Awarded "Best Psychology Book of 2010" by ForeWord Reviews, this book is an invaluable resource for couples in which one of the partners suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It authoritatively guides couples in troubled marriages towards an understanding and appreciation for the struggles and triumphs of a relationship affected by ADHD, and to look at the disorder in a more positive and less disruptive way. Going beyond traditional marriage counseling which can often discount the influence of ADHD, this straight-forward discussion offers advice from the author's personal experience and years of research and identifies patterns of behavior that can hurt marriages —such as nagging, intimacy problems, sudden anger, and memory issues —through the use of vignettes and descriptions of actual couples and their ADHD struggles and solutions. This resource encourages both spouses to become active partners in improving their relationship and healing the fissures that ADHD can cause. Also included are worksheets and various methods for difficult conversations so that couples can find a technique that fits their unique relationship and improve their communication skills.
"Melissa Orlov is one of the foremost authorities on ADHD and relationships in the world today" says Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction, Delivered from Distraction and other seminal books about ADHD. "Her book can change lives for the better, and dramatically so."
In one of life's more fortuitous twists, Ms. Orlov was working with ADHD experts Dr. Edward Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey as her marriage to a man with ADHD disintegrated. Throwing herself into the topic in an effort to save their union, Orlov realized that there was little good information available to help couples struggling with ADHD in their marriage - in fact few people even knew ADHD could even be a factor. But she and her husband persevered and, after successfully turning their marriage around, vowed that others should not have to suffer the same difficulties "finding a way out" of the dysfunction of a typical, ADHD-affected marriage.
Orlov and Dr. Hallowell started a popular blog on the topic in 2007 to share their insights. It has helped many thousands of couples understand that they are not alone and that they can change their marriages for the better (www.adhdmarriage.com). In addition to the blog, Orlov has written the "Your Relationships" column for ADDitude Magazine since 2008 and is a contributing author to Married to Distraction, with Hallowell and his wife, Sue George Hallowell, LICSW.
As a marriage consultant, Orlov helps couples from around the world rebalance their relationships so they can learn to thrive. It is rewarding work to be able to provide the insight and direction couples need to move past their anger and hurt and rediscover the joy they thought they had lost forever.
Ms. Orlov is a cum laude graduate of Harvard College. In her free time she enjoys road biking, summers at Chautauqua Institution, and singing. She and her husband of 20+ years have two children.
