Executive Functioning Coaching
Do You Or Your Child Experience Barriers To Optimal Executive Functioning?
Are you the parent of a child or teen who struggles with planning and prioritizing tasks?
Or are you an adult who could benefit from coaching to enhance strategies in the areas of goal setting, problem-solving, and other executive functions?
Executive functions (EFs) are defined by a set of skills that help all people—regardless of age and ability—maintain focus, control impulses, think flexibly, manage their time, and organize themselves. While gaps in these skills are often present in neurodiverse populations, neurotypical individuals can also struggle with their executive functioning. Oftentimes, those who do not meet the criteria for an official diagnosis of autism or ADHD, for example, still lack optimized executive function.
Signs Of Impaired Executive Function
Children and teens with executive functioning deficiencies will likely encounter hurdles at school and with domestic chores. Your child may have difficulty initiating tasks and often underestimate how long those tasks will take. Perhaps they’re more likely to procrastinate on their homework by finding excuses, acting on their every impulse, or distracting themselves with other activities like video games.
Similarly, adults lacking in certain executive functioning skills may find everyday responsibilities difficult to focus on. It might be hard for you to pay bills on time, effectively plan a schedule, and arrive to your engagements without being late. Perhaps you often lose or forget things, often feeling frantic and unable to remain present.
EF skills exist on a spectrum throughout the course of our lives—sometimes, they are strongly intact, and other times, they may be impacted by severe life stressors. If you have recently survived a physical trauma—including a brain injury, serious illness, or even menopause—you may have felt foggy, confused, or overwhelmed by tasks that used to be easy for you. Lapses in EF skills present similarly in cognitive symptoms of anxiety and depression, leading to general feelings of disorientation.
Without proper executive function, life becomes increasingly frustrating and difficult. Fortunately, mental health professionals specializing in neurodiversity can be great resources for improving your or your child’s functioning. In coaching through Broward Therapy Group, you can optimize your executive functioning skills and work toward making life more manageable and enjoyable.
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When EF Skills Are Inadequate, Our Systems Can Go Haywire
Executive functions are like the COOs or conductors of our brains. They can’t succeed in their roles when they don’t have the skills needed to operate effectively. But it’s not because we are lazy, unmotivated, or indifferent that everyday tasks are difficult for us to achieve; our brains just work differently and may need the boost of coaching to increase executive functions.
Unfortunately, common interventions—including reward-setting, keeping a planner, and setting alarms—don’t always work with neurodiverse brains or those who lack EF skills. As a result, it can become extremely frustrating for everyone involved when surface-level changes don’t address neurobiological barriers. It’s essential for interventions to be tailored to each person’s unique strengths and abilities while considering their age, phase of development, and level of self-awareness.
By working with a coach who can target the specific cognitive impairments impacting your or your child’s ability to thrive, you can meaningfully improve your executive function.
Executive Function Coaching At Broward Therapy Group
Our evaluation process can help determine the EF areas where you or your child are lacking. Once we have a strong idea of your presenting issues and goals, we will pair you with a clinician on our team who will work to increase your executive function through therapeutic support and coaching.
From there, the overall goal of EF coaching will be to establish an effective wellness foundation that will better prepare you to initiate tasks, make plans, stay organized, and be flexible. Using the insights developed through coaching, we will work with other people in your or your child’s life—including teachers and other clinicians—to help reinforce new skill sets.
Our Approach
We know from research that punitive approaches and behavior-focused techniques might actually harm neurodivergent clients. Therefore, as a neuro-affirming practice, we don’t ascribe to a one-size-fits-all executive function coaching format. Instead, we use mindfulness, lifestyle changes, and creative strategies, including games, art, music, and movement to establish a healthy routine.
We find that EF skills are the bedrock to social success, improving your or your child’s ability to problem-solve, cope, and maintain interpersonal success with peers and loved ones. The more executive functioning skills are practiced in the therapy space, the more prepared you will be to use your toolbox outside the session. Your coach will check in between sessions to offer gentle reminders and help reinforce strong executive functioning through the ongoing practice of skills. And if, after executive function coaching, you want to continue exploring emotional regulation and stress reduction strategies, you or your child are welcome to enroll in ongoing psychotherapy.
Everyone has strengths. Even if you or your child struggle with executive function, coaching can unlock the key to your unique brain and empower its innate talents. By working with an EF coach at Broward Therapy Group, you are giving yourself a chance to reach your full potential.
Still Unsure If EF Coaching Is Right For You?
How does therapy for executive functioning skills work? Is it effective?
For those struggling with lags in EF skills, there are deficiencies in metacognition and initiation, which means that the very skills necessary to identify when one needs help—and ask for it—are lacking. For this reason, it’s important to note that targeting these skills might take some time. However, coaching and therapy with a strong emphasis on self-care is very effective for helping clients establish new routines.
Coaching offers an opportunity to gain insight and self-awareness, which will ultimately improve your cognitive and executive functioning skills. You or your child can access your intrinsic motivation for growth and change through strength identification and goal setting.
How long does the executive function coaching process take?
The development of EF skills is a marathon, not a sprint. It can take time to alter your or your child’s baseline cognitive awareness. That said, your EF skills are unique to you, and the time spent in coaching will depend on many factors, including your support system, level of self-awareness, willingness to participate, and the practice and application of skills outside of therapy.
We typically recommend that EF clients participate in coaching for at least six months, at which point your coach will assess progress and determine next steps.
I/my child already went to therapy to improve executive functioning skills and we did not see progress—I’m worried coaching will be just as ineffective.
We hear this concern a lot and understand why you might be hesitant to begin coaching if your or your child’s executive function did not improve in the past. If you’re the parent of a child who is not fully aware of their EF deficiencies, it can be very frustrating to identify all of the areas where they are lagging.
Much of our approach to EF coaching revolves around our clients’ degree of self-awareness. The coaching process is highly individualized to assess how well current executive functions are operating. With this knowledge, we can more readily identify strengths and make changes.
In addition, we believe the therapeutic/coaching relationship is key to implementing strong functioning in all areas. As you or your child work with a trusted, skilled coach, they will model effective executive functioning techniques and offer vital perspectives that can transform your daily life.
Let’s Make A Plan Together
Whether or not a diagnosis of ADHD or autism is present, impaired executive function can make daily life overwhelming. To work with a skilled therapist who can help you or your child establish a new routine through executive function coaching, contact us.
