Treating Executive Functioning Difficulties: Improving Planning

Dr. Judy Gooch, a rehabilitation doctor talks about treating executive functioning difficulties. She gives tips for improving planning. People with a brain injury can have executive functioning difficulties. In another Utah Neuro Rehabilitation KZbin video, Dr. Gooch talks about what is executive functioning.

[@cindy7733]

I have the worst executive functioning skills. I went to med school not once, not twice, but 3 times and didn't finish. I can't hold a job. I lose interest very easily. So distracted. It is quite debilitating. If I don't write a "to do list" I get zero done in a day. The only problem is that when I write a list I end up writing different lists on different pieces of paper and notebooks so everything is everywhere. zero organization. hot mess.

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

Have you ever seen a cognitive therapist for neuropsychologist for tactics to help?

[@sl4983]

@@UtahNeuroRehabilitation How would we see one? It seems most providers are either marriage family therapists, social workers, psychiatrists, or psychologists. How would we see one of those you suggested? Thanks

[@Im1BossyChick]

My darling, I would bet money you have ADD. I recently discovered that my Son has it, which revealed that I have it. All my life I knew something was wrong & I'd Google my issues individually, but nothing jumped out at me. I even thought maybe I was on the autism spectrum but it didn't really fit. When I found out about ADD it was like someone followed me all my life, then wrote a book! I am disorganized, very forgetful, a bad planner & executer, (I make lists & lose them or forget to even look at them - I also make multiple lists for the same things), ALWAYS late, frustrated & overwhelmed by the thought of doing things, & thought I was lazy but it's truly the ADD! Please research it, particularly ADD in Women because so often it's unrecognized as it tends to present differently in men & doesn't have the hyperactivity component of ADHD, which usually signals early on that there's a problem. If you fit the description, it will change your life just knowing what's wrong w/ you & that you're not crazy. It has brought me real peace & now I can get help for my Son & myself. Best of Luck to you. :)

[@cindy7733]

@@Im1BossyChick Oh yes. I know i have ADHD. I used all of the money I had to go to Amen Clinics and was diagnosed with it. It explained so much but I simply cannot afford the supplements that are recommended. And the various types that I have are not treatable with medication. So I need supplements but right now, they just cost too much. They also helped dignose my celiac disease, yet another thing that I"ve had all of my life that went undiagnosed and yes, like ADHD in women, celiac disease is often underdiagnosed. I can relate to what you were saying. After being diagnosed and reading about it, you feel a sense of relief. It explains so much about your life and ongoing battles. I now know why I spent so many hours at the library. I thought it was normal and just my enthusiasm for what I was studying. I also had many days when I would force myself to sit at the library even though my mind was blank and I got nothing done. But I forced myself because I knew I would feel horrible if I was not productive. I'm so glad that you are supportive of your son and that he will get the help that he needs. The struggles with adhd often cause anxiety and depression and low self-esteem so the earlier he gets treated, the better. After my diagnosis my family was not very supportive. One of my sisters accused me of making excuses for how my life turned out. It was recommended that I do hand-eye-coordination activities like air hockey or table tennis to strengthen the neuroconnections in the cerebellum, one area where my ADD (low blood flow) is located. I bought an air hockey table but my family completely made a huge deal about it and said there was no room in the house for it and made me store it in the basement. So...not a lot of support over here. Just trying to do what I can. So I'm happy for your son that you are very supportive! That is incredibly important. Read as much as you can about it. The more you know about it, the better. Dr. Amen books are great. They are designed for people with ADHD, as we tend to lose interest easily.

[@Dancestar1981]

Have you been tested for ADHD or Autism?

[@drivers99]

This series seems great. I didn’t think of practicing the skills and starting simple with them to get better as an option. Going to check out the rest.

[@Screenplaywriter]

Best vid on the subject so far.

[@Daywalker777r]

growing up always made me feel bad how everyone else seemed so normal

[@amyrichter3394]

I love and appreciate your videos very much; especially how you get right down to business without a lot of fanfare and introduction. I will say this: for my students and myself (I am an academic therapist), a planner is almost useless. It shouldn't be...but the amount of times that we have it on hand, in the backpack, think to write in it, or think to look in it, are very few. What is super helpful is a wall calendar in a central location (like a dining room) at home. At dinner, or when you first get home from work/school, write as much down on it as you can. You can read ahead, and even look back. I realize that it means that you won't have it when you need it and you are out of the house? But these days, you can easily take a picture of it with your phone, if you want to carry it with you. A daily handheld planner is a million times better in many ways...but utterly useless if you never think to use it. Many of us with ADD or other EF related disorders don't!

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

That is a fantastic idea. I warrants a video itself. Thank you!!

[@amyrichter3394]

@@UtahNeuroRehabilitation You're very welcome. I'm always trying to gather information to have more ideas and options for my students. I look forward to watching whatever other videos you publish!

[@jojosmom8819]

This is brilliant! I noticed that I constantly by planners and notebooks only for them to collect dust. I keep wall calendars in my kitchen, living room, and my bedroom. I mainly use the one in the kitchen and the others I use for when Im organizing/cleaning and need to look at the to-do list...

[@connie4vikings]

Will you please do more of these simple videos! This was so helpful! I am working among the extremely poor (dealing with toxic stress) overseas and am researching ways to help these students in the classroom.

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

Absolutely!! Thank you.

[@HighTen_Melanie]

This is really helpful and well presented. Thank you.

[@Jobhustler462]

great work

[@sl4983]

Thank you!

[@aquasky1138]

Hey look, I forgot to write it in my planner again. Or maybe I just couldn’t work up the will to initiate that action.

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

Yeah, that can be an issue! I did another video on improving initiation. It will be out on October 6. This is tough stuff.

[@suebassetmom115]

Well done, simple to do and remember, thank you : )!

[@sleepysoobder9615]

do you have a video on task initiation?

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

Not yet, but that is a fabulous idea. I will put one together. Do you have ideas for what helps with task initiation?

[@sleepysoobder9615]

@@UtahNeuroRehabilitation personally i play music i love

[@Dancestar1981]

Not particularly helpful for Neurodiverse community

[@tomtbi]

I struggle with Executive Functioning....

[@gshdb26363]

Hi dr.judy. i have a 10 months daughter with cerebellar hypoplasia with vermis and splenium aplasia. I wanted to ask u that can a neuro rehabilitation specialist help such children to improve cognition. Ur reply would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

Yes, a neuro rehabilitation specialist or cognitive therapist could help.

[@CC-qf6zz]

I want to get better- HOW can i really make a change. No matter how much I try I get SO distracted and dont stick to it.

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

Taking really small steps is important. Set one very small goal per day and work on that. Can you get help from a cognitive therapist or neuropsychologist?

[@Dancestar1981]

So can the conditions Autism and ADHD born with neurological differences

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

This is a complex question. People with autism can have some attentional difficulties like in ADHD.

[@ameliomeister]

What about people with ADHD? It’s not just people with brain injuries.

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

People with ADHD may have executive functioning difficulties. That is not my area of expertise. I am most familiar with brain injury symptoms.

[@Dancestar1981]

Exactly

[@Gandalf_the_quantum_G]

As well as us autistic folks. Well, many of us have adhd/add as well - like me.

[@Madronaxyz]

I have an IQ of 144 but my executive function is only at the third percentile. I was not able to get much out of this video. How can a person such as I make a daily schedule?

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

I will be posting a video shortly on tips for making a daily schedule.

[@bunglejoy3645]

Mental health problemns and autism apart from stroke brain injures can cause executive function issues meals are impossible for me I can't sectioning getting meat and veg and potatoes ready at once can't understand complex letter and go into a meltdown eith my autism if I csnt follow it before I ended up in mental health unit in 2017 used to have to trundle my hoover up street to a friend's when id cleaned filter as I couldn't coordinate putting it back together my gas cooker had a safety device on thatvuou had to hold in for 20 seconds if you let go early and turned your hold of know at ssme time it went out every meal time I was worked up into a frenzy I didn't know then that I'd hot a illness that causes executive functioning ussues I tried to take my life in 2017 and while in hospital learnt I'd hot bpd or uepd as its known and its the complex area of brsin it affects but as our issue isn't an acquired brain injury nobody thinks to give you ideas to help you cope in life I wouldn't or couldn't travel on my own as I'd get in a flumex over how to book a train or how to get a passport let alone book a flight I can come up with ideas that in theory sound great but my brain can't think of the little nuisences then on top of that I've got severe depresdion and GAD all of which can damage among others executive function area and the amygdala and hippacampus

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

Thank you for sharing. I am sorry to hear of your struggles. This is really difficult stuff and I wish we could do more to help.

[@gshdb26363]

I forgot to mention that my daughter have brain malformations by birth.

[@maretenebrarum4293]

in a nutshell: to improve executive functioning, improve executive functioning well, what else to expect out of 6min-long vid

[@UtahNeuroRehabilitation]

Exactly. If you want to improve a task, practice that task. But break it down, practice parts of the task so that you are able to do it.