What is an Executive Function Coach?
- Sean G. McCormick
- Apr 21
- 13 min read
Have you ever felt drawn to work that changes lives, but still found yourself wondering what an executive function coach actually does all day?
In this post, you’ll learn what an executive function coach is, who it helps, and what it takes to build a career helping people who are tired of struggling in silence.👇
Table of Contents:
Do you ever find yourself starting down a list of to-dos, not sure where to start or even what to prioritize?
Or maybe it’s emotional regulation you struggle with, finding yourself spiraling out of control every time frustration comes your way.
If either of these situations sounds familiar, then there’s a good chance that you’re someone who could benefit from an executive function coach.
And you’re not alone in that. It’s estimated that about 10.5 million American adults are affected by ADHD, with executive function deficits affecting their personal and professional lives.
Executive function deficits are also common in those with autism.
You don’t need a diagnosis to feel the sting of disorganization or the stress of juggling deadlines, missed appointments and emotional ups and downs.
Anyone can run into issues with working memory, task initiation, or follow-through, especially when life gets overwhelming.
Executive function is the mental engine that keeps life on track, and when that engine sputters, it often feels like everything else does, too.
Executive function coaches help people build the mental skills they need to get back on track and stay there.
They work with students and adults alike to develop systems that work for the way their brains are wired.
Rather than handing over a generic planner and calling it a day, they teach their clients how to improve executive functioning through highly personalized strategies.
Let’s talk more about what an executive function coach is, what they do, and how to become one.👇
What is Executive Functioning?
To define executive function clearly, it may help to think of it as the management system for your brain.
It’s the set of cognitive processes that allow you to:
plan
focus your attention
remember instructions
and juggle multiple tasks successfully
Working memory, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility all fall under this (very large) umbrella.
When these skills lag behind a person’s intelligence or age level, we call that an "executive function disorder.”
People dealing with ADHD executive function deficits or executive functioning autism traits often struggle with task initiation, follow-through, and time management.
Executive dysfunction makes prioritizing basic daily life responsibilities incredibly stressful.
If you prefer a video on this topic, watch this👇
It’s also important to note that executive functioning skills by age look very different.
A kindergartener learning to wait their turn uses basic self-regulation.
High school students managing complex project deadlines rely on advanced organizational skills and study skills.
What is an Executive Function Coach?
An executive function coach is a trained professional who helps clients build and strengthen their essential skills for managing life and work.
They assess your current habits, identify roadblocks, and create a customized methodology to build competence.
An executive functioning coach for students focuses heavily on academic survival, helping high school students tackle long-term assignments, overcome procrastination, and develop strong self-advocacy skills.
An executive function coach for adults might target workplace productivity, career advancement, and personal life management.
These professionals don’t act as therapists or tutors. Instead, they operate specifically within the realm of coaching executive function.
A tutor teaches you geometry.
A therapist helps you process childhood trauma.
An executive function coach teaches you the step-by-step process of breaking that geometry homework into manageable chunks so you stop panicking at midnight.
Who Can Benefit from Executive Function Coaching?
A wide variety of people seek out coaching services to improve their daily routines and reduce stress.
Students
Students facing crippling academic pressure gain immense value from EF coaching.
Typically, coaches collaborate with schools and parents to establish executive functioning IEP goals, then introduce specific executive functioning strategies tailored to the student's learning style.
This guidance helps students turn chaotic backpacks and missed deadlines into predictable, organized routines.
Adults
Kids aren’t the only ones who struggle with executive functioning.
Adults, too, drop balls at work and at home when their systems fail.
Coaching sessions help professionals build better workflows, manage overflowing inboxes, and set goals that stick.
Adults learning to manage a household alongside a demanding career rely on these strategies to prevent burnout.
Neurodivergent Individuals
Neurodiversity requires specialized approaches to productivity, which is why people with autism and those seeking ADHD coaching find tremendous relief in working with someone who understands their specific cognitive patterns.
Coaches build frameworks that respect the neurodivergent brain rather than forcing neurotypical standards onto them.
How Does Executive Function Coaching Work?
Generally, the coaching process follows a path that is highly structured, but also highly customized and collaborative.
The Fact-Finding Phase
First, the coach (in this case, you), conducts a comprehensive executive functioning assessment, looking at your working memory, task initiation habits, and organizational skills to pinpoint exactly where the breakdown might be occurring.
Depending on the expected areas of need, some questions to ask might include:
Time Management
How do you typically plan your day or week? Do you use a calendar or planner?
What happens when you have multiple deadlines or tasks to complete? How do you decide what to do first?
Do you often feel like you’re running out of time or rushing to finish things?
Task Initiation and Follow-Through
When you have a big project or assignment, how do you get started?
Do you ever find yourself procrastinating? If so, what kinds of tasks do you tend to put off?
How do you feel about finishing tasks? Do you often leave things incomplete?
Organization
How do you keep track of important items like keys, documents, or school supplies?
What does your workspace or living space look like? Is it easy for you to find what you need?
Do you have a system for organizing your tasks, emails, or notes?
Emotional Regulation
How do you handle frustration or setbacks? Do you find it hard to stay calm in stressful situations?
Are there specific situations that make you feel overwhelmed or out of control?
How do you recover after a bad day or a difficult moment?
Working Memory
Do you find it easy to remember instructions or details, or do you need reminders?
How do you keep track of things you need to do later in the day or week?
Do you ever forget appointments, deadlines, or commitments?
Self-Regulation and Impulse Control
How do you manage distractions when you’re trying to focus on something important?
Do you find it hard to resist checking your phone, social media, or other interruptions?
How do you handle situations where you need to wait or delay gratification?
Goal Setting and Prioritization
What are some goals you’re currently working toward? How do you track your progress?
How do you decide what’s most important when you have a lot to do?
Do you feel confident in setting realistic goals, or do you struggle with that?
Daily Life and Routines
What does a typical day look like for you? Are there parts of your routine that feel chaotic or unmanageable?
How do you handle transitions, like moving from one activity to another?
Are there any habits or routines you’d like to improve or establish?
Stress and Overwhelm
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed by everything on your plate?
Are there specific triggers that make you feel stressed or anxious about tasks?
How do you recharge or take care of yourself when you’re feeling drained?
Reflection and Self-Awareness
How do you feel about your current systems for managing life and work? What’s working, and what’s not?
Are there specific areas where you’d like to see improvement?
What motivates you to make changes or try new strategies?
Coming Up with an Executive Functioning Curriculum
The next step is a collaborative one, in which you’ll build a customized curriculum together.
As the coach, you’ll work with your student or client to decide which specific tasks to tackle first.
Then, the work begins.
You might introduce visual timers to build time awareness, habit trackers to monitor follow-through, or body-doubling techniques to beat procrastination.
During these regular coaching sessions (some meet weekly, others more or less frequently, depending on needs), you’ll work together to determine what worked and what failed.
You’ll practice new executive functioning activities together as you, the coach, provide mentoring and accountability to help your client slowly integrate these new life skills into their routine.
How to Become an Executive Functioning Coach
The demand for executive function coaches is rising, climbing fast as more people recognize the impact of mental health and executive function on everyday life.
If you’re thinking about becoming an executive functioning coach, you’ll want to approach the journey with intention, dedication, and the right resources.
If you prefer a video on this topic, watch this👇
Build a Strong Foundation
Though certainly not a requirement, many successful executive function coaches start with a background in education, psychology, counseling, social work, or something similar.
This foundation will help you understand how people learn, grow, and sometimes struggle.
If your background isn’t in one of these fields, don’t worry.
You’ll just need to commit to learning the basics around neurodiversity, ADHD, autism, and executive function skills.
In the EFCA Certification Course, we've had graduates who transitioned from being a speech language pathologist, BCBA, pediatrician, parent, professor, and more.
Research Coaching Programs
Next, you’ll need to look for a coaching program.
There’s no universal accreditation body for executive function programs, but you’ll want a program that goes beyond generic advice.
Look for one that sinks its teeth into neurodiversity, brain-based learning, and the realities of everyday executive function challenges.
Find a curriculum that includes assessment strategies, session planning, mentoring techniques, and other practical strategies for a huge range of ages and backgrounds.
The Executive Function Coaching Academy, for example, covers both how to work with students and how to build your business.
We provide training on how to run effective coaching sessions, connect and set goals with students, launch your coaching practice, find clients, and more.
Complete Your Coursework
Now it’s time to go all-in with your coursework.
Again, the best training covers brain development, how to run initial assessments, the nuts and bolts of session structure, and a toolkit of proven, compassionate coaching methodologies.
You’ll learn about building rapport, setting clear goals, using data to track progress, and respecting each client’s unique context.
Connect and Network
You can’t coach in a vacuum!
A quality program will allow you to connect with experienced mentors.
With the certification course at EFCA, you’ll have access to a large network of fellow EF coaches and professionals to help you hone your skills through twice-monthly live Q&A sessions, weekly accountability calls, and opportunities to receive feedback from a community of dedicated coaches.
This is powerful, because it will give you the opportunity to chat through the curveballs and figure out gaps in your business:
students with perfectionism
adults with executive dysfunction who have never used a planner
neurodivergent clients who need radical flexibility
and more.
You’ll collect real feedback and sharpen your approach with every conversation.
Launch and Grow Your Practice
Credentials in hand, it’s now time to start working with clients.
You might join a coaching firm, launch your own practice, or partner with schools and organizations hungry for executive function support services.
Keep Learning, Keep Growing
Coaches with strong professional development (those who never stop learning and collecting new resources) often become the most trusted in their field.
Stay curious.
Study up on the latest research.
Connect with other coaches, attend workshops, and read thought leadership from experts in EF coaching, ADHD, autism, and more.
The field evolves quickly, and your growth is what will set you apart from the rest.
Keep up to date on the latest resources and developments.
For example, From Educator to Executive Function Coach is a helpful book that will give you a proven 90-day action plan to land clients and start working as an executive functioning coach.
Connect with other coaches, attend workshops, and read thought leadership from experts in EF coaching, ADHD, autism, and more.
The field evolves quickly, and your growth is what will set you apart from the rest.
Keep up to date on the latest resources and developments.
For example, From Educator to Executive Function Coach is a helpful book that will give you a proven 90-day action plan to land clients and start working as an executive functioning coach.
How to Teach and Improve Executive Functioning Skills
Teaching these skills requires patience, as well as a heavy emphasis on practical application.
You can’t lecture someone into having better working memory.
You need to be hands-on.
Case in point, you teach self-regulation by modeling calm behavior during stressful moments and practicing breathing exercises.
You build organizational skills by physically sorting papers together and establishing designated homes for important items.
You improve task initiation by practicing the "five-minute rule", where the client agrees to work on a dreaded task for just five minutes before taking a break.
As a coach, you need to provide:
explicit instruction
repeated practice
immediate feedback
You need to break massive projects into laughably small steps until the client builds the confidence to tackle them independently.
A Framework for an Executive Function Coaching Session
If you’re looking for a template for running a coaching session, you won’t find one here.
That’s because you need to be able to pivot and adapt based on your client’s mood, wins, and sticking points.
However, here’s a general roadmap you can follow to design the flow of your early sessions as a new executive function coach:
Welcome and Rapport-Building
Kick things off with a genuine check-in to gauge motivation and set a supportive tone for the session.
This is more than, “How’s it going?”
Ask about wins, frustrations, and anything unexpected that’s popped up since the last meeting.
Review of Previous Goals and Progress
Pull up the goals the client set last session.
Did they work through their new morning routine?
Did that color-coded calendar stick for the entire week?
Use concrete examples to celebrate successes, gently uncover roadblocks, and notice any patterns.
If things didn’t go as planned, unpack what got in the way, without assigning any blame.
Assessment and Exploration
Dig a little deeper into current executive function challenges.
Check in on:
time management
organizational systems
emotional regulation
and task initiation
Maybe the “phone in the kitchen at night” strategy bombed, but a new checklist made mornings easier.
Let the client talk through what’s actually happening, and jot down the little details, as they often hold the key.
Set New Goals
Guide your client in setting realistic, bite-sized goals for the next week.
Specificity is your ally here, since vague goals like “be less distracted” don’t help anyone.
Zero in on goals like “move backpack from bedroom to the door every night before bed” or “spend 5 minutes planning tomorrow before dinner.”
Each goal should be measurable and suited to the client’s strengths and needs.
Build or Adjust Strategies
With the client’s feedback and goals in hand, introduce or refine strategies.
Maybe it’s time to test a new digital planner.
Maybe an old system needs a refresh.
Experiment, tweak, and encourage your client to problem-solve with you.
Offer tools and techniques, but respect their right to decline what doesn’t feel like a fit.
Practice and Troubleshooting
Run through a skill right there in the session.
Maybe you’ll role-play a tough conversation, walk through organizing a backpack, or demo how to use a visual timer for task management.
Wrap-Up and Accountability
End the session by recapping the action steps and agreeing on check-in points.
Set reminders, schedule a quick midweek text, or ask your client to log wins and challenges.
Make sure they leave knowing exactly what they’re working on, and why.
Throughout all of this, the most important thing to remember is that flexibility needs to be top of mind.
Some days your client needs a pep talk; other days, they want practical executive function tasks.
The best sessions always strike a balance between staying on course and meeting your client where they are.
For a specific run down of how to run an effective coaching session, check out this webinar I gave recently on this topic.👇
The Impact of Executive Function Coaching
If all this sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is.
But it’s undeniably important work.
Building strong executive function skills fundamentally alters a person's trajectory.
Students who previously failed classes begin handing in work on time and advocating for their accommodations, while adults who face constant reprimands at work suddenly start meeting deadlines and earning promotions.
Beyond productivity, the mental health benefits are profound.
Constant failure breeds deep shame, but when individuals finally understand their brain wiring and learn how to manage their executive function challenges, that shame disappears.
They build lasting confidence, independence, and resilience.
Take the Next Step
As a society, we constantly demand organization, focus, and emotional control from people who never were taught how to do it, people who never received the instruction manual for their own brains.
Executive function coaching provides that exact manual.
It provides learners with the tools they need to succeed on their own terms, and to build lives they can be proud of.
As an EF coach, you have the power to instill those skills in your students.
Are you ready to make a difference?
Whether you're looking for support or hoping to start a new career, the EF Certification Course provides the comprehensive resources you need to hit the ground running.
If you're interested, apply here and get a free 15-minute planning session with Sean.
Hope this helps!
FAQs
How much does an executive functioning coach make?
On average, EF coaches charge $100-$150/hour. Some coaches are even making $10,000+/month.
How do I know if I would actually be good at executive function coaching?
If you are patient, curious, encouraging, and good at helping people break big challenges into smaller steps, you may be a strong fit. You do not need to have everything figured out on day one, but you do need to be willing to learn how to support people in a practical and personalized way.
Can I coach remotely?
Absolutely. Many coaches have a thriving practice entirely online. Video calls are highly effective for coaching sessions, and digital tools for organization and planning are often a core part of the strategies you'll teach. This gives you the flexibility to work with students from anywhere.
This article is a part of the larger category of:
Related Articles:
Want support in transitioning to executive function coaching?
Consider joining hundreds of educators and professionals who have completed our executive function coaching certification and are building profitable executive function coaching practices using their teaching experience.
You'll gain all the tools, templates, and techniques you'll need as a coach, plus you'll make new friends and have a community you can rely on to grow and learn. Learn more.
Here is one of our favorite reviews. You can read all recent reviews on this page.
About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and expanding my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.