Jessica McLaren, MSW 

Ms. McLaren is a highly experienced coach who serves as an Executive Functioning Coach, an Academic Coach, and an ADHD coach.

She has worked in the school environment, providing academic coaching as well as interfacing with teachers to help improve students’ academic performance. In her coaching practice, her focus is broader, including coaching for task management, time management, self-care and daily life skills.

Her desire to help others define success and achieve goals in their own way guides her coaching principles.

At Chesapeake, Ms. McLaren provides coaching to:

High School Students, where she works with them to:

• • Find a balance between academics, sports and other after-school activities
  • Learn in-class note-taking skills
  • Develop test-taking skills
  • Learn to talk to teachers about their needs for accommodations
  • Develop daily routines, with an emphasis on adequate sleep
  • Regular parent check-ins, including the student, to discuss their progress

College Students, where her coaching emphasizes:

• • Developing health schedules and routines
  • Learn self-care including good nutrition, exercise and sleep
  • Engage in collaborative problem solving with the coach
  • Developing better study skills
  • Coping with multiple distractions in the college environment
  • Building life-skills

Adults in their 20’s and 30’s

• • Staying on track and on task at work
  • Advocating for their needs at work; working to shape the job to better
  • match their abilities and interests
  • Constructive problem-solving
  • Building life-skills including:
    • Healthy meals/ exercise routines/ healthy sleep cycles
    • Laundry, household cleaning and maintenance
    • Budgeting and finances

Accountability Groups

Ms. McLaren has also facilitated accountability groups for young adults that includes partnering with an accountability buddy to meet with regularly between group sessions to stay on track in meeting their goals.

Because Ms. McLaren is trained as a psychotherapist, she is able to help her clients across a range of issues that may include emotional or interpersonal issues that are blocking their progress in creating a well-functioning and satisfying life.

Education and training:

Ms. McLaren earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Minor in Communications from Marist College and a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University in New York City. She has completed specific courses and trainings in ADHD and Executive Functioning through Jodi Sleeper-Triplett’s JST Coaching and Training.

Ms. McLaren enjoys public speaking and educating individuals on self-advocacy and learning disabilities to elementary aged children, college students, and organizations. In 2019, she spoke at the Learning Disabilities Association of America Annual Conference about the Impact Educators and Parents have on a Successful Transition for Individuals with Learning Disabilities and ADHD.

Areas of Interest Include:

• Scheduling
• Planning
• Executive functioning skills
• Study habits
• Routines
• Organization
• Time management
• Self Advocating
• Balancing life habits
• Motivational Speaking