Staying Organized: How Organization Helps Students Flourish

I put it right here! Oh wait…no…I think it’s there?

For Beth, staying organized was never easy for her. She would remind herself in her head all day to clean out her backpack for the next day, and when she got home to do it, she realized her room needed to be cleaned too. Instead of organizing one and then the other, she tried to do both at the same time. This then caused her to misplace the school stuff in her room before forgetting where she had put it, causing her to rip it apart, undoing whatever organization she had done before.

Beth did this with more than just her room and backpack. She would try to make plans with her friends, causing her to schedule two events in the same day, and with her after school clubs. She would commit to one thing and forget she had already committed to another because she had trouble keeping things organized. This then caused her to be asked less and less to events and other things because people would worry, she would have to cancel last minute like usual. As time went on, Beth felt as if she was becoming more and more isolated, and when she expressed that to her parents, they reached out to the Support for Students growth Center for help.
There, Beth met with a coach weekly to try and avoid having her underdeveloped organizational skills prevent her from enjoying things in her life. She learned different strategies such as utilizing a color-coded planner, timers, and reminders. With these skills and a level of accountability, Beth was able to start taking control of her life again.
Organization is more than just a chore. It helps students be able to focus on multiple things at once without having to worry about what comes next, how much time they have, or where they put something. It can aid them when moving from one task to another, feel confident in initiating that task, and not feel as if they are drowning in all their responsibilities. Being unorganized can cause a lot of stress. They may feel as if suddenly everything is too much all at once, causing them to shut down, fall behind academically, as well as struggle with emotional regulation because they may believe no matter what they do, it is just too overwhelming. This can then not only affect their academics, but their personal and social life.

Frustration, emotional outburst, social isolation and more can all be a result of their poor organization skills because of the stress that comes with it. They may focus so much of their time on trying to figure out how to find what they lost and/or organize a task to be able to complete it properly that they do not have time for themselves or their friends. However, if they can get ahead of this issue, then they will be able to feel not only confident in whatever they are doing but, in their ability, to execute it because they know exactly how and when to do it because they organized that task properly. Keeping a planner, learning a routine, separating homework into different folders, setting reminders, and more are all things students can use and do to stay organized, and at the Support for Students Growth Center, we help teach them these skills and more to ensure they are able to not only get things organized, but keep them that way as well.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to remain organized to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college

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How ADHD and Puberty Affect Behavior and Emotions

I’m just feeling so much all the time…

After his son began puberty, Mr. Johnson realized he was far more emotional dysregulated than he used to be. What once never bothered his son, such as being told to pick his clothes up off the floor, became a screaming match. It now seemed as if his son went from one emotion to another at the drop of a hat. He could be happy and smiling at one moment and throwing things at the next. At first, Mr. Johnson believed it was just his son, Ben, going through puberty like any other child. Emotions are high, which is something almost everyone knows, but after talking to his friend who also had kids Bens ages, he realized the extent to which his son was unable to regulate his emotions was far greater than some others.

Ben has ADHD, which Mr. Johnson didn’t realize could affect his son’s emotional regulation during puberty. Rather, he assumed it only impacted his attention span, when in reality, it was making Ben have a hard time controlling his impulses. He would punch walls, throw things, and just shut down, so Mr. Johnson called the Support for Students growth Center for help.
There, the Ben met with a coach weekly to try and avoid having his underdeveloped emotional regulation skills prevent him from flourishing during this time. He learned different strategies such as utilizing breathing techniques, learning his cues for when has getting upset, knowing how and when to walk away, self-advocate, and more. With these skills and a level of accountability, Ben was able to start taking control of his life again.

Going through puberty is already a lot for adolescents. The hormonal, body, and overall life change is difficult to navigate, and when they have ADHD, it can make this already difficult time even harder to manage. Emotional regulation in specific can become a problem for them. They are learning how to deal with changes, and one of these changes has to do with new social pressures, which can be overwhelming. Not saying mean things to their friends when they are upset, jumping up and walking around in class when they are bored, throwing a tantrum when they don’t get their way, controlling their impulses etc., are all things that can be made difficult when going through puberty.

These issues are also not isolated to school or social settings with peers, but at home too. Exploding in anger when their sibling touches their stuff, emotionally shutting down when dinner isn’t what they want, and throwing a tantrum when being told they can’t go out with friends that weekend are all ways puberty can be affecting an individual with ADHD at home because it makes emotions far more intense. They may also be behind their peers when developing the skills they need to manage them. According to ADDitude Magazine, “The prefrontal cortex, which directs judgment, reasoning, impulse control, emotional regulation, and decision-making, develops more slowly in ADHD brains. This exacerbates regulation issues.” Since those with ADHD may have a harder time regulating during puberty than most others, it is important that they are able to learn and practice regulating their emotions to ensure it doesn’t set them back in life. Age-appropriate regulation skills are important not only for home life, but social, school, and future independent life as well, and the Support for Students Growth Center can provide them with the tools they need in order to manage them.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and  executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to remain organized to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.

Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.
 
 
Paul Mitrani, M. D. (2025, October 25). ADHD and the turbulence of puberty. ADDitude. https://www.additudemag.com/teenage-hormones-puberty-adhd/ 

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Controlling Our Anger

Ugh! But they just make me so mad!

For Lily, controlling her anger was becoming increasingly more difficult as she got older. Now that she was in middle school, she felt as if everything everyone did, no matter how small, made her angry. When at home, if her sibling would come into her room and not leave, she would begin to scream and hit him until he left. At school, if the other kids didn’t want to play her game, she would throw a tantrum until they agreed. No matter what it was, Lily would react in a way that was disproportionate to the situation, and although she felt remorseful after, it would just keep happening. This is when Lilys parents reached out to the Students Growth Center for help.

There, she met with a coach weekly to try and prevent her from exploding every time she was angry because of her underdeveloped emotional regulation skills. She learned different strategies such as breathing techniques, when to walk away, how to identify her anger, and more. With these skills and a level of accountability, Lily was able to start taking control of her life again.
Not being able to control our anger while in school can cause many issues for students. Being isolated from peers, kicked out of school and after school programs (sports, clubs, academics), trouble with siblings, and stress at home are all things that can happen if they are unable to emotionally regulate. Students may react disproportionally to things, not because they are not valid in their emotion, but rather that they are letting their emotions control them. Throwing tantrums, hitting things or others, destroying their rooms, and breaking things are ways that children, teens, and even young adults try to express their emotions because they never developed the skills, they needed to control them.

People get angry. It is simply a part of life. We feel many emotions, some good, some bad, and either way we are expected to be able to manage them. It is no secret that managing anger can be difficult. Stopping yourself from lashing out during a time that you are feeling intense negative emotion can feel impossible, but it is not, and it is important that we do so. Our personal, professional, and overall relationships are affected by how well we can control our anger. If we lashed out every time someone didn’t want to play what we wanted to, didn’t like an idea for a project, or hit and broke things every time we were upset, people would begin to not want to hang around as much. Friends wouldn’t want a friend who always explodes whenever they are angry. Peers do not want to work on projects or other things with someone who verbally attacks them when something doesn’t go their way, and as they get older, if they do not fix these issues, employers will not want to give someone a job who cannot control their anger with their coworkers or customers. According to Science Direct, “Majority (41%) of the adolescents expressed their anger by shouting and fighting.” With such a high percentage, it is important that we ensure our children are capable of handling the anger that may come their way, and at the Support for Students growth Center, we can help teach them the skills they need to do so.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how to control anger to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.
Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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Transitioning Into the New School Year for All Students

Wait…That’s a lot to handle…

       For one young student, starting middle school was a far more of a difficult transition than he had anticipated. Learning how to navigate going from classroom to classroom, new teachers, routine, and people on top of his personal and home life was very stressful. He found he was often more concerned with trying to anticipate what was changing next that he wasn’t paying attention in class. He was too focused on trying to remember where his next class was, and all the new faces that came with each one, which made him anxious. He didn’t like having to transition from teacher to teacher and seeing different kids in every subject to the point his stress caused him to resent his classes all together, and as time went on, he began trying to avoid them.

Rather than adapting to the new teaching styles, making new friends, and learning how to switch classrooms every day, he would walk to the bathroom between periods and wait for class to start before hiding in a stall until class was over. He found that avoiding class all together was easier for him than learning how to transition into his new environment, so he continued to do so for as long as he could. However, once his parents began receiving calls about his absences and failing grades, they asked their son what was going on before realizing he was having difficulty transitioning into middle school. It was a big change for him and was one they didn’t realize he wasn’t prepared for, so they reached out to the Support for Students Growth Center for help.

There, he met with a coach weekly to try and avoid having his underdeveloped transitioning skills prevent him from enjoying his new school. He learned different strategies such as learning how to communicate his struggles, developing a visual calendar he can look at and keep track of, so he knows where and when to be places, as well as practicing transiting at home so he knows what to do when he is in situations in other environments. With these skills and a level of accountability, the boy was able to start taking control of his life again.

Transitioning is an important skill to have because we utilize it every day. It is also something we can do both physically and mentally. Whether it be transitioning from one task to another, or from a home to a school mindset, being able to do so in a way that is quick and efficient will help a lot when we are faced with new or stressful situations. Starting and getting settled into a new school year can be a difficult transition for students, especially those with neurodivergent traits. Going from a summer break mindset where you can play, have less responsibilities, sleep in, etc., to a school one where you now need to study, learn, be to class on time, remember your homework, and more can be difficult. However, it is very important that we do.

If a student is having trouble transitioning into a new school environment, it can affect them in many ways. They may begin to fall behind academically as they struggle with adapting to a new teacher and their way of teaching, and/or new routine if they are starting middle or high school, because they find themselves ‘stuck’ in their old ways. If they preferred one teacher over another, they may begin to avoid the class all together. Transitioning is also important for students to be able to make friends. The anxiety of going to a new school may cloud their ability to make new friends there because they are too worried about all the of new things going on, so they cannot effectively transition into that new environment.

All of these new things all at once can cause students to have trouble adjusting, affecting their ability to effectively learn, socialize, and even manage home life. If they cannot switch between a home or school mindset, they may have a hard time relaxing, making time for themselves and friends, and even do chores and homework. Transitioning is so important, as it helps us feel settled and prepared for the days to come, and without it, students may begin to feel anxiety, exhibit avoidance behaviors by not wanting to attend school, struggle with emotional regulation, and more. Yet, it is important to address transitioning struggles sooner rather than later. The Child Mind Institute states “Kids may not be able to handle the big emotions that can come with transitions. And they might learn that by stalling, they get to avoid the change for a bit longer.” (Martinelli, 2025). To avoid setbacks from stalling and all the other negatives that come along with it, transiting skills need to be at an age-appropriate level, and the Support for Students Growth Center can help them get there.

At the Support for Students Growth Center, we provide social, behavioral, educational, emotional, and  executive functioning skills services children, teens, young adults, and their families, who may be Neurodivergent or not need for a happy and successful life in and out of school settings. Our team of professionals offers individualized and family coaching/counseling and social skills groups to help teach skills such as how transitioning skills to ensure parents do not have to worry that their kids will be unable to make and maintain a functioning independent life on their own. So, if your child is struggling with skills like the ones listed above and much more, the SSGC is equipped with the tools to help.


Click here and call now to schedule your FREE 20-minute individualized screening

Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist who specializes in Autism, ADHD and related disorders. Dr. Nach is the founder of the Support for Students Growth Center and College Life Skills Program where he and his team of professional’s help develop the Emotional Maturity, Executive Functioning, Life Skill and Social Abilities of children, teens, young adults and college students and those high school students preparing for college.

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