FocusNest

09/08/2025

Dear community,

I've decided with a heavy heart that I am closing this page. There are three main reasons for my decision:

🫆One-I am not getting much engagement from you so perhaps the content that I am creating isn't resonating with you.

🫆Two-I really don't like how Facebook has this page set to public and I can't change the setting. It doesn't feel safe and this is not how I want to operate. I believe people should be able to control whatever is on Facebook, including who they allow in their business pages. It is also a human rights value that I will uphold and won't bend for a corporation to abuse..

🫆And three- I must be honest with myself-- I am not very good at 'selling' myself or what I have to offer for the long terrm. I've been trying and with a toddler, seeing clients, etc, posting on Facebook is just not my priority. I cannot commit to something that isn't a priority. That's just how I work.

I am sad to go indeed, many of you have stayed with me over the years as I struggled to navigate this strange space with my private practice ideas. And for that I am forever grateful, really, thank you wholeheartedly for your patience and understanding ❤️

If you'd like to stay in touch with me, you can add my email contact: info@focusnest.nl. (I am still not very active on my personal Facebook profile lol.) I will continue my content sharing and activities on my website.

Many blessings,

Amélie

05/08/2025

It is still unfathomable to understand what is happening in and . The level of that people are going through on a daily basis is beyond my human understanding. Settler colonialism and far right ideology including Zionism has no place in our societies, and history after the Holocaust happened said 'never again' but here we are again having to denounce it.

Barbarism must and has to end, for our children, and their future children.

I share this poem of hope written by Mosab Abu Toha.

He wrote the poem in December 2023, way before any “aid” plane.

[The poem is now part of Forest of Noise published by Knopf (US) and 4th Estate (UK) ]

04/08/2025

Hi community!
I hope your weekend was great. Mine was certainly eventful :-)

Is there more than one type of ADHD? 🤔

You might have heard about three types, but some people are talking about seven! It can be confusing, so here’s a quick breakdown:

The official diagnostic manual used by professionals (the DSM-5-TR) identifies three presentations of ADHD:

1) Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: Difficulty with focus and organization.

2) Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: Restlessness and impulsivity are the main concerns.

3) Combined Presentation: A mix of both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.

However, a popular model from Dr. Daniel Amen's clinics suggests there are actually seven types based on brain scans and symptom patterns. Here's a brief look at each:

-Classic ADD: This type aligns with the traditional view of ADHD, featuring inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

-Inattentive ADD: Characterized by a short attention span, being easily distracted, and disorganization, but without the hyperactivity.

-Over-focused ADD: People with this type struggle to shift their attention and can get stuck in negative thought loops or obsessive behaviors.

-Temporal Lobe ADD: In addition to classic symptoms, this type includes issues with memory, mood instability, and aggression.

-Limbic ADD: This type combines core ADHD symptoms with chronic low-level sadness, negativity, and low energy.

-Ring of Fire ADD: Described as a more severe form with extreme irritability, anger, and sensitivity to sensory stimuli like noise and light.

-Anxious ADD: Individuals with this type experience anxiety and tension alongside the core ADHD symptoms, often worrying and anticipating the worst.

Have you heard of these different types before? Share your thoughts below!

31/07/2025

Hi community,

I don't know how our (or their parents) didn't think that it was (and still is) important to teach us real world issues early on, but when it comes to preventing things have to change, and it seems that today's parental approach is very different in this regard (yes to breaking to intergenerational trauma!).

Let's start with the basics here...

Your kids should be taught to call their parts by their proper names.

Not “cookie.”
Not “peepee.”
Not “weiner.”
Not “kitty.”
Not 'V Jay jay'
And definitely not whatever weird word your aunt made up in 1998.

It’s va**na.
It’s p***s.

Say it again.

Because when a child is harmed, “he touched my cookie” might sound like a joke.
But “he touched my va**na”? That gets attention. That gets taken seriously. That gets documented. Investigated. Protected.

We don’t protect our kids by avoiding uncomfortable conversations.
We protect them by having them early, clearly, and confidently.

Teach them the right words.
Because predators thrive in silence and confusion.

31/07/2025

Hi community,

There seems to be widespread misconceptions about ADHD, especially on Tiktok and Instagram.

Please don't get your information from people who haven't been in the field for long ('long' means more than a decade), people who are 'influencers' trying to get more clicks so they can get paid or people who haven't even studied the topic..

As someone who has been in the field for over 15 years I'd like to debunk the following two misconceptions below (via the poster).

ADHD might EXIST in a child but not be diagnosed, but that is because many parents, when confronted by the teacher with complaints about the child’s conduct in the classroom, dismiss it as “just being a boy” or “just something he’ll outgrow.” Fathers, especially, will say, “Maybe the class is too boring,” or “I was the same way as a child,” or “I don’t believe in psychiatry.”

ADHD is not “missed” in childhood any more than Intellectual Disability, Reading Disorder, or Autism are “missed” in childhood. If no one noticed you having symptoms of ADHD as a child, then you didn’t have them...

If you are unsure if your child (or you) have ADHD consult a professional for an assessment. I am more than happy to talk with you and point you to a good assessor.

Until my next post keep well,

Amélie

29/07/2025

Hi 👋🏽 community,

I hope you're well.

I've blogged before about how central dysregulation is for people with . especially is a core emotion that many struggle with, often masked as to rather mild situations and /out bursts. And the anger triggers can vary from person to person.

Here's a story of how anger can impact an person's life, especially in adulthood, from our favorite resource (ADDitude Mag).

"As an adult with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD), I know what it is to struggle with and anger. My story is not new. Over the last several years, there has been evidence of a strong emotional component of ADHD. Those with ADHD — particularly — often have a difficult time regulating their emotions, especially when faced with frustration and stress. Their angry outbursts hurt their with and . Let me tell you my story."..

"Men with ADHD are at high risk for uncontrolled anger when they feel like they’ve failed." How one man transformed feelings of ADD failure & inadequacy into positivity.

29/07/2025

True words, and endorsed by a fellow therapist 🙋🏽‍♀️😃

24/07/2025

Good morning 🌅 community!

If you’re raising, teaching, or supporting a child or teen with ADHD, you know the drill.

The forgotten homework.
The oversized reactions.
The lack of focus.
The reminders that don’t work.
The frustration—for them and for you.

And underneath it all? A kiddo who’s trying so hard but feels like they’re always falling behind.

💔 ADHD can shake confidence, create frustration, and even strain relationships.

But here’s the truth: it doesn’t have to.

ADHD brains are different, not broken.

With the right strategies, kids can learn to work with their brains—and their incredible creativity and problem-solving skills can outweigh the challenges.

And with a new school year just around the corner, there’s no better time to help all students—ADHD or not—strengthen their executive functioning skills.

If you need guidance, reach out 😀

Keep well,

Amélie

18/07/2025

Hi community,

When Things Get Crazy 😵‍💫
What do you do?

If you're triggered deeply enough, your nervous system might hijack the wheel — launching into fight, flight, or freeze before you even know what hit you.

But here's the alchemy: ✨
With just a few long, slow breaths — deep in the belly, soft on the exhale 🌬 — the landscape begins to change. Space opens. Choices return. And instead of reacting from old wounds or defenses (which may still feel justified, by the way), you have a moment to meet the present as it is — not as it was.

Because without awareness of breath, we tend to fuel the storm instead of quieting it. We lash out or shut down, only to look back later and wish we’d done it differently.

So when the world spins out, remember this: you have another option. Breathe.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always.

Especially when your nervous system gets reminded — in a flash ⚡ — of past pain, betrayal, shame, or hurt. The moments when someone said the wrong thing at the wrong time… and it cut deep 💔.

For instance:
The next time my father looks at me and says, “Amelie, you’ve gotten a bit fat,” instead of spiraling into the anger and grief of a child who just wanted to be seen with love, I breathe. I remind myself of who I am now — and I choose to respond from that place, not from the 14-year-old girl still hoping to be nurtured by a father who is hard on herself (over how she looks).

So, how about making a quiet pact with yourself:�When things get crazy…

1. pause
2. Breathe
3. Let that breath carry you into presence — and from there, respond.

👉🏽(You know what happens when you react… and you know it’s not what you truly want.) 🙃

Breathe. Yes, breathe.
Breathing is the easy part. And it’s the awareness to choose it that changes everything. 🔑

Need support with that? 🤝

I'm here 😀

18/07/2025

Good morning 🌞

I hope you're doing well!

✨Just wanted to inform you that the Breathe with Me and Arting with Anger are cancelled this weekend because we're taking a weekend break.

Also, kindly email or sign up via the FocusNest website if you'd like to join. There is no maximum number of participants but for safety and verification purposes a sign up is necessary.

Thanks for your understanding and see you next weekend! 👋🏽

-Amélie-

14/07/2025

🌞Growing up with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and not knowing it can feel like living in a world that just doesn't fit you.

🫛Imagine always feeling out of step, struggling to focus on simple tasks, having a constant storm of thoughts and feelings inside, or acting quickly without thinking. This can lead to misunderstandings, frustration, and even harm.

🛑When parents don't understand ADHD, they might see a child's symptoms as being naughty, lazy, or not trying hard enough. This can lead to shouting, hitting, controlling behavior, or even worse, abuse. These reactions can make ADHD symptoms much worse and cause serious problems like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other difficult feelings in children.

👉🏽If this sounds like your own childhood, please know that you're not alone. You are not a failure, not "different" in a bad way, not 'bad', 'broken', or "not good enough." You CAN achieve amazing things, for yourself and with those around you.

👉🏽And if you're a parent raising a child you think might have ADHD, or who has been diagnosed, remember you're not alone either. I am here to help. I have the tools to help you feel calm and confident in how you parent.