All Episodes

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss the important final step of the study process, which is the post-exam analysis. In this episode they share how they view this process and what questions they ask and why. They also share a free...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, discuss the importance of prioritizing and acknowledging the small wins for learners. They chat about what micro-wins are and how to find and highlight them for learners and their families. Support us on...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, welcome Dr. Nicole Michaeli, a pediatric psychologist who specializes in comprehensive psychoeducational assessments. In this robust conversation, Dr. Michaeli shares all the differences between an IEP and a...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss apps in this episode of Learn Smarter: the Educational Therapy Podcast. Their take on apps and support mechanisms may be surprising.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET dig into test anxiety–what it is, why it happens and what to do about it.   Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast   How to connect with us:   Join our e-mail list...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET talk about why grades aren’t reflective of knowledge alone and why that is frustrating for learners and parents. They chat about how grading is a lagging metric for parents, learners and clinicians. They also...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss the Foreign Language Requirement for the learners in their practices. They share their ideas and explore alternative but meaningful ways to satisfy this requirement.    Support us on Patreon:...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss the concept of failing forward. They talk about why summer is the perfect chance to prioritize this idea, how to involve parents in the process when appropriate, and the importance of planning for...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET are thrilled to reshare episode 190. The learners that Rachel and Steph work with at Kapp Educational Therapy Group and My Ed Therapist ALL have some emotional response to tasks that they avoid. Rachel and...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET share why learners push back about email and emailing their teachers in general and what to do about it. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast   How to connect with us: Join...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss the many reasons why some learners don’t want educational therapy. They also chat about why a learner’s willingness to participate is actually not a prerequisite to hire an educational therapist....

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET complete their  3-part series where they answer a final round of Frequently Asked Questions. In episode 304, which aired 2 weeks ago, they tackled Digital Age Questions. In episode 305, they tackled parenting...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET continue their  3-part series where they answer a new round of Frequently Asked Questions. In episode 304, which aired last week, they tackled Digital Age Questions. Today they dig into frequently asked...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET begin a 3-part series where they answer a new round of Frequently Asked Questions. In this episode, they tackle Digital Age Questions regarding screen time, productive use of technology, and parent...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET answer this frequently asked parenting question: “What can I do to support my learner in between sessions?” In this episode, Rachel and Stephanie share the 3 questions parents should be asking their learners...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET explore why writing meltdowns occur with learners. They chat about what makes writing difficult to begin with, what can make writing harder and how to understand the learners who struggle with writing. Support...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET revisit their earlier discussions regarding time blindness. Today they discuss what it is and why it matters. They chat about some benefits of time blindness and how one’s sense of time can be improved....

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss why some learners haven’t started thriving yet and how we should be thinking about these learners, their motivations, and their challenges. They also dig into some ideas of what to do about it! Support...

In this re-air of episode 175, Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET continue the conversation from last week and discuss what they do about learners who lie, avoid reality and avoid the truth. They share some tips and tricks they’ve learned along...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET re-air an important episode about the many reasons why learners lie. Be sure to listen next week when they talk about what to do about learners who lie.  Support us on Patreon:...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET are frequently asked by parents, “Do I need an educational therapist or a tutor?”. Today, they answer this question in depth, digging into the nuances of both, the differences, and if it’s more appropriate to...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET share how educational therapists can responsibly and ethically use AI to their advantage. They talk about their initial reaction to AI as well as some ideas of how to use AI to support the work that they’re...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, share their tips and tricks for helping learners to understand themselves from a metacognitive perspective. They discussed metacognition in episode 239 where they went over what it is, why it is important,...

 Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, discuss the very specific avoidance tactics learners use when dealing with a large multi-step project. As they discuss, learners will focus on fluff (style and format) over content because it’s the perfect...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, discuss test anxiety. In this episode they discuss why learners feel anxious, how and why it impacts their ability to perform on a test, and what learners can do to mitigate their test anxiety. Support us on...

 Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET deep dive into note-taking in this re-air of episode 47. They chat about why it is so difficult, the various types of notes that teachers require and several of their favorite strategies. Support us on...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET share their experiences about the top five reasons why learners wait for deadlines. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our e-mail...

 Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, discuss the messy room dilemma that occurs in the vast majority of our teenagers. They get into the whys, hows and whats of the messy room dilemma and talk about how to approach it in a realistic way. ...

Newsflash: there is no such thing as an academic emergency. In this re-air of  episode 90, Rachel & Steph share: what an academic emergency is how parents can respond to an academic emergency strategies for learners to prevent academic emergencies the importance...

Rachel and Steph dig into the fundamental executive functioning skills of test-taking. They share their principles of test-taking for multiple choice, short answers and essays. They also dig into computer testing, a modern post-COVID phenomenon. Other episodes...

We’re back with part two of how to uplevel games. In this episode, we’ll dive a bit deeper into how and why to informally assess learners using games. We also chat about how learners derive self-esteem from game playing and how games can help strengthen metacognition....

Stephanie is the Game Guru. Rachel & Steph go into Steph’s history with games and how she discovered her Game Guru-ness. Steph shares how games are low investment and high return and other reasons she integrates game play in sessions. She breaks down what type of...

As Board Certified Educational Therapists, Rachel and Steph are able to observe trends throughout the year. Today they share what the new school year mentality looks like, why it is important to note, and the role of the educational therapist. Support us on Patreon:...

Today, we’re revisiting an important and timely episode all about SMART goals! Listen in to learn why it’s important to set SMART goals and how to do it. Also, Steph coaches Rachel about an issue with one of her clients. At the end, Rachel ends up shifting what the...

Today, Rachel & Steph re-share how to prepare for going back to school. In this episode, Rachel & Steph talk about how to prevent “academic emergencies” by properly preparing and achievable goal setting. and partnership with your child’s teacher. They talk...

Rachel & Steph chat about how they thought about virtual educational therapy before the pandemic and how the pandemic completely shifted their thinking. They discuss the challenges that online school presented for learners and their families and how virtual...

Rachel and Steph dig into how educational therapy can significantly benefit adults. They share how executive functioning skills challenges don’t end with schooling and how it can impact relationships, jobs, and lives. Support us on Patreon:...

In this special episode, Dr. Jeremy Sharp of The Testing Psychologist podcast shares this conversation he had with Rachel Kapp and Stephanie Pitts. They tackle why learners lie and what to do about it. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast...

Rachel and Steph share how they exit learners out of Educational Therapy. They share their thought processes and questions they ask to determine if learners are ready to mitigate or stop educational therapy.  Support us on Patreon:...

My Ed Therapist’s Laura shares her own learning story and how it has informed her teaching style. She shares her ability to reframe learning disabilities to “super abilities”. She talks about the importance of identifying their superpower and using it for good. She...

Kapp Educational Therapy Group Learning Specialist and future Educational Therapist Nikkia Pannell joins today to share about her career journey. She shares what drew her into the Educational Therapy world and what she likes about the work that we do. She also shares...

Rachel and Stephanie dig into how they feel about whether or not a learner “needs” a diagnosis. They discuss some of the reasons why parents avoid getting a diagnosis, why a diagnosis is NOT an excuse or crutch and how a diagnosis actually preserves a learner’s...

Rachel and Stephanie welcome back Katie Nolan, the Clinical Director of Kapp Educational Therapy Group. Katie breaks down why she loves formal AND informal assessment. She also explains how intentional informal assessments are flexible tools for progress monitoring,...

The learners that Rachel and Steph work with at Kapp Educational Therapy Group and My Ed Therapist ALL have some emotional response to tasks that they avoid. Rachel and Steph dig into this–they talk about what it means, what it looks like, how to figure it out through...

Ever wonder what Rachel and Stephanie think about at moments of transition? In this episode, they discuss what they do with clients at the start of a new semester or school year and share their principles for establishing success.    Learn Smarter Pro is coming back!...

It’s that time of year again! Stephanie shares her favorite games of 2021. If you’re on our email list, you already received her list in a freebie! If you’re not on the Learn Smarter email list, what are you waiting for? Join us on our website ...

Rachel and Steph are giving away their greatest study hack today. They deep dive into the 3 questions every learner should be asking on an ongoing basis, why it’s critical and what to do once your learner has implemented this strategy. Support us on Patreon:...

In this critically important episode, Rachel and Steph go through why every learner needs to learn how to do a proper portal audit. They go through just some of the reasons portals are problematic (scroll back to Episode 123 for more on that) and deep dive into the...

Rachel and Steph answer a frequently asked question they receive from parents in their practice and their Smarties audience: What questions should I be asking my learner’s teacher?  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect...

Rachel and Steph dig into the top 5 reasons why learners procrastinate.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our e-mail list Rachel’s Kapp Educational Therapy Group website Steph’s My Ed...

Rachel and Steph continue the conversation from episode 172: Why Learners Lie and discuss what they do about learners who lie, avoid reality and avoid the truth. They share some tips and tricks they’ve learned along the way that have dramatically helped the learners...

 Rachel and Steph dig into the many reasons why learners lie in today’s episode. Be sure to listen in a few weeks when they talk about what to do about learners who lie.   Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect...

Rachel and Steph dig into what re-entry into in-person school will look like and feel like. They discuss the fears, questions, and adjustments learners, parents, teachers, and educational therapists are experiencing as they navigate a slower re-entry into a...

Rachel & Steph chat again about active studying vs. passive studying. They talk about how flashcarding can be an incredibly useful tool for studying when done properly, thoughtfully and intentionally. They chat about how time spent on “studying” does not correlate...

Pierce Siebers, the sound engineer of Learn Smarter Podcast, joins Rachel and Steph on the podcast to celebrate their third anniversary of the Learn Smarter Podcast. In this wide-ranging conversation, they talk about the origin of educational therapy, how Rachel and...

After 153 episodes, Rachel & Steph still get asked what parents and learners can expect from educational therapy from their practices, Kapp Educational Therapy Group and My Ed Therapist. In this episode, Rachel & Steph dig into what to expect from the...

Rachel and Steph dig into why virtual learning isn’t ALL bad and how it’s benefited some learners and been even harder for others. They talk about the lessons of the pandemic and why starting educational therapy NOW is absolutely the right step for families.  Support...

Rachel and Steph dig into twice exceptionality--what it is, what it means, and how to identify it in your world.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our e-mail list Rachel’s Kapp...

Rachel & Steph discuss the secret to “studying harder”--and the truth may surprise you! They go into what studying harder means, why parents say it, and what effective studying looks like.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast...

Rachel & Steph dig into what self-advocacy truly is and how they cultivate it within their learners. They chat about the importance of people and social skills, why it’s important to understand the teacher’s perspective and point of view and how to use this...

Rachel and Steph dig into the impact that processing speed has on interpersonal relationships. Rachel and Steph review what they mean by processing speed, describe the differences between fast and slow processors, and explore how the gap can be bridged interpersonally...

Today Rachel & Steph go over the framework of questions that parents should ask themselves before they ask their learner to make a change to their systems. They also share a bunch of their pro tips to setting up a successful at-home learning environment. Support...

Rachel & Steph walk Smarties through each month of the year and what educational therapists are thinking each month.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our e-mail list Rachel’s...

Rachel & Steph share one of their favorite strategies: using questions to direct learning. With so many learners out there who avoid reading and writing, this can be an effective tool for increasing engagement through planning, making connections, and clarifying...

Rachel & Steph dig into how they coach parents to explain educational therapy to their kids. Through buy in, metaphors, realistic goals and reasonable expectations, Rachel & Steph share their favorite strategies.  How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join...

Newsflash: there is no such thing as an academic emergency. In this episode, Rachel & Steph share:   what an academic emergency is how parents can respond to an academic emergency strategies for learners to prevent academic emergencies Keeping long-term goals in...

Minimum Viable Product is an important idea that we are “borrowing” from product businesses. In this episode, Rachel & Steph chat about how MVP impacts both sides of the bell curve, how the 5% Challenge can be adapted and how important being imperfect is.   How to...

 In this episode, Rachel & Steph share an idea that has transformed the way they do educational therapy. They chat about what a Living Strategies Document is, how to do it, and why it is so important. How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our e-mail list...

  Rachel & Steph dive into some of their favorite strategies to support slow processors. Tune in to hear their discussion that ranges from talking about a “thinking minute” to previewing to subvocalization and more!   How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join...

: In last week’s episode (episode 82), Rachel and Steph dig into just some of the reasons kids are rigid in their approach. Today, they chat about the skills and strategies they use to support kids who are rigid. They talk about the importance of flexibility,...