Jess Brady

Biography

Hi, I'm Jess. I've lived in Washington my whole life; I grew up in the Snoqualmie Valley and moved to Tacoma about eight years ago for school. My academic career ended up being nontraditional, and after taking some time off to work, I returned to school at the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic and graduated in the spring of 2023 with a Bachelor's in Sociology from Central Washington University. When I'm not working, I love to spend time exploring the Pacific Northwest with my lovely partner and our stinky dog, or hyperfocusing with an audiobook and a craft. My lived experience as a neurodivergent person in community with neurodivergent and disabled loved ones and peers informs my approach to this work. I am thrilled to be a part of the Life Skills Advocate team.

What are some of your special interests?

One of my special interests is books. I love a good audiobook and have been reading widely across multiple genres, though I always really enjoy reading things by Queer people about Queer people. 

An ever-fluctuating special interest of mine is crafting. I've bounced around different fiber arts throughout the years, but am currently really into cross stitch. Other fiddly little crafts, like dioramas and miniatures, tend to catch my attention when time and resources allow!

What does executive functioning mean to you?

To me, an important aspect of executive functioning is that it's a skill set that many view as implicit - in other words, people might think it involves skills that come 'naturally' and therefore do not have to be practiced or intentionally developed - but which often take time and dedication to learn! Some areas of executive functioning that I've had to work hard at developing include task initiation, impulse control, and flexibility.

What is a strategy you use with clients and use personally?

I find that focusing on destigmatizing care tasks has been the most important strategy for me in addressing my own challenges with executive functioning. When care tasks are tied to our own self-worth, not doing the dishes or missing an assignment can feel deeply shameful. By breaking down shame and emphasizing how specific tasks contribute to a more functional life, I have been able to reframe my own relationship with difficult-to-reach executive functioning goals.

How has your personal experience and professional development impacted your coaching?

My professional career has been largely focused on peer-support and coaching roles. I have been a swim lesson instructor and a barista trainer in the past, and spent a significant period of time as a Resident Assistant while in college, supporting first-year students as they transitioned from high school to university and away from home for the first time. While these professional roles definitely inform my approach, I draw heavily on personal experience as well. It was only through learning about my neurodivergence and working to overcome shame that I was able to return to school and complete my degree. I know the value of building skills to create an adaptive, accommodating, and autonomous life. 

How would you describe your personal approach to coaching?

I approach coaching by seeking connection and information first in order to best approach the skill-building and problem solving that we will do together.

Which of LSA's core values resonates the most with you, and how do you incorporate it with your clients?

The value that resonates the most with me is courageous contrarians. It takes bravery to navigate beyond convention. Trying to adapt one's own needs to the ways that things have conventionally been done is difficult and doesn't allow space for self-compassion and autonomy, and it takes courage to recognize this and to break away from the norm.

Do you have an area of coaching you specialize in?

I specialize in academic and career support, as well as care task and domestic labor management.