Tori Cordiano, Ph.D.

Tori Cordiano, Ph.D. Dr. Tori Cordiano is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the emotional, psychological,

11/13/2025

Just because our adult brains are fully formed doesn’t mean that our executive functions will always show up when they’re needed. Executive functions can be negatively impacted by:

🔹Insufficient sleep
🔹Physical illness
🔹Daily stressors
🔹Anxiety or depression

Consider this your reminder that human brains are not infallible, and adults deserve compassion when they are struggling, too. What supports help you when your executive functioning skills are less robust than you’d like them to be?

11/10/2025

As adults, we use our executive functioning skills all day, every day. When it makes sense to do so, you can name the skill you’re using (such as flexibility), label the feeling that goes alongside it, and model problem-solving in real time for your kids. Bonus - narrating this sometimes helps us regulate our response, making the whole situation a little smoother.

11/07/2025

You might be familiar with working memory- it’s the executive functioning skill responsible for remembering directions and sets of information. But did you know that it has a limit to its capacity? For all of us, but especially for kids and teens, working memory hits a ceiling. Try these ideas to support your child’s working memory- and increase the chances they’ll actually hold on to what you’re saying!

10/30/2025

We may need more executive functioning support during times of stress, but they’re also helpful anytime the routine has changed or something different is helpful! Here are three ideas to consider this Halloween:

🎃 Use “first, then” language to help your child know what to expect over the course of the day (I use this for myself on days when there’s a lot going on or I;m overwhelmed!)
🧹 Use a picture schedule for younger kids to know the order of events and what they can expect
🍫 Practice acceptance - yes, the kids will be up late and they might consume more sugar in one evening than they usually do in an entire week. Accepting this and reminding yourself that bedtimes and mealtimes will get back on track in the following days helps the whole family lean into the fun of Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

I’m a big fan of mantras to help me weather the intensity of my own emotions in situations with my kids. Right now, I’m ...
10/27/2025

I’m a big fan of mantras to help me weather the intensity of my own emotions in situations with my kids. Right now, I’m loving “It’s Not Personal!” - sung (silently, OF COURSE!) to the tune of Olivia Newton John’s “Let’s Get Physical!” in the moments when I feel my own temperature start to rise in an interaction.

What simple mantras do you use to stay grounded? How do you inject humor into the little interactions that might otherwise wear you down?

Thank you for welcoming me back to discuss talking to kids about gun violence and graphic videos. I’m heartbroken that ...
09/13/2025

Thank you for welcoming me back to discuss talking to kids about gun violence and graphic videos. I’m heartbroken that we must cover this so often, but I’m grateful for the chance to prioritize children’s mental health in the conversation. (link in bio)

Executive functioning strategies help the whole family - try these steps today to harness the energy of a new week! → Co...
08/25/2025

Executive functioning strategies help the whole family - try these steps today to harness the energy of a new week!

→ Consider what goal you’re thinking about for your family this week. Maybe you’re focusing on getting to bed a little earlier, eating dinner together most nights, or smoothing out the morning routine - whatever it is, identify your top priority for the week and put your focus there

→ Identify 1-2 actionable steps that you could implement today. Some tips to try: set an alarm 45 minutes before bedtime to wrap up activities and start the bedtime routine. Delegate dinner steps (ask your partner to pick up key ingredients on the way home, or give your school-age child the job of chopping veggies) to keep mealtime moving. Pack up bookbags and fill water bottles the night before to lessen morning stress.

→ Assess your progress on Friday morning. Celebrate the wins (dinner together twice in a busy week deserves a mental high-five!) and strategize around the hiccups. Doing this on Friday morning allows you to use the weekend to make adjustments and to hit the ground running next week!

Play isn’t just for little kids! Children of all ages benefit from playful leisure activities. Playtime will look differ...
08/22/2025

Play isn’t just for little kids! Children of all ages benefit from playful leisure activities. Playtime will look different as kids get older, but these tips apply for children, teens, and adults!

Play is an especially helpful reset at the end of the school week, particularly during the first few weeks of the year.

What type of play does your family love best?

Research makes a strong case for less-structured activities in kids’ daily lives!Comment EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS for a free ...
08/21/2025

Research makes a strong case for less-structured activities in kids’ daily lives!

Comment EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS for a free download with lots of ideas to support executive functioning development in daily life!

Young children who engage in less-structured activities show stronger performance on several measures of executive functioning. Compared to passive activities or highly structured activities, less-structured activities provide lots of opportunities to gain knowledge, strengthen relationships, and practice executive functioning skills in real life!

Research citations in the comments!

In the water hose of back-to-school content you’re probably seeing across your feed, here are a few simple ideas to hold...
08/13/2025

In the water hose of back-to-school content you’re probably seeing across your feed, here are a few simple ideas to hold onto.

I’ll be diving deep on each of these in the coming week, with a roundup in my newsletter - make sure you’re signed up at the link in my bio!

Already dreading the homework battles, fights over bedtime, and harried mornings? Get ahead of the chaos this school yea...
08/07/2025

Already dreading the homework battles, fights over bedtime, and harried mornings? Get ahead of the chaos this school year with my virtual parent course.

Executive Functions: Basics & Beyond is a virtual, self-paced course consisting of brief video modules that pair with an interactive workbook. It’s designed with busy families in mind, with accessible information and practical tips grounded in child and adolescent development and real life situations.

Get lifetime access to the course for less than the cost of one consultation at the link in my bio!

If school supply shopping isn’t usually exactly the joyful experience you hope for with your child, consider this:Offer ...
08/07/2025

If school supply shopping isn’t usually exactly the joyful experience you hope for with your child, consider this:

Offer CHOICE for the supplies that matter to them - usually, these include things like bookbags, lunch boxes, or pencil pouches

Offer EASE (for yourself AND your child) for the supplies they don’t care about choosing - yes, they could choose between three different brands of pencils, but why?!

If hitting Target to knock out the supply list is enjoyable to you and your child, go for it! But if it tends to bring more stress than connection, consider this strategy to make it easier on yourself and find connection in other activities together.

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