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Executive Function Brain Trainer Podcast

Executive Function Brain Trainer Podcast

By: Darius Namdaran and Dr Erica Warren
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Summary

 The Executive Function Brain Trainer Podcast, co-hosted by Dr. Erica Warren and Darius Namdaran, is a biweekly exploration into improving executive functions. The series transforms complex brain science into accessible, practical strategies for enhancing cognitive skills. It investigates areas like boosting memory, improving cognitive flexibility, and offers tailored strategies. The podcast also examines lifestyle factors and technology on cognitive performance. Aimed at a diverse audience, from students to professionals, this podcast offers a practical guide for enhancing mental capabilities.Darius Namdaran and Dr Erica Warren Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • # 101: Cognitive Flexibility and AI

    # 101: Cognitive Flexibility and AI
    Apr 7 2026

    In this episode of the Executive Function Brain Trainer Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Dr. Erica Warren explore how AI can support cognitive flexibility as one of the three core components of executive functioning, alongside working memory and inhibitory control. Using metaphors like golf and GPS, they describe cognitive flexibility as adapting goals and perspectives when circumstances change, including managing transitions, emotional regulation, and breaking out of rigid thinking loops. They discuss practical ways to use AI as a process tool and thinking partner; role-playing different perspectives, generating better questions, and refining communication, while warning against overreliance that can weaken skills. They also highlight pitfalls like context window limits and AI sycophancy, plus strategies such as summarizing, restarting threads, and capturing key principles in notes and templates to preserve intent and improve future AI use.
    Links:

    • Executive Function Products and Tools: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training
    • Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/
    • Claude cowork: https://claude.com/product/cowork
    • Chat GPT: https://chatgpt.com/
    • ivvi notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ivvi.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Executive Functioning Coaching Course: ⁠https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies⁠
    • Executive Functioning Resources: ⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training⁠⁠⁠
    • Executive Functioning Assessments:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?type=product&q=EFCA⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Inner Voice:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/inner-voice-app⁠⁠
    • EF Student Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://learningtolearn.biz/⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • EF Adult Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://dropintoyourbestself.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Brought to you by:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ivvi.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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    53 mins
  • #100: Executive Functioning Crisis for Students

    #100: Executive Functioning Crisis for Students
    Apr 6 2026

    In this episode of the Executive Function Braintrainer Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Dr. Erica Warren discuss a growing executive functioning crisis among teens, driven by post-COVID challenges and the shift to inconsistent, multi-platform digital school systems. They describe how varied teacher workflows across tools like Canvas and Google Classroom increase cognitive load, leading students to lose assignments, forget to submit work, and be mislabeled as lazy or careless. The hosts compare this offloading of administrative burden to customer service systems that push work onto users, noting similar stressors for adults and older people. They explore coping strategies such as keeping passwords and step-by-step processes in one place, explicit note-taking, and hand-holding support, while also considering how AI tools could eventually reduce procedural overload, though many students are not allowed to use AI.

    Links:

    • Executive Function Products and Tools: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training
    • Executive Function Coaching and Certification Course: https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies
    • Executive Functioning Coaching Course: ⁠https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies⁠
    • Executive Functioning Resources: ⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training⁠⁠⁠
    • Executive Functioning Assessments:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?type=product&q=EFCA⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Inner Voice:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/inner-voice-app⁠⁠
    • EF Student Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://learningtolearn.biz/⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • EF Adult Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://dropintoyourbestself.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Brought to you by:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ivvi.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • #99: AI is Inevitable. Executive Function is Essential

    #99: AI is Inevitable. Executive Function is Essential
    Mar 3 2026
    In this episode of the Executive Function Braintrainer Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Dr. Erica Warren explore the relationship between AI and executive functioning, arguing that as AI becomes more capable, human value will increasingly center on agency and executive skills, setting goals, choosing missions, and directing resources like a conductor leading an orchestra. Darius shares how his tool ivvi (IVVI.app) uses AI to turn meeting audio into live, interactive mind maps for visual thinkers, and the hosts discuss why explicit instruction in executive function skills is becoming essential for students and workers. They examine practical classroom use of AI through a case example of a student who resists AI but benefits from using NotebookLM to study more efficiently by compiling answers from slides, generating podcasts, mind maps, flashcards, and practice tests, while still learning content. The conversation also considers how future AI agents could support complex real-world tasks, such as parents advocating for children with dyslexia, by tracking education plans, drafting communications, tutoring homework, and supporting routines, and emphasizes that benevolent outcomes depend on how people choose to use these tools. The episode closes with a call for cognitive flexibility and “fatalistic optimism,” framing AI’s growth as inevitable and encouraging listeners to build executive function to navigate and shape what comes next.Links:Optimus: https://www.tesla.com/en_eu/AIAI Agents: https://cloud.google.com/discover/what-are-ai-agents Elon Musk on AGI Timeline, US vs China, Job Markets, Clean Energy & Humanoid Robots | 220: https://youtu.be/RSNuB9pj9P8Executive Functioning Coaching Course: ⁠https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies⁠Executive Functioning Resources: https://goodsensorylearning.com/pages/executive-functioning-resources Executive Functioning Products: ⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training⁠⁠⁠ Executive Functioning Assessments:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?type=product&q=EFCA⁠⁠⁠⁠Inner Voice:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/inner-voice-app⁠⁠EF Student Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://learningtolearn.biz/⁠⁠⁠⁠EF Adult Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://dropintoyourbestself.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠Brought to you by:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ivvi.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 5 mins
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