Students & Parents
Shannon S.
My teenage son was struggling with both ADHD and depression. I was at a loss and didn't quite know how to help him. We were so fortunate to find Dana. She was the calm in the storm. Dana provided my son with a much needed place of refuge to talk about his challenges and to work towards his goals. She focused on his unique circumstances and took the time to listen to him and his concerns. She developed trust and was able to effectively offer both practical day-to-day and long-term solutions while providing emotional support. She had an unwavering commitment to his success. He is now a high school junior and is focused on preparing for college. I don’t know where we would be without Dana! (January 26, 2017)
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Ann W.
Dana has been coaching our 13-14 year old daughter H. for about a year. She is just starting high school and the difference is enormous. She is not forgetting assignments (either not doing them or forgetting to bring them in). Dana also aided her in becoming more of an advocate for herself. H. greatly feared asking teachers for help, and since she was highly resistant, Dana baby stepped her through it by starting with her asking a friend, then emailing a teacher, then seeing the teacher after school with a friend. As her parent, I could suggest these things, but the parent-teen issues come up, so all I would get I was "no", and I'd wind up hugely exasperated.
From a practical perspective, she has tons of forms to use for different issues or types of work being performed. Books too, should you be interested. A special addition is that she's got a good working knowledge about ADHD - a huge help for us as H. has both types (inattentive and hyper). Dana also has a good fund of knowledge on other atypical neuro/cognitive issues. And, she understands teens - both girls and boys.
Most important is that by Dana helping her through these and other issues, it protects our parent-teen relationship. Compliance is much higher as it's not a battle of wills vs. Mom or Dad.
Dana is always upbeat, and works in a non-shaming manner. She seems to love what she does, and truly puts a lot of effort and care into working with her clients. (September 25, 2016)
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Michael Silva
I would like to thank you for the time and effort that you put into coaching Sean. It is quite often that it is discovered that a case does not respond to tried and true methods and goals seem impossible to achieve. However, You took the time to evaluate Sean, what makes him "tick" and reach a side of him that could be molded to a standard of acceptance. In doing so, you unlocked key indicators as well as solutions that would later turn out to help my son fit more closely into a daily routine, finish school and ultimately land a full time job in a field he enjoys. You never settled for the minimum and pushed him to excel. It takes a special type of individual to see not only the problems but also, the potential. Each session, sometimes multiple sessions, you addressed an issue or a concern. You brainstormed with Sean and got him to find real solutions that could work for him. Your help was a key part of helping Sean make considerable strides toward independence. (2016)
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Tess Mutoc
Dana Maher, how do I start to share my joy with you? I know in my heart, I owe it to you and I want to thank you for the opportunity to have worked with you. I am in a much better place now dealing with my son and my situation. You got me on the first few lines of your talk during an ASPEN meeting more than a year ago. I did not have second thoughts contacting you after that brief encounter because I knew you are the person who can help me sort my life and align it correctly. The day you called me was the best day of my life because it was the beginning of a journey which my family now enjoys.
Your energetic personality is so inspiring and your realistic approach to my situations were so easy to emulate. You are a great coach because you live what you teach hence making you so authentic and real. You provided me with materials that were useful to my predicament. You empowered me to become a better mother to my special son.
Thanks for the wonderful time working with you. I hope to work with you in the near future because my vision is finally taking shape and I am so excited to share with you it’s development. I can sincerely say that without your coaching, I will not make it this far. (2016)
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Martha H., Parent
"Around March of his freshman year in college, our son CW hit bottom. He had not attended most of his classes and was on the verge of flunking out. This was after gaining admission to one of the most competitive programs in the country. His problems were not academic; he was always able to hand in a good product. His problem was he didn't know when it was due, who to give it to, what format it needed to be in and often there would be pieces of projects scattered that he had failed to pull together. CW had no inner secretary, to the point that he was unable to run his own show. He took a leave of absence and shortly after that he began working with Dana. With her help, he has been able to find ways to keep his personal business in order, keep a calendar, keep appointments, show up to community college classes that he attended in the fall and check his email regularly. CW says he realized at the beginning of his freshman year he was not really ready to be as independent as was expected. He fell into despair and dropped out of sight. His classmates missed him. By January of this year he was walking and talking more confidently. He returned to his school after successfully getting himself readmitted and persuading the financial aid department to reinstate his aid by writing an eloquent letter that described what happened. CW has matured exponentially over the nine months and I know it was because of Dana's coaching. He bonded with her and trusts her completely and the difference between how he was and how he is now is startling. She is part of his support network that he is setting up as part of his return to school. With Dana's help I am convinced CW will be able to realize his potential." (2016)
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Anonymous, Student
"When I first contacted Dana, I was in a pretty bad place. I was attempting to self-medicate and stone-face my way through both my ADHD and my PhD in the physical sciences. As one could guess, I was just barely getting by. My colleagues and advisor were beginning to not only question my ability to be productive, but almost my ability to stay healthy and level-headed. My insecurity and lack of self-esteem regularly spiraled into depression, which would become month of inactivity and non-productivity. I found my way to therapy, but only barely. Then I found Dana.
Dana was able to be incredibly hands on and involved at a very rough spot in my life, which was exactly what I needed. She could intuitively see when I was spiraling (or when I was heading in that direction), and she could communicate to me through that dark haze what was happening. When she got through to me, my mood and my behavior no longer seemed like something I had no control over; I felt like I had a choice. It was a choice to keep spinning, or to cut the momentum short, and change my direction. And it's not as if she did anything secretive or complicated here; she just communicated with me on a level that made me feel human again. After doing this dance for a few months, something happened. It was as if she re-introduced me to that free-will part of my brain that we all lose control over sometimes, and I gradually learned to stop spinning. I took a break for a while to sit with my new found will power and self-awareness, perhaps thinking that maybe that was all the help i needed. That was actually just the beginning.
I re-contacted Dana after taking a break for a month or two, realizing that digging myself out of the hole I was in was only the first step. The next step was not only to begin optimizing my behaviors, but also to come up with strategies to help guarantee that I don't go back to that dark place; that I "... keep the devil down in the hole," to quote Tom Waits. I was able to stop my self-medication and seek real, helpful medications, which was more complicated to pull off than I realized. At times when I was most frustrated with seeking the mental health services I needed, when I felt like saying "fuck it" and going back to my stoic-track-life because of obfuscation of health insurance policies or waiting for appointments that were months away for over-worked doctors, Dana was there to commiserate with me as well as provide helpful suggestions and direction. She helped me keep on track to getting exactly the help I needed.
Nowadays Dana and I still work together. We work not only on optimizing my productivity, but also on work-life balance; something that has never ever come naturally to me. I don't naturally take breaks or give myself breaks, I can be very hard on myself. Dana reminds me that these breaks make us stronger over the long run, and that balance is the true key to productivity in the long-run, something that needs to be achieved to finish and high-level professional degree. She reminds myself that incremental-change is the true path to improving myself, that there is no instantaneous change. I anticipate that I will still be working with Dana for quite a while; though not forever. Dana's main strength is her ability to focus on my priorities; and keep me focused on my priorities. One of these is to be a strong and independent worker (a requirement for my field), something that she knows is important to me, and that she reminds me regularly to strive for.
I would recommend Dana to anyone who needs help figuring out themselves, in any context. She's not a therapist, she doesn't get wishy-washy-feely-touchy on you, and she can't tell you why you do the things you do. What she can do is give you practical working advice, highlight your maladaptive behavior, and help you reframe your own situations yourself. This helps you change the things you do, as opposed to just understanding the why you do the things you do. She gives you tough love when she knows it's the right time to give you some, because she'll know when you can handle it and when you can't. Let her see you at your best and at your worst, and she'll be able to help you tilt the scale in favor of your best." (2016)
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B.W., College Student
"I had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Maher as one of her ADHD coaching clients for the past five months, as we began our coaching sessions in the beginning of October. From the very beginning, Mrs. Maher was nothing but professional and business oriented, while also inquisitive and compassionate to the dilemmas I shared with her. Her schedule was always extremely flexible to fit times that worked best for both her and I, and she never showed any sort of anger or frustration in any situation when I could not meet at a certain time. When I shared with her a problem or trouble I had, she would help me address the situation and find multiple ways to either ease the stress, or steps to take to help the situation.
Mrs. Maher’s attitude is another characteristic that made her such a pleasure to work with. From the first minute until the last of every conversation, she always showed a positive attitude and positive state of mind, asking questions to delve deeper into root of the problem. Personally, I thought that the flow of our conversations were always constant and intellectual, as we would discuss personal traits and coping techniques that we had experience with in certain situations.
My decision to discontinue with the coaching conversations at the end of March 2015 was simply because I felt that Mrs. Maher had done her job to the fullest extent. She successfully helped me gain a better understanding of not only myself as an ADHD client, but as a 21-year-old college student. Her techniques and ways of approaching different situations helped me to address problems I was facing, and there was never a situation that did not end up getting resolved. Mrs. Maher is exemplary of the professional standard and expectation because of her love and dedication to her job. I would highly recommend her service to anyone who seeks ADHD coaching support, and could not be happier with the job she did during our time working together." (2015)
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Ken W., Parent
"I am pleased to write this recommendation in respect of the coaching services provided by Ms. Dana Maher. My son was diagnosed with moderate ADHD during his sophomore year of college and, during consultation with his primary physician, it was suggested that we engage Ms. Maher to work with him. The physician felt that Ms. Maher could help my son to improve his organizational, time management and prioritization skills, as these typically are qualities which are adversely affected in someone afflicted with ADHD. Over the past six months, Ms. Maher has provided bi-monthly hour-long consultations with my son, during which time they worked together to identify issues of concern and develop strategies to help overcome difficulties he was facing. In addition, these conversations served to strengthen his ability to prioritize requirements and provided him with the tools necessary to work toward achieving success. I am very pleased with the changes I have seen in my son’s behavior and maturity. He possesses an enhanced sense of personal confidence and is focused on attaining his near-term goals. His academic performance exhibits a significant improvement and he has greater clarity with regard to his preferred future vocation. I am confident that these positive changes are directly attributable to the lessons learned during his coaching sessions with Ms. Dana Maher." (2015)
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Judy G., Parent
"Dana Maher is truly an excellent coach. She has been working with my college age daughter for the past year focusing on organization skills, defining and prioritizing goals, and outlining strategies to achieve those goals. Dana’s ability to connect with my daughter, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, creates a trusting relationship and a productive environment for personal growth. Together, they work towards reducing my daughter’s anxieties and developing the strategies to build the academic and social life she desires. Dana is a perfect combination of strength and kindness --I recommend her without reservation." (2015)
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Shelby R., Student
"Dana taught me some very useful techniques that have really helped me with my grades. One of them is teaching me how to ask my teachers for help when I don’t understand a concept. Before Dana, I was afraid because I did not want the teachers to think I was stupid for not understanding something they went over in class. Dana’s coaching helped me see that teachers don’t expect students to get it all in class and that students are supposed to ask questions and that’s normal and I just had to learn how to ask the questions appropriately. Dana also helped me figure out the best way for me to keep track of my assignments with a planner that worked for me. I need a big planner—bigger than what I was using. She’s really good at helping you see solutions to these sorts of everyday issues." (2014)
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Mark Edfort, Parent, Managing Partner at Evolution Medical Communications
“Dana has worked with my son and done a terrific job. I see the dedication she has to help him with college and career support. I know my son enjoys the sessions with her as well which is critical for the overall success of her coaching.” (2013)
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Ruth Anne Robbins, Professor at Rutgers School of Law - Camden
"Dana Maher has been working with our middle schooler daughter. Dana has helped help her with organization and other executive functioning tasks. The fact that our daughter has an expert to talk to has made our family life much more peaceful. And it has helped our daughter feel as confident about her academic abilities as the rest of us are about them. Dana clearly loves what she does and it shows in the kindness and attentiveness she has brought to this work. She has made it her business to become highly attuned to our daughter's personality, and preferences, and, by doing so, has come up with a plan that is unique, creative, and that "fits" with my daughter. My daughter's teachers have also found the plans easy to implement at school. I am a convert to personal coaching for kids who struggle with executive functioning skills. And I especially recommend Dana Maher." (2012)
