256. Executive Functioning Hacks with Sarah Lovell

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Today, I’m joined by a special guest, Sarah Lovell—an executive function and ADHD coach who brings so much value for both our work with students and our own professional and personal lives.

Sarah Lovell (she/her) is an executive function & ADHD coach for college students, ambitious professionals, overthinkers, and recovering perfectionists who are tired of feeling stuck and are ready to work with their brains, not against them. 

With 11 years of experience, Sarah helps clients who try tool after tool… only to burn out or blame themselves when nothing sticks. She helps you understand why it’s so hard to get started (even on things you want to do!) and make sustainable changes in a way that feels good. 

Sarah’s background in social work grounds her work in compassionate practices, believing self-talk and self-care are the foundations for executive functioning. Along with 1:1 coaching, she runs a membership, Stuck to Started, that gives you extra support and accountability. She also hosts From Stuck to Started podcast, where she shares realistic, actionable strategies in 20 minutes or less. 

When Sarah isn’t coaching, she enjoys trail walks with her dogs, snuggling up with tea and a good book, and paddleboarding. 

Summer Summit Replay Access

Did you miss Summer Summit? It’s not too late! When you join IMPACT, my monthly membership for school counselors, you’ll get access to all of the Summer Summit session recordings, along with PD hours. Sarah’s session is one you don’t want to miss. She shares how nervous system regulation supports executive functioning and practical tools to apply these strategies in your life and with students.

Sneak Peek: Sarah’s Summer Summit Session

In her session, From Overwhelmed to Organized, Sarah discusses the connection between executive functioning and nervous system regulation:

• When our nervous system is dysregulated, it becomes hard to access our executive functioning tools.
  
  

• Self-talk is a foundation for executive function, but regulation must come first.
  
  

• She walks through tools for both hyperarousal (anxiety, fight/flight) and hypoarousal (low energy, disconnection), including:
  
  

• Breathing and grounding exercises
  
  

• Somatic movement, like balance or tapping
  
  

• Separating planning from action to reduce overwhelm
  
  

A Day in Sarah’s Life

Sarah supports a wide range of adults: college students, women with ADHD, entrepreneurs, and business owners. She holds 1:1 coaching calls, runs a supportive membership, produces podcast content, and handles the daily marketing and admin needs of her business.

Advice for Counselors

• “Self-talk is the foundation!” Whether you're feeling stuck, procrastinating, or overwhelmed, it starts with self-awareness.
  
  

• Understand the difference between procrastination and being stuck.
  
  

• Take a pause, name what you're experiencing, and give yourself credit along the way, not just when you meet the goal.
  
  

Bonus: Free Live Training This July!

School is starting soon, and I’m offering a free live training on how to use a Meet-the-Counselor lesson to connect with students and advocate for your role! You’ll get a PD certificate and a ready-to-use lesson. I’ll be sharing my favorite activity, organization tips, and strategies for using the lesson to build relationships with both students and faculty. Join us July 21 or 22!

Resources Mentioned:

 

• Join IMPACT

• LIVE Free Training

 

Connect with Rachel:

• TpT Store
  
  

• Blog
  
  

• Instagram
  
  

• Facebook Page
  
  

• Facebook Group
  
  

• Pinterest
  
  

• Youtube
  
  

Connect with Sarah:

• Instagram

• Free ADHD Action Plan Private Podcast

• www.executivefunctioningfirst.com 

More About School Counseling Simplified:

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!