Book Review: “The Queen of Distraction”
Terry Matlen’s new book offers practical advice to help ADHD women get organized, focused, and on track.
The Queen of Distraction: How Women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos, Find Focus, and Get More Done
by Terry Matlen, MSW (New Harbinger)
Terry Matlen‘s new book is a practical resource for women with ADHD. In this impressive guide, Matlen, a therapist, consultant, writer, and ADHD coach, gives clear advice on nearly every aspect of a woman’s life affected by ADHD.
The book is organized and formatted to be user-friendly for people with ADHD. Each of the 11 chapters has a catchy title (“My Life Is Buried Under One of These Piles,” “Hormonal Humps, Bumps, and Flashes”) to capture the reader’s attention. To hold it, Matlen divides the chapters into easily readable chunks. Bulleted and numbered lists are sprinkled throughout the pages, as is plenty of white space.
The writing is straightforward, the advice straight-shooting, and the topics all-inclusive. Matlen begins with basic information about ADHD, and how it affects women and girls. She follows with tips on managing a variety of challenges – dealing with clutter, planning meals for a family, using a planner to manage time, and doing laundry.
Matlen doesn’t stop there. She explores how ADHD influences relationships, sex, challenges at work, and motherhood. She also discusses the often-unrecognized challenges of sensory sensitivity and overstimulation, emotional sensitivity, and the effects of hormones on ADHD symptoms throughout a woman’s life.
Related Reviews:
- Dr. Larry Silver’s Advice to Parents on ADHD: Second Edition
- Must-Read Books for Parents Raising Children with ADHD
- Learning to Slow Down and Pay Attention
- Armond Goes to a Party: A Book About Asperger’s and Friendship
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