Nick's Bio

From Struggle to Strength: My Journey with Executive Dysfunction

This resilience didn't just help me survive; it led me to thrive. As I learned strategies to develop my executive function, I found new ways to approach learning. Tools that helped me organize my thoughts and tasks, time management techniques, and ways to break down large assignments into manageable pieces slowly started to turn the tide in my favor.

My experiences, as painful as they were, became the foundation of my purpose and passion. They propelled me into a career where I could be the support I so desperately needed as a young student. Now, as an educational therapist and executive function skills coach, I am devoted to helping others navigate their difficulties. I strive to be an understanding and supportive presence that recognizes their potential beyond their immediate struggles.

Each child's success story is a reminder of why I embarked on this path. Knowing the depth of that pit makes each step we take upward, no matter how small, a victory worth celebrating. This journey has shown me that out of great struggle can come great strength, and it is this belief that fuels my passion to support and empower every learner who walks through the doors at Mindworks Memphis.

As a student, school felt like an insurmountable challenge rather than a place of learning and growth. Living with executive dysfunction, I found myself grappling daily with the fundamental tasks that seemed to come so easily to my peers. Reading, writing, keeping up with assignments, and performing well on tests were mountains that felt too steep to climb. As the years progressed, each failure seemed to reinforce a narrative I feared was true—I was not smart enough.

In those early years, my confidence plummeted. As I continued to fall behind, the labels assigned to me felt increasingly permanent and damaging. Teachers and peers saw me as “dumb,” and I was placed in lower-level classes, which only deepened the pit of isolation and misunderstanding I found myself in. The lack of tailored support or understanding from teachers left me feeling utterly alone in my academic struggles.

However, a turning point came when I finally found someone who understood what I was going through. This friend and mentor had navigated similar challenges and was able to provide the support and encouragement I desperately needed. Knowing I wasn’t alone changed everything. It was like finding a beacon of light in the darkness. With this support, I began to build the resilience that would transform my approach to learning and life.