Lisa

Hello, I'm Lisa, an experienced educational therapist who has worked with students of all ages, from preschool to adulthood. I received my Master's in Educational Psychology from the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology in 2012, after volunteering in LAUSD classrooms for many years. My experience in these traditional classrooms showed me the deficits that disproportionately affect students with learning differences. This realization led me to become a one-on-one and small group instructor, where I witnessed firsthand the increased level of growth students can achieve with specialized instruction tailored to their specific strengths and challenges.

My educational approach focuses on facilitating pro-social emotional regulatory strategies that allow students to be most available for learning. I have experience working with a variety of learning differences and emotional challenges, including childhood and adolescent trauma, Autism Spectrum Disorder, PDA, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD), Bipolar Disorder (BD), Emotional Disturbance (ED), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Depression, grief, Williams Syndrome, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder (PANS/PANDAS), Pervasive Developmental Disability (PDD), Dyslexia, Agoraphobia, Anhedonia, visual/spatial/auditory processing delays, anxiety, self-injurious behaviors, and foundlings. I'm trained and certified in the SCERTS Model for individuals with social and emotional challenges.

Aside from my education in psychology, I've also completed university coursework in English, Political Science, and History, as well as graduate coursework in Law and Psychology, which I also enjoy tutoring in. Whether I'm presenting to professionals or working one-on-one with K-College students, I share in the success of my students and find their work together very rewarding. I stay up-to-date on best practices in education and participate in annual professional development opportunities.

I offer highly individualized support, educational therapy, curriculum development, student advocacy, social skills groups, remediation, homeschooling, and subject-based tutoring services. I have well-developed practices for teaching remedial, organizational, executive functioning, social and emotional regulation skills, and I work closely with students to develop the strategies that work best for them. Helping students achieve their goals and realize their full potential is what drives me every day.