Helping your teen build the skills they need to thrive in school and in life.
Missed assignments, last-minute panic, "I swear I turned that in!" These are some of the signs of lagging executive function. The good news? Executive functioning skills can be taught. We coach teens to build the system they need to thrive in school and beyond.
Sound familiar?
They know the material, but still get low grades from missing work.
They swear they studied, but still bombed the test.
Big projects sit untouched until the night before.
Mornings are a scramble, and you can't seem to get out the door without a fight.
Their bedroom is a disaster.
Planners and apps get used for a week, then abandoned.
You've become the reminder system, and it's straining the relationship.
They want to do well, and feel bad when they don't — and it's breaking your heart.
It doesn't have to be like this. Planning, starting, and following through are skills — and skills can be taught.
- University of Michigan
- Lecturer, School of Education
- Teaching recognition
- Two-time Golden Apple Teaching Award nominee
- ThriveEF
- Co-founder and executive-functioning coach
Meet Diane
I've spent nearly twenty years working with teens who struggle with executive function, whether that comes from ADHD, other neurodiversities, or the normal growing pains of adolescence.
What I've learned is that these kids don't need more pressure. They need a few concrete skills, practiced until they stick, and an adult in their corner who isn't also the one enforcing curfew. That's the role a coach plays.
I started Teen Life Skills to do this work one family at a time. ThriveEF is how we're bringing it to more families, with trained coaches and a planning app built on the same methods.
How coaching works
Discovery call
A free 20-minute call with you to talk through what's happening at home and at school.
Meet your teen
Their coach gets to know how they think, what they care about, and where things break down.
Weekly coaching
Short, practical sessions building one skill at a time: planning the week, breaking down projects, getting started.
Practice with PlanArc
Between sessions, your teen uses PlanArc — built by the same coaches — to plan and track work on the calendar they already use.
Coaching builds independence
The goal of coaching is to help your student build the systems and strategies they need to independently manage their time and responsibilities. Here's how that works:
What your teen does
- Sets concrete, achievable goals
- Builds a weekly plan around their real schedule
- Anticipates obstacles and chooses from a toolkit of strategies to handle them
- Reflects each week on what worked and what didn't
- Walks away with a system and toolkit they can manage on their own
What you get
- Regular check-ins with the coach on your teen's progress
- Guidance on how to support without taking over
- Visibility into what your teen is working on, without having to ask
- Fewer power struggles, more peace
- A teen who's building skills they'll carry forward for the rest of their life
Ways to work together
Start with the free guide
Twelve skills every teen needs before leaving home, with simple ways to start building each one this week. You'll also get the ThriveEF newsletter from Diane.
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