10 Executive Function Tips to Boost Productivity
Executive function tips can help you break down big ideas into smaller, more manageable tasks. Ready to boost your productivity?
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10 Great Questions to Ask Your Child’s Teacher
Preparing for a parent-teacher conference? Simply want to check in? In this blog post we will discuss good questions to ask your child’s teacher. The questions I provide below will…
Difficulty with Homework: Understanding Why it Often Ends In Tears
For many families, the school day doesn’t end when the dismissal bell rings. It continues around the kitchen table, where difficulty with homework can quickly the task become the most…
Back-to-School Checklists: A Simple Evening & Morning Checklist for Less Stress
The first few weeks of school can feel like a whirlwind. Between packing lunches, finding missing shoes, signing permission slips, and getting everyone out the door on time, it’s easy…
Should I Wait Until School Starts to Get My Child Evaluated?
If you noticed your child struggling academically, socially, or emotionally during the school year, you may be asking this question: “Should I wait until school starts to get my child…
My Child Is Smart but Struggling in School: What’s Happening?
One of the most common concerns parents share is this: “My child is clearly intelligent, so why are they struggling in school?” Perhaps your child has a large vocabulary, asks…
How to Get Your Child Tested for Dyslexia
If you’ve noticed your child struggling with reading, spelling, or writing, you may be wondering: Could this be dyslexia? And more importantly, how do I get my child tested? This is a…
How Can I Help if My Child Is Struggling in College?
Watching your child struggle in college can feel overwhelming. After years of preparing them for independence, it’s difficult to know when to step in—and how to help without overstepping. If…
Dyslexia: More than Difficulty with Reading
When most people hear the word dyslexia, they immediately think of reading challenges—letters being reversed, slow reading, or difficulty sounding out words. While these are certainly common characteristics, dyslexia is much…
Am I on the Autism Spectrum? A Guide for Adults Seeking Answers
Many adults go through life sensing that they experience the world differently—but may not have the language to explain why. If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I on the autism spectrum?” you’re not…
Finishing the School Year Strong: It’s Never Too Late to Get Help
As the school year begins to wind down, many parents find themselves reflecting on how things have gone academically. For some, there’s a growing concern: “My child is trying, but something…
How to Help My High Energy Son
If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “My son has so much energy — I don’t know what to do with him,” you’re not alone. Many parents describe their boys as…
How to Get Tested for Dyslexia
If your child struggles with reading, spelling, or written work despite strong effort, you may find yourself searching online for “how to get tested for dyslexia” or “dyslexia testing near me.” Many families in…
What Happens During an ADHD Test?
If you’re considering ADHD testing for your child, it’s natural to feel unsure about what the process actually involves. Many families in the Santa Clarita Valley come to my practice…
What Are the Top Five Learning Disabilities?
Learning disabilities are neurological differences that affect how the brain processes information. They are not related to intelligence or motivation, and many individuals with learning disabilities are bright, thoughtful, and…
What Can a Psychoeducational Evaluation Reveal?
Understanding Your Child’s Unique Learning Profile Parents often come to me feeling overwhelmed, worried, or simply unsure of why school has become such a struggle for their child. They often…
Struggling with College? Understanding Why Is the First Step Forward
The halfway point of the school year can be a reality check for many college students. Midterms have passed, grades are in, and the excitement of a new semester has…
6 Ways to Foster Reading Comprehension at Home
Helping students move beyond decoding words to understanding meaning. Reading comprehension is one of the most essential academic skills — and one of the most misunderstood. Many students can read…
Dyslexia Testing Near Me
After having a practice in Santa Clarita for over 20 years, people still tell me, “I wish I had known about you sooner,” or “I couldn’t find dyslexia testing near…
Why Parents Choose Private Practice Evaluations
Why Parents Choose Private Practice Evaluations When a child is struggling academically, parents often wonder whether school-based evaluationsor testing done with a licensed educational psychologist in a private practice is…
Bad Report Card? Do These 6 Things
Receiving a bad report card or hearing concerning feedback at a parent-teacher conference can be frustrating and overwhelming. It’s important to determine the root cause of a bad progress report,…
Nesplora Testing: Using Virtual Reality to Assess for ADHD in Kids
Nesplora Testing: Using Virtual Reality to Assess for ADHD ADHD evaluations can be stressful for both parents and students. That’s why Nesplora testing offers a unique, effective solution. By combining virtual reality technology with…
Beginner Tips For Journaling
More often than not, life is overwhelming. There’s so much that goes on day-to-day, it can be easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle. Finding moments of peace,…
What is a Licensed Educational Psychologist?
If you have been seeking learning support for your child, you may have seen this title before. But what does it mean? What does an educational psychologist do? As someone…
Do I Have A Learning Disability?
Do you look around at your peers and wonder why everything seems to be easier for them? Over the years, I have had a lot of people vent this frustration…
Helping Kids Build Learning Confidence
Learning confidence informs a person’s belief that they can succeed in scenarios where they need to take in information or material. A lack of learning confidence stems from feeling…
Five Signs of Dyslexia in Kids
Dyslexia and other learning disabilities can be challenging to identify because they can manifest differently in everyone. A person can also be twice exceptional, meaning they have a learning disability…
What is the Difference Between ADD and ADHD?
When it comes to the topics of neurodiversity, there are a lot of terms and phrases. The jargon and technical definitions can confuse, overwhelm, and even discourage those seeking…
Schooling Options in Santa Clarita, CA
What is the Best Schooling Option for my Child? It’s a question most parents ask, but there is no one right answer that is right for all families. The good…
Is Retention the Best Option?
Grade retention is often suggested when a student has fallen behind their peers. But it might not be the answer to your student’s struggles. It can be easy to think…
Nurturing Executive Function in Preschoolers
Understanding Executive Function in Preschoolers Executive function skills refer to a set of mental processes that help individuals plan, organize, and complete tasks. In preschoolers, these skills are just beginning…
The Importance of Doing an Early Autism Test: Ensuring a Brighter Future for Children
The benefits of early autism testing cannot be overstated. Early detection and intervention are so helpful when it comes to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Identifying developmental delays and learning disorders…
Is a private educational assessment what your child needs?
Are you wondering if your child needs a private educational assessment? If so, you’ve likely seen continued or increasing concerns with your child’s ability to focus, understand new concepts, retain…
ADHD in Teen Girls
ADHD in teen girls often goes unidentified because their behavior does not appear to fall outside the range of what is considered “normal.” Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be confused…
IEPs, 504s and Graduating High School
If your student who benefited from an IEP or 504 plan is graduating high school soon, you may be wondering what accommodations will be available to them in the future.…
Understanding the Cost of Private Educational Testing
Private educational testing can provide valuable insights into your child’s learning style, strengths, and weaknesses. However, the cost of these tests can come as a surprise, especially when compared to…
Dyslexia Test for Kids and Adults
Testing for Dyslexia in Santa Clarita, CA You don’t need to go far for dyslexia testing for adults and kids if you live in or around Santa Clarita, CA. If…
Neurodivergent – What does it mean?
Neurodivergent describes someone whose brain learns, retains, or processes differently from what is considered “typical.” Every person is unique, but not every person is neurodivergent. In fact, the majority of…
7 Tips for Helping Twice-Exceptional Students
Helping twice-exceptional students starts with identifying them as such. The phrase twice exceptional has been used by professionals in the United States since the 1990s. Unfortunately, people who are gifted…
Why I Don’t Offer a Quick Online Learning Disabilities Test
If you have just begun the journey of finding answers for yourself or a loved one, you may have been tempted to do online learning disabilities tests. These tests often…
Don’t Live in Fear – 5 Ways to Overcome
Hi friends, If you’ve read, watched, or heard the news lately, you probably know how tempting it is to live in fear. The news rarely gives us stories that reinstate…
A Healthy Mindset for this Season of Change
Hi friends, are you in a season of change? How is your mindset towards that change? This morning, I’m looking around and noticing the clear skies and the flowers beginning…
Living in the Moment
I often talk with my clients about the importance of living in the moment. Yet I’ve realized that during the last few weeks, I got into a habit of thinking…
An Act of Kindness
Hello friends! I’ve got a new coffee conversation for you. A few weeks ago, I was the recipient of an act of kindness. I was walking to get my dog…
Practical Steps for Handling Stress
It always amazes me when I find myself stressed. I have many useful tools in my toolbox for avoiding stress, but I sometimes forget to implement practical steps for handling…
Coffee, Nashville, and My Morning Routine
I talk a lot about coffee on my blog, Facebook, and Instagram. This is for three reasons. First, I genuinely love coffee. Second, coffee helps bring people together. Third, it’s…
Four Mindsets for Embracing Change
Change is necessary for growth and progress. As I sit here drinking my coffee this morning, I‘m reflecting on this truth and my own feelings towards the changes I’m currently…
Coping with Post-Vacation Blues
Today, as I’m sipping and typing, I’m working through aspects of post-vacation blues. Do you ever take that opportunity to go away for the weekend for relaxation and fun…
What Do You Need Today?
Courage, patience, focus, compassion, self-control, hope. I need all of these from time to time. While I sometimes wish we could just eat or drink something that bolstered these ideals…
Making Time to Enjoy Sunshine
Thanks for joining me for another virtual coffee conversation. I’ve been thinking about the weather recently. People in eastern states are shoveling driveways while we’re experiencing temperatures in the 80s.…
Accountability and Letting Go
When I try to make a change of any type I find it best to have someone to be accountable to. This week I made you my accountability partner. I…
Three Steps to Help You Get Organized
Hello, dear friend. Thank you for joining me for another virtual coffee date. What is your beverage of choice today? My go-to is a latte or cappuccino. Let’s talk about…
Choosing to Have a Good Day
Good morning…or is it? Last night my sleep was interrupted by a very needy pitbull, my fur baby named Violet. I don’t know what set her off but it took…
How We Treat Each Other in the Era of COVID-19
Let’s have coffee! I love the conversations I’ve had over a cup of coffee. It seems like the simple, shared act of sipping coffee (or tea) unifies people. That’s something…
Accommodations in the Workplace
A learning disorder or disability does not have to determine your ceiling. Many adults struggle with tasks related to their jobs due to a disability or condition. Unfortunately, most of…
Learning Disability Testing for Adults in Santa Clarita, CA
Learning disability testing for adults can help identify areas of strength and difficulty and clarify what support may be appropriate. Learning disabilities aren’t always identified during childhood. Adults may seek…
Easing Back-to-School Anxiety
Easing back-to-school anxiety for your child starts with understanding the root of their anxiety. Once the family gets back into the rhythm of school and extracurriculars, your child’s anxiety will…
Why Am I Struggling in College?
There are countless reasons a student who excelled in high school might be struggling in college. Most students will need a little time to figure out how to achieve their…
How to Help a Child Focus in the Classroom
Parents have been asking how to help children focus in the classroom since classrooms were invented. In a setting where kids are asked to sit still and be attentive, there…
Getting Your Child Ready for Kindergarten
Is your child ready for kindergarten? Are you, as the parent, ready? These are the two big questions that loom in many parents’ minds as we head toward the fall…
Help for Kids Struggling with Learning
For many families, distance learning has made parents more aware of how their kids are struggling in school or it has magnified issues that already existed. Even as most schools return to…
Dear Students Who Are Struggling During COVID-19
Dear Students Who Are Struggling During COVID-19, Regardless of whether learning from home has added to your existing difficulties or introduced brand new issues, please do not lose hope in…
How to Achieve Goals as a Parent
Have you struggled to achieve goals and create new habits as a parent? Think about the goals you have for yourself and your home. Maybe you want to organize the…
5 Tips for Homeschooling Your Child
I spoke with friend and homeschool veteran, Shelley, to gather tips for parents who will have to teach their kids from home for the first time this semester. Not only…
How to Know if Your Child is Struggling with Anxiety
How do you know if your child is struggling with anxiety? Anxiety, worry and fear can disguise themselves in many different ways, masquerading as moodiness, recklessness, or aloofness among many…
Preparing Kids for Next Semester this Summer
It’s summer break! While you prepare for trips to the beach, you may also want to consider ways you can be preparing yourself and your kids for next semester. While…
Supporting Your Child’s Learning During COVID-19
Many parents have had to take creative measures to support their children’s learning during COVID-19. The situation can be comical, but it can also leave you wondering just how you should help…
Assistance with Learning Struggles While Sheltering at Home
Many school districts have announced that schools will remain closed through the rest of the school year. For families who were hoping to have their child tested for an Individual…
Educational Testing in Santa Clarita is not Canceled
The better we control our environments and wash our hands, the better we prevent novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from spreading. However, ‘canceled’ likely comes with frustration for families who need educational…
Preschool – How Important Is It?
How important is preschool? It’s widely accepted that preschool is beneficial, but factors like preschool cost and parents’ wishes to keep their kids at home longer lead many to question…
Pros & Cons of Homeschooling: An Interview with Two Moms
As an educational psychologist, I work with kids dealing with a wide variety of challenges who attend public, private or charter schools or do homeschooling. The question of which one…
Helping Differently Abled Kids Feel Like Kids
Every kid should get the opportunity to feel like a kid. That can mean taking a break from feeling responsible for siblings. It can also involve participating in activities with kids…
Dyslexia, Dysgraphia & Dyscalculia – Understanding You or Your Child’s Specific Struggles
Because these terms – dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia – are familiar to the public, they are sometimes overused. Parents usually want to know if their child’s struggles with reading means…
Explaining Gifted Child Behavior Problems at School
There is always a reason for behavior issues at school, whether it be problems at home, anxiety or poor life examples. Many of these explanations are outside the teacher’s control.…
How Disorganized Parents Can Teach Kids Organizational Skills
Do you ever remember lying in bed on a school night thinking, “I should have packed my backpack before I got into bed?” And then the next day you go…
Kindergarten Readiness – Is My Child Ready to Start Kindergarten?
As an educational psychologist, parents frequently ask me about kindergarten readiness. They want to know if their child will be at a disadvantage by being younger than their peers or…
Think Your Child Needs Gifted Testing? Things You Should (and Should Not) Do
According to certain studies, only about 2 to 5 percent of students are gifted. Unfortunately, the word “gifted” often gets misused or overused. Even while giftedness is frequently mentioned in…
Divorce: Helping Your Child with a Learning or Processing Disorder Adjust
Divorce is hard on kids. They struggle to understand what’s happening and why it’s happening, among many other questions swimming through their inquisitive minds. That difficulty to understand is multiplied…
Five Ways Your Child Can Benefit from Summertime Tutoring
With summer right around the corner, parents and kids alike are eagerly anticipating slower schedules and more free time. That means more time for beach trips, camping, reading and other…
Picking the Best Time to Get Your Child Evaluated
Why You Should Have Your Child Tested over Summer Where are you on the road to finding answers for your child? Are you researching IEPs and choosing between getting your child…
Picking an Educational Psychologist for Your Child’s Testing
Consider the Atmosphere of the Office Providing a safe and supportive environment has been my goal since day one of starting my private practice over 20 years ago. The atmosphere of…
Daylight Saving with Kids: How to Help Them Adjust
Every year, I underestimate the impact of daylight saving. In this half of the year, when we “spring forward,” we get to enjoy the benefits of brighter evenings, but the…
Plan the Perfect Valentine’s Day with Kids or Grandkids
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that kids who feel loved are generally more loving. The kindness and affection you show your children has a correlation to how they treat…
Making Your Difficult Teenager Your Valentine
Breaking past the teenager who doesn’t want to engage can be difficult, but it’s important to make the effort. One day the hormonal cloud will be lifted. Here are a…
504s, IEPs & More: Podcast with an Educational Psychologist
In November of 2018, I had the pleasure of being a guest on a podcast produced by a marketing company called Kazsource. We discussed what led me to leave school…
504s, IEPs & More: An Educational Psychologist Q & A (Abridged)
This is the abridged transcript of an interview I did with KazSource in November of 2018. For the full transcript and podcast, please click here. Abridged Transcript Interviewer: Our guest…
Do These Four Things If Your Child Was Denied an IEP
When schools consider evaluating a child, they look to see if the student’s performance is below the instructional level of the class. If a child is struggling, but not failing, they…
Getting Through the Holidays with Minimal Anxiety
The holiday season represents a time of great joy and celebration, but the packed schedule, onslaught of relatives and ambush of unhealthy food options often add stress. This is especially…
Are Executive Function Issues Holding Your Child Back?
What Is Executive Function? Executive function encompasses the fundamental skills which dictate child behavior. More specifically, executive function includes the following: Time management Organization Attention Planning Task Initiation Working Memory…
Make Journaling a Daily Routine with These 4 Steps
The Benefits of Journaling & How To Get Started Journaling improves mood, reduces stress, encourages self-awareness, improves memory, and reduces avoidance symptoms after traumatic experiences – just to name a…
Educational Evaluation – What is Involved?
If you are asking the question “Should I have my child evaluated?” the answer is probably “Yes.” However, I know the process of getting an educational evaluation for your child…
How to Instill Work Ethic
Instilling Work Ethic: Teaching Responsibility, Hard Work and Wise Decision Making “…smart and talented and driven, yes, but also anxious, timid, and lost.” These are the words retired Yale…
Changing Schools: How to Prepare Your Child
4 Ways to Prepare Your Child for Changing Schools Whether your child is transitioning to a new campus due to a family move or graduation, changing schools can be daunting.…
4 Ways Students Can Win Summer Learning
Summer learning is possible with a good attitude and some good ideas. Summertime. For kids especially, this is the time of year for trips to the beach, hanging out with…
Educational Psychology Studies and Content to Improve Your Life
Educational Psychology Studies and Content Handpicked For You As an Educational Psychologist, I love finding new ideas and studies that can help out not only my clients but anyone who…
3 Ways to Manage Stress in College
This article on 3 Ways to Manage Stress in College is a Guest Post from an actual senior in college. Your college years can be some of the best years…
Bored in Class
It’s okay to admit to being bored in class — but why? We’ve all been there, either as children in school or, later, in college or at work—sitting around, being…
Understanding the 504 Plan for Students with Disabilities
A 504 Plan Explained If your child has a disability that impacts his or her performance at school, you may be swimming right now in a sea of unfamiliar phrases,…
Putting Parent-Teacher Conferences Into Perspective
This post was originally published January 25, 2018 and edited November 9, 2018. Get the most out of parent-teacher conferences. The relationship between you – the parent – and…
Why Won’t You Help My Child?
As a Santa Clarita Child Psychologist, I’m often asked this very question. Nothing is more frustrating than knowing your child is struggling in school while the school itself does little…
How Does ADHD or a Learning Disability Affect a Child’s Future?
Parents often ask me how ADHD or a learning disability will impact their child’s future. Every child is a unique individual who brings their own personality, tenacity, and problem-solving ability…
Support Your Child’s Learning with These 6 Tips
Have you ever been reprimanded by your child’s teacher for trying to help with math homework? The situation is often comical, but it can leave you wondering how you should help…
Building Learning Confidence
Learning Confidence Takes Time–the Younger You Start, the Better. Scott Hamilton loved to ice skate, but was told repeatedly that he did not have the talent to compete as…
What Does Auditory Processing Mean
Auditory Processing is complicated–let’s take a closer look… Most of us probably think of the process of listening as automatic; unless something is wrong with the ear, sound comes…
Stress and School
An important topic to understand: stress and school As seen in the Santa Clarita Magazine, Stress and School Childhood should be a time of growing, learning, fun and friends. At…