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Frequently asked questions
These are the questions parents ask me on our first call. I have answered them here so that you do not have to wait to find out, and if yours is not covered please just ask me.
What is executive function coaching, and how is it different from tutoring?
Tutoring teaches content: the chemistry, the essay, the algebra. Coaching works on all of the skills that surround the content, including planning, getting started, organizing, estimating how long something will take and speaking up for yourself. A tutor will help your child pass Thursday’s test, and I will help them notice the test is coming on Thursday, work backward from it and begin on Monday. Peg Dawson wrote a short explainer for parents called Executive Skills Coaching that covers this beautifully, and I recommend it to every family.
We already tried a tutor and it did not help. Why would this be different?
More content support will not close a gap that was never really about content. In coaching we look underneath at the systems your child is relying on, the accountability around them and whether they are following through. Most importantly, we look at the why behind whatever keeps breaking down. Once a student understands why a particular thing derails them every time, we can build something that actually holds, and that is the piece a tutor is not there to do.
What ages and grade levels do you work with?
I work with students from grade 6 through college and graduate school, and most of them are in high school or college. Below grade 6 the systems still belong to the household more than to the student, so I usually suggest parent coaching instead. There are several good programs out there and I have listed the ones I recommend on the resources page.
How much does executive function coaching cost?
Coaching runs on a flat monthly membership instead of a per-session fee, and the amount depends on which of the three phases your child starts in. I share the figures on our introductory call, once we have worked out together which phase actually suits them, so that you are pricing the right thing and not an average. If you would like to see what the membership actually buys before we speak, I have set that out on the home page.
What does the monthly membership include?
It includes a dedicated spot on my roster, which matters more than most people expect, because my schedule tends to run at capacity. Alongside the sessions themselves it covers everything that happens between them: my preparation, record-keeping, supplies, progress tracking and communication with your child and with you when that is helpful.
Why a membership instead of paying for each session?
Because the membership holds a place for your child on my roster, and because the work is not confined to the hour we spend together. A flat monthly fee also stays the same whether a month has five weeks in it or two, so your budget does not move around with the school calendar.
How long is a session, and how often do we meet?
That depends on the phase your child is in. Phase I is two 45-minute sessions each week, Phase II is two 30-minute sessions and Phase III is flexible and can be either one 30-minute session or two 15-minute sessions. The pattern is designed to thin out as your child takes over more of the work.
Why do we meet twice a week? That sounds like a lot.
It is a real commitment and I am not going to pretend otherwise. It is also what gets results. Once a week leaves too much room for things to fall apart in between. A student leaves a session motivated and with a plan, it peters out over the following days and we spend the next one starting over instead of building. Twice a week keeps me close to the actual assignments, keeps planning down to the next session and holds the momentum.
How do the phases work, and who decides when we move?
I review each student’s progress every month and recommend when they are ready to move to a lower-intensity phase. If a change makes sense I will email you at least seven days before the 1st, and the new phase begins with the next billing cycle.
Do you work online or in person?
All of my sessions are online, and that is a deliberate choice on my part. Executive function work lands better over video because your child is sitting in their own space, with their own materials and their own calendar open in front of them, and that is exactly where these habits have to survive.
What areas do you serve?
I am based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and because all of my coaching is online I work with students anywhere in the United States and internationally. I have worked with students in Canada, the UK and Europe as well.
How long do families usually work with you?
One to two semesters is common, and the phase model is built to move students along and out. That said, some families choose to stay longer and I am very happy to keep working with them. Progress is rarely linear and there is no end date I am pushing anyone toward. Some former students come back for short blocks later on, at a transition like starting college.
Do you work with students who have ADHD or a diagnosed learning difference?
Yes, and quite often. I am a Certified ADHD Educator and I have worked with students with ADHD, dyslexia and other learning differences for more than 25 years. A diagnosis is not required to work with me, and I do not diagnose.
Can you help with a 504 plan or an IEP?
Yes. I review existing plans, recommend accommodations that genuinely target executive function instead of defaulting to extended time and help you prepare for the meeting itself. I audited the SEAT 2.0 advocate training through COPAA and did not take it for certification, so I am not a certified advocate, but I did spend eleven years as a special educator on the school side of those meetings and I know what a workable accommodation looks like. Attending a meeting falls outside the membership and is billed separately.
Do you coordinate with my child’s school or teachers?
I am glad to if you would like me to. Most of the time, though, what I am really working on is helping your child communicate with their teachers directly and advocate for themselves, because that is the skill they will keep long after we are finished. Either way I keep you in the loop.
Do you take insurance?
Coaching is not a medical service, so health insurance, FSA and HSA funds do not apply to it. Recent federal changes did expand what a 529 education savings plan can cover for K-12 students, and some families may be able to use those funds. The guidance is still settling, so please confirm with your plan administrator and your tax advisor before counting on it. I provide receipts either way.
What happens if we miss a session?
If your child misses a session because of illness, sport, travel or an appointment, that session is forfeited. My schedule runs at capacity, so I cannot guarantee a makeup. If I have to cancel, I will offer a makeup within seven days, and if we cannot find a time that works I will credit the value against the following month. When a student does miss, I encourage them to email me a short update on their progress so we keep the momentum going.
How do we stop if it is not working?
Enrollment is month to month. Fifteen days’ written notice by email before the 1st ends it, with no penalty and no explanation required. I do not offer pro-rated refunds mid-month, so the notice window is the thing to keep an eye on.
Is coaching the same as therapy or tutoring?
No. Coaching is neither mental health counseling nor subject-specific tutoring, and if I think your child needs one of those instead of me, or alongside me, I will say so. I also make no guarantees about outcomes, which is true of anyone being honest in this field.
What happens on the free introductory call?
We spend thirty minutes together, just you and me. Your child does not need to be there for this one. You tell me what has been happening and I ask questions. I will also walk you through how I work, what the phases look like in practice and the specific things I tend to work on with students, so you have a real picture of it. Then I give you my honest read on whether coaching is the right support and whether I am the right person. There is no pressure and no follow-up sequence if the answer turns out to be no.
Still deciding
When coaching is and is not the right support
Coaching works well when a student is capable and stuck, and when there is at least some willingness on their part, even if it is reluctant willingness at the start. It works less well when a student is in real crisis, when the central issue is a mental health need instead of a skills gap or when the only person who wants this to happen is the parent.
I will tell you which of those I think I am looking at on that first call, before you have paid for anything. Every year there are a few families I point somewhere else, and I would far sooner do that than take on a semester that was never going to work for them.
Have a question I have not answered?
Please just ask me. The introductory call is thirty minutes and it is free, and this is exactly what it is for.
no obligation, and nothing is booked on the call itself
Tell me a little about what has been happening and I will come back to you to arrange a time.