7 Signs Your Teen Needs EF Support
Our Philosophy
At Great Things Speech & Executive Function, my philosophy is simple: every student is capable of remarkable growth when they are understood, supported, and taught in ways that honor who they are. I love the work I do, and I feel genuinely fortunate to partner with students and families as they build the skills that shape confidence, independence, and lifelong success.
I take a fully neuro‑affirming, strengths‑based approach, recognizing that each learner brings a unique combination of abilities, challenges, interests, and lived experiences. My role is to help students understand their own profiles—what comes naturally, what feels hard, and how to use individualized strategies to move through the world with greater ease and self‑advocacy.
Every service I provide is highly personalized to the student, family, and household. There is no one-size-fits-all plan; instead, we work together to create systems that truly fit the child’s brain, environment, and daily life. Whether we are strengthening organization, planning, time‑management, follow‑through, or communication skills, the goal is always the same: to build independence that lasts.
I know many parents come to me feeling worried that their child is not reaching their full potential. Those fears are real—and they deserve compassion. My commitment is to meet families with warmth, clarity, strategies and support, and to help each student discover that they are capable, resourceful, and wonderfully equipped to grow into their strengths.
Meet the Clinician
Marianne Hartford, M.S., CCC-SLP
Founder / Owner, Great Things! Speech & Executive Function
Since 1999, I’ve had the privilege of supporting children, teens, and young adults as a Speech‑Language Pathologist across public schools, early intervention, and telehealth services. Over the years, one truth has become unmistakably clear: strong executive function skills are the foundation for every other kind of learning. When students struggle with organization, planning, time‑management, or follow‑through, their confidence, academic performance, and daily life can quickly become overwhelming.
I founded Great Things Speech & Executive Function in 2023 after watching my own children navigate gaps in their executive function skills. I saw firsthand how missing systems for tracking assignments, managing materials, planning ahead, and organizing their world affected not only their success in school, but the rhythm and stress level of our entire household. That experience reshaped my professional mission.
Today, I work from a neuro‑affirming, strengths‑based, highly individualized approach. I love helping students understand how their unique brain works, identifying the strengths they can lean into, and build strategies that support areas that feel challenging. My goal is always to increase independence, confidence, and self‑advocacy—skills that will open doors throughout their entire life.
Executive function skills truly are the “magic key” to unlocking your child’s potential. I’m honored to help students and families access those skills with clarity, compassion, and hope.
Free Parent Resource!
Download my free resource for parents; "7 Signs Your Teen Needs Executive Function Support (and not another tutor)" here!!