Executive Function Coaching for Teens and Adults
For lots of people, Executive Functions (EF) are better predictors of school and career success than IQ. That’s right, an average Joe with an average IQ can sometimes reach greater heights than a genius. How? If Joe has strong EF, then he is consistently aware of what he needs to do to be successful, he is consistently able to take action, and he can do this across a range of tasks. The good news is that Executive Functions can be nurtured and grown more than IQ. No, boosting EF is not quick or easy, but—with the right support—it is possible. Coaching is not subject-specific tutoring. And no, coaching isn’t simply being a personal assistant or helping to organize a calendar, it’s intimately understanding your brain with all its strengths and struggles. It’s changing habits and thought-patterns that are years or even decades old. It’s helping you be more purposeful, more self-aware, more reflective, and ultimately more successful.
For Executive Function Coaching, we see most clients online. However, there are times when we can meet in-person and have offices in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, & Richmond, Virginia.
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.