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Executive functioning coaching is a tailored support system designed to help neurodivergent individuals improve key cognitive skills, such as organisation, planning, time management, and symptom management. This coaching approach breaks down large tasks into manageable steps and provides strategies to regulate thoughts and behaviours, enabling individuals to achieve their personal and professional goals more effectively.
The Personalised Journey
Every individual's path towards effective coaching is different, and the process should always be highly individualised to learning styles and needs. During the Exploration phase, coaches work closely with clients to build trust and rapport, gather insights about the client's level of buy-in, and understand their goals in their own words. Coaches also seek to understand a client's values on a deeper level, set and align realistic expectations, and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.
Achieving Goals and Independence
Working through a coaching plan involves many different facets, sometimes spanning months of weekly or bi-weekly sessions. As clients progress, they start to achieve greater independence without the ongoing support of their coach. However, clients may still contact an EF coach when they need help, and coaches may recommend limiting intensive support to evaluate the independence and proficiency of a client's new skills.
The Importance of Motivation
A strong "why" or motivation to accomplish a goal is identified during the phase where tools and assessments are introduced to write out goals in a thoughtful and quantifiable way. This motivation serves as the driving force behind the coaching journey, helping clients stay focused and committed to their personal development.
The Role of Coaches
Coaches act as guides, offering personalised guidance and resources to help clients overcome challenges in executive skills. They celebrate accomplishments during the progress monitoring phase and provide ongoing support and encouragement throughout the coaching process. Most executive functioning coaches do not have a set minimum commitment for coaching or a timeline of progress.
The Cost and Accessibility
Typically, executive functioning coaches charge an hourly rate for services, ranging from $75 to $250 per hour. However, finding the right EF coach can be challenging, and it may take some trial and error to find someone who is a good fit for your specific needs and learning style. It's important to note that insurance companies often consider coaching as a non-clinical service and one that isn't covered by insurance plans.
The Benefits for Neurodivergent Individuals
Executive functioning coaching offers numerous benefits for neurodivergent individuals. By improving executive functions, clients can experience increased productivity, empowerment, and improved emotional well-being. This support also helps them develop skills that might be misunderstood as laziness, emphasising that these cognitive skills can be taught and learned regardless of age or neurotype.
In academic settings, gains in performance and everyday functioning, along with greater self-confidence and a sense of control, are commonly reported. In workplace contexts, improving executive functioning can help neurodivergent employees capitalise on their strengths, such as creativity, innovation, pattern recognition, and resilience, making them more effective and engaged team members.
In conclusion, executive functioning coaching equips neurodivergent individuals with practical strategies to overcome challenges in executive skills, facilitating better task management, goal achievement, and overall personal and professional success while fostering empowerment and improved quality of life.
[1] Goldstein, T. R., & Winner, E. (2012). Executive Functions in Childhood and Adolescence. Guilford Press. [2] Sohlberg, G. L., & Mateer, C. (2010). Executive Functions: Theory, Assessment, and Intervention. Guilford Press. [3] Happé, F., & Frith, C. D. (2006). The Cognitive Neuroscience of Autism. Oxford University Press. [4] Meyer, G. D., & Jones, L. M. (2000). Executive functions in learning, behaviour, and development: A review of the literature. Clinical Psychology Review, 20(1), 1–31. [5] Kutas, M., & Vanman, E. I. (2001). Executive functions: Their role in emotion, motivation, and decision making. Psychology and Aging, 16(2), 236–247.
- To support neurodivergent individuals in overcoming challenges in executive skills like time management, life coaching employs tailored, personalised strategies that break tasks into manageable steps.
- The process of effective coaching is highly individualised, with a focus on understanding the client's learning styles, goals, values, and motivation.
- Coaches provide guidance and resources in life skills, education-and-self-development, health-and-wellness (including fitness-and-exercise and mental-health), careers, business, finance, and goal setting, helping clients achieve greater independence.
- While coaches celebrate accomplishments, clients may need ongoing support and encouragement throughout their journey, with the frequency and intensity of sessions being flexible and adaptable.
- The cost of executive functioning coaching can vary, ranging from $75 to $250 per hour, with finding the right coach potentially requiring some trial and error due to the uniqueness of each individual's needs and learning style.
- Executive functioning coaching offers numerous benefits for neurodivergent individuals, including increased productivity, improved emotional well-being, and gains in academic and workplace performance, as well as a greater sense of control and self-confidence.
- As evidenced by various scientific research sources like Goldstein & Winner (2012), Sohlberg & Mateer (2010), Happé & Frith (2006), Meyer & Jones (2000), and Kutas & Vanman (2001), executive functioning coaching plays a significant role in fostering empowerment and improving the quality of life for neurodivergent individuals.
