Coaching

Getting started

After our initial phone call, I’ll have some ideas on what might help and where to start. Then we will need to refine the plan as we progress.

Before the first session, however, I’ll ask you to fill out some checklists and forms to get some more clarity. Right, paperwork… Do I hear you sigh or grumble?  Understandable, if that’s the case.

Filling out forms and paperwork is not my favorite thing to do, either.  So, I’ll try to keep it as easy and as quick as possible, because I realize that, if you’re like most people, time is one of your most precious commodities.

But no child, no family, no situation is quite like another, so we’re going to have to do a little digging if you want me to give you my best –  and if you want to get the best results for your child.

Completing home assessments

Once I’ve reviewed your intake paperwork, I’ll (most likely) send you instructions for your child to complete an Attention, Memory, and Processing test on your computer at home.

CNS Vital Signs (CNSVS) Assessment:

This (approximately) 30-minute test will give me norm (age/sex) referenced neurocognitive data to help us look, objectively, at your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

You’ll have these results for your records and to compare with subsequent tests, if needed, that we do to measure progress.

Test results don’t give the complete picture. We are after life and school performance improvements, but objective data provides anchor points and can help identify reasons for performance gaps and difficulties.

Setting initial goals

Once I’ve compiled the initial data, we can schedule our first coaching session in which we’ll determine some initial goals.

It’s important that both you and your child “buy into” these goals. We need to work as a team.

If your goal is for straight A’s and your child only cares about screen-time privileges or access to sports or social activities, we must build bridges between the two – maybe even make compromises. I’ll review the goals with your child, and we can refine them or change them until we have a plan that “feels good,” is reasonable, worthwhile, and doable.

A significant portion of goal setting and teaching is figuring out the best “next step” toward the desired outcome – keeping that goal in focus, learning to visualize the goal, wanting it, and believing that it’s attainable.

Call me now at 703-303-0751 to arrange a brief consultation to see if we are a good fit.