Strengthening Executive Function Skills to Improve Parent and Child Outcomes

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”

-Chief Seattle

When we think about the kids of parents struggling with addiction it’s important to consider how our treatment interventions can have the most impact on the most amount of people. The schools, for example, have a very large impact for children, parents, and the community. Schools make it possible for parents to work which impacts how the community functions. Schools are also designed to create the safety needed for kids to learn how to develop and practice important core capabilities, like self-control, flexibility, awareness, and focus. Schools run on a predictable schedule with time to play and practice taking turns (inhibitory control), holding directions in their mind before acting (working memory), and changing the way they view things based on new information presented (mental flexibility). Schools can help kids develop protective factors for when their home life is lacking the support needed for healthy development. Schools are available for children to learn core capabilities, but what is the equivalent to schools that help parents who are struggling develop these same core competencies?

Regulating Executive Function

Inhibitory control, working memory, and metal flexibility are all part of our brain’s executive functioning. Executive functioning is in the prefrontal cortex of our brain which is located behind our forehead. This region is critical for self-regulation. Executive functioning helps us plan ahead, set goals, meet goals, and flexibly adapt to what is unfolding in front of us. Executive functioning is connected to several areas of the brain that create an integrated, well-regulated system if practiced enough times in relative safety.

The Effects of Stress

Chronic stress, however, can often interrupt the development of Executive Functioning because the system’s first priority is survival. When the person is experiencing chronic stress their brain/body connection indicates that their system is not safe and they need to fight, run away, or collapse. The brain then begins to practice survival and those networks get strengthen overtime in place of executive functioning and self-regulation networks. When that happens the system’s default is survival instead of a system that operates with self-control, flexibility, awareness, and focus. Parents, like kids in school, need an opportunity to practice executive functioning skills in a location that is safe and reduces chronic stressors like housing, food, connections, economic stability, and access to quality health care.

Family-Based Treatment

Family-based addiction treatment centers become the “school” for parents struggling with addiction. Treatment centers provide a practice ground for parents to start developing and strengthening core capabilities because chronic stressors are reduced enough that their body doesn’t feel the need to default as much to their survival system. A treatment center where parents maintain custody of their children and are supported in having their basic life needs to be met, allows parents to settle into safety enough to learn and practice executive functioning skills. When parents start to have small successes and build on the capabilities they already have, they start strengthening the connections from their prefrontal cortex to the different integrating parts of the brain allowing for the capacity to have bigger successes in the future. Helping parents strengthen executive functioning creates a force multiplier for our community because now their children are reaping the rewards of their parents’ growth which creates a massive positive impact in our communities. The brain can grow throughout the lifespan and one way to make a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of our community is to support and teach parents executive functioning skills.

How Sage Home Will Help

At Sage Home, we aim to support parents in strengthening their executive functioning skills so they can create a safe environment for themselves and their families which will greatly impact the overall wellbeing of our community. May we all come together and recognize the huge impact we can have when we care for and empower parents.

If you or someone you know is seeking treatment for addiction, reach out to Sage Home to find out how we can help.