Executive Function Coaching is a specialized form of coaching designed to help college students enhance critical mental processes such as organization, time management, task initiation, focus, and self-monitoring. These skills are essential for navigating the complex and often overwhelming demands of college life, where students must balance academics, social activities, personal responsibilities, and often, newfound independence.

College presents unique challenges—from managing unstructured time to handling the increased academic workload and making important life decisions. Many students struggle with maintaining focus, managing their time effectively, and staying motivated, particularly when faced with the digital distractions that are so prevalent in today's world. Without strong executive function skills, these challenges can lead to academic difficulties, burnout, and a decline in overall well-being.

At Life Skills Advocate, we use a holistic and empathetic approach to coaching, understanding that executive function challenges are not just about managing tasks—they're about managing life. Our coaches, who have their own lived experiences with neurodivergence, provide compassionate support and gentle accountability to help students develop personalized strategies for success. This includes creating healthy boundaries around distractions, establishing routines, and building resilience to navigate the inevitable ups and downs of college life.

By focusing on emotional regulation as it relates to executive functioning, our coaching helps students not only improve their academic performance but also foster a more positive and sustainable relationship with school and learning. This approach enables students to gain confidence, maintain balance, and thrive both academically and personally during their college years and beyond.

At Life Skills Advocate, we're more than just a coaching service. We’re a team dedicated to empowering neurodivergent college students through a personalized, student-focused approach. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Shared Experience With Neurodivergence: Our coaches, including our founder, who has personal experience with ADHD, understand the challenges of neurodivergence firsthand.
• Client-Centric Relationships: We prioritize building strong, judgment-free relationships with our clients, understanding their unique needs and goals.
• Holistic: We take a holistic approach, considering the well-being of the entire family, when applicable. We work closely with families to support the student’s development within their broader environment.
• We Go Beyond Executive Functioning: We specialize in supporting executive functioning skills while also addressing the social/emotional aspects of neurodivergence. Our coaching approach supports students in navigating both practical and social/emotional challenges, helping them manage school and life more effectively.
• Inclusive and Safe Environment: We provide a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ clients, understanding and respecting the unique intersection of neurodivergence and LGBTQIA+ issues. Our approach is tailored to support the whole person, recognizing the diverse challenges and experiences our clients may face.
• Gentle Accountability Support: We offer gentle, on-demand accountability support at no extra cost, keeping students motivated and on track.

At Life Skills Advocate, our coaches bring a wealth of diverse experiences to their roles. Each coach has personal lived experience with neurodivergence, which allows them to connect deeply with the students and families they work with

Professionally, our coaches come from a range of coaching or coaching-adjacent fields, including special education, mental health counseling & social work, among others.

We also provide comprehensive internal training and regular professional development to ensure that our coaches are equipped with the latest tools and strategies to support college students effectively.

The first step in our coaching process is to schedule a complimentary 30-minute discovery meeting to discuss your college student's specific needs and goals. If coaching seems like a good fit, we then arrange a complimentary meet-and-greet to match your student with the right coach.

While our coaching program is not bound by a fixed duration, we recommend a minimum commitment of 12 weekly sessions to see meaningful change. However, the exact length of coaching varies based on your student's goals and situation.

In the early sessions, we may use various assessment tools to better understand your student's needs, including executive functioning assessments, readiness to change assessments, motivation scales, and "getting to know you" questionnaires. These assessments help us tailor the coaching experience to their unique needs.

Once paired with a coach, your student will participate in sessions customized to their needs. The process starts with setting clear goals and creating a coaching roadmap. Each session is designed to reflect on progress, address challenges, and practice strategies with the coach's guidance.

Depending on your unique situation and needs, we may encourage parental involvement. This could include semi-regular meetings between parents, your student, and the coach to ensure alignment throughout the process, adjust strategies based on parent input, and prepare parents to support their student's progress once coaching concludes.

Additionally, if needed, we provide gentle accountability check-ins throughout the week to help students stay on track and make progress in their desired areas. This approach ensures that students receive consistent support and are empowered to achieve their goals in college and beyond.

Resistance to coaching is not uncommon, especially among college students who might be unsure about how coaching fits into their new, independent lifestyle. At Life Skills Advocate, we approach this with empathy and understanding, recognizing that students may need time to warm up to the idea.

If we sense reluctance, we may begin with a readiness to change assessment early in the process, which helps both the student and coach understand their current mindset. This assessment is loosely based on the Transtheoretical Model of Change and allows us to gauge whether the student is open to making changes or if they need more support in getting there.

Often, reluctance stems from misconceptions about coaching—students may fear it will be just another adult telling them what to do in a rigid way. To counter this, we make it clear from the start that our coaching is collaborative and student-centered. We genuinely care about what motivates your student and always encourage them to set their own goals in partnership with their coach. This approach gives students a sense of control over their coaching experience, helping them feel empowered and understood. In some cases, we may frontload sessions with activities focused on building rapport, further easing any initial apprehensions.

By emphasizing the supportive and non-hierarchical nature of our coaching, we aim to make the experience as positive and productive as possible for your college student.