Executive Function Coaching for Teens and Adults
Executive Function Coaching is a process of setting goals, taking small steps towards these goals, and reflecting on what’s working and what’s not. For many of our clients, their habits of procrastination, inefficiency, and disorganization have become almost automatic. They just happen and without much thinking. EF Coaching seeks to put a spotlight on these habits, set goals to push against these, suggest strategies to help, and take steps forward. This isn’t quick or easy, but ultimately the goal is to consistently reflect, build one tiny habit on top of another, taste success, and ultimately live a more balanced and less stressful life.
For Executive Function Coaching, we see most clients online. However, there are times when we can meet in-person at one of our offices:
2025 Woodbrook Ct, Charlottesville, VA 22901
356 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
7400 Beaufont Springs Dr, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23225
What are Executive Functions?
First of all, what are Executive Functions (EF)? Many professionals talk about it, definitions abound, most are confusing, so here is the best explanation: EF is being aware of what to do and actually doing it. It’s awareness plus action. And it’s across a range of different tasks: from attention to impulse-control, organization to planning, emotional regulation to time management. Does a student notice when their attention drifts, do they catch themselves before they say something foolish, do they notice when it’s time to pack up at the end of class so they place a paper in the correct folder, and more.
What is Executive Function Coaching?
Executive Function Coaching is helping teens and adults build both this awareness and tools and strategies to take action. It’s a consistent cycle of reflecting, planning, and re-trying. To be fair, it’s rather easy to teach and practice a strategy, but consistently implementing that strategy day-after-day, this is where the real work is. After all, most anyone can have a goal, that’s the easy part. But following through with a plan, tweaking a plan, staying consistent with a plan—this is what it takes to reach most any meaningful goal. So, coaching is supporting our clients in clarifying goals, breaking down goals into actionable steps, charting a plan of action, giving this a try and then reflecting and tweaking.
Nuts & Bolts of Executive Function Coaching
Coaching is never one-size-fits-all. And, although most arrangements start by meeting more frequently (e.g. twice per week), we work with our clients to ensure they get the support they need to make progress towards their personal goals. This may mean reminders between sessions, an extra session, and more. Overall, our goal is to equip and support our teens and adults so that they can be more and more independent and–with time–need us less and less. Since every student has different goals and different needs, it’s impossible to predict progress, but our aim is to help you graduate from our services. We want to equip you with durable skills, strategies, rhythms, and routines that will last.
For our younger clients, parents are essential in this process, and so it’s important for us to have periodic check-ins. This may be separate meetings, attending a meeting together, or both–as we get started, we can figure out what works best.
Executive Function Coaching for high school, college, and adult clients
High school is an opportunity to launch well. The goal of Executive Function coaching is to make this launch as strong as possible. College is an investment. The goal of Executive Function coaching is to equip students with the skills, strategies, rhythms, and routines to make the most of that investment and to carry these well beyond college. Adulthood is adulthood. The stakes are higher, and the goal of Executive Function coaching is to balance the demands of a job, family, friends, and self-care. Regardless of age, our goal is to guide our clients through this process: consistently reflecting, making and tweaking plans, and re-trying. Over time, they can not only develop rhythms, routines, and strategies to be successful, but they can also become more self-aware in order to thrive.
Final thoughts
We care deeply about goals: whether that’s simply staying in college, earning a 3.0, earning a 3.0 without burning out, or being competitive for whatever life holds next: a job, internship, or graduate school, or balancing life and all that it throws at you. But, anyone can have goals. Goals are cheap. Follow-through is the hard part. Follow-through is what trips most people up. If you’re ready to tackle the hard part, we’re here and happy to support you.
What Next?
Have more questions about Executive Function Coaching? Or, are you just ready to get started? Visit our contact page to schedule a phone call or send us a message.