All Episodes

302: The Roadblocks of Writing (Educational Therapy Series)

302: The Roadblocks of Writing (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

300: Looking Back and Looking Forward

300: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET welcome fellow educational therapist and their Director of Operations, Katrina Gonzalez, to celebrate their 300th episode. In this episode, Katrina interviews Rachel & Steph about their experiences with...

297: Time Blindness (Educational Therapy Series)

297: Time Blindness (Educational Therapy Series)

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....

293: How to Let Learners Be Uncomfortable (Parenting Series)

293: How to Let Learners Be Uncomfortable (Parenting Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, discuss the way parenting and educational therapy intersect.  For the next 3 episodes, they are chatting about some of the more uncomfortable parts of parenting and how it impacts the work that they do as...

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

Listen for a special holiday message from Rachel and Steph.   Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast   How to connect with us: Join our e-mail list Rachel’s Kapp Educational Therapy Group website Steph’s My Ed Therapist website ...

284: Remembering Your Why (Business Series)

284: Remembering Your Why (Business Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET reminisce about their origin story, why they were attracted to educational therapy and how their friendship influenced their life trajectories. They share why it’s important to remember your “why” and what...

282: Next Level Calendaring (Executive Functioning Series)

282: Next Level Calendaring (Executive Functioning Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss new language around calendaring and how it can magnify the impact of calendaring on the life of learners.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast   How to connect with...

276: Reair: Online Portal Pitfalls (Executive Functioning Series)

276: Reair: Online Portal Pitfalls (Executive Functioning Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET dig into everything online portals in this re-air of episode 123. Online portals have long been a sore subject for educational therapists. They are not perfect systems, but they do have so much potential to...

273: Math Accommodations with Adrianne Meldrum (Math Series)

273: Math Accommodations with Adrianne Meldrum (Math Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET welcome back Adrianne Meldrum, CEO and Founder of Made for Math. Last week she taught us all about multisensory math and this week we’re talking about math accommodations. She breaks down accommodations into...

272: Multisensory Math with Adrianne Meldrum (Math Series)

272: Multisensory Math with Adrianne Meldrum (Math Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, welcome Adrianne Meldrum, CEO of Made for Math, to the podcast. She shares her background and how she came to understanding multisensory math and explains the 5 components of multisensory math. She shares how...

271: Reair: Math and Executive Functioning Woes (Math Series)

271: Reair: Math and Executive Functioning Woes (Math Series)

Rachel & Steph dig into how executive functioning impacts math functioning and ability. They break down executive functioning when it comes to math and talk about frequent challenges of learners who struggle with math because of executive functioning. Support us...

266: Breaking Down an Essay Prompt (Writing Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, discuss how to break down an essay prompt. This is a long overdue topic on the podcast and Rachel and Stephanie explain why essays are so hard for learners and how to guide learners through a multistep...

265: The Importance of Recalibration (Business Practices Series)

265: The Importance of Recalibration (Business Practices Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, discuss the importance of recalibration as a professional. The idea often makes people (particularly women) uncomfortable, but in this episode, Rachel and Stephanie discuss what recalibration is and why it’s...

264: Reair: Feeling Time Part 2 (Executive Functioning Series)

264: Reair: Feeling Time Part 2 (Executive Functioning Series)

 Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET continue the conversation from last week. In this episode they chat about several strategies that work to increase awareness of time. They dig deep into the differences between kids who feel time quickly and...

263: Reair: Feeling Time Part 1 (Executive Functioning Series)

263: Reair: Feeling Time Part 1 (Executive Functioning Series)

All people experience time differently and this could not be more true for learners with different learning profiles. In this re-air, Rachel & Steph dig into why feeling time is SO important and how feeling time differently from peers, parents, teachers and...

260: Learner Avoidance Tactics (Educational Therapy Series)

260: Learner Avoidance Tactics (Educational Therapy Series)

 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...

259: Test Anxiety (Educational Therapy Series)

259: Test Anxiety (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

258: Re-Air: Why You Should Do Educational Therapy Over the Summer

258: Re-Air: Why You Should Do Educational Therapy Over the Summer

Summer is the perfect time to start educational therapy. In this re-air of episode 56, Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET both share their summer plans and why they love starting with new clients over the summer. Also, they chat about some of...

257: Gap Year Specialist Julia Rogers (Professionals Series)

257: Gap Year Specialist Julia Rogers (Professionals Series)

 Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET welcome Julia Rogers, founder of En Route Consulting, which specializes in personalized gap year planning. She shares how gap years have been around a long time even if people weren’t labeling it specifically...

251: Understanding OCD and Anxiety with Natasha Daniels (Part 1)

251: Understanding OCD and Anxiety with Natasha Daniels (Part 1)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET welcome Anxiety Expert and OCD Child Therapist Natasha Daniels to the podcast. They chat about how people misunderstand OCD and what the true definition of OCD is. Natasha digs into the different types of OCD...

250: Reair 47 – Note Taking

250: Reair 47 – Note Taking

 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...

249: Nikki Returns (Client Success Stories)

249: Nikki Returns (Client Success Stories)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET welcome back Nikki, who initially joined us back in 2019 when she was 15 years old. She was Steph’s client at My Ed Therapist and is now a sophomore in college. Nikki shares what it was like to listen to her...

248: Why Systems are Essential (Executive Functioning Series)

248: Why Systems are Essential (Executive Functioning Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss why systems for time, physical space, and digital space are essential for high functioning learners. They discuss why simplicity is a virtue, how systems impact the quality of life for learners, and...

246: Reair 28 – Motivating the Unmotivated

246: Reair 28 – Motivating the Unmotivated

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET do a deep dive on motivation. Hear why they don’t believe any student is ever “lazy” and what language they use instead. Also, they talk about why motivation suddenly stops for students who struggle in school....

244: Productivity Pressure (Business Series)

244: Productivity Pressure (Business Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss the pressure to be productive as business owners and podcasters. They share why they’re talking about this, what led them to some realizations about productivity pressure, how it impacts their quality...

243: Learn Smarter Pro Group Convo

243: Learn Smarter Pro Group Convo

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET invited some of the Fall 2022 cohort of Learn Smarter Pro to talk about the experience. These Pro-sters share how they came to be Smarties and what went into their decision to join Learn Smarter Pro. They...

242: Learn Smarter Pro FAQs

242: Learn Smarter Pro FAQs

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET get asked a lot of questions about Learn Smarter Pro and today they’re answering it for you. Listen in to get your frequently asked questions about Learn Smarter Pro answered! Support us on Patreon:...

240: Happy Holidays

240: Happy Holidays

  Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET quickly check in with a holiday message and preview a bit of what’s to come for 2023. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our...

239: Metacognition (Executive Functioning Series)

239: Metacognition (Executive Functioning Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss a major component of Executive Functioning Skills: metacognition. They share what it is, why it is important, and how to have reflective and reactive conversations to encourage metacognitive awareness....

238: The Messy Room Episode (Educational Therapy Series)

238: The Messy Room Episode (Educational Therapy Series)

 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. ...

237: Self-Care for Educational Therapists (Business Series)

237: Self-Care for Educational Therapists (Business Series)

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, talk through why Educational Therapists, learning specialists and those who “help” need to plan to take care of themselves. What they share about the ONE thing all of us MUST do in order to self-care may...

235: Re-Air: Academic Emergencies (Educational Therapy Series)

235: Re-Air: Academic Emergencies (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

231: Principles of Test-taking (Educational Therapy Series)

231: Principles of Test-taking (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

229: Upleveling Games Part 2 (Educational Therapy Series)

229: Upleveling Games Part 2 (Educational Therapy Series)

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....

228: Upleveling Games Part 1 (Educational Therapy Series)

228: Upleveling Games Part 1 (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

227:  The Start of the Year Mentality (Educational Therapy Series)

227: The Start of the Year Mentality (Educational Therapy Series)

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:...

224: Re-Air: New Year New Goals (Educational Therapy Series)

224: Re-Air: New Year New Goals (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

221: (Revisiting) Back to School (Educational Therapy Series)

221: (Revisiting) Back to School (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

220: ADHD and Girls with Dr. Kathleen Nadeau (Author Series)

220: ADHD and Girls with Dr. Kathleen Nadeau (Author Series)

Dr. Kathleen Nadeau is a clinical psychologist and Director of Chesapeake Center for ADHD, Learning & Behavioral Health as well as author of several books on ADHD and girls. She joins Rachel & Steph to talk about the history and trajectory of ADHD and shares...

219: Permission to Pivot (Business Practices Series)

219: Permission to Pivot (Business Practices Series)

Rachel and Stephanie talk about how important it is to give ourselves permission as clinicians to pivot. They talk about giving yourself permission to pivot with clients, within your business and permission to not have all the answers.  Support us on Patreon:...

200: Our Journey to Board Certification (Podcast Milestone)

200: Our Journey to Board Certification (Podcast Milestone)

Celebrate! Rachel and Steph celebrate 200 episodes of Learn Smarter: the Educational Therapy podcast. They pull back the curtain on what podcasting means to them and how the podcast has informed their role as clinicians and business owners. Also they announce some...

198: Trusting Your Parental Instincts with Laura (Success Stories)

198: Trusting Your Parental Instincts with Laura (Success Stories)

Laura is a parent of one of Stephanie’s clients and she joins Rachel and Stephanie for a discussion about her parenting journey. She shares how hard it has been to get her daughter the help she needed and what brought her family into Educational Therapy. Laura shares...

193: Does My Learner Need a Diagnosis? (Educational Therapy Series)

193: Does My Learner Need a Diagnosis? (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

190: Emotionally Charged Task Avoidance (Educational Therapy Series)

190: Emotionally Charged Task Avoidance (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

189: How to Set the Stage for Success

189: How to Set the Stage for Success

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!...

188: Happy New Year

188: Happy New Year

Rachel & Steph take the time to share a quick message of appreciation and some well wishes for all Smarties. Learn Smarter Pro is coming back! Listen to find out more and join the waitlist here. Ep 134: Learn Smarter Pro Ep 185: Announcements and Updates Support...

187: Steph’s Favorite Games of 2021

187: Steph’s Favorite Games of 2021

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 ...

186: All or Nothing Brain (Executive Function Series)

186: All or Nothing Brain (Executive Function Series)

Understanding the “all or nothing brain” can be critical for learners. Rachel & Steph talk about what an “all or nothing brain” is, how it shows up in learning, school, and life. They discuss real world examples and why it is so important to understand the choices...

185: Announcements and Updates

185: Announcements and Updates

Rachel & Steph share 3 very exciting announcements! Rachel shares BIG NEWS and Rachel & Steph announce some new projects and Patreon updates! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our...

184: Our Greatest Study Hack (Educational Therapy Series)

184: Our Greatest Study Hack (Educational Therapy Series)

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:...

182: The Principles of a Portal Audit (Educational Therapy Series)

182: The Principles of a Portal Audit (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

181: Re-Air: My Kid Isn’t Reading (Reading Series)

181: Re-Air: My Kid Isn’t Reading (Reading Series)

We want all kids to love reading, and that’s why we’re revisiting this important episode this week. Stephanie does a deep dive on how she works with students who find reading challenging. She teaches us about how reading is comprised of two main components (fluency...

179: Classic ADHD: Avoidance and Lies with Annie (Success Stories)

179: Classic ADHD: Avoidance and Lies with Annie (Success Stories)

Rachel and Steph welcome Annie, Rachel’s client from Kapp Educational Therapy Group. Annie impressively deep dives into her own learning profile, thoughtfully talking about her educational therapy journey. In this episode she talks about how her ADHD has impacted her...

176: Why Learners Procrastinate (Educational Therapy Series)

176: Why Learners Procrastinate (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

172: Why Learners Lie (Part 1) (Educational Therapy Series)

172: Why Learners Lie (Part 1) (Educational Therapy Series)

 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...

171: Girl ADHD with Dr. Julie Caplan (Professionals Series)

171: Girl ADHD with Dr. Julie Caplan (Professionals Series)

Dr. Julie Caplan joins Rachel and Stephanie on the podcast to discuss how ADHD manifests differently in boys and girls. Dr. Caplan explains ADHD, how it shows up differently from “traditional ADHD” in girls, and why it often gets missed in girls. She further discusses...

162: Navigating Post-Pandemic (Educational Therapy Series)

162: Navigating Post-Pandemic (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

160: Our #1 Study Hack (Tricks of the Trade Series)

160: Our #1 Study Hack (Tricks of the Trade Series)

Rachel & Steph are giving away their number one study hack! Tune in to hear this easy, simple, and effective strategy that works across ages, grades and subjects! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to connect with us: Join our...

157: Anatomy of the Trigger with Diane Dempster (Parenting Series)

157: Anatomy of the Trigger with Diane Dempster (Parenting Series)

Parenting coach and trainer Diane Dempster of www.impactparents.com joins Rachel & Steph on the podcast to discuss the anatomy of a trigger. She takes us through the stages of triggers (aware, alert, alarm) and discusses how different people have different...

156: Behind the Scenes: 3rd Anniversary Episode

156: Behind the Scenes: 3rd Anniversary Episode

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...

150: How Cultivating Curiosity Transforms Writing (Writing Series)

150: How Cultivating Curiosity Transforms Writing (Writing Series)

Rachel & Steph dig into why cultivating curiosity transforms writing. They discuss why cultivating curiosity removes expectations and misunderstandings about how to answer a writing prompt, allows learners to move forward with a brain dump, and helps them figure...

147: Math and Executive Functioning Woes (Math Series)

147: Math and Executive Functioning Woes (Math Series)

Rachel & Steph dig into how executive functioning impacts math functioning and ability. They break down executive functioning when it comes to math and talk about frequent challenges of learners who struggle with math because of executive functioning. Support us...

145: Auditory Processing with Dr. Bea Braun (Professionals Series)

145: Auditory Processing with Dr. Bea Braun (Professionals Series)

Rachel & Steph welcome audiologist Dr. Bea Braun to the podcast. In this episode, Dr. Braun explains how layered and foundational auditory processing is, the way the brain processes auditory information, how it directly impacts learning (reading, writing, and...

139: Social Emotional Games with Tara Eddy (Professionals Series)

139: Social Emotional Games with Tara Eddy (Professionals Series)

Stomp It Out creator and licensed educational psychologist, Tara Eddy, joins Rachel & Steph today to chat about her new game, Stomp It Out, that is perfect for parents, educators, educational therapists and psychologists. Stomp it Out is designed to promote...

138: Self-Advocacy and Savvy Studenting

138: Self-Advocacy and Savvy Studenting

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...

137: Perfectionism with Julie Skolnick (Professional Series)

137: Perfectionism with Julie Skolnick (Professional Series)

Julie Skolnick joins the podcast today to talk about her areas of expertise: guiding parents, 2E adults and training teachers. She shares so many gems including the importance of finding verbs, responding not reacting, expectations, the interconnectedness of anxiety...

134: Learn Smarter Pro

134: Learn Smarter Pro

Learn Smarter Pro is back! You asked and we’re saying “yes!” Learn Smarter Pro is our 8 week coaching program for learning specialists and ed therapists in private practice who want to learn from the benefit of our experience. Wondering how we built thriving...

132: ADHD Expert Dr. Thomas Brown (Author Series)

132: ADHD Expert Dr. Thomas Brown (Author Series)

Rachel & Steph are THRILLED to welcome ADHD expert Dr. Thomas Brown to the podcast today. Dr. Brown teaches all of us how he defines ADHD, shares several stories that help all of us to understand ADHD and how it works and how we all struggle with executive...

130: The 5 M’s of Talent with Dr. Rishi Sriram (Author Series)

130: The 5 M’s of Talent with Dr. Rishi Sriram (Author Series)

Dr. Rishi Sriram joins Rachel & Steph again on the podcast to discuss the 5 M’s of Talent. He digs into the old question of nature vs. nurture and explains what the research is showing in that age-old debate. He also explores his 5 M’s of Talent which are:...

126: How to Study for a Math Test

126: How to Study for a Math Test

Today, Rachel, our resident math guru, digs into why students don’t think they have to study for math. She also talks about how to create a study plan for math that your learner can follow.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast How to...

125: Learning at Home–Testing Psychologist Interview 2

125: Learning at Home–Testing Psychologist Interview 2

Today, Rachel & Steph are interviewed again by Dr. Jeremy Sharp of The Testing Psychologist podcast. Listen in as they discuss the challenges families are facing during distance learning from an educational therapy perspective. Rachel & Steph chat with Dr....

123: Online Portal Pitfalls (Executive Functioning Series)

123: Online Portal Pitfalls (Executive Functioning Series)

Online portals have long been a sore subject for educational therapists. Online portals are not perfect systems and have so much potential to benefit the life of learners. Today, Rachel & Steph dig into the pitfalls of online portals that parents, teachers, and...

122: Email Management (Executive Functioning Series)

122: Email Management (Executive Functioning Series)

Rachel & Steph feel healthy email habits are more important than ever. Whenever they work with a client, they are all about simplifying systems and increasing free time. Rachel & Steph dig into why healthy email management is so important, what healthy email...

119: Books for Reluctant Readers with Dustin Brady (Author Series)

119: Books for Reluctant Readers with Dustin Brady (Author Series)

Rachel & Steph are huge fans of the books author Dustin Brady has written. Today, he joins us on the podcast to discuss his books and chat about why they are so perfect for reluctant readers. He talks about writing for the 10-year old he used to be and how he...

118: At-Home Learning Environments (Educational Therapy Series)

118: At-Home Learning Environments (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

115: Learning About Learning with Dr Rishi Part 2 (Author Series)

115: Learning About Learning with Dr Rishi Part 2 (Author Series)

Rachel & Steph welcome back Dr. Rishi Sriram from Baylor University to the podcast. In episode 109, Dr. Sriram begins the conversation about “learning how to learn”. That episode is linked in our show notes. In this episode, Dr. Sriram delves more deeply into his...

114: The Educational Therapy Timeline (Educational  Therapy Series)

114: The Educational Therapy Timeline (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

113: Action Plan for a Struggling Reader (on air coaching) Tanya

113: Action Plan for a Struggling Reader (on air coaching) Tanya

Rachel & Steph welcome Tanya onto the pod. Tanya is a mother of two in Washington State. Tanya shares some of the wins she’s had recently with her older daughter. Rachel & Steph also coach her through some questions she’s having about her younger daughter, who...

112: EF Summer Projects (EF series)

112: EF Summer Projects (EF series)

The team’s of Kapp Educational Therapy Group and My Ed Therapist inspired this episode! Nearly every daily activity can be turned into an executive functioning episode. Rachel & Steph dig into all the executive functioning projects they like to do over summer with...

110: Why we can’t Ignore Math Vocabulary (Math Series)

110: Why we can’t Ignore Math Vocabulary (Math Series)

Today Rachel & Steph dig into math vocabulary and how “ignoring” it by omission in the early learning years of learners often is part of the reason learners are so resistant to math as they grow. Rachel coaches today on why it’s so important to think about math...

109: Learning About Learning with Dr. Rishi Sriram (Author Series)

109: Learning About Learning with Dr. Rishi Sriram (Author Series)

Rachel & Steph welcome Dr. Rishi Sriram from Baylor University to the podcast. In this episode, they chat with Dr. Sriram about how learning occurs in the brain, how important and normal forgetting is to learning and the importance of interleaving, spacing and...

108: Feeling Time: Part 2 (Executive Function Series)

108: Feeling Time: Part 2 (Executive Function Series)

Rachel & Steph continue the conversation from episode 104. In this episode, they chat about several strategies that work to increase awareness of time. They dig deep into the differences between kids who feel time quickly and learners who feel time slower. LEARN...

104: Feeling Time: Part 1 (Executive Function Series)

104: Feeling Time: Part 1 (Executive Function Series)

All people experience time differently and this could not be more true for learners with different learning profiles. Rachel & Steph dig into why feeling time is SO important and how feeling time differently from peers, parents, teachers and siblings can create...

103: Youtube Learning with Mr. DeMaio (Author Series)

103: Youtube Learning with Mr. DeMaio (Author Series)

Today was an exciting interview for Rachel & Steph. Both of them have been using Mr. DeMaio’s youtube videos for years. His videos are engaging, fun, interactive, and MEMORABLE. Today, Rachel & Steph interview Mr. DeMaio about how and why he started his...

101: Why Writing is Hard for Elementary Learners (Writing Series)

101: Why Writing is Hard for Elementary Learners (Writing Series)

Writing is one of the most common concerns for families with elementary-aged learners. Today, Rachel & Steph dig into the many reasons it is so difficult and what parents and educators can do to alleviate the burden. Unjournaling Graphic organizer book for...

100: How to Set Up Homework Routines (Executive Functioning Series)

100: How to Set Up Homework Routines (Executive Functioning Series)

Rachel & Steph celebrate 100 episodes!!! As educational therapists, one of the many things Rachel & Steph teach learners is how to set up their workspaces. Today, they bring that coaching to their audience. They chat about which space to use and why, picking...

98: Mia’s Educational Therapy Journey (Student Success Stories)

98: Mia’s Educational Therapy Journey (Student Success Stories)

Last week, we heard from Jacqui, a mom in Rachel’s practice (Kapp Educational Therapy Group in Beverly Hills, CA) about her journey parenting her daughter. Today, we followed up with Jacqui’s daughter, Mia. You’ll hear from Mia what brought her to educational therapy,...

97: Success Stories with Jacqui

97: Success Stories with Jacqui

Rachel & Steph welcome Jacqui to the podcast. Jacqui is a parent in Rachel’s practice, Kapp Educational Therapy Group, in Beverly Hills, CA. She talks about what brought her family to educational therapy and the progress her daughter, Mia, has made. Next week, Mia...

Webinar: How to Make Schooling at Home Work for Your Family

Webinar: How to Make Schooling at Home Work for Your Family

Rachel & Steph hosted their first live webinar on 3/20/2020 to help families respond to self-isolation and schooling at home during the coronavirus pandemic. Today’s podcast is an audio version of Friday’s webinar and in it, you’ll hear Rachel & Steph’s tips...

96: The Simplest Writing Strategy Ever (Writing Series)

96: The Simplest Writing Strategy Ever (Writing Series)

Today, Rachel shares a story about one of her clients and the writing strategy that changed everything for her. Rachel & Steph take the opportunity to catch up with one another and update Smarties on their lives. How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our...

94: The Business of Educational Therapy

94: The Business of Educational Therapy

For the first and only time on the podcast, Rachel & Steph dig into the challenges of having their own educational therapy practice. They chat about the fears, mindset, isolation, lack of business training, and other challenges they have faced in private practice....

93: IEP 101 with Attorney Grace Clark (Local Professional Series)

93: IEP 101 with Attorney Grace Clark (Local Professional Series)

For the first time, Rachel & Steph welcome attorney Grace Clark. Grace leads them through a fascinating conversation about what the education laws are, IEP vs. 504 plans, and what parents can expect (from deadlines to interventions to goals to collaboration). She...

92: Plagued by the Burden of Potential (Parenting Series)

92: Plagued by the Burden of Potential (Parenting Series)

Educational therapy can be magical in that it allows students to tap into their potential. Often times, the potential parents and teachers see in a learner is a heavy burden and source of conflict in family homes. In today’s episode, Rachel & Steph talk about...

90: Academic Emergencies (Educational Therapy Series)

90: Academic Emergencies (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

89: Minimum Viable Product (Educational Therapy Series)

89: Minimum Viable Product (Educational Therapy Series)

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...

88: Pick Progress over Perfection (Parenting Series)

88: Pick Progress over Perfection (Parenting Series)

Picking progress over perfection is an incredibly challenging but an important part of the work educational therapists do. In this episode, Rachel & Steph chat about why we shouldn’t focus on perfection, why and how to focus on progress.  How to connect with us:...

86: The Testing Psychologist Interview

86: The Testing Psychologist Interview

This is a very special episode that was jointly produced by The Testing Psychologist and Learn Smarter: the Educational Therapy podcast. Tune in to hear Rachel & Steph be interviewed by Dr. Jeremy Sharp discuss all things educational therapy. Dr. Sharp, Rachel...

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!

We both wanted to take a minute and thank you for listening to our podcast.  We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season.   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...

84: How to Support Slow Processors (Educational Therapy Series)

84: How to Support Slow Processors (Educational Therapy Series)

  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...

83: How To Help Kids who are Rigid (Educational Therapy Series)

83: How To Help Kids who are Rigid (Educational Therapy Series)

: 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,...

82: Understanding Kids who are Rigid (Educational Therapy Series)

Happy Thanksgiving, Smarties! Rachel & Steph dig into one of their most requested topics today--kids who are rigid. They chat about how often this comes up for them in their practices and why some kids are rigid. They chat about the ways rigidity can show up in...

80: Steph’s Favorite Middle/High School Math Games (Math Series)

80: Steph’s Favorite Middle/High School Math Games (Math Series)

Today’s episode is a complimentary episode to episode 64. Steph, the game guru, shares her favorite middle and high school math games. Steph breaks them all down, explains why she loves them and how she differentiates each game for each learner. Here's the links to...

78: How to Calendar like a Pro (Executive Function Series)

78: How to Calendar like a Pro (Executive Function Series)

Today, Rachel & Steph dive back into a favorite topic at Learn Smarter: calendaring! They give an update on Rachel’s calendaring experiment and talk about the goals of a calendar. Then they share their favorite pro-tips for Google Calendar (their calendar of...

77: Autism with Dr. Albert Knapp (Local Professionals Series)

77: Autism with Dr. Albert Knapp (Local Professionals Series)

Rachel & Steph welcome Autism expert Dr. Albert Knapp to the podcast. Dr. Knapp talks about the changes to the DSM recently. They chat about the shame associated with the diagnosis.  Dr. Knapp talks about the differences in diagnoses between boys and girls and...

76: Thinking About Thinking (Educational Therapy Series)

76: Thinking About Thinking (Educational Therapy Series)

Rachel & Steph tackle metacognition today! Metacognition or “thinking about thinking” is critical to the success of educational therapy. Rachel & Steph talk about what metacognition means for educational therapists and why it’s important. They dive into how to...

75: Being on the Same Team with Ezra Werb (Author Series)

75: Being on the Same Team with Ezra Werb (Author Series)

Rachel & Steph are thrilled to welcome the first member of their cohort onto their podcast, Ezra Werb. The three of them met in graduate school when they were becoming educational therapists. Ezra is the author of a new book titled “Teach for Attention”. They chat...

74: How to Increase Reading Comprehension (Reading Series)

74: How to Increase Reading Comprehension (Reading Series)

In this follow up episode, Rachel and Steph dig deeper into how to increase reading comprehension with their learners. This episode is a partner episode to episode 71 where they dig into the biggest secret of reading comprehension. In this episode, Rachel and Steph...

73:  A Parenting Evolution with Karen (Student Success Stories)

73: A Parenting Evolution with Karen (Student Success Stories)

In this episode of the Student Success Stories series, Steph introduces us to Karen, who is a parent in her practice, My Ed Therapist in Redondo Beach, CA. Karen shares her parenting journey, what brought her family to educational therapy, and the important...

72: P.O.P. Academy (Executive Function Series)

72: P.O.P. Academy (Executive Function Series)

Rachel & Steph are excited to announce P.O.P. Academy. This new program is the newest launch from Kapp Educational Therapy Group and My Ed Therapist. Rachel & Steph discuss how and why this program came about and the impact that it will have on the lives of...

71: The Secret to Increasing Reading Comprehension (Reading Series)

71: The Secret to Increasing Reading Comprehension (Reading Series)

Rachel & Steph dive into what they think is one of the biggest secrets to increasing reading comprehension. They chat about how to use books effectively and how to prepare in advance FOR reading. They also discuss that it is important to mitigate expectations of...

68: Back to School

68: Back to School

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

67: Psychiatrist Dr. Elisa Newman (Local Professionals Series)

67: Psychiatrist Dr. Elisa Newman (Local Professionals Series)

Today, Rachel and Steph  are fortunate to welcome Psychiatrist Dr. Elisa Newman to the podcast. We’ll let her explain her credentials but we were excited to have her come on and have this in depth conversation about medication and the emotional impact of a diagnosis....

66: Strategies for the Writing Process (Writing Series)

66: Strategies for the Writing Process (Writing Series)

So many of the learners Rachel & Steph work with struggle with getting started with writing. In this episode, Rachel & Steph discuss why getting started is so hard and share many strategies that they use in their sessions with their clients. They also share...

65: Screen Time with Dr. Joe Dilley (Author Series)

65: Screen Time with Dr. Joe Dilley (Author Series)

Today, Rachel and Steph welcome Dr. Joe Dilley, a clinical psychologist in Pasadena, CA, who authored The Game is Playing Your Kid. In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore boundaries and limit-setting in the context of the modern age. Dr. Dilley explains his...

64: Steph’s Favorite Math Apps & Games for Elementary (Math Series)

64: Steph’s Favorite Math Apps & Games for Elementary (Math Series)

Today, our game guru, Steph, gives us several of her favorite math games and apps. In this episode, she explains when, why, and how she uses each game. Rachel also chimes in with how she uses certain games and it’s always fun to hear how Rachel and Steph use games...

63: Slow Processing Speed with Dr. Ellen Braaten (Author Series)

63: Slow Processing Speed with Dr. Ellen Braaten (Author Series)

Dr. Ellen Braaten is a leading expert on processing speeds and today she joins Rachel & Steph to have a wide-ranging conversation about what processing speed is and how it impacts daily functioning. Her book Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up further explains what...

62: Manager vs. Consultant (Parenting Series)

62: Manager vs. Consultant (Parenting Series)

What’s the difference between managing your student versus consulting with your student? In this episode, Rachel & Steph talk about this parenting framework and how it impacts educational therapy. Rachel & Steph spend quite a bit of time in their private...

59: Communication & Limiting Beliefs with Rachel Madel

59: Communication & Limiting Beliefs with Rachel Madel

Rachel & Steph are thrilled to welcome longtime Smartie and their dear friend, Rachel Madel to the podcast. Rachel is a Speech-Language Pathologist with a practice in Los Angeles. She is a communication expert and today she shares her expertise with. Rachel...

58: Top 5 Reasons Learners Don’t Want to Make Changes

58: Top 5 Reasons Learners Don’t Want to Make Changes

Rachel & Steph have a conversation about resistance from learners and how difficult change can be for some of their clients. Push back forces Educational Therapists to be creative, flexible and intentional. Today, we share the framework for how we know when to...

56: Why You Should Do Educational Therapy Over the Summer

56: Why You Should Do Educational Therapy Over the Summer

Summer is the perfect time to start educational therapy. Today, Rachel & Steph both share their summer plans and why they love starting with new clients over the summer. Also, they chat about some of the great and creative ways educational therapy can be done over...

55: How to Think Small to Get Big Wins with Jenny Crandall

55: How to Think Small to Get Big Wins with Jenny Crandall

On today’s episode, we welcome Jenny Crandall in Idaho! Jenny shares her family’s story as they navigate her son’s Carson’s struggle with school and ultimate decision to homeschool. She talks about the benefits of having flexibility in Carson’s schedule and taking the...

54: One Year of Podcasting

54: One Year of Podcasting

Happy podcastaversary, Smarties! Cory Zacker, who is a longtime Smartie, interviews Rachel & Steph today to mark their first year of podcasting anniversary. Rachel & Steph pull back the curtain on the origins of Learn Smarter and how it gets produced each week...

53: Alex’s Educational Therapy Journey

53: Alex’s Educational Therapy Journey

Today, we welcome a graduate of Rachel’s from Kapp Educational Therapy Group, Alex. Alex worked with Rachel for a little less than 2 years and you’re about to be wildly impressed by Alex’s own explanation of his academic journey and the skills and strategies he still...

52: Anxiety with Dr. Deanie Eichenstein

52: Anxiety with Dr. Deanie Eichenstein

We love Dr. Deanie over here at Learn Smarter Podcast! Today, Dr. Deanie shares her insights into how anxiety impacts the learners that Rachel & Steph work with. One of Dr. Deanie’s superpowers is to take complex issues and simplify them so we can understand how...

50: ADHD Expert Dr. Thomas Brown

50: ADHD Expert Dr. Thomas Brown

Rachel & Steph are THRILLED to welcome ADHD expert Dr. Thomas Brown to the podcast today. Dr. Brown teaches all of us how he defines ADHD, shares several stories that help all of us to understand ADHD and how it works and how we all struggle with executive...

49: What To Do When Grades Suddenly Plummet

49: What To Do When Grades Suddenly Plummet

Learners are constantly calibrating in educational therapy. We try sometimes, we see if it works and we adjust from there. Today, Rachel & Steph talk about why backsliding happens, how normal and functionally important it is to the educational therapy process and...

48: Success Story with Kathryn Schnabel AKA Milkshake Girl’s Mom

48: Success Story with Kathryn Schnabel AKA Milkshake Girl’s Mom

What an exciting day at Learn Smarter Podcast! Today, you’ll get to meet Milkshake Girl’s mom! She joins us to discuss the academic journey of her daughter, Erin (aka Milkshake Girl). Baby steps are important for this family and having another adult (Steph) to partner...

47: Note Taking

47: Note Taking

In this episode, Rachel & Steph deep dive into note-taking. They chat about why it is so difficult, the various types of notes that teachers require and several of their favorite strategies. How to connect with us: Join our FB Group Join our e-mail list Rachel’s...

46: Dispelling the Stigma of Educational Therapy with Ari Sokolov

46: Dispelling the Stigma of Educational Therapy with Ari Sokolov

Today you’ll meet Ari Sokolov, who is a former client of Rachel’s in Kapp Educational Therapy Group. Ari shares her educational journey today and you’ll be incredibly impressed by her admirable growth mindset. She’s impressive, articulate, generous and VERY tech...

45: Word Problems

45: Word Problems

Word problems are HATED by a lot of the students we serve in educational therapy. Today, our resident math guru, Rachel, teaches all of us why word problems create such resistance in our learners. She also guides us on how to approach and solve word problems mindfully...

43: Why Spelling Doesn’t Matter as Much as You Think

43: Why Spelling Doesn’t Matter as Much as You Think

Rachel & Steph help shape the conversation about spelling. Spelling is hard and it’s also a weakness that parents readily notice. In this episode Rachel & Steph discuss why spelling is so hard for some learners and delve into a discussion about what matters...

42: How to Always Have a Backup Plan

42: How to Always Have a Backup Plan

Plan for the best, expect the worst. In educational therapy, Rachel & Steph teach “academic insurance policies” and build in redundancies so student’s know how to rebound when a plan doesn’t work out the way it was supposed to. Rachel & Steph share 5 of their...

41: The One Thing We Wish Learners Wouldn’t Do

41: The One Thing We Wish Learners Wouldn’t Do

In this episode, Rachel & Steph talk about the one thing they wish all learners would stop doing: LATE WORK. Rachel & Steph talk about why late work happens, why it’s such a problem. They explain all the different steps that a student has to go through to...

39: Growth Mindset

39: Growth Mindset

Struggling learners are very emotionally vulnerable. Rachel & Steph dive into the mindset of struggling learners and examine the differences between a growth mindset and fixed mindset. Mindset is critical to student success and they discuss how educational therapy...

38: How to Set SMART Goals

38: How to Set SMART Goals

Rachel & Steph bring you SMART goals today! 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 SMART goal acronym means to help...

37: How Educational Therapy Works

37: How Educational Therapy Works

Today, Rachel and Steph introduce to you the 3 phases that our clients experience when they work with us. This episode explains how educational therapy works in the real world. Educational therapy is a long-term play. This framework highlights the ABC’s of the...

35: (Best of) ADHD and Executive Functioning

35: (Best of) ADHD and Executive Functioning

Happy New Year! Rachel & Steph do a deep dive on ADHD and how ADHD and executive functioning are connected. This episode is completely applicable to parents of all students this episode is totally applicable to your child and you will absolutely learn tips,...

33: Six Rules for Winter Break

33: Six Rules for Winter Break

Winter Break is coming! Listen to this episode to hear: How important it is to relax and WHYHow to practice and hone skills in a way that your child will think is funHow to get ready to start 2019 Both Kapp Educational Therapy Group (Rachel) and My Ed Therapist...

32: Our Favorite Apps and Games of 2018

32: Our Favorite Apps and Games of 2018

Ever wonder what apps and games we love in session? Well, you all asked us so here you go! Rachel does her best to keep up with Steph’s game/app “guru-ness” and both women share their favorite games and apps of 2018! Both Kapp Educational Therapy Group (Rachel) and My...

31: 2 Steps Forward 1 Step Back

31: 2 Steps Forward 1 Step Back

Both Kapp Educational Therapy Group (Rachel) and My Ed Therapist (Steph) are hiring! To be considered to join Rachel’s team, click here. To be considered to join Steph’s team, click here. In this episode, Rachel & Steph dig into one of the more frustrating aspects...

30: The Magic Pill

30: The Magic Pill

There is no quick fix. There is no silver bullet. There is no “magic pill” that will suddenly change everything for your child. Instant solutions simply don’t exist. This is why we, as educational therapists, work towards establishing positive, attainable and...

29: Frequently Asked Questions

29: Frequently Asked Questions

We get the same questions all the time from new parents calling us to begin the process of educational therapy. In this episode, we answer all your frequently asked questions about educational therapy including: How long it takes What is a typical session like...

28: Motivating the Unmotivated

28: Motivating the Unmotivated

Rachel and Steph do a deep dive on motivation. Hear why they don’t believe any student is ever “lazy” and what language they use instead. Also, they talk about why motivation suddenly stops for students who struggle in school. Then they dissect the differences between...

27: How to Make Memory Work

27: How to Make Memory Work

Today, Rachel & Steph demystify memory. They talk all about short term, working (the most important for school) and long term memory.  We talk about how school is truly set up to reward those with good memory, challenges those with weaker memory and the strong...

26: What kind of learner is your child?

26: What kind of learner is your child?

Understanding your learners learning profile is essential when making decisions about what school to attend or helping cultivate a relationship of understanding with your child’s teacher. The natural styles and affinities of different learners directly impact the type...

25: All in Good Time: How to manage time and get going

25: All in Good Time: How to manage time and get going

All human beings--no matter who you are or your learning style or profile--struggle with time. We all feel like we don’t have enough time. In this episode, Rachel & Steph talk about task initiation (which is their fancy way of saying “getting started” with a...

24: Respecting the POP: Prioritizing, Organizing, & Planning

24: Respecting the POP: Prioritizing, Organizing, & Planning

In this episode, Rachel & Steph are super excited to reveal their POP approach in this episode. They remind you of the importance of respecting all aspects of executive functioning and in this episode, they detail ways it is important to respect the POP...

23: The Highly Gifted Student

23: The Highly Gifted Student

As educational therapists, Rachel & Steph also work with highly gifted students, who have a very specific academic experience and journey. The often rely on their intellect and don’t “need” to learn academic coping skills--until they suddenly do! Rachel &...

22: Executive Functioning Strategies for Writing Part 2

22: Executive Functioning Strategies for Writing Part 2

Adding to their conversation from last week, Rachel & Steph continue their deep dive into writing strategies. In this episode, they chat about how spelling, syntax, and grammar are secondary concerns to the larger task of communicating ideas. They also talked...

21: Executive Functioning Strategies for Writing Part 1

21: Executive Functioning Strategies for Writing Part 1

Being able to express yourself in the written word is critical--in the “real world”, students need to know how to properly write an e-mail or quickly and politely express themselves on paper. As school progresses, the complexities of writing become increasingly...

20: The Perfect Storm: Writing & Executive Functioning

20: The Perfect Storm: Writing & Executive Functioning

Writing presents suggest a challenge for ALL students--it doesn’t matter if they have a learning or medical diagnosis that interferes with their ability to function in the classroom. Writing. Is. Hard. In today’s episode, Rachel & Steph do a deep dive into writing...

19: Steph’s Top Games and Apps

19: Steph’s Top Games and Apps

Steph is back to teach us about all her favorite games and apps for reading (decoding). Steph has really earned her nickname as the game guru over the years and in this episode, she tells us her top 5 favorite games and top 5 favorite apps for reading. Be sure to go...

18: Our Top 10 Reading Comprehension Strategies (Part 2)

18: Our Top 10 Reading Comprehension Strategies (Part 2)

Reading comprehension is critical--even if your student is the most fluid out loud reader...are they really understanding what they’re reading? Reading comprehension weaknesses can be sneaky because it can be difficult to identify. In last weeks episode, Rachel &...

17: Our Top 10 Reading Comprehension Strategies (Part 1)

17: Our Top 10 Reading Comprehension Strategies (Part 1)

Reading comprehension is critical--even if your student is the most fluid out loud reader...are they really understanding what they’re reading? Reading comprehension weaknesses can be sneaky because it can be difficult to identify. In this episode, Rachel & Steph...

Ep 14: Back to School (Part 2)

Ep 14: Back to School (Part 2)

Today, Rachel & Steph walk you through how to prepare for going back to school. It’s the beginning of August, which means you and your student are holding onto those last vestiges of summer with all your might--or you may have already started school. It also means...

Ep 13: Back to School (Part 1)

Ep 13: Back to School (Part 1)

Today, Rachel & Steph walk you through how to prepare for going back to school. It’s the end of July which means you and your student are holding onto those last vestiges of summer with all your might. It also means that you may be feeling the anxiety that the...

Ep 12: “My kid isn’t reading.”

Ep 12: “My kid isn’t reading.”

We want all kids to love reading. In this episode, Stephanie does a deep dive on how she works with students who find reading challenging. She teaches us about how reading is comprised of two main components (fluency and comprehension). She gives a million ideas on...

Ep 11: (Math Series) Math is a Four Letter Word

Ep 11: (Math Series) Math is a Four Letter Word

We know how students (and parents) feel about math. We get it and there are also some real reasons why students dislike math. This episode is full of simple and easy to implement suggestions about how to make math more manageable. Rachel gives away a ton of her math...

Ep 10: ADHD and Executive Function

Ep 10: ADHD and Executive Function

Rachel & Steph do a deep dive on ADHD and how ADHD and executive functioning are connected. This episode is completely applicable to parents of all students this episode is totally applicable to your child and you will absolutely learn tips, tricks, and strategies...

Ep 09: What to do with your child over the summer

Ep 09: What to do with your child over the summer

For a lot of people, summer is the best time of year. It is a time for fun and vacations. It is also a time to catch up on those things that were avoided during the school year such as cleaning out your closet. Summer is a time to relax, slow down the pace, and build...

Ep 08: A Session in the Life

Ep 08: A Session in the Life

Show Notes One of the most common questions we get is “what happens in a session?” This is very difficult for us to answer because every session is so individualized and so specific to the age, gender, interests, developmental abilities and psychoeducational goals of...

Ep 07: Educational Therapy vs. Tutoring

Ep 07: Educational Therapy vs. Tutoring

We are frequently asked questions regarding the difference between educational therapy and tutoring. This is a hugely important topic for us. We are going to dig into the differences between the two, how the two can work in tandem, and how sometimes tutoring can work...

Ep 06: [Dreaded] Homework

Ep 06: [Dreaded] Homework

Homework is definitely something that is hard for a lot of families. We know how much of a burden it can be. We, as educational therapists, have to maintain clear boundaries on homework. We are not homework helpers. We are not homework coaches. We teach skills and...

Ep 05: Executive Functioning (and why everyone is talking about it)

Ep 05: Executive Functioning (and why everyone is talking about it)

Executive Function (EF) We talk about executive functioning so frequently because it affects everything that a child (or adult) does all day, every day. We have a few disclaimers that we would like you to know when it comes to executive functioning. The first is don’t...

Ep 04: Creating a Study Plan

Ep 04: Creating a Study Plan

The most important part of studying actually occurs before you even start to relearn (or learn) the material. Today, we break down how to create a study plan that is mindful, achievable, and flexible.  We will also explore the reasons why a study plan might fail and...

Ep 03: The Do’s and Don’ts of Studying

Ep 03: The Do’s and Don’ts of Studying

Studying isn’t what you think it should be. So, what does studying actually look like? Today we explain the do’s and don’ts of studying as well as ways in which to transform the “don’ts” into positive, helpful strategies. These thoughts and tips are applicable to...

Ep 02: (Executive Function Series) How to Calendar

Ep 02: (Executive Function Series) How to Calendar

Calendaring is hated by so many of the students we work with--and it’s the first thing we do with them. It is so critical and so important. If you do not keep track of what is going on in your life, nothing else can get done. Having a calendar is the starting point...

Ep 01: You’re Not Alone

Ep 01: You’re Not Alone

It’s a narrative we hear all too often. A parent will call us regarding their child’s learning difficulty and low self-esteem in school--and the parent is unsure of how to help. Parents often feel isolated because there is no sense of community when they are going...

Ep 00:  Who we are and how we got here

Ep 00: Who we are and how we got here

Learn Smarter: the Educational Therapy Podcast is your go-to resource for the parents and teachers of students with different learning needs. Rachel & Stephanie are two educational therapists who are committed to helping parents and educators find easy, simple and...

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