What is the difference between Educational Therapy and Executive Function Coaching?
Updated: Jul 30
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I recently got this question from a parent seeking to find the right support for her 17-year-old daughter:
I know little about the difference between an educational therapist and a coach… my detailed oriented teen requested an ADHD coach…. Are they similar?
As a former public school special education teacher, turned Educational Therapist (or ET for short), and turned Executive Function Coach (EF Coach), I feel confident explaining the differences and similarities in these professions.
How are EF Coaches and Educational Therapists different?
While both Executive Function Coaches and Educational Therapists aim to improve individual functioning through one-on-one, client-centered approaches, they differ significantly in focus, setting, and qualifications.
Executive Function Coaches concentrate on improving executive skills such as time management and task prioritization and often cater to a broad age range, including adults.
Educational Therapists, on the other hand, focus on academic skills and learning difficulties.
Training and Certification
Educational Therapists generally attend a certification program at an educational institution to become a certified Educational Therapist and are required to maintain professional development hours through organizations like the Association of Educational Therapists (AET).
EF coaches target executive skills like time management and task prioritization, often catering to a broad age range including adults, and may not have gone through the certification process to be an Educational Therapist (I have done both).
There is no specific training program for EF coaches, which is why I actually created the Executive Function Coaching Academy, to provide a comprehensive and clear pathway for teachers and ET's who want to become EF coaches.
Focus
Executive Function Coaches primarily target executive skills like time management and task prioritization, catering mostly to individuals impacted by ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dyscalculia—conditions that significantly affect executive function skills.
Educational Therapists, on the other hand, have a broader focus that encompasses all learning disabilities.
How are EF Coaches and Educational Therapists similar?
Both Executive Function Coaches and Educational Therapists aim to improve individual functioning through skill-building and tailored action plans, focusing particularly on empowering clients in school, work, or personal life.
These professionals usually work one-on-one and adopt client-centered approaches, highlighting the significant overlap between the two roles.
Additionally, both roles often extend their support beyond the individual client, engaging with the family and school team to ensure successful student outcomes.
Conclusion
Despite these similarities, EF coaches and ET's tend to differ in focus, setting, and qualifications; Executive Function Coaches tend to concentrate on skills like time management and task prioritization, serving individuals most affected by ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dyscalculia.
Educational Therapists have a broader academic focus and generally cater to individuals with a wide range of learning disabilities.
If you're looking to help your child overcome academic or organizational challenges but are unsure whether an Executive Function Coach or an Educational Therapist is the right fit, don't hesitate to reach out.
A tailored approach can make all the difference in your child's success, both in and out of the classroom.
Contact us today to discuss your specific needs and explore the best course of action for your child's unique situation. Your child's future is worth it—let's take the first step together.
Hope this helps 🤙🏻
P.S. If you want to work on executive function skills with your students, consider joining hundreds of other educators and parents who have completed my Semester Success Blueprint Course. In less than 2 hours, this comprehensive course will teach you and your student the system I developed to help hundreds of students learn how to manage school effectively and raise their self-awareness and engagement with school.
About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and growing my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.
Want me to speak on executive function skills at your event? Learn more about my speaking topics here.