ADHD & Executive Function Blog
Commonly Searched Blog Topics
What is the coaching process?
ADHD strategies
How do I disclose my disability at work?
Workplace support
Parent/student strategies
Coaching or Therapy: What’s the Difference?
"What is the difference between an ADHD coach and a therapist?" Two of the most common avenues people consider are coaching and therapy.
While both offer valuable space for personal growth, they serve distinct purposes, focus on different timelines, and use different approaches. Understanding these differences can help you decide which service, or combination of services, is right for you.
How Much Does ADHD Coaching and Executive Function Coaching Cost: Beyond the Expense
The real question isn’t just: “What does ADHD coaching cost?” Instead, it’s: “What is unmanaged executive dysfunction already costing me?”
To understand the true value of executive function (EF) and ADHD coaching, you have to look at both sides of the balance sheet: the apparent investment of coaching versus the nonapparent, compounding costs of navigating a world built for neurotypical brains without a system that works for you.
Inclusive Management: 5 Strategies to Improve Communication with Reports
Inclusive management isn't about lowering performance standards; it's about optimizing how information is delivered so every team member can perform at their peak. By tailoring your approach to support how different brains work best, you create a psychological framework where trust and productivity can thrive.
When Caring Costs Your Clarity: Navigating Compassion Fatigue and Executive Function in the Workplace
When professionals continuously absorb the stress, frustration, or emotions of others, they run the risk of developing compassion fatigue. While the emotional weight of compassion fatigue is well-documented, its impact on executive function skills, the cognitive processes that allow us to plan, focus, remember, and multitask, is less often discussed, yet profoundly damaging to workplace performance.
Understanding the connection between empathy burnout and cognitive overload is the first step toward restoring both professional efficacy and personal well-being.
Avoiding Meltdowns: Preparing Your Kids for Transitioning Activities
Transitioning activities can require a lot of mental energy, executive function skills, and emotional regulation. For children, moving from a preferred activity to a non-preferred one can feel overwhelming and challenging.
Fortunately, teaching the skill of transitioning doesn't have to be a daily battle. By implementing a few proactive routines, you can help your child navigate these daily shifts with much less stress.
Slice of Life: Energy and Life Management Prioritization
To manage executive function barriers, some individuals prefer visual representations of their week using either a calendar, graph, or to-do list. For this framework, we’ll be using a pie chart represented by your life’s buckets. This pie chart represents 100% of your week: you do not get any extra time or energy, even if you want it. If one slice of your life gets bigger, another slice must get smaller. You cannot simply expand the pie.
Navigating School Accommodations: A Guide for Parents and Students
Understanding how schools support students with learning differences or disabilities can feel challenging. You may hear terms like "IEP" and "504 Plan" thrown around, but what do they actually mean, and how do they help?
Take a Walk: The Science Behind the Simple Stress Reduction and Problem-Solving Strategy
We’ve all heard the advice when we’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck on a problem, or trapped in a midday slump: "Just go take a walk." It sounds deceptively simple, almost too simple, but it is incredibly effective. There is a reason walking is one of the most consistently recommended strategies for stress reduction, problem-solving, and beating boredom. It isn't just a distraction or a way to burn a few calories. Instead, it’s a powerful, science-backed hack for your brain.
The Body-Brain Blueprint: How Proprioceptive Input Wakes Up the ADHD Brain
This post examines the relationship between proprioceptive input and executive functioning, particularly within the context of ADHD.
It’s Not Just "Mom Brain,” It’s a Breakdown in Executive Function
In the professional world, we talk about executive function as the CEO of the brain. But at home, it’s more complex due to the nature of the tasks at hand. Parents are more like the air traffic control tower that is responsible for landing the planes, managing the fuel, and making sure everyone stays safe without crashes. For moms, this system is often running at 110% capacity, leading to a unique set of struggles that go far beyond simple forgetfulness, overstimulation and “mom brain.”
Unlocking the Power of Body Doubling
Do you ever find yourself staring blankly at a screen, unable to start that big project, or getting perpetually distracted from household chores? You're not alone. Many people, especially those with ADHD or executive function challenges, struggle with task initiation and sustained focus.
The secret weapon you might be missing? Body doubling.
Task Initiation: 5 Strategies to Use When You're Feeling Stuck
We've all been there: staring at a to-do list, knowing exactly what needs to be done, yet feeling a strange, immovable resistance. That “wall of awful” feeling can be the biggest hurdle to productivity and task initiation. Task initiation is an executive function that involves the ability to start a task or activity promptly and without unnecessary delay
If you struggle to get going, you're not lazy: you just need the right tools to build momentum.
ADHD Support: Tips, Tricks, Tools, and Helpful Sites Curated by ADHDers for ADHDers
Living with ADHD can feel like navigating a world built for brains that operate differently than your own. But here's the secret: you're not alone, and there's a whole community of ADHDers who have figured out some brilliant ways to not just survive but thrive! This blog post is a collection of insights, tools, and resources, curated by ADHDers for ADHDers.
What to Do When an Accommodation is Not Effective or When a Request is Denied
Navigating the world with a disability often means relying on reasonable accommodations, which are changes or adjustments to the environment or job/school structure that enable equal opportunity. Whether in the workplace or an educational setting, the accommodation process is not always linear.
So, what should you do if the accommodation you received isn't actually helping, or if your initial request was denied?
Navigating a Leave of Absence: Understanding Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability
Taking a leave of absence from work due to a medical condition can be overwhelming. Beyond managing your health, you face the overwhelming challenge of securing your financial future when navigating the unknown of logistics and paperwork associated with filing for long- or short-term disability. Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance can be incredibly beneficial, but it’s important to first understand the differences, qualifications, and application process for each to ensure that you have a smooth transition during a difficult time.
Neurodiversity and Leadership: How to Lead Inclusively
In today's dynamic world, effective leadership demands more than just strategic thinking and strong decision-making; it requires a deep understanding and appreciation for the diverse minds within your team. Neurodiversity, the idea that neurological differences are simply variations of the human brain rather than deficits, is a crucial aspect of this diversity. By embracing neurodiversity, leaders can unlock a wealth of talent, foster innovation, and build truly inclusive and high-performing teams.
To lead inclusively, you can follow these four pillars:
Student Strategies: Finishing the Semester Strong
The final weeks of a college semester can feel like a marathon with an ever-increasing load of papers, projects, and final exams. It's important to create an effective system for managing not only your workload, but also your stress: that's where executive function skills come in.
The Role of Technology in Supporting Executive Function
New and innovative technology is stepping up as a powerful ally, offering several ways to support, manage and enhance your executive function skills.
Let's explore how technology can support executive functions: from specific applications to broader assistive technology tools, and pinpoint which executive function areas benefit most.
You're Not Lazy, You're Just Burnt Out: Understanding Neurodivergent Burnout Before It Happens
In a world that often operates on neurotypical norms, neurodivergent individuals navigate unique challenges, especially in the workplace. From sensory overload to social masking, the executive function skills it takes for some neurodivergent individuals to endure a day of work can be profoundly draining. This constant exertion can lead to a specific and often misunderstood phenomenon: neurodivergent burnout. It's not laziness; it's a state of utter exhaustion that can impact every facet of life. Understanding how to identify and address it before it takes hold is crucial for well-being.
Throwing A Holiday Party: How To Ensure Your Executive Function Skills Are Top Tier
For anyone hosting a holiday party, these skills are crucial to ensure that everything runs smoothly: no burnt turkeys, the perfect decor, and remembering to get everyone in your life a special gift. In this blog post, we will delve into what executive function skills are, how they impact your ability to host an event, and provide you with five essential tips to elevate your planning and execution, making your festive gathering a success.