CEO of the Brain: Understanding Executive Function in Children

Join our online session on Executive Functions with psychologist Ann Bridgewater of Central Health Medical Partners Child Development Team. Ann will discuss how this self-regulating brain function acts like the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the brain, helping channel a child’s abilities to achieve certain goals.

If your child is aged below 21 and has difficulty with goal-directed behaviour or self-regulation, this talk could be for you:

·  Defining what we mean by executive functions

·  Examining real-life examples of what challenges may look like at home or at school

·  Providing strategies that parents can use to help their school-aged child, depending on age group and environment

Ann Bridgewater

Psychologist, Central Health Medical Partners Child Development Team

Ann grew up in Hong Kong and completed her high school education in the UK before returning to attend university in Hong Kong. Ann received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Hong Kong followed by a degree in Occupational Therapy at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. After practicing Occupational Therapy for over fifteen years specializing in paediatrics, Ann returned to the University of Hong Kong to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Psychology and she then subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in Psychology.

Ann has worked extensively with children, adolescents and their families in hospital, private clinical and school settings. She has experience working with children and adolescents with a wide range of developmental difficulties and disorders individually and within small groups. Ann works with families to address their children’s challenges in areas such as social and communication problems, attentional, emotional or behavioral difficulties. Ann has spoken on the topic of child development to numerous groups of educators and parents, both in Hong Kong and overseas. Ann developed the popular Neurosense programme delivered at Spring Learning in Hong Kong. She provides psycho-educational assessments for children and adolescents.

Ann is an accredited facilitator for Group Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme) and Group Stepping Stones Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme for children with special needs) courses. She is trained to deliver the Sequential Oral Sensory approach to eating difficulties, is certified in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test and does Parent Coordination work. Ann served on the Steering Committee of the Adoptive Families of Hong Kong and is an Honorary Advisor to the Dyslexia Association Hong Kong. Ann is the mother of two daughters and speaks English, Cantonese and Mandarin.