Ep 75: Creativity Counts: How Expressive Arts Support ADHD & Executive Functioning (ft. Shayne Swift & Jamal Kirk)

Episode 75

Today we’re wrapping up ADHD Awareness Month with something a little different — and a lot of fun. This episode is all about creativity, self-expression, and the power of play in adulthood. We’re diving into Expressive Arts Coaching - a unique, creative approach that helps people with or without ADHD strengthen their executive function skills through art, creativity, and imagination.

My guest, Shayne Swift, is an Executive Function coach with Beyond Booksmart and she incorporates Expressive Arts Coaching into her practice. She combines her background in education, expertise in executive functioning, and experience and training in creative exploration to help clients unlock insight and self-awareness through the expressive arts. I’m also thrilled to say that we’re also joined by Jamal, one of Shayne’s clients, who shares how this approach helped him communicate more clearly at work, deepen his relationship with his kids, reduce stress, and rediscover confidence in his own strengths. Jamal also shares how his employer invested in him by paying for Executive Function coaching and how his work experience has improved greatly since then.

You’ll also get to experience a hands-on activity with Shayne - a fun, colorful reflection exercise designed to help you explore your current EF skills and challenges and walk away with a way to visually see what skills need attention and what skills you know you can rely on.

So whether you’re following Shayne’s prompts and doodling while you listen, out on a walk, or just taking a well-earned break, this is your reminder that even as adults, we can - and should - make space for fun and creativity. And that AdHD brains, as challenging as they can be, do have some pretty awesome things about them.

Thanks for tuning in! Here are the show notes from today’s episode:

Learn More About Shayne

https://swiftlyfe.com/about/meet-shayne-swift-ms/

Expressive Arts Coaching

https://www.expressiveartworkshops.com/how-to-start-your-own-art-program/expressive-arts-facilitation-training/

https://www.ieata.org/how-to-start-career-expressive-arts/

Creativity and Executive Function Skills

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/strategies-executive-functions-arts-judy-willis

https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1725&context=expressive_theses

Learn More About Our Corporate Executive Function Training

https://www.worksmartcoaching.com/training

Learn More About Our MAP Program