Hey Team,

I remember reading a sentence that changed my brain forever: childhood is the only time we're expected to be good at everything. Think about it. As an adult, you likely engineer your life (at least work life) to avoid things that are more difficult or boring. Don't like chem? Don't become a chemist!

But in childhood, we ask students to be competent in every subject and skill. This is a big demand. Add executive dysfunction to the mix, and it's a wonder our kids and teens keep pushing to attend school!

Executive function needs can manifest as apathy and disengagement (It's safer to break up with school before school breaks up with us, right?)
Students are absent from school at the highest rates in history. And instead of blaming them or assuming they "don't care," we can start to think and act differently. Dr Dennis shows us how on this week's show!

All my love, team!

Sarah

Connect with me!

My book is out in the wild, and it's changing lives! Order Growing Executive Function at ⁠Solution Tree ⁠or on ⁠Amazon⁠.

I'm also training educators and organizations across this beautiful globe, and we're finding improving executive function is game-changing! If that sounds like what your school or organization needs, ⁠reach out⁠! Sarah at sarahkesty.com.

About Our Guest: Dr. Dennis Lefevre has spent more than 30 years helping young people succeed in school, at home, and in the community.

With extensive experience as a General Education Teacher, a Special Education Teacher, an Educational Therapist, a School & Educational Psychologist, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a School- and District-level Administrator, Dr. Dennis has had the opportunity to work in a variety of public, non-public, and private school settings with thousands of preschool, elementary, and secondary students – many facing serious academic, social-emotional, and behavioral challenges.

This comprehensive background has made Dr. Dennis uniquely qualified to provide effective supports to struggling children and adolescents, as well as practical, yet compassionate guidance for their parents and teachers.

Hi, Team!

We're backwards this week, but not in the "hidden message when you play the track backwards" way. Dr Blaise Aguirre, a guest from episode 63, interviews me! After reading my book, Growing Executive Function, the doctor and author of many impactful books explores what he found interesting in my writing. I'm excited to share this side of my life with you, team! And many thanks to Dr Aguirre for his lovely interview!

All my love,

Sarah

PS If you want your very own copy of my book, Growing Executive Function, you can find it here.

And, if you'd like to learn more about Dr Aguirre's work, including his many books, check this out.

Hello my team,

Stress, am I right? It's ever-present, sometimes overwhelming, and something we just can't avoid...but what if we're framing it wrong? This week's guest, Amy Leneker, tells us about her three step framework for functioning differently with stress. She's not here to gaslight us or tell us that stressors are no biggie; instead, she offers accessible ideas to test out in real life.

Having executive function struggles is a valid, stressful experience. I loved having Amy's perspective on how to both honor what you go through and manage the stress in new ways. After you listen, do a new and good check in with your loved ones!

All my love,

Sarah

About Amy:

Amy Leneker is an optimistic, joy-seeking, recovering workaholic. She's also a leadership consultant who has helped over 100,000 leaders and teams – including those at Fortune 100 companies – lead with less stress and more joy. Her soul goal? To help one billion people do the same. With over 25 years of leadership experience – including a decade in the C-suite – Amy understands the soul-crushing toll of burnout because she's lived it. Twice. After surviving her own brush with burnout, Amy became determined to help others succeed without sacrificing their joy, their health, or their weekends. A first-generation college student, Amy earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees while working full-time and later raising a family. She has studied leadership at Yale, neuroscience at the NeuroLeadership Institute, and stress resilience at Harvard Medical School.

In her upcoming book, Cheers to Monday: The Surprisingly Simple Method to Lead and Live with Less Stress and More Joy (Wiley // March 24, 2026), Amy shares a refreshing and science-backed roadmap to break free from burnout. Her signature “Un-Stressing Method” - See, Sort, Solve, Celebrate - is designed to help leaders and teams finally break the cycle of exhaustion, overwhelm, and self-doubt.

PS : My book is out in the wild, and it's changing lives! Order Growing Executive Function at ⁠Solution Tree ⁠or on ⁠Amazon⁠.

I'm training educators and organizations across this beautiful globe, and we're finding improving executive function is game-changing! If that sounds like what your school or organization needs, ⁠reach out⁠! Sarah at sarahkesty.com. #stress, #burnout, #ExecutiveFunciton, #adhd, #autism, #neurodivergent, #Work, #Joy, #relax, #leaders, #managers, #leadership