Davis® Mastery for Attention is an individual, intensive empowerment programme for children and adults that gently supports development of executive function skills. Outcomes include feeling more in control of learning and daily life while building the “brain management” system to focus, plan, manage and succeed with ease and confidence.
Those that struggle with executive function or organising themselves in life and learning are often curious, imaginative, and quick to respond. They can see the bigger picture, connect ideas in unique ways, and take bold steps forward, and have strengths that, when further supported by mastering life concepts, can truly shine.
Davis® Mastery for Attention is an individual, intensive, and empowering programme designed to support children and adults who struggle to organise themselves in everyday life and learning. If ADHD is indicated, we work alongside the natural ADHD style and way of thinking, building on the ADHD perceptual talents in positive strength-based ways while resolving the challenges.
Executive function is the brain’s “management system” - the skills we use to plan, get started, stay focused, remember instructions, manage time, and finish tasks. When these skills aren’t yet in place, children can feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or unsure of what to do next - even when they are bright and capable.
This programme gently builds those skills through simple, practical tools and mastering a sequence of life concepts that help your child make sense of their world. As confusion reduces, you’ll often see more calm, confidence, and independence - at home, in learning, and in how they feel about themselves.
“The world needs your child’s way of thinking — our role is to help them use it with confidence.”
Your child learns how to understand and manage their energy and bring focus when needed
They begin to feel more in control of their thinking and actions as we identify and restore missing Life Concepts by mastering a developmental sequence of concepts: including Self, Identity, Change, Consequence, Cause, Effect, Before, After, Sequence & Time, Order & Disorder etc.
Our experience shows that those who arrive with the label ADHD generally show strengths of deep focus (hyperfocus), big-picture thinking, and creative problem-solving
Those who arrive here with executive function challenges and/or those who have the label ADHD have shown that by mastering Life Concepts from this Davis programme, and with guidance, can still use their natural abilities with confidence, and have simply added organisational skills to support learning and everyday life.
We schedule an initial consultation for you which includes:
Overview of how the programme works
Strength-based Symptoms Profile Interview
Perceptual Ability Assessment
Identifying areas of natural strengths, talents and abilities as well a areas of need
Goals for yourself that we can work with
If you are motivated to go ahead, you would first learn focus tools and strategies, then begin mastering a series of life concepts such as Self, Identity, Change, Cause, Effect. Before, After, Consequence, Sequence & Time, Order & Disorder etc. These are clayed first as our clients to begin to think with the idea of them, then experienced and explored in real life and learning contexts.
"Is time living within now?"
49 year old client
After claying the concept of Time he described many examples of new experiences of Time - where he said he felt connected with an 'internal sense of time' for the first time.
Clients have said:
Time management becomes easier
Impulsivity and disorganisation fall away
Less exhaustion
Order emerges from chaos
Life becomes manageable
The self-regulation techniques are fantastic
Can choose the energy level I need easily
Feel more in control of self
What is ADHD?
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are names given to a variety of characteristics which can include one or more of the following: … and note as there are challenges, there are strengths!
Impulsivity OR Fearless, Shows courage
Sense of justice and empathy
Distractibility OR Good at scanning the environment
Tendency to excessive daydreaming OR excellent imagination
Hyperactivity; hypo-activity : working on the concept of time really helps
Behavioural issues OR Simply needs focus tools for self-regulation
Can't relax sitting still OR Active relaxer (needs to move in order to relax)
Hyperfocus: can spend hours getting something done when it is of interest
Lack of awareness or knowledge of time OR Deep in imagination and problem-solving mode
Difficulty understanding instructions
Difficulty with personal organisation and/or finishing things
Anxiety and overwhelm; where to start first; burnout can occur
Good at adventure sports such as rugby, BMX or mountain bike riding, velodrome speed racing - anything where movement and speed is involved
Davis® Mastery for Attention Programme
Davis® Mastery for Attention is an individual, intensive empowerment programme for children and adults that gently supports development of executive function skills.
Outcomes include feeling more in control of learning and daily life while building the “brain management” system to focus, plan, manage and succeed with ease and confidence.
Testimonial - Before doing the programme, my daughter would get easily confused and overwhelmed. At the start of the course, she said she wanted to be clear. By the end of the course, she said she was. (Click the dropdown to read the full testimonial)
Note* If ADHD is accompanied by other issues such as dyslexia, poor coordination and balance or difficulties with maths, the versatility of the Davis methods means these can be worked on together rather than each requiring separate approaches. Davis Methods work at root cause. Symptoms naturally fall away.
In the testimonial below, this wonderful, creative teen had focus issues and was also dyslexic:
Before doing the programme, my daughter would get easily confused and overwhelmed. At the start of the course, she said she wanted to be clear. By the end of the course, she said she was.
During the programme, she learned how to focus when she needs to and to see written letters and words clearly. She had told me in the past that written text had been overlapping or jumbled, and she sometimes skipped lines when reading or said words mixed up. It blew me away that after the course, my daughter could read a page of text she’d never seen before correctly and without getting anxious.
Claire also taught her concepts to do with time. This is something my daughter previously struggled with. She can now tell the time on a clock with hands. I had tried to teach her myself for years.
I liked how the course was structured, and I could see what would be covered beforehand, and the progress made that day. It gave me confidence that the program was professional and worthwhile.
Claire also taught my daughter how to organise her writing. My daughter had struggled with this. But she enjoyed the sessions with Claire and said they were really helpful.
Claire established a lovely, no-pressure connection with my daughter. She explained everything clearly and went at my daughter’s pace. It is clear that Claire is a very caring, experienced teacher, and I felt good about her working with my daughter. I think it also really helped that Claire could truly understand my daughter’s struggles, as a Dyslexic herself. This also made my daughter trust her and want to work with her.
Learning using clay is a really good idea. My daughter learns well when she can touch, hold, move and manipulate objects. She also learns best in a face-to-face, one-on-one learning environment, so working with Claire was ideal.
I am so glad my daughter did these two courses with Claire. I can’t explain it, but they helped something click inside my daughter. I feel that the progress she made during the mastery course has really set her up for life.
Programme Content
Davis® Orientation Counselling provides the self-directed ability to switch between creative thinking and accurate perception, to control or adjust personal energy levels, and to achieve a relaxed state of focus.
Davis® Mastery for Attention enhances a person’s ability to see life through the “filters” of universal concepts such as change, consequence, time, sequence, order and disorder. A unique clay-based learning technique enables a person to “create” these concepts for themselves.
Other Davis techniques are employed as needed when ADHD is accompanied by other learning issues.
Copyright – Richard Whitehead, Davis Learning Foundation – used with permission
Many thanks for permission to use these photos on my website.
“… self-doubt is no longer a barrier and the frustration has gone.”
Jay* kindly gave permission to put photos on my website. I remember his delight when he read accurately with good comprehenion after learning and using the Davis reading strategies. He also had goals around listening to instructions.
After the progamme in 2016, I asked Jay* how he felt on a scale of 1-10 (1 the lowest – 10 the highest)
BEFORE – he said he was at a 5 – or 3 for listening and focusing – and that he had self-doubt that he could do it.
AFTER – he said it was at a 7 and… “it is good – totally good – every single thing – now it has all changed!”
As a facilitator, I noticed both during and after the programme, Jay became confident trying new things and was facing his essay writing and academic assignments. He is now working full time and enjoying his work and life. He has skills and strengths in dance and performing arts.
Jay* name changed for privacy
“…able to achieve her goals and make positive changes in areas which needed correction”
My 10-year-old daughter has recently been struggling with maths. After investigating maths tutors in our area, I decided to approach Claire Ashmore as I was aware of her teaching background and studies to be a Davis Dyslexia facilitator. After her initial assessment, it was clear that she would benefit most from an Attention Mastery programme.
While working with Claire, she was able to achieve her goals and make positive changes in areas which needed correction. Since completing the programme, my daughter has come away with invaluable strategies which I have witnessed her employ many times, during a variety of situations. She can now remain focused when needed allowing her to accomplish things which she would normally find extremely difficult.
Armed with her strategies and aware of her gifts, she has gained confidence, is more conscientious and patient. I would not hesitate in recommending the Davis Dyslexia Attention Mastery programme, as well as Claire Ashmore, to anybody who wishes to improve their ability to focus and be open to learning more effectively
Waikato Mum: Working alongside their natural talents and skills, clients identify and eliminate triggers or confusions in order to acheive their own goals.
The Davis Methods provide simple powerful tools to help manage energy, overwhelm, and bring focus when it matters most. We also make sure every client's strengths are recognised, valued, and developed - building confidence and a strong sense of capability.
Executive function challenges no longer need to hold you back.
Empowering those who think and learn differently.
All around the world, Davis is making a difference every day. With our unique insights and specialised expertise, we understand the root cause of both the perceptual gifts AND the challenges that accompany neurodivergent thinking.
The Davis Methods use proven strength-based tools and effective learning strategies that unlock clients' innate ability to learn and thrive.
Our highly trained licensed Davis facilitators deliver life-changing, personalised programs (1:1) with respect, care, and a commitment to positive outcomes for all ages.
Claire Ashmore
P. 021 145 5561
E. claire@growingchoices.co.nz
Cambridge