SOUTH BAY/SO CAL CHAPTER OF CHADD 10G

Hello and Welcome!

 

Managing ADHD is uniquely challenging for everyone...but we don't have to do it alone. Managing ADHD is like a marathon, not a sprint. It is about discovering the right combination of treatment, tools, and support that works for you and your family. It is our hope that you are open to peer group support to help guide you, build better understanding, fight isolation and find empowerment. Engaging and participating in peer group support can be helpful and incredibly rewarding. There are always challenges which include overcoming initial hesitation, finding the right group, and most importantly, committing to stay engaged. 

 

Peer support groups are not replacements for professional medical treatment. They are about "community" and networking in ADHD management...that we are not alone in facing ongoing challenges. We find others ready to share, uplift and support us every step of the way. 

 

We are stronger together! By working together, we learn practical strategies and gain insight into managing our every day challenges, complimenting clinical advice from medical professionals. Please join us! 

 

1.  CHADD ADHD SUPPORT GROUP: Justine Ruotolo, LMFT & ADHD/Executive Function Coach is the Group Facilitator. Justine is passionate about helping individuals and their families embrace their ADHD gifts. These Zoom meetings are bi-monthly on Saturdays, from 1-2:30 pm (PST). For info and to request the Zoom link, email Carolyn @ ckellychadd10g@gmail.com and Justine @ justine.ruotolo@narrativeshiftcoaching.com

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

1.  September 19, 2026

2.  October 3, 2026

3.  October 17, 2026

4.  October 31, 2026

5.  November 14, 2026

6.  November 28, 2026 

 

2.  CHADD WOW FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP: Professionals are invited to speak on ADHD topics of interest for individuals and their families. These Zoom meetings are held monthly, beginning in September and ending in May, on a Thursday evening, from 7 pm - 8:30 pm (PST). For info or to request the Zoom link, email Carolyn @ ckellychadd10g@gmail.com.

 

DATE:  September 17, 2026, 6:30-7:30 pm 

SPECIAL GUEST: Justine Ruotolo, LMFT, ADHD/Executive Function Coach 

TOPIC:  The Story You were Told: What it means to be Neurodivergent in a Neurotypical World

TOPIC DESCRIPTION:  TBA

WEBSITE: narrativeshiftcoaching.com

 

DATE: October 15, 2026, 7-8:30 pm  

SPECIAL GUEST: Stefanie Rushatakankovit, Licensed Ed Psychologist & Board Certified Behavior Analyst

TOPIC:  TBA

TOPIC DESCRIPTION:  TBA

WEBSITE: novi-minds.com

 

DATE:  November 12, 2026, 7-8:30 pm 

SPECIAL GUEST:  Steven J. Lawrence, MD. is a double Board Certified Physician in Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry. Dr. Lawrence is a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Learning Unlimited and is also a member of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Lawrence also provides Psychiatric Consultation for Bayfront Youth and Family Services in Long Beach, CA. and is a Volunteer Faculty member of the Harbor/UCLA Dept of Child Psychiatry. 

TOPIC: TBA

TOPIC DESCRIPTION: TBA

 

DATE:  December 3, 2026, 7-8:30 pm 

SPECIAL GUEST:  Miwa Emi, LCSW, Psychotherapy & Medical Case Management is a psychtherapist who specializes in women and anxiety. 

TOPIC: Before You Snap: Managing Your Own Anxiety Through the Holidays in an ADHD Household

TOPIC DESCRIPTION: The holidays take away the very things an ADHD household runs on: routine, sleep, quiet, and predictable food. They disappear exactly when MORE is expected of you. Learn how to catch your warning signs hours before you snap. You will practice 3 regulation skills that hold up in real conditions, then build a "good enough" holiday plan that protects 2 or 3 priorities and lets the rest go. Come prepared with one holiday moment that you are already worried about: the dinner, the travel or the 2 weeks without school.

WEBSITE:  miwaemitherapy.com

 

DATE:  January 14, 2027. 7-8:30 pm 

SPECIAL GUEST:  Faisal Ahmed, MD, is a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, Vice Chief of Staff at Sutter Center for Psychiatry, and volunteer clinical faculty at UC Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Ahmed is the author of "The Heart of the Matter".

TOPIC:  "The Heart of the Matter," Strategies for Neurodivergent Families around day-to-day ADHD Challenges.

TOPIC DESCRIPTION: TBA

 

DATE:  February 4, 2027, 7-8:30 pm 

SPECIAL GUEST:  Russ Jones (adhdbigbrother.com)

TOPIC: TBA

TOPIC DESCRIPTION: TBA

 

DATE:  March 4, 2027, Times TBA 

SPECIAL GUEST: Haim Omer, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Tel Aviv University. Professor Omer is the developer of the New Authority Approach for Parents (also known as the Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) approach), tested in clinical trials including with families of Children with ADHD. Prof. Omer is the author of several books for parents translated into many languages.

TOPIC: The Non-Violent Resistance Approach to Parenting: How to Stay Present 

TOPIC DESCRIPTION: Learn practical tools to step out of daily escalation and remain a calm, anchoring presence in your child's life. 

 

DATE:  April, 2027, Times TBA 

SPECIAL GUEST: Itay Ricon-Becker, PhD, co-founder of Annie, an AI parenting companion built on the NVR approach in direct collaboration with Prof. Haim Omer 

TOPIC: Annie- an AI Helper for Daily Challenges of Parenting 

TOPIC DESCRIPTION: A live demo of AI support for everyday parenting moments, and a discussion of what AI can and cannot do for families.

 

DATE:  May 20, 2027, 7-8:30 pm 

SPECIAL GUEST: TJ VanMarter, MA, BCBA, LMFT

TOPIC: TBA

TOPIC DESCRIPTION: TBA

WEBSITE: tjvanmarter.com