EDUCATIONAL THERAPY

Educational Therapy (ET) is not psychotherapy. Rather, ET focuses on developing clients’ autonomy and independence with academic tasks, taking their educational and socio-emotional needs and characteristics into account. ET involves specialized training and ongoing professional development, attention to ethical considerations, and use of an array of evidence-based practices implemented systematically. While typical tutoring focuses on specific academic outcomes, ET additionally emphasizes the client’s development as a capable, confident, independent learner.

ET is an approach I use throughout my practice. My one-on-one sessions with clients resemble high-quality tutoring, but with further attention to the student’s socio-emotional factors that relate to learning. Many students have experienced difficulty in school, and may feel discouraged, frustrated, or “less-than.” This makes ensuring the client’s emotional security particularly important, since that is essential to allow learning, skill development, and academic progress. My approach to ET takes socio-emotional factors, executive function strengths and challenges, and motivational issues into account when working with clients to identify goals, develop strategies, and plan sessions.

I am certified at the professional level by the Association of Educational Therapists, founded in 1981. This means that, in addition to undergoing a credential review and submitting documentation of 1,500 hours of direct clinical service, I have also been supervised by a board-certified educational therapist. As an educational therapist, I work closely with clients’ allied providers, such as psychotherapists or counselors, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, medical professionals, and psychologists. I also work with school staff, often in a coordinating role with respect to parents, teachers, administrators, and other providers. Currently, I am working toward board certification with AET.