

The Executive Function Podcast
Sarah Kesty, Brain Tools School
Helpful, fun, and effective strategies to support everyone's executive function! Learn how to coach yourself, your teen, or your child to manage attention, organize, and plan. We share inspiration for families and individuals with neurodivergence, ADHD, autism, learning disabilities and more. We love what we do and are passionate about helping you thrive!
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 31, 2022 • 26min
Ep 39: Coaching for college success: Zach's reflections and celebrations!
Hi Team!
On today's show, you'll hear from a college student, Zach, who shares how small-but-powerful strategies and perspective changes made all the difference for his college experience! He dives into some important insights for anyone who's struggling in an area of life which they think "should" be easier and gets down to some great tips about how to make schedules work for you (whatever schedule format you choose to try!)
Zach's progress and ever-growing toolbox of strategies are kudos to his dedication and hard work in coaching! And, it's possible for anyone with executive function struggles to grow in this way, too! If you or your child are struggling with "studenting," join our Launch to College Group! Our 8 weeks of live coaching and activities will have you ready to independently rock college, trade, or tech school--prepared with perspectives and tools to handle any life-ing that comes your way! Our group starts June 9th, 2022...so grab your spot and get ready for an action-packed brain adventure! (All ages of high school and up are welcome! The skills will help with independence, whether in college or not yet)
Learn more: https://sarahkesty.com/college/ and join: https://www.coachaccountable.com/offering/PrvVYjdTnxfBUB2aAbtGBKD42lkOAio
All my love,
Sarah
Audience: Students and parents, school context, college, high school

May 28, 2022 • 38min
Ep 38: College Tips for Recent High School Grads with guest BA graduate, Alec!
Recent BA psychology graduate, Alec, shares insights on college prep for high school grads. Discusses emotional transition, self-advocacy, building support systems in college, and parental trust during the transition period.

May 25, 2022 • 9min
Ep 37: Be College Ready! Big announcement for our Team!!
Learn why nearly 50% of college Freshman with ADHD struggle, and how to beat the odds with college-ready strategies. Join the college prep summer group to develop skills like managing money, keeping a schedule, and more. Get your teen 100% ready for college with proven strategies and neurodiverse-friendly brain hacks.

May 24, 2022 • 25min
Ep 36: Advocacy for Executive Function Student Needs, with Seth Perler (part 1)
Team,
Executive Function needs are invisible, and our kids are often able to cope well enough that schools don't see the true struggle. So, how do we, as parents and educators, advocate so that our kids are supported and understood?
My friend and fellow executive function expert, Seth Perler, and I are teaming up for a 3-part series on Advocacy! Listen to part 1 here, where we talk about the need for and possible impact of accommodations for executive function!
And, check out Seth's work on his website and The Executive Function Online Summit, which will happen in just a few months!
My Launch to College Group for high school and transfer students and families starts soon! Click here to sign up so your child is college-ready by the end of the summer (and you can rest assured the tuition is safely invested because your child has tools to avoid failing out!)
All our love,
Sarah and Seth
Audience: all ages and contexts

Apr 14, 2022 • 37min
Ep 35: Calm Strips for self-regulation with special guests Michael and Luce!
What do you use to regulate your energy? Maybe you fidget with your clothes or jewelry or get up and move? Michael Malkin and Luce Fuller from Calm Strips developed a super cool way to manage your energy, and they share the Calm Strips story, their own executive function strategies, and a lot of laughs on this week's show!
Learn more about Calm Strips or watch them on Shark Tank.
All my love, Sarah
Audience: all ages and contexts

Apr 7, 2022 • 2min
Introducing the IEP OMG Show!
Navigating the Special Ed World is tough! On the IEP OMG Show, I share insider tips on how to secure and maintain the best supports for your child with special needs. These bite-sized shows will leave you informed, inspired, and ready to rock any SST, 504, or IEP. (PS this show is still for you if you don’t yet know what those are!)
Let me guide you through what is often confusing and overwhelming. Team up with me on IEP OMG!

Apr 7, 2022 • 15min
Ep 34: Change is hard... and possible with these 2 strategies!
Making goals can be exhilarating! Keeping the momentum, however, is not as much fun. It takes real work and the right mix of baseline strategies. In this episode, we uncover the two non-negotiables that need to be in place in order to create lasting change, and we explore practical ways to get them! (It's not extra work, but, instead, small changes to what you already do!)
Hey Kid Pep Talk is at 11:45
sarahkesty.com
IEPOMG.com
All my love, Sarah
Audience: all ages and contexts

Feb 22, 2022 • 39min
Ep 33: Autism and Executive Function: Guest and Autism Advocate Jeff Snyder
Team,
You'll love hearing from Jeff Snyder, an autistic adult who speaks nationally in support of neurodiversity. Jeff shares his personal strategies and an incredible story about how he realized he had autism! In the show, Jeff also shares and recommends others in the neurodiverse community, including: Jeff Snyder's Going the Distance Blog and Speaking; Equally Fit; Uniquely Human.
Thanks for listening and all my love,
Sarah
Audience: all ages and contexts

Nov 10, 2021 • 13min
Ep 32: It's the Most Stressful Times in School, A Pep Talk
Hey Kid,
Did you know that I can predict your grades, your energy, and your schedule based on the month? And no, I'm not psychic! School terms follow a pattern, and those patterns of demands, interest, and energy levels can be predicted--and supported with strategies! When you listen, let the feelings simmer for a bit: you're not alone, and there's lots of hope! Because for every challenge (predicted or not), there's a strategy to support your brain and get you through!
All my love, you school rollercoaster rider, you!
Sarah
Audience: all ages and contexts

Nov 10, 2021 • 48min
Ep 31: 2e Twice Exceptional Kids: Strategy Brainstorm with Author Emily Kircher-Morris
Team,
This week we get to hear from the brilliant Emily Kircher-Morris who specializes in supporting kids with Twice Exceptional brains---meaning they are highly intelligent and also needing support with executive function! Sound familiar? She shares some great strategies and perspectives with us, all the while letting her love for our innovative kids shine! You will love her insights and her personal story (she challenged her teacher about the utility of rewriting spelling words after she'd mastered them! Sounds familiar again, right?)
You can find Emily's Neurodiversity Podcast here, and order her book, "Teaching Twice Exceptional Learners in Today's Classroom" here.
In the show, we talk about the Book, Punished By Rewards by Alfie Kohn (none of these are affiliate links; just sharing great info).
All my love,
Sarah