Disability Consulting
Comprehensive support for empowered decision-making
My educational consulting services are geared towards supporting the whole family. In order to empower my students, I believe that I also need to partner with and support the student’s parents or guardians— the student’s number one most important resource and influence. I collaborate with students and parents to help the family create a long-term educational plan that everyone can feel good about. I provide guidance and recommendations for disability accommodations, supplemental learning interventions, developmental support, alternative schooling, college planning, work-life balance, and more. My ultimate goal is to teach students how to advocate for themselves and to have a productive dialogue with their parents— and to give parents peace of mind, knowing their child is moving forward on a good trajectory.
Disability accommodations and advocacy
Advocating for disability accommodations at school can be very stressful, for both students and parents. I am passionate about teaching students self-advocacy skills, and I love supporting parents as they work to advocate for their child. I can recommend accommodations for the student’s IEP, assist in compiling documentation for the IEP meeting, and advise parents regarding how to effectively communicate and negotiate with teachers. Additionally, I can advise families regarding educational services and assistive technology.
Developing goals for learning and development
School accommodations and IEP’s generally emphasize access, but not success. While I can certainly help to monitor and document the student’s progress towards IEP goals, I am more passionate about the parents’ and student’s goals. I empower students to take ownership of their development, to define what success means to them, and to build awareness of their progress. I guide my students to tap into their own sense of intrinsic motivation by co-creating developmental goals which align with the future they want to have. Gaining a strong sense of purpose and direction empowers students to cooperate with their parents, grounded by shared goals and values. Developing clear goals is the first step for the development of a strong educational support plan. This empowers the student, family, and educational support system to act, with intention, in accordance with long-term educational goals.
Long-term educational planning
A student’s educational journey often involves many challenging choices, for both the student and their family. I help families to thoroughly research their options, so that they can make informed decisions. I can support families as they research private and charter school options, plan college and career paths, and navigate university admissions. My goal is not to advise students or parents regarding the “right” choice, but to make decisions less stressful by carefully researching and presenting a variety of opportunities and plans of action.
ADHD
Disability Expertise
I understand that ADHD is so much more than “struggling to pay attention.” I love to help students understand the fascinating neuroscience behind ADHD, in a way that is accessible to them. I work with students to build an awareness of how ADHD can affect executive functioning, memory, energy levels, stress levels, and more. I help students to build awareness that their struggles— such as struggles with task initiation, sustaining attention, and staying organized— are valid and come from a real place. Looking to the extensive body of research on ADHD, I help students build a toolbox of strategies that work for them, and I help them to develop their own insights into why some approaches work better for them than others. I encourage students to tap into intrinsic motivation, empowering them to set goals, try new approaches, reflect on what works, and persevere despite challenges.
Autism
Autism is complex, nuanced, and incredibly multifaceted. I approach autism through an affirming lens, emphasizing empowerment and self-determination. While some autism interventions emphasize positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and social compliance, I emphasize self-awareness, executive functioning support, memory support, and self-advocacy. I do not view autism through a deficit or pathological lens. Rather, I see autism as a natural part of neurodiversity, which comes with both challenges and strengths. I help students to build self-awareness, self-regulate, self-advocate, and plan ahead to prevent overwhelm and burnout.
Chronic illness & chronic pain
I have experienced chronic illness and pain since I was a young teenager. I understand that pain and illness can significantly affect learning— affecting memory, attention, executive functions, motivation, and more. Unfortunately, the fields of education and psychology are miles behind when it comes to chronic illness, chronic pain, and learning— there is very little research, and there are very few resources to support chronically ill students with their learning. This is why I have spent years of effort developing strategies to support students with chronic pain and chronic illness.