FAQ


Q: What is Educational Therapy?

A : Educational Therapy offers children (and adults) with learning differences and other learning challenges a wide range of intensive, individualized interventions designed to remediate learning problems. Educational therapy demystifies learning problems and stimulates clients’ awareness of their strengths so they can use those strengths to best advantage to overcome or compensate for areas of weakness. Educational therapists create and implement a treatment plan that utilizes information from a variety of sources including the client’s social, emotional, psychoeducational, and neuropsychological context. (courtesy of AET).

Q: Are your services helpful for those children who have not been diagnosed with a learning difference?

A: Yes, I work with all students who are struggling with various aspects of academic achievement. These areas include all subjects with an emphasis on reading, writing, math to beginning-algebra, and organizational and study skills. Also, I help those who may have low self confidence, and/or low motivation, as a result of unsuccessful efforts and frustrations, in their attempts to attain success.

Q: If the school has assessed our child and reports back that they do not have a "learning disability," yet our child continues to demonstrate frustration and lack of success, in specific areas in the academic setting, does this mean that our child is lazy, or not trying hard enough?

A: Typically, if a student is within the average range of intelligence, and does not show a deficit in a particular area of processing that is affecting their academic achievement, many schools will not consider them eligible for an Individualized Educational Program, or I.E.P. If they do not fit the requirements for a "learning disability" diagnosis, there may be other reasons not within the textbook definition of a learning difference that cause them legitimate frustrations and struggles in the classroom.

Q: Do you attend meetings at the schools with parents? 

A: Yes, I am available to attend meetings with parents. I work closely with parents and with classroom teachers, as needed.

Q: Do you help parents to change the home environment, or teach approaches that they may learn to more effectively support their children?

A: Yes, I am a strong advocate for parents and teach them how to best advocate for their children, at home and in the school environment, while aiming to help parents feel less overwhelmed during this process.

Q: Are children who are diagnosed as having "learning disabilities" less intelligent than other children?

A: No, often these children are highly intelligent with processing deficits or disabilities, such as Dyslexia, ADD, or ADHD.

Q: Do you recommend medication for children with ADHD?

A: There are a number of medical professionals who recommend prescription pharmaceuticals for children usually pediatricians and psychiatrists. I am available for conferencing with these colleagues, in order to give a comprehensive picture of the student involved. Ultimately, this decision is left to parents and the medical professional, but at times, there may be other approaches that are successful as well. I feel my input can be valuable when deciding whether to take this step.

Q: What are some of the educational programs that you use with students?

A: My approach integrates various programs such as: Lindamood Bell strategies for reading writing spelling and math, Orton Gillingham phonetic program for reading, Slingerland strategies, Repeat reading for improved fluency and accuracy, Brain Gym, meditation, stress management, relaxation techniques and other educational programs.