Exploring Cycles Of Behaviour NWL Professional Training

This session is ONLINE

Aimee is the National Training Officer for the ADHD Foundation, Europe’s largest ADHD charity. With 20 years of teaching experience in the UK and internationally, she is a dedicated advocate for inclusive education and a specialist in SEND.

At the Foundation, Aimee promotes a strengths-based approach to neurodiversity, equipping educators, employers, and families with evidence-based strategies for success in education and the workplace. Her expertise spans neurodiverse conditions, trauma-informed practice, emotional regulation, and the vital role of relationships in learning environments.

Aimee is also a seasoned trainer, delivering impactful CPD globally, committed to equity, empathy, and holistic change.

Session Outline:

Risky behaviours and behaviour cycles in ADHD:

• What are risky behaviours? (definition and examples (substance use, risky sexual behaviour, reckless spending etc)
• Why do risky behaviours occur? (dopamine-seeking behaviour, immediate gratification vs long-term consequences, social and emotional drivers etc)
• The cycle of behaviour in ADHD (trigger → impulse → action → consequence → guilt/shame → repetition)

Impulsivity and safe risk taking:

• Understanding impulsivity in ADHD (neurological - prefrontal cortex, delay aversion etc, impulsivity vs spontaneity – what's the difference?
• Safe risk-taking (definition and examples (starting a creative project, trying something new socially etc), how to redirect impulsivity into safe or positive risks.

Creativity, innovation, and ADHD:

• The ADHD brain and divergent thinking (high idea generation, lateral thinking, and non-linear problem solving)
• Link between creativity and impulsivity ("jumping into ideas" as both a strength and challenge)
• Celebrating neurodivergent strengths (examples of creatives/innovators with ADHD)

Executive function: when ‘not doing’ isn’t a choice:

• What is executive function? (planning, prioritising, starting/stopping tasks, working memory, emotional regulation etc)
• Impairment vs. motivation (why it’s not about being lazy or unmotivated, the concept of “task paralysis”)
• How this appears in daily life (examples: unread emails, missed deadlines, difficulty starting basic tasks etc, “The ADHD Iceberg” (visible vs hidden struggles))
• Strategies: Body doubling, timers, checklists, environmental adjustments etc

Not all ADHD is impulsive - understanding variability:

• Recognising diversity in ADHD presentations (ADHD types (hyperactive, impulsive, inattentive, combined), internalised impulsivity: emotional regulation etc)
• Importance of avoiding stereotypes (individualised understanding and support)

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the leading experts in the field. Enhance your understanding of Autism and ADHD and equip yourself with practical strategies to support adults with this condition. Book your place today and be part of a transformative learning experience.