About Lou – DEV Thriving with ADHD

About Lou

My goal is to thrive with ADHD, and to help my son and others thrive as well.

Professional Bio

Dr Louise E. Brown is an Adjunct Research Fellow at Curtin University, and a non-practicing Registered Nurse and ADHD Coach. Driven by her desire to ensure no children with ADHD grow up feeling the way she did about herself, Lou has been active in the advocacy space since her son and her were diagnosed with ADHD in 2016. Prior to completing her doctorate, Lou fulfilled the lived-experience Appointed Director position on the Australian ADHD Profession Association (AADPA) board, as well as worked as a Lived-Experience Consultant and Research Collaborator for Monash University, for 3.5 years. She also developed the Australian Evidence-Based Practice Guideline for ADHD Consumer Companion and co-wrote AADPA’s Talking about ADHD Guide.

Lou complete a PhD so that she could contribute to the paradigm shift that is so needed to improve the lives of children and adults with the ADHD. Now she is what is termed a “Expert by experience-led researcher. This means she has personal lived experience of ADHD; connections to the wider lived experience community; an awareness of shared issues; and a sound understanding of the values, principles and theories that underly participatory research practices.

Over the last 5 years, Lou has been developing an ADHD parenting program for parents who have children with ADHD aged between 6-11years (guided by the UK Medical Research Council’s Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions). The program, which has been developed with input from parents and clinicians, is grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s (2006) Bioecological model of human development, the child development literature and the neurodiversity paradigm. It moves away from traditional behavioural based parenting interventions; integrates the principles of acceptance, realistic optimism, and mental health recovery; and aims to empower parents to foster attachment security and raise independent, well-adjusted, and empowered individuals with ADHD.

Additionally, Lou is leading the development of AADPA’s Participatory Research Guide for ADHD. She also chairs the ADHD Language Project (a co-production research team examining the language preferences of individuals with ADHD and parents). Recently, Lou won AADPA’s Emerging ADHD Researcher Award (the award was independently assessed by overseas judges).

Academic publications

Brown, L.E., Mustajbegovic, L., Boyes, M., & Myers, B. (2025). The effectiveness of parent training programs for primary school aged children with ADHD: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurodiversity. https://doi.org/10.1177/2754633025135

Brown, L. E., Tallon, M., Kendall, G., Boyes, M., & Myers, B. (2025). Parents’ experiences of raising Australian primary school aged children with ADHD and feedback on a proposed ADHD parenting program: A qualitative study. Journal of Attention Disorders. 29(5), 312–325. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547241309526

Brown, L.E., Tallon, M., Bellgrove, M., Rudaizky, D., Kendall, G., Boyes, M., & Myers, B. (2025). Increasing health literacy on ADHD: A cross disciplinary integrative review examining the impact of ADHD on brain maturation, composition, and connectivity and cognitive function across the life course. Child Psychiatry & Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-025-01815-5

Brown, L. E., Tallon, M., Kendall, G., Boyes, & Myers. B. (2025). A novel ADHD parenting program to improve parent-child attachment: A Mixed methods feasibility study. Neurodiversity, 3, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330251340443

Chau, T., Tiego, J., Brown. L. E., Mellahn, O., Johnson, B. P., & Bellgrove, M. A. (2024). The distribution of parent-reported ADHD and subclinical Autistic traits in children with and without an ADHD diagnosis. JCPP Advances, e12223. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12223

Chau, T., Tiego, J., Brown, L. E., Mellahn, O. J., Johnson, B. P., Arnatkeviciute, A., Fulcher, B. D., Matthews, N., & Bellgrove, M. A. (2024). The distribution of parent reported autistic and subclinical ADHD traits in children with and without an ADHD diagnosis. JCPP Advances, 4(2), e12259. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12259

Knott, R., Mellahn, O. J., Tiego, J., Kallady, K., Brown, L. E., Coghill, D., Williams, K., Bellgrove, M. A., & Johnson, B. P. (2024). Age at diagnosis and diagnostic delay across attention-deficit hyperactivity and autism spectrums. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 58(2), 142–151. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674231206997

*Bisset, M., *Brown, L.E., Bhide, S., Patel, P., Zendarski, N., Coghill, D., Payne, L., Bellgrove, M.A., Middeldorp, C.M., & Sciberras, E. (2023). Practitioner Review: It’s time to bridge the gap – understanding the unmet needs of consumers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder – a systematic review and recommendations. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13752

Chau, T., Tiego, J., Brown, L., Coghill, D., Jobson, L., Montgomery, A., Murrup-Stewart, C., Sciberras, E., Silk, T. J., Spencer-Smith, M., Stefanac, N., Sullivan, D. P., & Bellgrove, M.A. (2023). Against the use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 2–15 years. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00048674231161504

Bisset, M., *Brown, L.E., Bhide, S., Patel, P., Zendarski, N., Coghill, D., Payne, L., Bellgrove, M.A., Middeldorp, C.M., & Sciberras, E. (2023). Practitioner Review: It’s time to bridge the gap – understanding the unmet needs of consumers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder – a systematic review and recommendations. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry.https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13752

Chau, T., Tiego, J., Brown, L., Coghill, D., Jobson, L., Montgomery, A., Murrup-Stewart, C., Sciberras, E., Silk, T. J., Spencer-Smith, M., Stefanac, N., Sullivan, D. P., & Bellgrove, M. A. (2023). Against the use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 2–15 years. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. https://doi/10.1177/00048674231161504

Other publications

Brown, L. E. for the Australian ADHD Professionals Association (2023). Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline For ADHD: Consumer Companion Guide. https://adhdguideline.aadpa.com.au/consumer-companion/

Brown, L. & Quinn P. for the Australia ADHD Professionals Association (2021). Talking about ADHD Language Guide. The Guide has been endorsed by AADPA, ND Australia, World Federation of ADHD, The Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance, The Israeli Society of ADHD, The ADHD Foundation, ADHD Australia, Parents for ADHD Advocacy Australia, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health – Monash University, Brain and Mind Centre – University of Sydney, University of Melbourne.

Brown, L. for the Australia ADHD Professionals Association (2021). Kids like me (children’s book). Illustrated by Australian children with ADHD https://aadpa.com.au/some-kids-book/

Brown, L. (2018). ADHD in primary school: A comprehensive guide to understanding and supporting students with ADHD in the classroom.

Personal Statement

Having grown up with untreated ADHD, I know from personal experience the detrimental impact the condition can have on your self-esteem and self-worth, social skills and interpersonal relationships, academic and career success, as well as your health and quality of life. So much so, that when I first read about the trajectory of possible ADHD-related adverse outcomes, I could sadly see my earlier life so clearly reflected back to me on the page. Thankfully, however, I can report with a bit of maturity and a lot of self-determination and hard work, I learned to accept myself unconditionally, to be my own best friend, to develop skills that help me manage my challenges, to achieve many of my personal goals, and to find my happy place in the world.

That’s not to say that my ADHD no longer challenges me, it does on a daily basis and probably always will. However, I am more at peace with myself and my journey now, and choose to view any challenges I still have as further opportunities to learn and grow.

The greatest challenge I faced after my diagnosis was coming to terms with the fact my son also had ADHD. When I found out, the grief was unbearable and I became consumed with worry for his future. However, after accepting his diagnosis, I grew determined to do anything I could to prevent him from having the same experience as me. I do not want him to just cope with having ADHD, I want him to truly thrive and flourish despite the condition. To reach his full potential and live a full and rewarding life.

This set me off on a crusade to learn everything I could about ADHD. To personally delve deep into the research and to seek out educational opportunities in an effort to develop a really good understanding of the condition and the various treatment options. My efforts were so worth it. The knowledge I gained helped me to understand my son and his symptoms, as well as make decisions regarding my parenting approach and other treatment interventions in order to positively support his development and help him thrive. It also set me on the path to becoming Research Doctor and to dedicating my life to optimising the outcomes of individuals with ADHD.

Memberships & Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy, Curtin University, Perth WA
Full member – Australian ADHD Professionals AssociationAHPRA Registered Nurse, Non-Practicing
Basic ADHD Coaching, ADD Coach Academy, USA
Level 1, 2 & 3 Wellness Coaching, Wellness Coaching Australia
Bachelor of Science (Nursing), Edith Cowan University