Executive Functions: How do they develop and what do we do about it?

CPD courses & points for psychologists in South Africa

South Africa psychologists: Understand executive functions development and identify practical strategies for supporting clients' skill-building in these areas.

About this course in South Africa

Executive functioning shapes learning, behaviour regulation and emotional development, and this course helps South African psychologists and allied professionals understand it in depth. Presenter Maude Le Roux covers the core components, including planning, organisation, inhibition, attention and working memory, and how they develop across the lifespan. She draws on the work of Dr Russell Barkley, Pam Dawson and Dr Richard Guare, then looks at how delays show up in daily life and what clinicians and educators can do to build skills. The course is accredited by the HPCSA for CPD points and encourages an interdisciplinary approach to assessment and intervention.

Executive functioning skills are central to success in learning, behaviour regulation, and emotional development. This engaging professional development session provides a deep dive into the key components of executive functioning—such as planning, organisation, inhibition, attention, and working memory—and how they develop across the lifespan.

Presenter Maude Le Roux draws on the work of leading experts including Dr. Russell Barkley, Pam Dawson, and Dr. Richard Guare, to explore diverse perspectives on executive function. The session also examines how delays or disruptions in executive function manifest in daily life, and what clinicians, educators, and allied professionals can do to support skill-building in these areas.

Designed to foster an interdisciplinary approach, this talk supports practitioners in understanding the unique executive function profiles of their clients and in identifying tailored, developmentally sensitive interventions.

YouTube links:

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:

Understanding ADHD Through an Executive Functioning Lens
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - Part 4. Attachment to the Past and Future vs Present-Moment Awareness and Self-as-Content vs Self-as-Context
Anxiety & Depression in the Neurodivergent Community
Deepening Change in Imago Relationship Therapy
Curatorship, Administratorship & Capacity: Ethical and Legal Considerations in South African Practice
Navigating Food Fights & Family Feuds: A Guide for Families Supporting Eating Disorder Recovery
Safety, Connection and the Autonomic Nervous System: Attachment Theory and Polyvagal Theory
Also available for: Australia · United Kingdom · United States