Description: This live virtual course explores ADHD and executive dysfunction across the lifespan through a functional cognition lens, emphasizing neuro-affirming care and a needed shift in how clinicians understand, assess, and intervene. Participants will examine ADHD presentations in children, adolescents, and adults within the context of real-world demands, focusing on how executive functioning challenges impact daily life across home, school, work, and relationships. Grounded in lived experience, the course highlights variability in presentation and the often-invisible effort required to function. Through case-based learning, participants will analyze how cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors interact to shape performance over time. Moving beyond deficit-based models, the course will review functional cognitive performance-based and self-report assessments. It emphasizes strengths-oriented, context-sensitive approaches that build self-efficacy and integrate neuro-affirming principles into everyday clinical decision-making. Participants will identify functional cognitive breakdowns that provide a foundation for developing practical, individualized, occupation-centered interventions that are meaningful and applicable in real-world settings.
Active participation is required for this course. Active participation is required for this course. Learning outcomes will be evaluated through written case analyses, interactive polling questions, reflective activities, and group discussion. Participants will apply course concepts to analyze ADHD-related executive functioning patterns, examine the interaction between cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors on occupational performance, and apply neuro-affirming principles to functional cognitive problems and error patterns. These activities will be used to assess attainment of the learning objectives listed below and participants' ability to integrate strengths-based, context-sensitive principles into clinical decision-making.
Audience: This course is designed for Occupational Therapists with at least 1 year of experience working with children, adolescents, and/or adults with ADHD. A previous course on executive functions is recommended (Suggested Course - https://multicontext.net/session1)
Content level is Intermediate.
Instructor: Chelsea Elkind MS OTR/L
Format and CEUs: This live virtual course delivered on Zoom is 3.25 contact hours and meets the criteria for 0.325 CEUs, intermediate level. A 15-minute break is not counted within contact hours. Course is scheduled for 3.5 hours.
Course times are New York or Eastern Time Zone (ET). Course start times in other US/Canada time zones are listed below. Time Converter can be used for other time zones (www.thetimezoneconverter.com). Zoom live translated captions for approximately 35 languages are available for this course.
Fall 2026
November 10th - 11:00 am - 2:30 pm ET (15-minute break included)
Course Fee: $110..00 USD
Course Outline
Welcome, Introductions & Course Overview (10 min)
Understanding ADHD Through a Lifespan & Neuro-Affirming Lens (30 min)
ADHD as a neurodevelopmental condition across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, Executive functioning patterns in ADHD, Masking, burnout, compensation, and identity formation, Functional cognitive impact across school, work, home, and relationships
Analyzing Functional Cognitive & Behavioral Patterns (35 min)
Case vignettes: child, teen, and adult presentations, Cognitive performance error breakdowns and ties to executive functioning, Emotional regulation and behavior, Functional implications across contexts, Introduction to self-monitoring, online awareness, and recognizing task demands in real time
Case examples and discussion
Break (15 min)
Developmental Progression of ADHD & Cognitive Patterns (30 min)
Differences in childhood, teen, and adult ADHD presentations, Shifting environmental demands and coping strategies, Functional impact of masking, chronic stress, and misdiagnosis, Evolution of self-awareness and executive functioning across the lifespan
Case scenarios and Group discussion - analysis and comparison of differences in executive functioning patterns
Functional Cognitive Assessment, Awareness & Interpretation within a Neuro-Affirming Framework (35 min)
A brief overview of formal and informal OT based assessment options, Functional cognitive observation and interpretation, Avoiding deficit-based language, Facilitating client insight into ADHD patterns and functional challenges, Supporting anticipation of task demands, barriers, and strategy needs.
Analsyis of Case scenario - Group discussion and real-time sharing.
Applying Functional Cognitive Intervention Strategies within a Neuro-Affirming Framework(40 min)
Strengths-based and occupation-centered intervention, Promoting “executive thinking” via metacognitive strategy-based methods, Self-modulation and awareness training in the lens of sensory regulation, Self-Efficacy: Understanding one’s strengths and areas of growth, Supporting clients in planning for cognitive load and task demands
Analysis of case scenarios and treatment implications - Group discussion and sharing
Documentation, Carryover & Paradigm Shift (15 min)
Neuro-affirming OT documentation practices, Reducing stigmatizing and deficit-based language, Carryover into daily routines and environments, Promoting systems-level change across schools, healthcare, and workplaces
Learning Outcomes - Participants will be able to
Analyze ADHD-specific executive functioning breakdowns across the lifespan by identifying at least three distinct cognitive or behavioral patterns from case examples and discussing their implications for daily functioning and occupational performance.
Apply functional cognitive performance-based assessment, and self-report within the framework of neuro-affirming principles for a given ADHD case scenario.
Analyze the discrepancies in performance across person factors, setting context, and activity demands through at least two ADHD case vignettes
Analyze at least two functional cognitive performance observations and generate 3 treatment implications within a neuro-affirming intervention framework.