Coaching 5 min read

Executive Function Coaching

Executive function coaching specifically targets the brain-based skills needed for planning, organization, time management, and self-regulation, providing structured support while these abilities develop.

Why specialized coaching helps

Executive function develops throughout adolescence into the mid-twenties. Some teens, particularly those with ADHD, have developmental delays of 3-5 years in executive function. They need support now, not waiting for natural development.

Research by Russell Barkley and others shows that executive function predicts academic and life success more than IQ. Students receiving executive function coaching show improved grades, reduced anxiety, and better college readiness. The coaching provides external structure while internal abilities develop.

Barkley (2012) identified executive function as the strongest predictor of academic and occupational success. Dawson and Guare (2018) demonstrated that executive function coaching significantly improves academic performance and reduces stress in adolescents.

You're not alone

If your teen is smart but scattered, capable but chronically disorganized, or knows what to do but can't seem to do it, executive function challenges are likely. Many parents become their teen's frontal lobe, managing everything for them. This creates dependency without building skills. Executive function coaching provides professional support that builds independence. Families using EF coaching report improved performance and reduced parent-teen conflict.

What it looks like day to day

Student

Your teen works with their coach to break large projects into manageable steps, creating visual planning systems that work with their brain.

Parent

You step back from constant management as your teen develops their own systems with coach support, reducing your role as external executive function.

Tiny steps to try

Implement executive function support strategies at home.

1

Externalize working memory

Use lists, timers, and visual cues rather than expecting remembering. Reduce cognitive load.
2

Task initiation rituals

Create consistent start sequences. Same location, same music, same beverage makes beginning easier.
3

Time awareness building

Use analog clocks and timers to make time visible. [Calendar systems](/the-parent-bit/finding-order-in-the-chaos-setting-up-calendars-for-kids) create temporal structure.
4

Chunk and check

Break everything into smaller pieces with check-in points. Completion momentum builds motivation.
5

Reflection practice

Regular review of what worked and what didn't. Metacognition develops executive function.

Why executive function coaching works

Executive function coaching addresses root causes of academic and life struggles rather than just helping with homework or teaching study skills.

What EF coaching targets:
• Working memory strategies
• Task initiation techniques
• Organization systems
• Time management skills
• Emotional regulation tools
• Flexible thinking development

Coaches provide external scaffolding while internal executive function develops.

References

Barkley, R. A. (2012). Executive functions: What they are, how they work, and why they evolved. Guilford Press.

Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2018). Executive skills in children and adolescents: A practical guide to assessment and intervention (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How is EF coaching different from tutoring?

Tutoring addresses specific academic content; EF coaching addresses underlying skills affecting all subjects. A tutor helps with math problems; an EF coach helps develop systems for approaching all homework. Tutoring provides answers; coaching builds problem-solving abilities. Many students need both, but EF coaching creates lasting change beyond specific subjects.

Will coaching make my teen dependent on external support?

Quality EF coaching builds independence through scaffolded skill development. Initial heavy support gradually decreases as skills develop. The goal is internalization of strategies, not permanent external management. Good coaches work themselves out of a job by building teen capacity. This differs from parents managing everything, which maintains dependency.