Goodreads asked Gina Pera:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Gina Pera My most recent book is Adult ADHD-Focused Couple Therapy: Clinical Interventions (2016; Routledge Press).

It is the first clinical guide based on the evidence of what works for couple therapy AND Adult ADHD.

I didn't want to write it. I begged off each time the acquisitions editor contacted me with the request.

But by the final request, I'd heard way too many "couple therapy gone wrong horror stories" in the support group that I've led as a free service for 20 years.

I asked my collaborator, Arthur L. Robin, PhD, if he'd like to join me in this effort. He thought about it and said yes. Darn!

We both knew that it would be years of hard, hard, tedious work.

We knew that royalties would be minuscule ($400 thus far since 2016).

And we knew that it would be a hard slog to convince "standard" couple therapists—and maybe even ADHD specialists—to learn this approach.

But we were on a mission to revolutionize the standard of care for ADHD-challenged couples. And, we also know how often ADHD is missed in general couple therapy. Perhaps that's why the overall success rate is not impressive.

We worked literally every day for almost four years (and then after to promote the book, develop a website, etc.). Most days I worked on it all day. Dr. Robin had a demanding job and a private practice, but he still put untold hours into this. I don't know how he did it. We must have sent 1,000 e-mails to each other. Each chapter went through at least 15 drafts.

We both wanted this book to be solidly researched, tightly written, and useful.

We succeeded, I am happy to say.

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