The Self-Regulation Revolution: Mastering Executive Function

Emily Kircher-Morris sits down with Sarah Kesty, an executive function coach and host of the Executive Function podcast, to talk about challenges and strategies for supporting neurodivergent individuals with executive function and emotional regulation. They discuss offloading working memory, and ideas to help create an executive function-friendly environment at home and in the classroom. Sarah shares her three-phase coaching model and they talk about the importance of self-regulation in both academic and home settings. You'll learn how these approaches can transform the learning experience for students, and provide hope for educators and parents alike.

TAKEAWAYS

• Emotional regulation is key for learning.

• Offload working memory for better focus.

• Create executive function-friendly environments.

• Self-regulation benefits all students.

• Coaching involves exploration and strategy.

• Normalize experimentation for effective learning.

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Sarah Kesty is an executive function, autism, and ADHD coach dedicated to helping neurodivergent individuals develop practical strategies to thrive. She is the host of The Executive Function Podcast and the creator of Brain Tools School, a coaching and learning program that supports high schoolers, college students, adults, and fellow coaches in strengthening executive function skills for everyday life.

A four-time Teacher of the Year, Sarah is known for translating research into actionable strategies. She writes and presents for international audiences and outlets such as Psychology Today, KQED, and Edutopia. Her upcoming book for educators, Growing Executive Function, will be published by Solution Tree in August 2025. Based in San Diego, Sarah is also a local trail guide and passionate gardener, committed to building a more brain-friendly and inclusive world.

BACKGROUND READING

Sarah on Psychology Today, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Edutopia, The Executive Function podcast on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you’re invited to join our Facebook Group.