WHO IS AN EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING COACH, AND HOW CAN THEY HELP YOUR FAMILY?

Who is an Executive Functioning Coach?

An executive functioning coach helps adults and students find structure, organization, and motivation in their daily work and goals. 

How do we do that exactly? We focused on determining which executive functioning skills are present and which need more work. We provide executive functioning skills coaching and training on every skill but emphasize the ones needed more immediately for our client’s and students’ growth.

A big part of executive functioning coaching utilizes positive feedback. We want our students to experience becoming more successful and independent. They are defined by more than just their executive functioning challenges and disorder or by the general public as unmotivated and lazy.

Who is an executive functioning coach and what can they do for kids?

• EF coaches can help kids organize their schedules and help them do better in life and school. Coaches help improve many skills, which can be useful for school and college-going students. A typical day with an executive functioning coach can be either a strategy or a check-in session. Our strategy sessions emphasize using specific tools such as preparing to-do lists and assignments and chunking goals with our students. 
• An executive functioning strategies session usually happens on the weekend. This is a perfect time, as it is usually when our kids and students have new tasks or assignments on their calendars. We take this time to practice and introduce executive functioning skills with our students, such as creating (showing them first how to do it) a to-do list of all upcoming assignments and visualizing your time blocks onto a calendar. 
• When there are bigger assignments, we also practice executive functioning strategies like chunking and productive breaks. For example, every project usually has smaller, more manageable chunks. An executive functioning coach will help and guide their students to break these bigger assignments into achievable pieces so that they are less intimidating for their students. One of the critical roles of an EF coach is gauging what is possible and helping students establish measurable checkpoints where they can take a productive break. 
• Doing this effectively will prevent students from shutting down or having panic attacks. The goal of these sessions would be to eventually have students establish their executive functioning to the degree that they lead the discussion on how to have a successful week. Lastly, an executive functioning coach will have weekly check-in sessions to measure progress, provide feedback, and guide adjustments to the student’s weekly plans. 

Why is it important long term to teach EF skills?

EF skills are important as they teach lifelong lessons and positively impact the mindset of the students. 

Executive functioning skills are important throughout life. When children have opportunities to develop self-regulation skills and executive functioning, society and individuals experience lifelong advantages and benefits.

• School Achievement and Awards—Executive functioning skills help children follow and remember multi-step instructions, control rash responses, avoid distractions, adjust when rules change, persist at problem-solving, and manage long-term tasks and assignments. For society, the outcome is a well-educated population equipped and capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century.
• Positive Behaviors—Executive functioning skills help children develop leadership, decision-making, teamwork, working toward goals, awareness of emotions, critical thinking, and adaptability. For society, the outcome is reductions in crime, more stable communities, and greater social cohesion.
• Good Health—Executive functioning skills help individuals make more positive decisions about exercise and nutrition; resist pressure to take risks, try illegal drugs, or have unprotected sex; and be more conscious of the safety of children and themselves. Good executive functioning improves our biological systems and emotional skills to respond well to stressful situations and environments. For society, the outcome is a more productive workforce, a healthier population, and reduced healthcare costs.
• Successful Work—Executive functioning skills expand our potential for economic growth and success because we are better organized, able to solve challenges that require planning, and prepared to adjust to changing circumstances. For society, the outcome is greater prosperity due to an innovative, competent, and flexible workforce.

Why is EF important?

An individuals’ executive functioning skills make it possible for them to work, live, and learn with appropriate independence and capability for their age. Executive functioning allows people to think about solutions, access information, and implement those solutions.

With what can an executive functioning coach help?

Executive functioning coaches provide new solutions for work-life problem-solving. Things like positive relationships, reducing and managing stress, increasing your sense of purpose at work, building confidence, and boosting well-being.

What does an executive functioning coach provide?

Executive functioning coaching involves a series of one-on-one sessions between a student or an individual and an external executive functioning coach. The goal of coaching is to help and train people with the knowledge and skills they need to develop themselves to become more effective in their work. Behavior change is the goal of most executive functioning coaching.

What can one gain from EF coaching?

Those who take advantage of executive functioning coaching enjoy benefits including better business performance and goal achievement, improved leadership, a boost in focus and motivation, more positive relationships with colleagues, more confidence when making decisions, and a greater ability to self-regulate.

What is the main purpose of executive functioning coaching?

Our purpose is simple. We are here to train kids and individuals to have complete control of their mental processes that regulate and control other abilities and behaviors. They include initiating and stopping actions, monitoring and changing behavior as needed, and planning future behavior when faced with novel tasks and situations.

Executing Function Coaching: Success Story

It can be difficult for students to gain insight into their behavior or to accept help. The greatest satisfaction I get is watching my students progress, develop more self-confidence, and make positive changes through executive functioning coaching. One of the students I have been working with for several months has made enormous progress, inspiring me to write this article. When I first met Jeffrey, he appeared sad and withdrawn. It was hard for him to make eye contact, and he was a little resistant to my help. His parents were extremely concerned about his well-being. Immediately, I knew I needed to help Jeffrey to realize his potential. I was impressed at his strengths in math and science. Continuing to acknowledge and identify his strengths helped Jeffrey emerge from a negative cycle in the short term.

Executive functioning challenges that we addressed first to help Jeffrey:
👉 Planning
👉 Prioritizing
👉 Time management
👉 Organization

Initially, the student somewhat understood the need to change his organizational habits, but he needed to figure out how to make that change. During our time together, Jeffrey became less resistant to help and began to take steps toward change. His attitude has changed. He now appears more cheerful. As a coach, I use strategies tailored to help Jeffrey make effective progress, such as helping him develop specific plans, encouraging him to take small steps toward his goals, and providing empathy while listening carefully to his perspective.

Benefits of Executive Functioning Coaching for Parents

A coaching program is supposed to hold your hand and be your partner every step of the way.
👉 Good Foundation. A good executive functioning coaching program will give you a good foundation in executive functioning skills.
👉 Help With Planning. A good executive functioning coaching program will give you a plan. We’re going to know the strengths, and we’re going to know the weaknesses, and we’re going to understand where in real life the child is struggling so that we can put our attention and energy into that section.
👉 It Keeps You Accountable. A good executive functioning coaching program will keep you accountable.

Check Out Our Other Blogs:

• How are Executive Functioning and Neuropsychology Related?
• What Does an Executive Function Coach Do?
• What is the Relationship Between Executive Functions and ADHD?
• A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Executive Functioning Disorder

Looking for an executive functioning coach for your child?
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