StoneWorks, pllc
Coaching For The Exceptional Mind
About
Dr. Jessica Stone, Ph.D., PCC is a credentialed Executive Coach and Clinical Psychologist who helps senior leaders turn insight into sustained behavior change, especially in environments where cognitive load and competing priorities routinely derail follow-through. Her coaching blends practical leadership strategy with applied psychology, with a focus on the exceptional mind: high-capacity, fast-moving leaders and teams who need approaches that hold up in real work conditions.
Jessica is a graduate of the Hudson Institute of Coaching and the editor of Executive Coaching: Perspectives and Practices Across the Field (Wiley, 2026), a practitioner-focused volume bringing together diverse, on-the-ground methods from across the coaching field. Her forthcoming book, Transformative Coaching, is due out in late 2026. She is also the author of many other books, including Mental Health Virtual Reality: The Power of Immersive Worlds (Wiley), and Technology in Mental Health (Routledge).
Packages
Testimonials
I was a bit nervous to work with Jessica because she advertises she works with "exceptional" people, and I'm not sure I fit that category, but my worries were assuaged once we started because she has a down-to-earth, warm style that put me at ease. I wanted coaching because I was feeling unfocused and overwhelmed. Working with Jessica helped me to prioritize and make values-aligned decisions so I could regain my effectiveness. I highly recommend her.
- Janet
Jessica reflected the things I was thinking about and helped me prioritize-especially reflected how much a personal matter was taking my time and energy, she did this without judgment but with enough holding up a mirror to myself that I was able to make a significant shift in the use of my creative and business energy.
- Anonymous - CPO
Jessica was great in our coaching sessions, friendly, open, helping me set priorities and solve the problems that were in a way covering other, more meaningful problems - which in turn I could get access to and work on with her. Thank you!
- Anna
Dr. Stone is a brilliant, insightful, creative, and compassionate human, so all time with and lessons from her are deeply cherished and appreciated. I thoroughly enjoy how she illustrates my thought process to an aesthetically pleasing chart.
- Anonymous - CEO
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you mean by “Exceptional Minds”?
Exceptional Minds are high-capacity thinkers; often fast, deep, and pattern-driven, who can be remarkably effective and still feel chronically overextended, misunderstood, or “out of sync” with standard expectations. Many of my clients are neurodivergent (ADHD, autistic, gifted/2e, etc.), though a label isn’t required.
Who is the best fit for this coaching?
Leaders and high-performing professionals who want to operate with more clarity, consistency, and personal alignment.
Who is not a good fit right now?
If you’re in an acute mental health crisis, actively misusing substances, or need a level of stabilization that coaching can’t provide, therapy and/or medical care is the right first step. Coaching can be appropriate later, or alongside treatment with clear boundaries.
What challenges do clients bring most often?
Decision fatigue, cognitive overload, task initiation and follow-through on complex work, competing priorities, burnout risk, communication friction, “always on” thinking, leadership presence, and navigating high-stakes relationships.
What results can I expect?
What results do you seek? Most clients experience: clearer prioritization, less internal friction, better follow-through, steadier emotional range under pressure, more effective communication, and a work style that fits their brain rather than fights it.
How is your coaching different from standard executive coaching?
I work with the whole person, not just behaviors. We look at how your mind organizes meaning, how stress changes your access to skills, and how to build strategies that match your cognitive style, especially when the stakes are high and the work is complex.
Do you focus on “fixing” neurodivergence?
No. The goal is not conformity. The goal is effectiveness with integrity: leveraging strengths, reducing friction, and building supports that make your success sustainable.
How do you help with follow-through and complex projects?
We identify where projects derail (initiation, sequencing, switching, perfectionism, ambiguity tolerance, competing demands), then design a structure you’ll actually use - simple enough to hold under pressure, strong enough to carry complexity.
Will this feel like accountability coaching?
Not in the “policing” sense. You can expect clarity, honesty, and follow-through support, but always in service of your goals, your values, and how your brain works.
What happens in a typical session?
We focus on what matters most right now. That might include pattern-mapping, decision-making, preparing for a high-stakes conversation, untangling competing priorities, or designing a realistic plan for a complex deliverable.
How often do we meet, and for how long?
Most clients meet weekly. Sessions are typically 60–90 minutes (with options for longer sessions or intensives as needed).
Will I have to “start from scratch” again later with someone new?
Not if you don’t want to. A core part of my work is continuity. When you find the right fit, it helps to have someone who understands your patterns, your strengths, and your pressures over time - so you can drop back in when needed and get traction quickly.
Is there between-session work?
Sometimes. It’s designed to be useful * not busywork * and matched to your bandwidth. Between-session work might include brief reflection, a small experiment, or a tool you can reuse.
Are the coaching sessions in the same physical space or virtual?
Either/Both. Virtual coaching is often ideal for busy leaders and allows continuity regardless of travel. Working in the same physical space can assist with deep-dive intensives.
How is coaching different from therapy?
Coaching is future-focused and goal-oriented—centered on decisions, leadership, capacity, and performance. Therapy treats mental health conditions and is designed for clinical assessment and symptom-focused care.
My coaching approach includes understanding how you interpret events and store patterns of meaning—what I call “file folders.” In coaching, we use that map to reduce friction, improve follow-through, and build strategies that fit your brain and your context—while staying clearly within coaching scope.
My coaching approach includes understanding how you interpret events and store patterns of meaning—what I call “file folders.” In coaching, we use that map to reduce friction, improve follow-through, and build strategies that fit your brain and your context—while staying clearly within coaching scope.
What if anxiety, burnout, or depression are part of the picture?
We can work with these experiences as they relate to performance and sustainability, while staying within coaching scope. If clinical treatment is needed, I’ll recommend appropriate support.
Do you collaborate with therapists or physicians?
With your written consent, I can coordinate with other providers to support alignment, especially when coaching and clinical care are happening in parallel.
Is coaching confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is a core standard.
As applicable, limits are discussed clearly up front (including safety-related exceptions and, when appropriate, organizational sponsorship agreements).
As applicable, limits are discussed clearly up front (including safety-related exceptions and, when appropriate, organizational sponsorship agreements).
How do your fees work?
I work primarily in packages to support momentum and continuity. Fee details are shared after a brief fit conversation so we can align scope with what you actually need.
Can my company pay for coaching?
Yes. I offer invoicing and standard documentation for organizational payment.
Do you offer a chemistry call?
Yes. This is a focused conversation to determine fit, clarify goals, and ensure the coaching approach matches what you’re looking for.
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