TPP 005: Julie George on the Role of Executive Functioning in Differently-Wired Kids

This episode of the TILT Parenting Podcast features a conversation with behavior and education consultant, Julie George. I heard Julie speak at a lecture on emotional regulation at the University of Washington many years ago and immediately knew I wanted her to work with my son, Asher. She is an expert on all things emotional regulation and executive functioning, and her approach for supporting kids in strengthening their skills in both these areas is powerful and successful.

For this episode, I ask Julie to share her insights specifically on executive functioning—what it is, why it matters, how deficits in it can impact differently-wired kids, and how we can help our kids develop these skills. Nearly all differently-wired children struggle with some aspect of executive functioning, and Julie’s insights will give you ideas for supporting your child that you can begin implementing right away. We also spend a little time at the beginning of our conversation talking about the unique way girls on the autism spectrum present and why it’s not as easily recognized.

Julie George, M.Ed, BCBA, is a behavior and educational consultant. She received her master’s degree in elementary education from Northern Arizona University in 2006. She provides ABA therapy to adolescents with high functioning autism (ages 10-18) in the areas of social skills, executive functioning and emotion regulation in her private practice in Seattle.

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

• What exactly executive functioning is and why it’s so critical
• The age at which executive functioning deficits start to negatively impact differently-wired kids
• Why middle school is a particularly challenging time for kids with executive functioning deficits
• How to build up support at home for strengthening executive functioning skills in a way that respects their personal developmental timeline
• Why twice-exceptional (2e) kids aren’t developing their executive functioning at the same rate as their peers
• The 4 steps to supporting executive functioning development in kids

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Julie George: Email julie.george@outlook.com and telephone: 206-941-4667
• The University of Washington Autism Center
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
• The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed by Jessica Lahey
• Smart But Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
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