Educational Therapy
Research-informed, personalized learning interventions for exceptional students
As an educational therapist, I apply cutting-edge psychological, educational, and developmental research to create highly individualized educational plans and interventions for neurodivergent students and students with disabilities. I help students and their families identify and pursue educational and developmental goals which empower students throughout their educational journeys, across educational domains. My practice emphasizes executive functioning skills and metacognitive learning, as well as self-advocacy. I empower students to build awareness of their own thought processes and behaviors, encouraging self-motivated growth alongside self-acceptance.
I personally commit to an ongoing, in-depth review of research literature so that I can provide my clients with useful, powerful insights at the cutting edge of education and psychology.
What are metacognitive skills? What are executive functioning skills?
Metacognition is the ability to become aware of your own thinking. Metacognitive skills are skills that you can develop to become aware of how you think, and to develop new ways of thinking.
Executive functioning is the cognitive activity that takes place primarily in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, also known as the “command center” of the brain. Executive functioning skills allow us to intentionally work towards goals. These skills include planning, organizing, decision-making, strategizing, and breaking tasks down into steps.
What does an educational therapy session look like?
The first thing that I like to do with students is develop goals, and develop a plan. Throughout the school year, the student will work with me to track their own progress, learning, and development. In educational therapy, we will often do “big picture” work, such as determining what disability accommodations are helpful, developing self-advocacy skills, and learning about how the brain works. We will also plan together, such as making an action plan for the week, making a study plan for a challenging test, or planning how to tackle an essay writing assignment. Additionally, we will work on whatever assignments are most challenging for the student, and determine what strategies are most helpful for the student when facing certain kinds of tasks. I will often develop custom learning materials to help students remember what strategies work for them, so that in time, they can complete challenging tasks independently and confidently.
What is the difference between a tutor and an educational therapist?
A tutor is someone who is highly knowledgeable about an academic subject area, such as math, chemistry, or history. An educational therapist is someone who has studied psychology and education, and who has experience in education. Educational therapists study educational and psychological research in order to develop solutions for students, especially neurodivergent students and students with learning disabilities.
Tutors are important sources of support when you want to do a deep dive into one particular subject. Educational therapists offer general support to help you develop skills to grow in every academic subject. I often will recommend that my students work with a math tutor, chemistry tutor, etc. while also doing educational therapy with me.
Disability Expertise
ADHD
I understand that ADHD is so much more than “struggling to pay attention.” I love to help students understand the fascinating neuroscience behind ADHD, in a way that is accessible to them. I work with students to build an awareness of how ADHD can affect executive functioning, memory, energy levels, stress levels, and more. I help students to build awareness that their struggles— such as struggles with task initiation, sustaining attention, and staying organized— are valid and come from a real place. Looking to the extensive body of research on ADHD, I help students build a toolbox of strategies that work for them, and I help them to develop their own insights into why some approaches work better for them than others. I encourage students to tap into intrinsic motivation, empowering them to set goals, try new approaches, reflect on what works, and persevere despite challenges.
Autism
Autism is complex, nuanced, and incredibly multifaceted. I approach autism through an affirming lens, emphasizing empowerment and self-determination. While some autism interventions emphasize positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and social compliance, I emphasize self-awareness, executive functioning support, memory support, and self-advocacy. I do not view autism through a deficit or pathological lens. Rather, I see autism as a natural part of neurodiversity, which comes with both challenges and strengths. I help students to build self-awareness, self-regulate, self-advocate, and plan ahead to prevent overwhelm and burnout.
Chronic illness & chronic pain
I have experienced chronic illness and pain since I was a young teenager. I understand that pain and illness can significantly affect learning— affecting memory, attention, executive functions, motivation, and more. Unfortunately, the fields of education and psychology are miles behind when it comes to chronic illness, chronic pain, and learning— there is very little research, and there are very few resources to support chronically ill students with their learning. This is why I have spent years of effort developing strategies to support students with chronic pain and chronic illness.