Adult ADHD & Executive Functioning: The 12 Brain-Based Skills for Clinical Intervention

Course overview

Adults with ADHD often know what they need to do but can't seem to make it happen. The issue isn't motivation or intelligence. It's executive functioning: the brain-based skills that govern planning, organization, time management, emotional regulation, and task completion. Understanding how these skills develop, how ADHD disrupts them, and why adults with ADHD struggle particularly with tasks that lack interest, challenge, novelty, or urgency is essential for effective treatment. This 6-hour training introduces the Smart but Scattered model of executive functioning, which identifies 12 brain-based executive skills. Learn how these skills develop across the lifespan, how they are affected by ADHD, and why traditional approaches often fall short. Explore practical, evidence-based strategies for strengthening each executive skill, from mindfulness practice and self-monitoring to environmental modifications and accountability systems. The second half focuses on a coaching model for working with ADHD adults, covering goal-setting principles, SMART goals, and three key intervention strategies: environmental modifications, short-term incentives, and skill enhancement. Cognitive strategies such as mental contrasting, implementation intentions, and process visualization are also introduced as tools for supporting sustained behavior change. Through interactive exercises, case examples, and real-world clinical application, you'll gain practical tools you can use immediately in your practice.