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Executive Functioning --- Looking for a Strength-based and Equitable Approach

10/29/2021

University of Toronto

Forgetful?

It might actually make you smarter, study says

CONJECTURE

There's a "CLUSTER" of Executive Functioning Differences that often lead to Higher Abilities in one or more areas:

Poor Working Memory (the "Absent Minded Professor")
Differences in Information and Sensory Processing.
Slow Processing that often is the result of greater demands of information and sensory processing.
Emotional Intensity / Emotional Dysregulation --- that is related to among other things differences in information and sensory processing.

The "Weaknesses" and "Strengths" of NEURO-DIVERSITY are often ALL OF A PIECE and run through EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING.

Greater Understanding of Executive Functioning Differences has the potential to dramatically improve the ability of different minds to work together.

The great hope of Temple Grandin and many of us.

We Need to be STRENGTH-BASED when it comes to these EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES.

We are SOCIAL ANIMALS and if our EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES are being DEMONIZED --- that's a BIG PROBLEM.

On the other hand. our HIERARCHICAL, STATUS-SEEKING SOCIETY is leading us to give the Bill Clintons and Donald Trumps of the World a PASS.

This actually extends far beyond the Oval Office.

I'm not for CRUCIFYING either Clinton, Trump or other powerful or wealthy people who do have some BIG STRENGTHS, but have some BIG WEAKNESSES too --- and look pretty NEURO-DIVERSE.

BUT if you are paying attention -- it's hard to miss that some people are getting away with a lot more than others.

Differences in Sensory Processing can look like opposites

10/20/2021

Val's Take: We all have differences in sensory and information processing --- BUT at some point that can start to look SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT than the MAJORITY.

These differences can impact among other things TRADITIONAL EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING.

These differences can come as a shock even to the person ---- "Well, nobody could do that or remember that." Well, Bob you're the only one in the room who can't do that.

On the other hand, restricted or enhanced SENSORY and INFORMATION PROCESSING is likely to provide Bob a VIEW ON THE WORLD ---- that nobody else in the room has either.

Further, it is often those INTENSE --- often DIFFERENT NEURO-DIVERSE WORLD VIEWS --- that create a lot of the DRAMA in the HUMAN WORLD.

THIS IS THE BIG KAHUNA --- Neuro-Diversity is a BIG SOURCE of "Mental Illness"

10/14/2021

ADHD, AUTISM, DYSLEXIA and GIFTEDNESS --- seem in some ways OPPOSITES --- but they all generally or often involve:
- Developmental Inflammation, AND
- Executive Functioning Differences or Deficits

One way to look at this is to say something like "ADHD" generally comes with or develops one or more psychiatric co-morbidities contained in the DSM.

Another way to look at this is that "psychiatric co-morbidities" are additional manifestations of DEVELOPMENTAL and AFTER AQUIRED INFLAMMATION.

The DSM with its CLUSTER OF SYMPTOMS has done the best it could --- but it hasn't been able to get us to the UNDERLYING BIOLOGY --- which a lot of the RESEARCH of the last 10 years is uncovering.

Further, that UNDERLYING BIOLOGY is involving not only NEURO-TRANSMITTERS and the NERVOUS SYSTEM but also the IMMUNE SYSTEM, the MICROBIOME and the ENDOCRINE SYSTEM as well.

NO WONDER THIS HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME TO FIGURE OUT.

That ADDITIONAL INFLAMMATION brings GIFTS and plenty of CHALLENGES, really regardless of the SOCIETY.

BUT the SOCIETY can certainly make it WORSE and is making it A LOT WORSE.

Advanced Psychiatry, Inc. --- Majority of People with ADHD have at least 1 comorbidity.

Understood: Thriving with Learning Differences

Quite frankly, for many people in the Criminal Justice System --- the BIGGEST WEAKNESS is SENSITIVITY.

So working on "COPING SKILLS" to deal with the Emotional Dysregulation that often comes with NEURO-DIVERSITY is IMPORTANT.

BUT if we are not DEVELOPING THOSE GIFTS and finding WORK-AROUNDS for those EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFERENCES --- we're not making a place for the person in the SOCIETY and that will have LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES for the INDIVIDUAL and the SOCIETY.

Overcoming the challenges and realizing the gifts of Dyslexia

10/7/2021

Tedx @ Martha's Vineyard
The True Gifts of a Dyslexic Mind --- Dean Bragonier, Executive Director of NoticeAbility

Bragonier is thankfully NOT about turning people with Dyslexia into Neurotypicals.

Instead, he recognizes 4 potentially strong vocational areas for people with DYSLEXIA ---- ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE & THE ARTS.

YCDC Applauds New Federal Dyslexia Policy (2019)

Department of Justice Announces Enhancements to the Risk Assessment System and Updates on First Step Act Implementation (Jan. 2020)

(See also prisonlegalnews.org)

Colorado SB20-180

Dyslexia Education In Criminal And Juvenile Justice System Concerning services for persons with dyslexia in the criminal justice system.

05/26/2020 Senate Committee on Judiciary Postpone Indefinitely

People in Prison Are Way More Likely to Have Dyslexia.

The Justice System Sets Them Up to Fail.

A new initiative will require federal prisons to screen for the disorder—if it ever gets off the ground. (2019)

By Dr. Kathryn Currier Moody

"While the prevalence of dyslexia in the general population is about 20%, the prevalence of dyslexia in prisoners is more than twice that, or 48% according to a scientific study my colleagues and I, conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch in conjunction with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice ( ...

Dyslexia in the Prison Population - Education Update (2008)

NEURODiversity Wednesday

Executive Functioning --- Looking for a Strength-based and Equitable Approach

Differences in Sensory Processing can look like opposites

THIS IS THE BIG KAHUNA --- Neuro-Diversity is a BIG SOURCE of "Mental Illness"

Overcoming the challenges and realizing the gifts of Dyslexia

Neuro-Diversity
Wednesday

(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)

Archives

Categories

​ NEURODiversity Wednesday

Executive Functioning --- Looking for a Strength-based and Equitable Approach

Differences in Sensory Processing can look like opposites

THIS IS THE BIG KAHUNA --- Neuro-Diversity is a BIG SOURCE of "Mental Illness"

Overcoming the challenges and realizing the gifts of Dyslexia

Neuro-DiversityWednesday(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)

Archives

Categories

NEURODiversity Wednesday

Neuro-Diversity
Wednesday

(with variable spellings of Neurodiversity)