Previously in one of the "Rediscover the Joy of Learning" Certification Trainings, I was teaching how I used EFT with students when it dawned on me that I had added a wrinkle or two. When I looked closer at what I was doing, I realized I had developed a new and quicker way to change limiting beliefs. The structure of how to change limiting beliefs starts with creating doubt in the old limiting belief and then introducing the new belief and energizing it. Beliefs are held in place by their emotional investment. When you have a limiting belief that has been brought about by traumas and you use EFT on the limiting belief it, in effect, drains the negative emotion away from the limiting belief. This weakens the strength of the belief, which opens the way for doubt to creep in. If you immediately have them choose a new, empowering belief and repeat it while they go through the EFT protocol again, you are connecting new and positive emotions to the new belief—effectively installing it in them.

The strategy for changing Limiting Beliefs regarding ADD is the same as listed before with Emotions and ADD Behavioral Symptoms. Elicit the limiting belief, assess the strength on a scale of 0-10, do the set up, and then tap on the limiting belief until the strength is down to a 0-2 level. Then check to see if any new limiting beliefs, negative emotions or issues have bubbled to the surface. If so, repeat the process for the new issue. When you cannot find any more limiting beliefs at the moment, ask them for some "Empowering Beliefs" they had rather have and tap on those.

Some examples of limiting beliefs I have found in persons with the ADD Symptoms are:     

    "I can't control my mind."

    "My mind won't let me do that (e.g., hold a image steady).

    "I am stupid!"

    "I am learning disabled." Or "I am an ADDer."

    "I am weird and different from everybody else."

    "Nobody likes me!"

    "I can't learn anything."

    "I hate school!"

Some examples of Empowering Beliefs are: (this is usually after I have taught them how to control their mind and to use my learning strategies)

    "I can learn anything."

    "I am learning how to ________."

    "I am not learning disabled, my mind just learns differently."

    "Now that I know how to learn, I can learn anything in school."

    "Now that I know how to learn, school is fun and easy."

    "My teachers want to help me."

Limiting beliefs can be elicited from the following steps in the coaching process.

1. The student shares a problem or something they have trouble doing.
2. Ask "What does that mean about you that you have this issue?" Get them to elaborate and listen for any limiting beliefs that might be embedded in their description or discussion.
3. When you think you have spotted a limiting belief, ask "So, do you really believe that (state the belief very succinctly) is true for you? Do you really believe that deep down?"
4. If the answer is no, repeat step 2 and ask for clarification or for what they think they might believe. If the answer is yes, and they seem congruent, do the belief change process with EFT with them.

If we could teach parents and teachers appropriate feedback strategies to implement on the spot, then we could head off these powerful escalating feelings of being separated and alienated. We could also teach parents and teachers how to help students find the more empowering meanings to assign to certain events. We could even teach the students how to find different and more empowering meanings for the events that occur in their everyday life. Then their self-esteem would be elevated and boosted rather than torn down. In fact, wouldn't it be nice if we taught the students how to do this for their classmates.

<< Part 2 - ADD Behavioral Symptoms  

This is Part 3 of Tips and Strategies for Dealing with ADD - By Don A. Blackerby, Ph.D. founder of Success Skills, Inc.

Success Skills specializes in helping struggling students of all ages who are experiencing all sorts of different kinds of difficulties. Penn Henthorn currently runs Success Skill, Inc., and the processes that he uses are very different from the normal type of help struggling students receive. He is a "mind coach." He teaches students HOW to use their mind to succeed in school. He teaches them learning strategies that really work. He also teaches them ways to think about school and learning that "turn them on" to school and motivates them to want to succeed.

He also specializes in helping students who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

Contact Penn Henthorn today for a free initial interview to find out how he can help by calling him at 1-405-562-6670 or by e-mailing him at info@nlpok.com. More information can also be obtained off of the web site www.nlpok.com.