Lisa, a Resilience Tutor?
The story of Lisa, who lives with depression and ADD, and became Mrs. Illinois, is interesting for several reasons.
First, it tells us that it is possible to live with a challenge such as ADD, to become the mother of 4 children and even Mrs Illinois.
Second, it can contribute to reducing the extent of the stigma associated with mental illness (depression in the case of Mrs. Illinois) and developmental challenges such as ADD. The section mentioning the "negative comments" is particularly sensitive: early on, children can be blamed for their behaviour when this behaviour is nothing but the symptom of a developmental issue: focusing. One can hope that as the concept gets understood by more and more people, people will start thinking twice before giving a child negative feedback, since the negative comments heard during childhood and adolescence usually get carried away into adulthood...
Lastly, the idea of an adult giving her testimony to children living with the same challenge is beneficial not only for the person testifying, but also for the children listening. They are given the opportunity to relate. Maybe Lisa will find words that the children will find helpful and reuse to describe themselves. Lisa's story can act as a motivator, Lisa as a 'resilience tutor' that can lead them to take actions similar to the ones Lisa took to deal with ADD, healthy coping mechanisms that have proven helpful to Lisa. By testifying, Lisa is telling them that it is ok, that they're not alone in their situation and that they can develop into adulthood despite the challenge.
 |
| Sharing about common experiences |
Mrs. Illinois — a model for success despite ADHD
By Matt Brennan For The Beacon-News July 30, 2012 11:36AM
Lisa Sonnenberg, of Aurora, talked a lot in school. Her friends even
would time how long she could go without talking. “They thought it was
funny,” the current Mrs. Illinois said.
Sonnenberg, now 32, has led a productive life.
Most recently the mother of four was crowned Mrs. Illinois, and she did
it while suffering from attention deficit disorder, which makes it hard
for her to pay attention.
Sonnenberg told her story at an ADHD camp for children at Provena Mercy Medical Center last week.
She was diagnosed with ADD at 29, but has struggled
with the disorder her whole life. “I’ve had all these awesome things
I’ve achieved and I didn’t even know I had ADD,” she said.
Last week’s appearance was the beginning of a
partnership between Sonnenberg and the hospital, which has a mental
health facility. Forms of mental disorders can affect anyone, and
Sonnenberg embodies that, Mercy spokesman Marianne Renner said.
“She represents the message that we want to tell people,” Renner said.
Sonnenberg explained to the students that she
represents married women as Mrs. Illinois. She went through the pageant,
which involved being asked several questions, and being evaluated in a
dress and in a swimsuit. She entered the pageant so that she could help
people, and the issue of mental health has been near and dear to her
heart, she said.
Sonnenberg said that when she was young she could sit still during her classes, but had a hard time paying attention.
“I had a hard time listening to the teacher when she talked,” she said.
When Sonnenberg told the students that she was a talker in school, a murmur of “That’s me,” and “Me, too,” could be heard.
The purpose of the camp was to teach children ages 7
to 11 the social skills they will need to get by in the world, camp
director Connie Parr said. When children have a difficult time behaving,
they are inundated with thousands of negative comments throughout their
early childhood. So the camp tries to focus on giving them the skills
they need to live with ADHD, she said.
The children did a series of crafts and projects
throughout the week. They also were visited by the Kane County Cougars
baseball team.
While they might struggle, Sonnenberg told the children not to give up.
“Everybody has challenges they face every day,” she said. “You can never use your ADHD as an excuse for not trying.”
You can read the original article by clicking here.