FAQ

What is the difference between educational therapy and tutoring?

An Educational Therapist (ET) helps the learner to grasp concepts and skills in academic subjects.  ETs are not deterred by poor motivation or resistance because we understand how emotions, learning challenges and negative school experiences can block learning.  We focus on helping the individual to become a hopeful, motivated, and strategic learner with the independent learning habits necessary to succeed academically and beyond.  A tutor narrowly focuses on helping the student acquire specific subject matter content in order to succeed with tests and grades, and this is an essential tool in helping children succeed in their classrooms.  However, an ET takes on the task of going beyond the specific subject matter and helps learners to understand how they learn and how to use strategies to succeed not only in a specific subject, but with competence, perseverance and a willing heart in an academic environment.  An ET seeks to optimize the way the learner experiences learning and the learner’s self-perceptions.

·       An ET is a clinically trained educator who is sensitively attuned to the interplay of emotions, cognition and learning. 

 ·       We are expert at helping clients gain the self-understanding needed to manage their learning challenges.  

·       We are trained for evaluation, remediation and case management.  

·       We are skilled at developing assessment-guided interventions. 

·       We are effective communicators with family, school personnel and other professionals.

·       We belong to an organization that holds us to the highest degree of professionalism through their Code of Ethics.

What does Educational Therapy look like?

When Deborah works with children or adolescents, the individual attention your child will receive will be more effective than what the school system can offer.  Educational therapy provides a comprehensive approach to your child’s needs.  Deborah strives to build a warm, trusting and supportive relationship with the child as well as the parents.  Parents are always encouraged to share their knowledge and observations of their child and participate in the goal-setting for therapy.  Deborah will identify and address the child’s individual learning style, seek out the root causes of the learning difficulty, teach new skills and/or strategies, as well as pay attention to the emotional and social issues which may be interfering with the child’s efforts to learn.  She will offer guidance for school meetings and suggest referrals to other professionals when needed.  Caution:  Educational Therapy is not a quick fix; it takes time to give a struggling learner the tools needed to succeed independently.

Educational therapy is a different kind of intense intervention:  an alliance with student, parents and school to remediate academics, change attitudes, adjust learning environments and communicate needs all for the benefit of your child.

When working with adults, Deborah will work collaboratively with the adult to develop a learning profile, set goals, practice skills and strategies, establish timelines and help sort out the emotional effects stemming from a history of failure and low self-esteem. 

Confidentiality is a very important aspect of all educaional therapy. 

What learning challenges do educational therapists address?

• Reading/Spelling/Writing disability, including dyslexia
• ADD/ADHD
• Asperger’s Disorder or High Functioning Autism
• Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD)
• Executive Function weakness
• Language or Math disability
• Poor motivation
• Underachievers

What are the costs of Educational Therapy?

Deborah’s fee is $75 per hour.  She does not take insurance.  Private educaional therapy is an investment in your future or the future of your child. 

How does Educational Therapy differ from Psychotherapy?  

Educational therapy and psychotherapy are alike and different.

Both educational therapists (ETs) and psychotherapists need a thorough understanding of the psychological processes they might recognize in their clients.  The ET’s goal is to remediate a suspected or identified learning difficulty in individuals, facilitating a readiness to learn taking into account the individual’s emotional response to the experience of failure.  The ET, sensitively acknowledging the individual’s feelings, helps the individual to persevere with learning while building emotional resilience.  Beverly Metcalf, a well-respected ET, wrote,

“Most students we will be working with will have a natural impetus to learn.  It will be readily available for us to tap into that impetus once we design a remedial program that provides a secure environment for learning.”(2000 Metcalf and Metcalf)

The psychotherapist’s goal is to guide, encouraging a client to work through stressful situations which stem from a variety of sources.  An ET recognizes that a client of any age may not possess the intellectual, academic, or executive functioning skills necessary to take the initiative in problem solving, but may require a professional to assist in building an infrastructure which provides insight into the cause and effect embedded in a host of scenarios in daily life.
   
ETs recognize their basic task of remediation and strive to respect their professional boundaries not taking on the work of psychotherapy.  However, ETs and psychotherapists have overlapping approaches and different but complementary aims.  While both the ET and psychotherapist have sensitivity and relationship-building in their toolbox, the ET uses it as a means of directing energy to the learning process, while the psychotherapist seeks to direct the individual’s energies toward self-discovery.  

References

1. Metcalf, B., & Metcalf, A. (2000, Summer). Psychoeducational Perspectives: Educational therapy and psychotherapy: Alike and different, part 1. The Educational Therapist, 21(2).
2. Metcalf, B., & Metcalf, A. (2000, Fall). Psychoeducational Perspectives: Educational therapy and psychotherapy: Alike and different, part 2. The Educational Therapist, 21(3).