Executive Function for All | A Podcast by Untapped Learning

A very Untapped reunion, indeed! 🎓 A few years ago, Connor Splaine was barely keeping his head above water at Virginia Tech. Now he's graduated, working full-time, and studying for his CPA exams. So naturally, we had to get the band back together. For this bonus episode, Untapped coach Nathan Weinberg catches up with his former student (and now good friend!) Connor to talk about everything that's...

Managing ADHD involves more than keeping track of tasks. Overwhelm, frustration, and harsh self-talk can make getting started and following through even harder. In this episode of Executive Function for All, developmental pediatrician and author Dr. Mark Bertin joins Brandon Slade to explore how mindfulness can support emotional regulation, self-compassion, and the everyday work of managing ADHD....

As education becomes more “frictionless”, students are often less challenged, leaving them to struggle when challenges arrive in education, especially at the college level. This discomfort, though, is a learning experience that helps stimulate cognitive flexibility. In this podcast, Natalie Wilcox, Neuroimmunology PhD student at the University of Toronto, and Brandon Slade, Founder of Untapped Lea...

As education becomes more “frictionless”, students are often less challenged, leaving them to struggle when challenges arrive in education, especially at the college level. This discomfort, though, is a learning experience that helps stimulate cognitive flexibility. In this podcast, Natalie Wilcox, Neuroimmunology PhD student at the University of Toronto, and Brandon Slade, Founder of Untapped Lea...

Why do some highly successful students begin struggling as soon as they reach college? David Rabiner, Ph. D., a recently retired Duke University professor, psychologist, and former director of Duke’s Academic Advising Center, joins Brandon Slade to explain why academic success in high school does not always translate into college readiness. They discuss what happens when students lose the structur...

Why can a bright, capable child manage well for years and then suddenly struggle in middle school, high school, or college? Executive function challenges rarely appear out of nowhere. As academic demands increase and outside structure decreases, weaknesses in planning, organization, task initiation, time management, working memory, and emotional regulation can become much more visible. In this epi...

Starting college is a journey like no other; however, it’s often difficult to figure out what that “first step” is going to be, especially for some kids with executive function challenges. Through self-awareness, active learning, prioritization, and organizing a schedule, students can overcome these challenges and achieve ambitious goals. In this podcast, Jack DuFauchard, an incoming student at th...

When discussing homework, why does it suddenly become a fight between students and parents? When discussing a child’s success, it can be anxiety-inducing for both the child and the parent. For parents, it’s much more difficult to identify/resonate with their children when there isn't any proof to back up a child’s progress, while for children, it's difficult when parents get too involved. It creat...

In the earliest stages of school, a lot of changes happen, especially towards a student’s learning, their development, and even their relationship with their family. In this engaging work, Cindy Goldrich, founder of PTS Coaching and ADHD/Executive Function Parent Coach, provides a deeper insight into how students and parents can communicate what needs to be done, without sacrificing effective comm...

Advocating for students is already difficult for many parents, even more so when the student in question has ADHD, Dyslexia, or executive functioning struggles. However, there are processes to help not only advocate, but to keep a good relationship between parents and the students. In this podcast, Jessica Diamond, a professional Special Education Advocate, demonstrates an emphasis on the importan...

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, emoti...

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, wh...

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...

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...

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-throug...

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 st...

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...

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 pus...

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 Bookb...

What if ADHD isn’t a deficit… but a different nervous system? In this powerful 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...

What if executive function skills weren’t taught through worksheets, but through adventure? In this episode, we sit down with Rhina Guzman, executive function coach at Untapped Learning and creator of our Dungeons & Dragons Executive Function Program. Rhina explains how a tabletop role-playing game becomes a powerful tool for building organization, emotional regulation, task initiation, planni...

If your teen says “I have anxiety” before every test, presentation, or big moment… this episode will change how you understand what’s actually happening. Licensed clinical social worker Nick Thompson joins us to unpack the truth about anxiety, performance pressure, and why students shut down under stress. With over 15 years of experience working with adolescents and families in schools, private pr...

Few things are more frustrating than feeling like your brain just won’t hold onto information. You try to follow directions. You lose track halfway through. You ask a question that was just answered. And eventually, you start wondering if something is wrong with you. In this episode of Executive Function for All, Brandon sits down with Andrew Watson — former high school teacher, Harvard M.Ed. in M...

Parenting teenagers often feels like walking a tightrope. You want to support them, but not smother them. You want to help, but not fix everything for them. In this episode of Executive Function for All, we’re joined by Shawna Warner, a parent coach and clinical social worker who specializes in teenage resilience, identity development, and family dynamics. We talk about what happens when a teen’s...

In this episode of EF for All, we’re joined by Ali Schroer, LCSW—a psychotherapist, former classroom teacher, and nationally recognized expert on anxiety and executive functioning. As the founder of Schroer Counseling and Consulting, Ali brings a rare combination of clinical expertise and real-world experience supporting children, teens, families, and high-achieving adults. Ali’s background includ...