AURA supports kids, teens, and young adults in their executive function development through direct coaching, tutoring, and neurodevelopmental movement and by supporting their parents and schools.

What is Executive Function?

Executive function refers to mental processes that help you set and carry out goals. We use our executive functioning skills to solve problems, make plans and manage emotions. Or, in other words, the "doing" parts of the brain. The good news is that these skills can be learned, honed, and refined throughout life, but there is something special about childhood and adolescence as this time is the developmental window when our neuroplasticity-the brain's ability to reorganize itself- hold's it's greatest potential. Check out the Demystifying Executive Functions & Resource Toolkit, a great overview of what our executive functions are as well as plenty of resources to continue exploring and learning more!

What makes AURA different?

At AURA, everything starts with relationships. We are family here because it isn't hard to see that young people and schools are struggling these days and "it takes a village"' is taken seriously. The pace of life is staggering, the world is full of unknowns, work was paper that now glows back, AI is upon us and no one really knows what that will mean, they often hear college lost it's value...  Maybe the widespread struggles we are seeing with executive function development make sense? 

"We build awareness of ourselves, others, and the world around us to understand who we are, what's important to us, and what that could look like in our future- the kind worth being responsible for creating with intentional action along the way."  ~Paul M. Benton          

Awareness. Understanding. Responsibility. Action.

AURA is an acronym and framework that supports developing, teaching, learning, and utilizing our Executive Functioning Skills in our modern world. It's certainly an in-depth and individualized education in how to use digital calendars and organize notebooks, but it's also far more than that. It's an education on how and why we can become our #1 accommodator and advocator. It's the Hero's Journey of growing up in a world that often outpaces our neurological and biological limits. It's some intention surrounding the relationship with the self and the future self and an agreement on what to get done and how to do it. AURA focuses on the foundations and builds skills upon that. 

Why is it I even want to use a calendar?  What makes me worth keeping up with?

Our motivations and determinations require a "why" and a good look foward to a compelling future. If we can't see that, it makes perfect sense that acting in our exectutive state can be extremely challenging. The sense of self  is where it all begins and how we feel about things truly matters. That's the power of coaching and high quality questions- it all helps put teens in the driver's seat of their own lives with intention and purpose that helps them meet the person worth being responsible for.

AURA is a PHD in YOU!