What is Executive Functioning Coaching?
- Patty Laushman
- 5 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you or your emerging adult child are facing challenges with organization, time management, or getting started on tasks, you've likely come across the term "executive functioning coaching."
People with ADHD often turn to executive functioning coaching, as do neurodivergent emerging adults who are trying to manage a sudden increase in new demands without the external structure they may have relied on in the past. Emerging adults, in particular, often struggle to manage the suddenly increased demands of college, work, and independent living.
But what exactly does an executive function coach do, and how can executive functioning coaching help someone succeed? In this post, I'll walk you through a real example of how executive functioning coaching worked for one of our clients—a college student we'll call Charlie—to give you a clear picture of what this type of support looks like in practice.
Quick Summary
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Understanding Executive Functioning Coaching
Executive functioning coaching is a personalized, collaborative process that helps individuals strengthen the cognitive skills needed for planning, organization, time management, task initiation, and follow-through.
Unlike tutoring, which focuses on academic content, an executive function coach works on the "how" of learning and daily functioning rather than the "what."
For neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD, autism, or other learning differences, executive functioning challenges can create significant barriers to success in college, work, and independent living.
Executive functioning coaching provides targeted support to build these essential life skills in a structured, judgment-free environment.
Who Benefits from an Executive Function Coach?
Executive function coaching can be transformative for a few different groups:
Individuals With ADHD or AuDHD
Individuals with ADHD or AuDHD frequently struggle with attention regulation, impulse control, and task initiation. These are all executive functioning skills that can be strengthened with the right coaching.
College Students
College students, in particular, often face their first major executive functioning challenges when they're suddenly responsible for managing their own schedules, workload, and deadlines without the external structure of high school or parental oversight.
The stress of this can be overwhelming and often leads to burnout and dropout, but executive functioning coaching can do much to prevent this from happening.
Emerging Adults
The transition to independence is a critical time when executive functioning skills are tested. Young adults navigating first jobs or independent living benefit enormously from coaching during this developmental stage.
Charlie's Story: Executive Functioning Coaching in Action
Let me share a real example that illustrates what executive functioning coaching looks like from start to finish.
The Starting Point
Charlie came to me after failing out of his first semester of college. It was the summer before he planned to return to school, and he wanted to strengthen his executive functioning skills before trying college again.
We worked together throughout the summer with low-stakes goals, which enabled me to see where his skills actually were and how he would respond to different suggestions. Once he went back to college, we continued our coaching to ensure his success during his second attempt.
Having the chance to get to know Charlie and how his brain worked during the summer was incredibly beneficial. We were able to develop rapport and trust before it really counted, and we’d already done some good experimenting, so when it really mattered, my suggestions were even more effective.
The Assessment Phase
One of the first things we did in coaching was an executive functioning skills assessment. All our coaches at Thrive Autism Coaching have access to this assessment and offer it at no additional cost to clients who are interested in evaluating their relative strength across 11 different skills.
With Charlie, we discovered that task initiation was a particular challenge, especially if he wasn't really interested in the task. Sitting down to start studying solidly fell into this category.
This discovery was crucial because executive functioning skills are often difficult to strengthen because strengthening them often requires the use of other executive functioning skills. For example, strengthening task initiation may require planning, organization, impulse control, working memory, attentional control, and maybe even flexibility if the plan doesn't go as planned.
These are all executive functioning skills, and if you struggle with any one of them, it may impact how much subjective effort is required to work on your task initiation skills.
Creating a Measurement System
The next thing we did was come up with a scale for how effortful sitting down to study felt. This is the scale we used:
Level of Effort Scale to START a Study Session: 1-10
1 = Very easy because I love doing the task, like playing video games
5.5 = Effort to start a neutral task
10 = It takes so much effort to start the task, I literally CAN'T make myself do it
This subjective scale gave us a common language to track progress and know when strategies were working or when we needed to adjust our approach.
The Coaching Process: Experiment, Measure, Adjust
I would teach Charlie strategies to try to make it easier to sit down and start studying. He would experiment with them and keep track of how difficult it was using our 1-10 scale.
Each week in our coaching session, we would start with him reporting to me his average "start studying effort score." As long as the score stayed in the 3-4 range, we knew the strategies he was using were working. If they crept up to the 5-6 range, I would mix things up with some new strategies to create novelty for his brain.
The reality is that sometimes strategies will work for a while and then quit working, so an executive function coach must have multiple tools in their toolkit.
This is one reason why working with an experienced professional coach is so valuable. We have extensive experience with a wide range of approaches that can be customized to each individual's brain.
The Collaborative Relationship
We had an incredibly collaborative relationship throughout our work together. Very predictably, toward the end of the semester, it got harder for Charlie to sit down and start studying, but because we were staying in tune with how difficult it was to sit down and start studying, we were completely on top of switching things up and trying new things as it got harder.
Charlie passed all his classes with flying colors. He was doing so well that he continued on his own without coaching the second semester and continues to do well to this day.
Key Elements of Effective Executive Function Coaching Services
Charlie's story illustrates several essential components of quality executive functioning coaching:
Personalized Assessment
Understanding each individual's unique profile of strengths and challenges is the foundation of effective coaching. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work for executive functioning challenges.
Measurable Progress
Creating concrete ways to track progress helps both the coach and client know what's working and when adjustments are needed. This data-driven approach removes guesswork from the process.
Strategy Experimentation
What works for one person may not work for another, and what works today may not work next month. Experienced coaches like those on the Thrive Autism Coaching team bring a diverse toolkit of strategies and know how to adapt them to each individual.
Collaborative Partnership
The most effective coaching relationships are built on trust, open communication, and genuine collaboration. The client needs to feel heard and respected as the expert on their own experience.
Ongoing Support and Adjustment
Executive functioning coaching isn't about learning one strategy and being done. It's about building skills over time, adjusting approaches as needed, and developing the self-awareness to know when something isn't working.
What to Expect from Executive Function Coaching
If you're considering executive function coaching for your emerging adult child, here's what the process typically looks like:
Initial Consultation
We offer a complimentary consultation to explore whether coaching is a good fit and to understand your or your young adult's specific challenges and goals. During this consultation, we are considering which coach on our team would be the best fit for you individually.
Assessment and Goal-Setting
Early sessions often include some form of executive functioning assessment to identify specific areas of strength and challenge followed by collaborative goal-setting.
Regular Coaching Sessions
Most clients meet virtually with their coach weekly in the beginning to generate the best traction, and then session frequency can be reduced over time to create a nice off-ramp as the client becomes more skilled. Sessions typically last 60 minutes and focus on teaching strategies, reviewing progress, and problem-solving challenges.
Between-Session Practice
Executive functioning coaching only works if the skills are practiced in between sessions, so there is always homework. This real-world practice is where the actual skill-building happens.
You will experiment with different strategies between sessions, and our coaches will even provide quick email and text check-ins in between sessions because we don’t want you to wait if something is obviously not working. We want to get you back on track as fast as possible.
Ongoing Adjustment
As you build skills and face new challenges, the coaching focus evolves to address whatever is happening currently and what your primary goals are. Often, we will need to try various techniques to ensure they work for your brain!
Is Executive Functioning Coaching Right for You?
Executive functioning coaching can be transformative for neurodivergent individuals who are struggling with:
Starting and completing tasks, especially ones that feel boring or overwhelming
Managing their time and meeting deadlines
Organizing their physical space
Planning ahead and breaking large projects into manageable steps
Staying focused and regulating their attention
If you or your young adult are motivated to build these skills but you need support and accountability to do so, executive functioning coaching may be an excellent fit.
Final Thoughts About Executive Functioning Coaching
Charlie's story is just one example of how executive functioning coaching can help neurodivergent individuals develop the skills they need to thrive in college and beyond.
Every coaching relationship is unique, tailored to the individual's brain, goals, and circumstances.
If you'd like to explore executive functioning coaching for you or your emerging adult child, we offer a complimentary consultation to explore whether this is a fit for you. You can schedule that from here.
The right support at the right time can make all the difference in your journey toward independence and success. Executive functioning coaching provides that support in a structured, compassionate, and evidence-based way that honors how your brain works while building the skills needed for lifelong success.
Key Takeaways
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FAQs About Executive Functioning Coaching
What is an executive function coach?
An executive function coach is a specialist who partners with individuals to build essential "brain skills" like planning, organizing, prioritizing, time management, focus, and self-regulation, helping them overcome struggles with daily tasks, academics, work, and life to become more independent and successful by creating customized strategies and lasting habits. They act as a "personal trainer for the brain," teaching people how to apply strategies for goal setting, task initiation, and self-monitoring, often benefiting those with ADHD, learning differences, or other forms of neurodivergence.
How much does executive functioning coaching cost? (like to our FAQs, the cost questions specifically)
One-hour sessions with our highly experienced executive functioning coaches range from $175 to $220 per hour, depending on whether you are paying for single sessions or purchasing a package. For more details, check out our FAQ page.
How many executive functions are there? (link to our blog post)
There isn't one single number for executive functions; models range from three core skills (working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility) to lists of seven, eight, ten, or even 12 specific functions, including planning, organizing, emotional control, and self-monitoring, but they all focus on managing thoughts and actions for goal achievement.
To learn more about the specific executive functioning challenges, check out our blog post: Which Executive Functioning Challenges Do You Struggle With?
Can executive functioning be improved?
Yes, executive functions (EFs) can absolutely be improved through consistent practice, targeted strategies, and supporting lifestyle changes, leveraging the brain's neuroplasticity to strengthen skills like planning, focus, memory, and self-control. Through coaching, individuals learn compensatory strategies, build new habits, and develop systems that work with their brain rather than against it. Charlie's story in this post is just one example of how targeted executive functioning coaching can lead to significant, lasting improvements in real-world functioning.
About the Author
Patty Laushman is the founder and head coach of Thrive Autism Coaching. An expert in the transition to adulthood for autistic emerging adults, she coaches parents in applying her SBN™ parenting framework to strengthen relationships and foster self-sufficiency through her Parenting for Independence program. Patty’s work is rooted in a neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based approach that empowers both parents and autistic adults to thrive. She is also the author of the groundbreaking book, Parenting for Independence: Overcoming Failure to Launch in Autistic Emerging Adults.