The Executive Function Podcast for Student Success | Untapped Learning

ADHD, executive function challenges, procrastination, missing assignments, and academic overwhelm can make school frustrating for both students and parents. In this conversation, Nathan sits down with Untapped Learning Homework Center Coordinator and executive function coach Devin Saunders to break down how our Homework Center helps neurodivergent students build accountability, organization, emotional regulation, and long-term academic confidence through mentorship and executive function coaching rather than traditional tutoring alone.

Nathan and Devin discuss why intelligent students often struggle academically, how relationship-based coaching helps students stay engaged, what a Homework Center session actually looks like, how AI can be used responsibly to support learning, and how strong communication between coaches and families helps reduce stress at home.

At Untapped Learning, we help middle school, high school, and college students build systems that create long-term independence and success.

Want to learn more about how we help students build executive function skills? Subscribe to our YouTube channel and explore our 1-on-1 mentoring, workshops, and free resources at untappedlearning.com.

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📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/untappedlearning

Learn more: www.untappedlearning.com

#ExecutiveFunction #ADHD #Neurodivergent #ExecutiveFunctionCoaching #HomeworkHelp #StudentSupport

In this episode, we sat down with Katie Anderson, a former Duke soccer player and college advisor who specializes in helping student athletes and families navigate both college admissions and athletic recruiting.

Katie breaks down what parents need to understand before the process becomes stressful: why talent alone is not enough, how students can stay organized when communicating with coaches, what role parents should play without taking over, and why the right college fit matters more than chasing the biggest name.

We also discuss how ADHD can impact recruiting, when and why disclosure may matter, and how families can help student athletes build the systems they will need long before they step on campus.

If you are a parent of a high school athlete, this conversation is a practical guide to helping your student move through recruiting with more clarity, ownership, and confidence.

Learn more about Katie’s work:

https://www.thestudentathleteadvisors.com/

http://www.collegefitoc.com/about.html

Want to learn more about how we help students build executive function skills? Subscribe to our YouTube channel and explore our 1-on-1 mentoring, workshops, and free resources at untappedlearning.com.

🌐 Website: https://untappedlearning.com

📥 Free Downloads: https://untappedlearning.com/resource-type/downloads/

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/untappedlearning

Jen Zobel Bieber is a certified ADHD coach at the Hallowell Center who specializes in helping high-achieving adults with ADHD better understand their brains, reduce shame, and build systems that actually work. Jen graduated as valedictorian from Columbia University, received her coaching certification from NYU, and has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, The Financial Times, and The Today Show for her work helping individuals navigate ADHD, executive function challenges, and performance anxiety.

In this episode, Brandon and Jen explore:

• Why high achievers with ADHD often struggle with imposter syndrome

• How hyperfocus can become both a strength and a liability• Why routines and habits are harder for ADHD brains to maintain

• The connection between executive function, anxiety, and inconsistent performance

• Practical ways to reduce overwhelm and create clarity that leads to action

This conversation is packed with practical insight for students, parents, professionals, and anyone trying to better understand the ADHD brain.

Learn more about Jen and the Hallowell Center: https://drhallowell.com/

Untapped Learning helps students build executive function skills like planning, organization, time management, and self-advocacy through personalized 1-on-1 mentoring and coaching.

Want to learn more about how Untapped Learning helps students build executive function skills?

🌐 Website: https://untappedlearning.com/

📥 FREE downloadable resources: https://untappedlearning.com/resource-type/downloads/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untappedlearning

This podcast is hosted by Brandon Slade, Founder of Untapped Learning.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dave Herz, Founder of Wonder and a leader in young adult transition support with over 25 years of experience working with teens, young adults, and their families.

Dave has been a pioneer in aftercare and wraparound support, founding one of the first non-residential programs for young adults returning home from treatment. His work has helped shape best practices in supporting families through some of the most challenging transitions.

In this conversation, Dave shares how to help young adults rebuild confidence after setbacks, why relationships must come before strategy, and how small wins create the foundation for long-term independence. We also explore the role of executive function in recovery, the connection between ADHD and higher-risk behaviors, and what parents should look for as signs of real progress.

This episode is especially valuable for parents, educators, and professionals supporting students navigating anxiety, executive function challenges, or the transition back from treatment.

Learn more about Dave Herz's work at: https://www.teamwonder.org/dave-herz

Want to learn more about how Untapped Learning helps students (and their families) build executive function skills?

Explore our 1-on-1 mentoring, workshops, and free resources at

🌐 Website: https://untappedlearning.com

📥 Free Downloads: https://untappedlearning.com/resource-type/downloads/

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/untappedlearning

Ryan Palm, Executive Director of the Brad McGarry Center for Neurodiversity at Mercyhurst University, joins the podcast to break down what really happens to students when they transition from high school to college.

Drawing from his work supporting neurodiverse students, Ryan explains why executive function challenges become more visible in college and why planning, organization, and follow-through often break down when structure disappears.

This conversation highlights the gap between intelligence and execution, how colleges are adapting to support neurodiverse learners better, and what students and families need to understand before making the transition.

If your student is heading to college or already struggling to keep up, this episode will give you a clearer lens on what is actually going on and how to better support it.

Learn more about Ryan’s work and the Brad McGarry Center for Neurodiversity:

https://www.mercyhurst.edu/student-services/center-neurodiversityNeurodiversity

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/neurodiversity-and-higher-education/id1846224970

FREE downloadable resources: https://untappedlearning.com/resource-type/downloads/

If you or your student are interested in learning more about what Untapped Learning has to offer, visit us at:

Website: https://untappedlearning.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untappedlearning

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@untappedlearning

Dr. Jennifer Paz Ryan is a licensed clinical psychologist and co-founder of Elevated Insights Assessment, specializing in complex learning profiles and co-occurring conditions across the lifespan.

In this episode, we dive into what happens when challenges like ADHD, anxiety, autism, and learning disabilities show up together and how often they mask one another. Dr. Paz Ryan breaks down why many students are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or only partially supported, and how comprehensive, culturally responsive evaluations can completely change the trajectory for both students and families.

We also explore what “co-occurring conditions” actually mean, why getting the full picture matters more than any single diagnosis, and how parents can better understand what’s really going on beneath the surface.

If you’ve ever felt like your child doesn’t fit neatly into one box or that something is being missed, this conversation will give you clarity, language, and direction.

Learn more about Dr. Jennifer Paz Ryan and her work: https://elevatedinsights.org

FREE downloadable resources: https://untappedlearning.com/resource-type/downloads/

If you or your student are interested in learning more about what Untapped Learning has to offer, visit us at:

Website: https://untappedlearning.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/untappedlearning

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@untappedlearning

Laura Barr is a high-level college consultant and the Founder and CEO of Emerging Consulting, where she helps students and families navigate the college process with clarity, strategy, and purpose.

With a background in student-centered coaching, Laura brings a unique perspective to college planning. Her work is grounded in a simple yet powerful mission: to help raise and launch good humans through the power of education.

In this episode, Laura breaks down how the college application process is about much more than getting accepted. It is one of the first real-world opportunities students have to develop executive function skills like planning, time management, organization, and self-advocacy.

We cover:

🗓️Why the college process should be treated like a long-term project, not a last-minute task

👪How parents can support without overstepping, and when to step back

🎓What students with ADHD and executive function challenges need to succeed in college

🏫How to build independence before stepping onto campus

📃What actually matters when choosing the right college

If you are a parent of a high school student or a student preparing for college, this episode will give you a clearer framework for approaching the process in a way that builds real-life skills, not just outcomes.

Learn more about Laura Barr and her work:

emergingconsulting.com/

[email protected]

If it feels like every conversation with your child turns into a battle, you’re not alone.

In this episode, Brandon sits down with Katie Blakeley, an executive function and parent coach who works closely with neurodiverse students and families, to unpack a pattern many parents find themselves stuck in but don’t know how to name.

You try to help. They resist. You step in more. They shut down or push back even harder.

Katie explains why this cycle happens, how it connects to emotional regulation and executive function, and why the instinct to “fix” often backfires even when it comes from a good place.

This conversation gives parents a clearer way to respond in the moment, reduce conflict at home, and build a stronger connection with their child without lowering expectations.

If your child gets overwhelmed easily, avoids tasks, or reacts strongly when you step in, this episode will help you understand what’s really going on and what to do differently.

Learn more about Katie’s work: https://www.blakeywellness.com/

If this episode resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a parent who needs this perspective.

For more support building executive function skills in students, visit untappedlarning.com or explore more episodes on our channel.

The transition from high school to college is one of the most significant and often underestimated shifts in a student’s life. While many students leave home academically prepared, far fewer are equipped with the executive function skills required to manage their time, advocate for themselves, and navigate the independence that college demands.

In this episode, Brandon sits down with Hannah Bookbinder, academic coach and founder of AcademicAlly, to break down the five pillars of a successful transition to college. With over 25 years of experience working with students, Hannah shares a practical and deeply human framework for helping students build the skills they actually need before they leave home.

This conversation explores what changes when external structure disappears, why so many capable students struggle during their first year, and how parents can support the transition without creating dependence.

You’ll hear insights on:

• The five pillars that support a successful transition to college

• Why time management becomes a challenge without structure

• How students can develop self-advocacy and accountability

• The role of routines, planning, and follow-through in college success

• What parents can do to prepare their child for independence

This episode is especially valuable for students with ADHD or executive function challenges, but the principles apply to any student preparing to take ownership of their academic and personal life.

If your child is approaching college or already feeling overwhelmed by the transition, this conversation will give you a clearer understanding of what they need and how to support them in building it.

This conversation is especially valuable for students with ADHD, executive function challenges, or learning differences, but the principles apply to any student preparing for independence in college.

Learn more about Hannah's work:

https://mytoadapp.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/my-toad-llc-099450368/

https://www.youtube.com/@MyTOADCoach

https://www.facebook.com/mytoadapp

https://www.instagram.com/mytoad_llc/

My TOAD App & Book:

Special Offer for Listeners Use code SLADE10 for a discount on the My TOAD app and book.

• App: Sign up at health.clickmedix.com/toad or download on iOS at ios.mytoadapp.com
• Book (audio or hardcopy): Purchase at mytoadapp.com/shop and enter code SLADE10 at checkout

ADHD isn’t a deficit… it's a different nervous system.

In this conversation, board-certified psychiatrist Dr. William Dodson shares decades of clinical insight on ADHD, Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD), medication optimization, and what he calls the “interest-based nervous system.

We discuss:

• Why importance doesn’t motivate the ADHD brain

• The 5 things that reliably create engagement

• How untreated ADHD damages self-esteem• Why medication alone is never enough

• The power of having one adult who “gets it”

At Untapped Learning, this aligns deeply with our belief that executive function is the foundation. When we stop trying to “fix” students and instead understand how their brain works, everything changes.

Listen to the full episode and rethink ADHD.

Learn more about Dr. Dodson's work here: https://www.dodsonadhdtreatment.com/https://www.additudemag.com/author/william-dodson-m-d/