are both neurodevelopmental disorders with distinct characteristics. The term AuDHD is not a formal diagnosis, but professionals can now diagnose both ADHD and ASD as AuDHD if the individual meets the criteria for both disorders.

 

ADHD and ASD are often comorbid conditions, meaning they can exist at the same time. Historically, professionals believed that the ADHD and ASD were mutually exclusive: you could be diagnosed with one, but not both.

 

After intensive study, researchers updated the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to acknowledge that people can have both ADHD and ASD. The neurodiversity community coined the slang term “AuDHD” to describe this dual diagnosis and highlight its unique impact on life.

 

ADHD involves inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ASD involves challenges in social communication, repetitive behaviors and sensory sensitivities. AuDHD may present as an intense blend of characteristics, including a struggle between the ASD need for routine and the ADHD craving for novelty, leading to unique challenges and an intensified version of shared symptoms. 

 

TJ Vanmarter joins us as our Special Guest to explain the differences and similarities of ADHD, ASD and AuDHD symptoms and signs.  TJ Vanmarter will also discuss diagnosis and the kinds of treatments and interventions that are available based upon presenting symptoms and behaviors.

 

 

 

Date November 20, 2025 (Thursday @ 7 PM) 

Topic:  TBA

Topic Description:  TBA

Special Guest: TBA

 

Date January 22, 2026 (Thursday @ 7 PM) 

Topic:  The Lived Experience of ADHD beyond the DSM Criteria: Part II

Topic Description:  Most of us are familiar with the thoroughly pathologizing description of ADHD from the DSM. ADHDers struggle in neuronormative spaces, and those struggles manifest in the typical behaviors that get folks diagnosed. However, there is so much more to being ADHD than the symptoms listed on paper. There are a number of experiences common to being an ADHDer that are, in fact, so common they ought to be included in diagnostic testing. This talk will delve into some of these experiences, how they manifest for better and/or worse,  and how they may be accommodated. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers for those who want to learn about ADHD from the inside out.

Special Guest: Joel Schwartz, Psy.D.  Dr. Joel Schwartz is a licensed clinical psychologist who co-runs a private practice in San Luis Obispo called Total Spectrum Counseling. He specializes in therapy and testing for the misunderstood, particularly autistic people from a neurodiversity perspective.  He is the creator of the term “Neurodiversity Affirmative Therapy” and has consulted internationally on the topic.  He is an ADHDer himself, and loves to teach others about the experience of living with ADHD. As a therapist, he is warm, compassionate, and strongly humanistic, allowing for all the oddities and unexplored aspects of his clients to emerge and be validated. As a testing psychologist, Dr. Schwartz specializes in difficult and complex cases.
 

Dr. Schwartz grew up in Southern California. He developed an early interest in psychology, strangely enough, from a childhood filled with science fiction stories. These stories often provided fascinating looks into human psychology and the human spirit. Dr. Schwartz attended UCLA as an undergrad where he conducted research in the field of neurolinguistics. From there, he attended Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf School of Clinical Psychology for his Master’s and Doctorate degree. He has worked in various settings including colleges, clinics, a federal prison, and residential treatment centers. Through his experience with a vast array of individuals he has stuck with one important lesson among many; as the psychoanalyst Harry Stack Sullivan said, “We are all more human than otherwise.”

 

Date February 19, 2026 (Thursday @ 7 PM) 

Topic:  TBA

Topic Description:  TBA

Special Guest: TBA

 

Date March 19, 2026 (Thursday @ 7 PM) 

Topic:  TBA

Topic Description:  TBA

Special Guest: TBA

 

Date April 23, 2026 (Thursday @ 7 PM) 

Topic:  ADHD Management - Current Treatment Options and How Treatment Can Change Across the Lifespan

Topic Description:  TBA

Special Guest: Dr. Jessica Kiss graduated medical school from Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University in Arizona after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Arizona. She completed her residency training at College Medical Center in Long Beach, where she was also chief resident. Dr. Kiss specializes in family medicine and will be treating kids and adults of all ages. Dr. Kiss is the mother 4 – twin girls, Bella and Kayla, Seth, and Alexis. She has a background in special needs, having been a special needs tutor and ABA therapist as well in LGBTQIA care. She advises the school district locally regarding health and safety. Her passions include spending time outside, being active with her family, all things Disney, and a love for performing arts. During the pandemic, Dr Kiss was compelled to teach health and wellness to more than just her local community, so she took to social media becoming a sought after medical and healthcare influencer on Tiktok amassing more than 220k followers. She has since been featured as a medical expert for CNN, NBC, Yahoo!, Time, Scary Mommy, and the Leaky Boob.  Dr. Kiss is AskDrMom on tiktok, Instagram, or Facebook.

 

Date May 21, 2026 (Thursday @ 7 PM) 

Topic:  TBA

Topic Description:  TBA

Special Guest: Justine Ruotolo, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California and Virginia and an Executive Function/ADHD coach. Justine has been working in the ADHD community for over 30 years and is a graduate of the Pepperdine University clinical master's program, with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy. Justine works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and parents. Justine's website is Narrativeshiftcoaching.com.

Justine Ruotolo has been an executive function coach and LMFT for 30 plus years. Justine started as Miss ADD, and recently switched to Narrative Shift Coaching and Therapy. Narrative Coaching,  focusing on stories we carry within us…stories that shape our beliefs and influence our thoughts and behaviors. Narrative shift coaching is a technique that helps people change their stories to create new options and results for themselves and their families. It can help people become more aware of their stories and then be able to re-write stories that no longer serve them.

Justine made this change to help others understand the need to shift their narrative which can help them get better. When you switch your narrative everything can get better! The EFD’s, anxiety, depression, can improve, couples and parents can learn to communicate on a positive level, because when you change the narrative of your life, it will change you.
 

If interested in participating in our CHADD WOW FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP, contact Carolyn Kelly, chapter coordinator at ckellychadd10g@gmail.com to request the Zoom Link. 

 

 

 

 

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We encourage you to become a CHADD member. For about $1 a week ($53 Annual Family Membership or $130 Annual Professional Membership), you would help support your local chapter and CHADD's national advocacy efforts for information, services, support and accommodations in the schools and in the workplace.

FOR INFORMATION, email Carolyn Kelly at ckellychadd10g@gmail.com

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Do you need immediate assistance? 

As a volunteer, I may not be able to get back to you if you need immediate assistance. 

If you are seeking information for something that is time-sensitive (such as an IEP/Section 504 meeting at your child’s school), or are looking for a local  professional with AD/HD expertise, please contact CHADD’s National Resource Center on AD/HD (NRC), online at http://www.help4adhd.org/ or by phone toll-free at 800-233-4050 (press option 2, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm Eastern time). 

The NRC is staffed by trained health information professionals who can answer many of your questions about AD/HD and provide other helpful information and resources. (NOTE: the NRC does not provide legal or medical advice, but can offer ideas and suggestions to help you find what you are looking for).

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CHADD does not endorse or represent products, services, publication, medications or treatments. Meetings are free and open to the public, although membership with CHADD is strongly encouraged, since your local group will receive a portion of your dues to continue supporting your community.

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