Spaced Repetition for Students: Master Active Recall & Ace Your Exams For many students, particularly those with executive functioning (EF) challenges, the idea of spaced repetition and chunking study materials can seem daunting. One of the main obstacles is the uncertainty around what an exam or project truly entails. For projects, students may not fully…
Attention Deficit Help: Empowering Students to Excel Academically Attention deficit help, particularly childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can be challenging, especially if it is predominantly inattentive. This form of ADHD often leaves children feeling inadequate, wondering why their hard work isn’t yielding the expected results. For instance, my client, Becky, struggled with attention deficit…
ADHD Study Tips: Boost Your Focus and Ace Your Exams As students transition into college, the structure of studying changes drastically, calling a need for new ADHD study tips. In high school, teachers often provide organized notes, study guides, and practice exams that make studying straightforward and predictable. However, in college, these structured resources are…
Unlocking Potential: The Power of Divergent Thinking and Cognitive Flexibility in Executive Function Skills One of my clients, Alex, was super excited about his first job but found himself struggling with cognitive flexibility. Despite his enthusiasm, he had a hard time balancing everything. Unfortunately, his lack of progress led to a significant drop in motivation…
Improve Time Blocking for Better Focus & Productivity Whenever I bring up time blocking to one of my clients, I get the same pushback. “I don’t want to feel limited to what I have to do at specific times.” “That sort of structure will make me feel like I am in jail.” “If we do…
Embracing a Multimodal Learning Style: The Balanced Approach In the dynamic world of education, the question of the best learning style comes up frequently. As an Executive Functions (EF) coach, I firmly believe that the most effective type of learning strategy is a multimodal approach. This style balances students’ preferences with the nature of the…
What is an ADHD Coach and Do I Need One? Over the years, I have been described as an ADHD coach by colleagues. Although I am an executive functions coach, 90% of my client load has some form of attentional challenge. I am constantly helping them navigate a maze where organization, focus, and time management…
Inhibitory Control and the Teenage Brain: A Survival Guide Whenever I start working with a student with inhibitory control challenges, I focus on building trust. I show them that I can be patient, understanding, and flexible. They don’t have to lie. It takes some time, and students are skeptical at first. However, trust is so…
Improving Study Skills for ADHD: Proven Strategies & Tips Before we really dive into study skills for ADHD, I want to share a story about Cory. Cory was very gifted and flew through high school not really needing to study. He took a helpful prep course for ACT and College essays and got into a…
Problem Solving Skills: Can an EF Coach Help You Develop Them? One of the most common requests I get from parents is “Can you please teach my child some problem solving skills?” It must be bizarre. Asking an executive functions coach that focuses on structure to teach such an abstract concept. However, exploring problem solving…
Predominately Inattentive ADHD: An Overlooked Diagnosis Did you know predominantly inattentive ADHD is commonly overlooked? Children with hyperactive and impulsive behavior tend to draw more attention, prompting parents to seek assessments. However, children with the inattentive ADHD type are characterized as shy, quiet, and forgetful. Picture a teacher telling a parent, “Hi mom, Sally is…
A Short Story About Goal Setting Smart Let me share a short story about goal setting smart. Sean, a former student, faced unique circumstances that hindered his executive functioning skills. Arriving in the US at the age of 8, he moved in with an uncle he had only met twice. Previously, he had lived with…