Focus Forward: An Executive Function Podcast

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Focus Forward: An Executive Function Podcast

Focus Forward is a comprehensive guide to improving Executive Functions - the mental skills like time-management, task-initiation, organization, and emotional regulation that allow us to be successful. Whether you're a parent looking to better support your child, or are simply looking to improve your own Executive Function (EF) skills, this podcast is for you. We'll be having guests of all kinds on, including parents who've had success in improving their child's EF challenges, adults who have navigated executive dysfunction, and experts who specialize in treating these types of issues. Focus Forward is an Executive Function Podcast sponsored by Beyond BookSmart.

  1. 6D AGO

    Ep 69: Beyond To-Do Lists: How to Combine Technology and Self-Reflection to Make Your Life Easier (ft. Helena Bowen)

    Today’s guest is one of my executive function coaching clients, Helena Bowen. Helena is a speaker coach and speechwriter and supports speakers for TED, TEDx, and other major events. She has ADHD and came on the show to share her experience and what she’s learned about herself and her brain over the years. We talk about how Helena is learning to move beyond the frustrating and self-critical thought: “I know what to do, so why can’t I just do it?” Through coaching and her own experiments and data collection, she’s shifting away from viewing her struggles as character flaws—and instead, getting curious about what’s really going on. You’ll hear Helena describe how she discovered that what looked like task initiation challenges were actually self-regulation challenges - moments of getting stuck while avoiding the difficult emotions that came up when faced with certain tasks. She opens up about the creative and often unexpected strategies that help her follow through - timers everywhere, mood tracking with the How We Feel app, absurdly tiny task breakdowns, and even art supplies and a foundation brush to outsmart her own brain and build systems that actually work for her. Doing things differently is part of being neurodivergent, and Helena rocks it and then some. I’m excited to share this conversation. I’m so proud of Helena and the work she’s done for herself in coaching over the last year and a half. I hope you’ll see yourself in Helena’s story, feel less alone, and maybe even feel brave enough to try something different. I know I have learned a lot from her approach to her EF challenges, so I hope you do, too! Here are the show notes from today’s episode: Learn More About Helena Bowen Website https://www.helenabowen.com Instagram and TikTok @helenaspeaking Learn More about Procrastination and More World's Leading Expert On How To Solve Procrastination - Dr Tim Pychyl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGIUtVu7w4Y Struggle Care Ep. 70: How to Coach Your Executive Functioning with Hannah Choi https://www.strugglecare.com/podcast-rss/70-how-to-coach-your-executive-functioning-with-hannah-choi Ep 11: Procrastination: Why We Wait & What to Do About It https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=n2bmc91r6d Ep 43: Creativity & Executive Function: How to Enjoy the Brain Benefits of Each https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=2o3uog9wpo Ep 63: Big Tasks, Tiny Steps: A Procrastinator’s Guide to Getting Stuff Done https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=ww20vsahvw

    59 min

  2. JUN 18

    Ep 68: Learning the Skills Nobody Taught Us: Executive Function, Equity, and Education with Lizzett Cuervo

    I’m so happy to be able to bring this conversation to you today! My guest is Lizzett Cuervo - a first-generation Cuban American, executive function specialist, and co-founder of the nonprofit Circle Match. I first connected with Lizzett over LinkedIn and then we got to meet in person when she attended my presentation on college students and executive functioning at our local public library. Lizzett is such a fantastic person doing such important work that I knew I had to have her on the show. As you’ll hear, Lizzett’s personal journey through life has moments of discouragement and frustration that many of you may relate to - either directly or in your own way. Her experiences are also deeply inspiring. I know I was very moved by her story. From being told by her high school counselor that she wasn’t “smart enough” for college, to later discovering a love of learning and receiving a life-changing ADHD diagnosis in adulthood, Lizzett has used her experiences and this deep love of learning to create a future for herself, her son, and others that is full of hope and opportunity. In this conversation, you’ll hear about how Lizzett’s own academic struggles lit the spark - hah! for Chispa, a company she started that helps adults and students strengthen their executive function skills and conquer their challenges—and how Circle Match, a non-profit she started with her son, Michael, opens doors to Ivy League and other top tier colleges by offering free college admissions advising and executive function support to students and their families who have historically been left out of those spaces. Lizzett is living proof of what happens when young people are given not only access and knowledge, but also a place to belong. This is a story about overcoming shame, challenging broken systems, being brave enough to do things differently, and creating something better for the next generation. I can’t wait for you to hear it. Show notes: Learn More About Lizzett and Her Work https://chispaefc.com/ Circle Match https://circlematch.org/ Other Resources Focus Forward Ep 32: College Admissions Made Simple: An Executive Function Approach to Success in College https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=q38ax8pzj7 Making College Affordable: 5 Tips for Securing Scholarships https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/executive-functioning-strategies-blog/making-college-affordable-5-tips-for-securing-scholarships How to Navigate Student Supports in College https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/executive-functioning-strategies-blog/how-to-navigate-student-supports-in-college

    51 min

  3. JUN 4

    Ep 67: Your Mind on Music: The Power of Music in Learning, Life, and Love (ft. Sara and Mort Sherman)

    Okay, so this week we’re talking about one of the most powerful tools we have out there for our focus, our mental health, our community, our families, our children, ourselves - music! We don’t even realize how much music plays a role in our lives. And luckily, gone are the days of believing we must work in sterile, silent environments - many (or dare I say most?) brains, including those with ADHD and other EF challenges, truly benefit from some kind of stimulation while doing focused work. The power of music has been studied by researchers so if you’d like to learn more, I’ve shared some articles in the show notes. But one of the best resources I can recommend is a new book out called Resonant Minds. Written by a daughter and father pair, Sara and Mort Sherman, this book covers all aspects of music - from its impact on the brain and learning, including as a mindfulness practice or as Sara and Mort call it “mindful action”, to its positive impact on individuals and community. I sat down with Sara and Mort to learn about music and share stories about how music has impacted us and others and about, as Sara and Mort say, that music is ultimately about love. Sara and Mort are so uniquely qualified to write this book so I asked them to introduce themselves, and the book Resonant Minds is such a unique book that I knew it was only right for them to describe it, so let’s get on with the show! Here are the show notes from today’s episode: Learn More About Sara Sherman https://mozartformunchkins.com/ Learn More About Mort https://my.aasa.org/AASA/Resources/SAMag/Sep16/InsideSherman.aspx Resonant Minds book https://mozartformunchkins.com/resonant-minds-the-transformative-power-of-music-one-note-at-a-time/ https://www.resonantminds.com Research on Music and the Brain Melody for the Mind: Enhancing Mood, Motivation, Concentration, and Learning through Music Listening in the Classroom https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20592043231214085 Keep Your Brain Young with Music https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/keep-your-brain-young-with-music The transformative power of music: Insights into neuroplasticity, health, and disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10765015/ The Youth Orchestra Hannah mentioned: https://gctyo.org/ Learn More About Our MAP Program https://map.worksmartcoaching.com Learn More About 1:1 Coaching https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/how-it-works Get in Touch podcast@beyondbooksmart.com Instagram/Facebook/Tiktok: @beyondbooksmartcoaching www.beyondbooksmart.com

    57 min

  4. MAY 21

    Ep 66: From Overwhelmed to Empowered: 4 Essential Coping Skills Every Teen Needs to Thrive (ft. Dr. Jackie Wolfman)

    This week, we’re revisiting a topic & conversion that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. I had the opportunity to speak to the public at our local library about Executive Function skills for four different age groups, ranging from early elementary students to adults. In all four groups, we talked a lot about the importance of self-regulation and coping skills to get through challenging times. As we learned from Megan McClelland in the last episode, our ability to persist through challenges is hugely important, even as early as age four. This episode brings our attention specifically to our upper high school students, college students, and young adults. The challenges that teens and young adults face during those years bring all kinds of emotional and logistical hurdles, and having a set of reliable coping tools can make a huge difference in how successful and grounded young people feel during that time. To explore this further, I spoke with Dr. Jackie Wolfman, a therapist based in the Boston area. She teaches her clients coping strategies through DBT—or dialectical behavior therapy. If you’re familiar with CBT, or cognitive behavior therapy, DBT is a related approach that also focuses on how our thoughts and behaviors interact. CBT helps people notice and challenge unhelpful thought patterns, while DBT adds tools specifically for managing intense emotions and building practical coping skills. The tools and strategies Jackie shares from DBT are for everyone, regardless of age or mental health needs, so I know that this episode will truly be useful to anyone. I even use these strategies myself! Thank you for listening! Here are the show notes from today’s episode: Learn More About Dr. Jackie Wolfman and DBT https://villagepsych.com/ DBT® Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Second Edition, by Marsha Linehan https://www.guilford.com/books/DBT-Skills-Training-Handouts-and-Worksheets/Marsha-Linehan/9781572307810 Dialectical Behavior Therapy https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/ What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents - A helpful YouTube video https://youtu.be/Stz--d17ID4 Other Resources Mentioned And Then They Stopped Talking to Me: Making Sense of Middle School by Judith Warner https://www.amazon.com/Then-They-Stopped-Talking-Me/dp/1101905883 Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman https://www.oliverburkeman.com/meditationsformortals Helena's speechwriting website www.helenabowen.com Learn More About Our MAP Program https://map.worksmartcoaching.com Learn More About 1:1 Coaching https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/how-it-works Get in Touch podcast@beyondbooksmart.com Instagram/Facebook/Tiktok: @beyondbooksmartcoaching www.beyondbooksmart.com

    47 min

  5. MAY 7

    Ep 65: Migraines & ADHD: How to Cope with the Overlap (ft. Dr. Sarah Cheyette)

    Have you heard the saying “research is me-search”? It means people often explore topics they personally need or want to understand better. Well, that’s exactly what today’s episode is for me. I’ve had migraines since I was a teenager, and after being diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago, I started noticing how closely the two seem to be connected. Conversations with clients, colleagues, and other people I know showed me that I’m not alone. It seems like many people who have ADHD also deal with migraines. I started researching to find out if there is a connection between migraines and ADHD, and it turns out, there is! I connected with Dr. Sarah Cheyette to learn more. Dr. Cheyette is a pediatric neurologist who specializes in both ADHD and migraines. Dr. Cheyette graduated from Princeton University and received her medical degree at UCLA. Following specialty training in pediatrics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and in pediatric neurology at Seattle Children’s Hospital, she practiced at Palo Alto Medical Foundation. She now owns a private practice in northern California. Today, she brings her insight into how these two conditions overlap. In our conversation, we talk about what migraines are, why migraines happen, how they’re triggered, and—most importantly—what we can actually do about them - both to prevent and treat. Dr. Cheyette shares strategies for tracking headaches, making small but meaningful lifestyle changes, how to make sure you’re doing the right things and taking the right meds to manage these debilitating headaches. Whether you live with both ADHD and migraines, or you’re supporting someone who does, I hope you’ll find this episode informative and validating. I have shared some articles and research studies in the show Show notes: Learn More About Dr. Sarah Cheyette https://sarahcheyette.com/ Migraines and ADHD The Connection Between Migraine and ADHD https://www.migrainedisorders.org/migraine-and-adhd/ Migraines and ADHD: The Overlooked Connection to Headaches https://www.additudemag.com/migraines-and-adhd-headaches-symptoms-treatments The Connection Between ADHD and Migraines https://chadd.org/adhd-weekly/the-connection-between-adhd-and-migraines/ Comorbidity of migraine with ADHD in adults https://bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-018-1149-6 ADHD Is Comorbid to Migraine in Childhood: A Population-Based Study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28587507/ Learn More About Our MAP Program https://map.worksmartcoaching.com Learn More About 1:1 Coaching https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/how-it-works

    37 min

  6. APR 23

    Ep 64: Minds in the Making: How Early Executive Function Development Shapes Childhood and Adult Success (ft. Ellen Galinsky & Megan McClelland)

    Today’s episode is one I’m especially excited to share with you. Whether you’re an Executive Function expert or you’re just starting out learning about these essential life skills, you’ll want to listen because we have not one but *two* Executive Function leaders featured. First up, I’m so happy to have been joined once again by the OG of Executive Function awareness, Ellen Galinsky, who sat down with me on Focus Forward in March of 2024 when her book, The Breakthrough Years, came out. Ellen is the President of the Families and Work Institute and the elected President of the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN). She also serves as senior research advisor to AASA, the School Superintendent Organization. Previously, she was the Chief Science Officer at the Bezos Family Foundation and faculty at Bank Street College. Her research has focused on the impact of work-life on families, child and adolescent development, youth voice, child-care, parent-professional relationship, and parental development. Ellen’s work has contributed deeply to how we understand children’s learning and development - and how we, as adults, can nurture it. Our second Executive Function leader is Dr. Megan McClelland, an internationally recognized expert on school readiness and self-regulation in very young children. She is the Katherine E. Smith Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at Oregon State University, where she also directs the Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families. Megan’s research focuses on optimizing children's development, especially as it relates to children’s self-regulation, early learning, and school success. Her recent work has examined links between self-regulation and long-term outcomes from early childhood to adulthood and intervention efforts to improve these skills in young children. She is currently involved with multiple national and international projects to develop measures of self-regulation and improve school success in young children. Megan is also the co-author of Stop, Think, Act, a book all about how we as educators and parents can help our kids strengthen their EF skills through play. Today, you’ll hear us talk about why executive function skills matter and how we can help kids strengthen them through everyday activities - Megan and Ellen help parents and educators see that we learn when we play! Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just someone who cares about kids' success in the long run, this episode is full of insights you won’t want to miss. I hope you enjoy listening! Here are the show notes from the episode: Learn More About Ellen Galinsky Ellen Galinsky’s Website www.ellengalinsky.com The Breakthrough Years https://ellengalinsky.com/the-breakthrough-years/ Mind in the Making https://www.mindinthemaking.org/ Families and Work Institute https://www.familiesandwork.org/ Learn More About Megan McClelland, PhD. https://health.oregonstate.edu/directory/megan-mcclelland Stop, Think, Act by Megan McClelland and Shauna Tominey https://www.amazon.com/Stop-Think-Act-Integrating-Self-Regulation/dp/0415745233 Executive Function Resources Vroom www.vroom.org Institute for Education Sciences: "Preparing Young Children for School" - A research-based guide with specific tips and activities for educators. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguide/30 Focus Forward Ep 23: Parenting for Success: How to Nurture Executive Function Development in Early Childhood https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=rgbq6nrrvf Focus Forward Ep 26: Navigating Stress, Parenting, and the Brain: A Conversation with Dr. Alison Roy https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=oygnbqkqqq

    54 min

  7. APR 9

    Ep 63: Big Tasks, Tiny Steps: A Procrastinator’s Guide to Getting Stuff Done

    In today’s quick 15-minute episode, we're exploring strategies for breaking down large tasks into manageable steps - a crucial skill for enhancing productivity and reducing overwhelm. From brain dumping to time mapping, learn new practical techniques that are designed to help initiate tasks, reduce decision paralysis, and maintain momentum. These methods are particularly helpful for anyone with ADHD, executive dysfunction, or anyone who finds getting started challenging. By implementing these approaches, you'll hopefully be able to transform those daunting projects into many small steps that will lead to action and confidence.  As always, thank you for being part of the Focus Forward community! If you enjoy this episode, be sure to leave us a 5-star rating on the platform you're listening on ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Here are the show notes from this episode (lots of useful links and tools!) STM Tool Google Docs version (will force you to create a copy) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WAabo_q7Zg61Ns-A8KkXVYmvq9eXhQUlnSoiHWk5HYM/copy Want an Excel version? Email me and I'll send you one! Focus Forward Episodes Mentioned in this Episode Ep 11: Procrastination: Why We Wait & What to Do About It https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=n2bmc91r6d Ep 14: 4 Steps to Build Time Management Strategies You'll Use for Life https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=2hd9mmw2wi Ep 21: Rethinking Your Thinking: How Cognitive Flexibility Can Improve Your Life and Relationships https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=mdpox3lokq Ep 43: Creativity & Executive Function: How to Enjoy the Brain Benefits of Each https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=2o3uog9wpo Ep 58: Routines Without Rigidity: Your Guide to Building & Sustaining Healthier Habits https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=jhszcaaccp Ep 62: Lighthouse Parenting: How to Communicate, Connect, and Guide with Confidence (ft. Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg) https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/podcast?wchannelid=y1lzulxlcs&wmediaid=v0rl5xa5ub Online and AI Tools University of Toronto Assignment Planner https://utsc.library.utoronto.ca/assignment-planner (shared by Beyond BookSmart coach, Kerrie Welch) Goblin.tools Learn More About Our MAP Program Morning accountability sessions for planning, skill-building workshops, and work sprints for maximum support and accountability! All for a low monthly fee. https://map.worksmartcoaching.com Learn More About 1:1 Coaching https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/how-it-works Get in Touch: podcast@beyondbooksmart.com Instagram/Facebook/Tiktok: @beyondbooksmartcoaching www.beyondbooksmart.com

    17 min

  8. MAR 19

    Ep 62: Lighthouse Parenting: How to Communicate, Connect, and Guide with Confidence (ft. Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg)

    Today, I am so excited to share this conversation I had with Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg. If you are a parent, a caregiver, an educator, a coach, a therapist, a human who interacts with children, young and old, this episode is for you. We all have something to learn from Dr. Ginsburg’s insightful and engaging interpretation of these decades of research on what works in parenting. Dr. Ginsburg practices adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania, a founding director of the Center for Parent and Teen Communication, the Director of Health Services at Covenant House Pennsylvania, an agency that serves Philadelphia’s youth enduring homelessness and a father of two young adults. This vast experience and deep passion for supporting children of all ages and their families, in my opinion, makes him the perfect lighthouse for us as we navigate the sometimes murky or stormy waters of raising our own children and supporting the children of others around us. You’ll hear Dr. Ginsburg and I speak highly of Ellen Galinsky who was a guest on Focus Forward and who wrote the highly acclaimed books Mind in the Making and The Breakthrough Years, all about EF skills in children and adolescents. If you’re interested in learning more about Ellen’s work, check out the show notes and Focus Forward episode #40, which coincidentally dropped exactly a year ago this week. Ellen will be joining me again in a few weeks to talk more about Executive Function skills with early childhood development researcher, Megan McClelland. In the meantime, thank you for listening! Show Notes: Learn More About 1:1 Coaching https://www.beyondbooksmart.com/how-it-works Learn More About Dr. Ginsburg https://www.fosteringresilience.com Center for Parent and Teen Communication https://parentandteen.com/ Ellen Galinsky’s books https://ellengalinsky.com/

    50 min
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Focus Forward is a comprehensive guide to improving Executive Functions - the mental skills like time-management, task-initiation, organization, and emotional regulation that allow us to be successful. Whether you're a parent looking to better support your child, or are simply looking to improve your own Executive Function (EF) skills, this podcast is for you. We'll be having guests of all kinds on, including parents who've had success in improving their child's EF challenges, adults who have navigated executive dysfunction, and experts who specialize in treating these types of issues. Focus Forward is an Executive Function Podcast sponsored by Beyond BookSmart.

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