Hey Team!
By now you've probably come to realize that being different isn't wrong, and that's certainly true for our students! Sometimes the traditional school model is out of synch with what our students need,--a challenge we meet with accommodations, learning plans, and sometimes changing schools. Today on the show, we'll hear from one model of schooling, Fusion Academy. Administrator Samantha Lettin explores her strengths and struggles as a leader and celebrates the different ways students can learn.
Sending you all my love,
Sarah
Audience: everyone, particularly parents of neurodivergent kids
Team,
Meet my new friend, Allison Robertson, who you may know her from The Accountant 2 . What you might not know is that Allison's journey is one to celebrate and learn from. Allison reminds us that what you see on the outside, in this moment--a successful actor, filmmaker, singer, and model-- may reflect years of messy growth and self-discovery. I know that her perspectives and strategies will help each of you!
Allison's short film, Love Transparent, is linked below :)
All my love to you, team,
Sarah
The film: https://youtu.be/YJUEDL4VZSA
Interview with director: https://youtu.be/aw4OV7Ft1a4
About Allison: IMBD
Audience: all ages and brains :)
Team,
When I met Steve at the TACA convention, I realized that Love on the Spectrum captured his awesomeness well--but not in its entirety. Steve is thoughtful, upbeat, and, well, full of Love!
On our show, Steve and explore the experience of being different, how we can look to artists for examples of being true to their "weird" selves, and our shared distain for competition. (Yes, I lose the ball in pickleball because I'm watching other players' faces.) Get ready to fill your heart with Steve's message to all of us!
All my love,
Sarah
TACA: The Autism Community in Action. Learn more here
Netflix's Love on the Spectrum (Steve is featured in seasons one and two)
Team,
Elaine Hall is a force of nature, whose story will inspire you! On the show, Elaine talks about her experiences with her son, Neil, and the creation of the Miracle Project, an inclusive theater program for autistic youth and young adults. You may know her from Love on the Spectrum, Autism the Musical, or through her books (did I mention how amazing she is?) She shares the executive function tricks that help her brain! And with so many wins and creative projects, clearly her strategies work!
In the show, we talk about an upcoming event for The Mircale Project. Click here to get tickets to "Out of My Head" May 9 and 10, 2025.
All my love (and see you at the show!)
Sarah
More about Elaine:
Founder of The Miracle Project, an inclusive theater and film program; star of HBO’s Emmy Winning film Autism: The Musical, Elaine Hall is internationally recognized for using the arts to enhance quality of life for neurodivergent individuals, and is one of Hollywood’s first Access Coordinators. Elaine has co- written and produced over 30 original musicals featuring neurodivergent, disabled and non-disabled
actors; Her methods documented in her text book, Seven Keys to Unlock Autism, are now evidence-based and the book has been used as a text book at Brown University, USC, UCLA among others. Featured in The New York Times, WSJ, Boston Globe, on CNN, CBS, OWN, NPR among others, Elaine has worked as advisor, script consultant, content developer, on-set coach, and/or casting consultant for Netflix, Shondaland, Amazon, Hulu, Disney, Sony Pictures including appearing in the Netflix hit, Love on the Spectrum and Jason Katim’s As We See It. Elaine consulted on the film EZRA, starring a twelve-year-old autistic boy along with Robert De Nero and on . She has spoken at the United Nations several times and is a keynote speaker across the globe. Elaine has received numerous awards most recently being inducted into the inaugural Kindness Hall of Fame.
Co-founder of the Hollywood advocacy group, 1IN4, she was the Access Coordinator at the BARBIE Premiere. Elaine identifies as neurodivergent herself, and has an adult autistic son who communicates with AAC. Together they are committed to changing the media’s representation of disability - moving from ‘inclusion’ to ‘belonging.’ They are both featured in Scott Steindorff’s new film, Understanding Autism. Elaine recently worked with Yorgos Lanthimus on his new film Bugonia.
Elaine’s memoir, Now I See the Moon, an official selection by the United Nations, is in development for a limited TV series. Elaine offers consultation, keynote speaking, and coaching for individuals; workshops, and seminars. www.Elaine-hall.com
#ElaineHall, #autism, #neurodivergent, #adhd, #executivefunction, #LoveontheSpectrum, #AsWeSeeIt
Team,
My new friend Jami Shapiro had me at the title of her podcast, "Grandma Has ADHD." And, while it's funny and memorable, it's also an important perspective to consider: how do we address executive function needs, as seniors or those who love and support them? How do we ensure seniors are included in the neurodiversity conversations? Jami shares her story and some great strategies that help all of us.
All my love to you!
Sarah
Jami's podcast: /https://grandmahasadhd.com/
About Jami: Jami Shapiro, the Founder of Silver Linings Transitions, was inspired to build the company after facing a cancer diagnosis in her early 30s.
After starting Silver Linings Transitions, Jami’s fifteen-year marriage ended and she saw personally how difficult it is for women to re-enter the workforce (whether or not it’s a result of divorce after taking time off to raise children), especially in a meaningful way. Her company allows her to combine her passion for helping helping women balancing home and work, develop the skills and confidence necessary to compete in today’s job market while also helping clients who need extra nurturing and compassion during tough times.
More ways to get support:
ICD:
Institute for Challenging Disorganization
NASSMM:National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers
NAPONational Association of Productivity and Organizing
Hey team!
There are so many options for college, and many are designed to support bright students with executive dysfunction! Listen to my conversation with college consultant, Jordan Burstein, as we talk about his non-linear path to success! He takes what he's learned and helps others find their way!
Even if you're not prepping for college for yourself or your teen, this episode is full of hope and a great model for what's possible when you keep seeking the right tools and spaces for your brain!
All my love,
Sarah
#executive function, #ADHD, #neurodivergent, #college
Learn more about Jordan:
Jordan Burstein serves high school students with learning differences. His goal is to help students who may need intervention find success in the student’s current school or find a more appropriate fit for the struggling learner. Jordan has a BA in Psychology and has personal experience dealing with learning disabilities, ADHD and previously struggling in school. Jordan brings a vast understanding into a situation where students may feel alone and marginalized. Previous to joining the practice, Jordan worked as a Mental Health Specialist. He has also worked as an academic mentor for college students at risk. This includes students with learning differences, autism spectrum disorders and ADHD. As a mentor, Jordan led students to become more organized in both academia and thrive in a social setting.
Jordan resides in the Chicago suburbs with his wife and dog. He attended Deerfield High School, Landmark College and Roosevelt University. He is a member of CHADD and the Learning Disability Association of America. Jordan completed the Summer Institute for independent educational consultants through IECA, the only accrediting organization for independent consultants. He has, and continues to visit many colleges and post-secondary programs for students with learning differences, autism spectrum disorders and ADHD. These visits provided Jordan an understanding of the programs and allows him to find the best fit for your student.
Team,
This was a tough episode to title! Dr Aguirre and I talk about tricky things like self-hatred but also keep a bright light on hope. He shares many examples and analogies that will make you feel seen and heard, possibly taking away some of the internal friction you feel in facing the complexities of life. Dr. Aguirre's new book, " I Hate Myself: Overcome Self-Hatred and Realize Why You’re Wrong About You " is a game-changer, and I hope it offers you tools and perspectives to challenge your thinking and create new love for yourself!
Our conversation explores why challenges with executive function can cause negative feeling about yourself and what to do with them. I think you'll love it!
All my love,
Sarah About Dr Aguirre: Blaise Aguirre, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist. He is a trainer in, and specializes in, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as well as other treatments such as mentalization-based treatment (MBT) for borderline personality disorder and associated conditions. He is the founding medical director of 3East continuum of care, an array of programs for teens that uses DBT to target self-endangering behaviors as well as the symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits.
Dr. Aguirre has been a staff psychiatrist at McLean Hospital since 2000 and is nationally and internationally recognized for his extensive work in the treatment of mood and personality disorders in adolescents. He lectures regularly throughout the world. Dr. Aguirre is the author or co-author of many books, including Borderline Personality Disorder in Adolescents, Mindfulness for Borderline Personality Disorder, Coping With BPD, and Fighting Back.
Hey, Team!
Our guest, theater director Jocelyn Greene has good news for all of us: PLAY can develop executive function! Jocelyn has great strategies on how to make play part of your every day, encouraging flexible thinking, problem-solving, and promoting self-regulation. You will love these uplifting ideas!
All my love,
Sarah
More about Jocelyn:
Jocelyn Greene is the founder and executive director of Child’s Play NY, an award-winning theater education company based in New York. She partners with dozens of schools to connect social-emotional learning (SEL) with academics through residencies and professional development. Jocelyn founded Child’s Play NY in 2009, drawing from her work as a student (MFA, NYU graduate acting; BA, Wesleyan University), an actor (The Public Theater, LA Shakespeare Festival), and a teacher (Will Power to Youth, Oddfellows Playhouse, Epic Theater) to develop the rigorous curriculum and imagination-based games that ignite the program today. She is a contributor with Mt. Sinai Parenting and writes about the intersection between theater and child development at Child's Play in Action. Jocelyn lives in Brooklyn, NY with her actor husband and naturalist kid!
Connect with Jocelyn:
@childsplaynewyork - IG
Hey team,
JD Barker is an incredibly talented and prolific author who has uncovered great strengths in his autism. We talk about self-perception, strategies for writing (and managing many projects at once), and the hope for ALL of us who struggle with executive function. You don't want to miss it!
All my love,
Sarah
More about JD:J.D. Barker (Jonathan Dylan Barker) is a New York Times and international best selling American Author whose work has been broadly described as suspense thrillers often incorporating elements of horror, crime, mystery, science fiction, and the supernatural.
Connect with JD: Instagram
Hey Team!
Join us to explore the experience of children (and adults) with ADHD, with author Fabian Grolimund. His book, Charlie Are You Daydreaming Again?, gently teaches children strategies for managing attention and shares the very relatable experiences of Charlotte, or Charlie. The warmth and hope of this episode will fill your bucket, I promise!
All my love,
Sarah
To order Charlie Are You Daydreaming Again?
About our guest: Fabian Grolimund is a Swiss psychologist, author, ADHD expert and, together with Stefanie Rietzler, heads the Academy for Learning Coaching in Zurich. His book “Charlie, are you deadreaming again?” uses the form of an exciting novel to teach children how to concentrate better and why daydreaming is also valuable.
Hey Team,
Eating consistently and healthy-ish, cooking meals, remembering to bring lunch and snacks…it all takes executive function. Nearly every one of the amazing humans I work with struggles in some way with eating. My friend and Dietitian-Nutritionist Dana Monsees shares perspectives and strategies for making eating easier and more consistent. You’re not alone if feeding yourself is harder than you want it to be. Let’s team up and explore ideas!
All my love,
Sarah
About Dana: Dana Monsees is a Dietitian-Nutritionist (MS, CNS, LDN) and Body Image Coach who specializes in helping women with gut issues and burnout from a HAES, non-diet approach. Her philosophy combines neutral nutrition, weight-inclusive care, and her training in integrative and functional nutrition to help women heal their relationship with food and their bodies as a root cause of chronic health conditions. Dana hosts the Whole-Hearted Eating podcast and has been running her recipe + nutrition blog, Real Food with Dana, since 2014.
Connect with Dana:
Instagram @danamonsees_cns
Podcast: Whole-Hearted Eating
Website: www.realfoodwithdana.com
Work with Dana: https://www.realfoodwithdana.com/nutrition-counseling/
Book a Free Discovery Session: https://p.bttr.to/36VNOay
Hey Team,
Whether you love or hate math, this episode with author and educator Ben Orlin is for you! We talk about problem solving, the purpose and process for getting stuck, and how to support yourself when faced with challenges. You will love Ben's humor and outlook!
All my love to you, team,
Sarah
Get Ben's Book
Additional article links: What It Feels Like to Be Bad at Math, The Math Ceiling: Where’s Your Cognitive Breaking Point?, The State of Being Stuck
More about our guest: Ben Orlin is a math teacher who can't draw. His books include Math with Bad Drawings (2018), Change is the Only Constant (2019), Math Games with Bad Drawings (2022), and most recently, Math for English Majors (Sept 2024). His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Popular Science, Slate, Vox, and The Los Angeles Times; he himself has appeared in the lines to ice cream stores everywhere. BBC star and leading mathematician Hannah Fry once described him as "terribly bad at drawing" before kindly adding “he’s also fantastically clever and charming.”
Join us at Brain Tools School
Hey team!
You know how sometimes it takes about 1000 steps before you actually start on the intended task? That's work to do work! On this week's show, learn how to recognize and reduce work to do work. It will be a game changer!
Pep talk at 15:52
All my love,
Sarah
Read my Psychology Today articles!
Join us in Brain Tools School
Team,
You know that excited feeling you get when you get new tools or make a new plan that you hope will make things all easy? Yeah, I do, too. And then, sometimes that excitement goes away and we kind of lose steam for doing the plan?
Join me today to learn how to plan for and overcome the challenges that stop us from using strategies. You're sure to find something that really helps!
All my love,
Sarah
Hey Human Pep Talk at 14:06 <3
Want to join Brain Tools School? We'd love to have you!
Team,
1 in 4 college students has a disability! This episode teachers you how to maximize success as a student with a physical or learning challenge. Guest Elizabeth C Hamblet has done the leg work and knows how to empower young adults to thrive on campus!
All my love,
Sarah
Learn more about Elizabeth!
Buy her book here. Use code RLEGEN20 for 20% off!
Learn more about Brain Tools School's Life After High School coaching community!
Hi, Team!
Join us to explore the process of planning and paying for college--there are some surprises and lots of hope in this episode! As with any process, getting ready to manage college tuition involves a lot of executive function, and my guest, college funding specialist Brad Baldridge and I share concrete ways to lower stress--and possibly even lower the cost!
All my love,
Sarah
Join us at Brain Tools School!
Visit Brad's website, Taming the High Cost of College, and find him on Facebook
More about Brad:
Brad Baldridge is a College Funding Specialist who has helped thousands of families plan and save for college with smart and proven strategies to save time, money and stress.
As a financial expert, blogger and host of the Taming the High Cost of College podcast, Brad has been sharing his college planning insights with clients, subscribers and listeners for nearly 20 years.
He teaches parents the best ways to save and pay for college, including how to find the right school, maximize financial aid and scholarships, avoid student loan debt, and make your children’s college dreams come true without wiping out your finances or retirement.
Since 1998, Brad has become one of the nation’s leading college planning and college financial experts. He offers life-changing advice through his private practice, his online platforms, and at numerous workshops, seminars and events each year.
Hi team!
Executive function is tricky enough, and some of us accidentally make it harder by doing (or not doing) things that challenge our brains in unnecessary ways. This week, let's uncover some easy wins so you're not accidentally making life more challenging!
Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens summer 2024! Here's the link to secure your invitation!
There are many things that make EF extra tricky. Things to consider this week:
Hydration. One study showed that dehydrated participants made 12% more mistakes on a test of cognitive flexibility (which is an EF) and re-hydrating brought EF skills back to their baseline levels.
Location. Try to find a match of energy levels, the right amount and type of noise, activity and visual stimuli, closeness or distance from others, and the specialness of a space.
Attend to your bodies: think about movement, fuel, breaks, comfort...and remember that sitting and staring is an indication that you're stuck.
Social Conflict or needs: Emotional pain=physical pain as far as our brains are concerned. Make peace with the person OR about the conflict (write a letter, schedule time to think about it again, ask for help)
Keeping distractions around: consider removing the things that steal your brain, when you really need to focus.
Not asking for help: remember to know your personal signs of “stuck,” keep a list of where/who can help you, and plan for help for the harder things.
You got this! Let me know how these help!
All my love,
Sarah
Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens in just a few weeks! Here's the link to secure your invitation!
Join my friends Kim and Amy, of Talk Yoga, in learning and laughing together. We'll explore how tools for self-regulation, play, and language can boost anyone's executive function and performance.
For more on Talk Yoga: https://www.talkyogaslp.com/
And on Instagram
Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens in just a few weeks! Here's the link to secure your invitation! To have Sarah train your school staff or workplace on all things executive function, reach out! Sarahkesty.com or sarah@sarahkesty.com. Thanks!
Time management might be one of the most requested executive function areas I support, and yet it still is misunderstood! Join me today to hear strategies for adults and kids who are working on better using--and planning--their time. No 5 am club required! We're celebrating brain-friendly ways to feel more efficient with your efforts!
New: Hey Human pep talk (for all ages) is at 16:30.
Updates: I'm scheduling my school and workplace trainings for the year, and I would love to support you! Reach out to sarah@sarahkesty.com or go to Sarahkesty.com to learn more!
Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens summer 2024! Here's the link to secure your invitation!
How many of us have told ourselves (or heard from others), "You need to get organized?" Yet the HOW piece is still confusing! What "organized" means to different people varies widely, and there's the big challenge of maintaining any system you create! (Because, hello? It's FUN to get going with all of the new tools and gadgets, but continuing after the newness fades? Ehh...) Our guest, Debra Levy, offers easy and brain-friendly ways to get and stay organized, including how to think about managing time as part of your system. This episode is great for grownups and kids alike!
The Rocks, Pebbles, Sand Video
About Debra: Debra Levy, is a Certified Life, ADHD, and Productivity Coach, and is the owner of A Life
That Fits, LLC. She is dedicated to helping her clients make time and space for what matters most in
their lives. Debra begins by working with her clients to clarify what is important to them, what will
make them feel happy and fulfilled, and determining what guidance and support is
required to create the life they want. She focuses on areas that are a struggle for many
of her clients (whether ADHD or neuro-typical) including time management, hyper-
focusing, distractions, the setting of goals and priorities, and establishing healthy
boundaries.
Together, she and her clients work on gaining insight into what is holding them back.
She helps them to become more aware of their own natural abilities, modalities, and
tendencies, make room for their big-picture goals, and implement step-by-step
solutions to help them get from where they are, to where they want to be.
Debra is here to partner with her clients on a thought-provoking and productive journey
to envision “A Life That Fits” their values and dreams and provide the motivation and
accountability to maximize their potential.
www.alifethatfits.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/debraslevy/
https://twitter.com/alifethatfits
https://www.instagram.com/alifethatfitscoaching/
https://www.facebook.com/alifethatfitscoaching/
Audience: all ages and contexts
Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens in just a few weeks! Here's the link to secure your invitation!
