intervention specialists
Toni Vrdoljak
Learning Support
Ripsime Paronikyan
Tutoring/Test Prep/Executive Functioning Coaching
Zachary Leonard
Tutoring/Test Prep/Executive Functioning Coaching
Heather Hettinger, PsyD
intervention services
At Stein Psychological Associates we use our assessments to guide practitioners to achieve successful outcomes.
PSYCHOtherapy
At SPA, we view therapy as a collaborative process based on the relationship between an individual and a therapist within a supportive and safe environment. We apply the use of scientific methods to help individuals develop healthier, more effective ways of living. SPA offers brief, short-term as well as long-term treatment for individuals of all ages. We utilize an eclectic modality of therapy to provide each client with personalized treatment that fits his/her personality and treatment goals. Common referral reasons include: depression, anxiety, school-related problems, relationship problems, and difficulty with social skills.
learning support
Our Learning specialists use a variety of methods to address academic needs. For example, they use programs such as the Barton Reading & Spelling System which is an “Orton-Gillingham influenced simultaneously multi-sensory explicit and systematic phonics program” to teach phonetic awareness, reading, writing, and spelling skills. In addition, they use all kinds of games and songs to teach and reinforce executive functions, phonetic and reading skills. Lastly, they help to establish routines, setting expectations, and work on organization skills.
Academic
Support
Our academic tutors provide students with individualized and one-on-one support that is geared toward helping cultivate longstanding skills that can allow each student to thrive within the classroom and beyond. Be it helping nail down a tricky concept or earning an A on an upcoming exam, our tutors meet the students where they are, aiming to help promote both understanding and achievement. Extending far beyond homework help, our tutors focus on helping students gain mastery of a concept through personalized instruction, targeted practice problems, and even detailed study plans or supplementary materials when needed. Tutoring services are available across all age levels, subjects, course types and learning styles. Our team can provide academic support for Math, Science, English, Reading, Writing, History, and Social Sciences ranging from middle school to high school to college, including honors and AP courses. Our tutors also possess a wealth of experience working with students of all age levels and learning styles, including those diagnosed with ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, etc. Each session is tailored to the student’s needs and is focused on helping provide the sort of personalized instruction that so many students need to thrive within the classroom.
Test
Prep
Students will be matched with a test prep expert who will work with them one-on-one to help design a personalized program to help them prepare for whichever standardized exam they need. Each test prep program begins with an introductory conversation, diagnostic exam and detailed test evaluation to determine the appropriate path forward and testing timeline. The program consists of individualized weekly sessions, detailed homework plans, regular practice tests, and all necessary materials needed for testing. Unlike many large testing corporations with their one-size-fits-all model, we at SPA understand that succeeding on test day extends far beyond “tips and tricks”. Each program is personalized and flexible. Students receive detailed content support where applicable (so if a student needs support with fractions or needs to learn the difference between a colon and a semicolon, they’ll get personalized lessons to bolster the underlying concept) which is paired with a robust exploration of test taking strategy and cultivation of relevant test-taking skills (such as helping students learn how to break down complex information, locate a question, stay organized while working through challenging content, and become full-fledged problem-solvers). Our experts have all scored in the 99th percentile of the exam they’re tutoring and possess over half a decade of test prep experience. Students instructed by our tutors have gained admission to Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, and USC and any number of schools in between. Test prep services are available for any range of exams, including high school entrance exams such as the ISEE, SSAT, HSPT; college entrance exams including the SAT and ACT; or even graduate study exams such as the GRE. Our tutors also possess a wealth of experience working with students of all age levels and learning styles, including those diagnosed with ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and our services can be integrated with other services offered by SPA (such as psychoeduational testing) to help procure testing accommodations where appropriate. Regardless of your student’s background, starting point, or score goals, our program will help arm them with the tools and skills to maximize their performance on test day!
Executive FunctioninG
Coaching
We recognize that some students’ struggles in the classroom may extend beyond challenges with content. For many students, staying focused, organized, or motivated can be the primary challenge with navigating the modern school environment. For these students, receiving executive functioning skills coaching may prove especially impactful. Each student is matched with an executive functioning skills coach who will work with the student to identify the acute challenges the student may be struggling with (be it organization, motivation, or anything in between) and work to cultivate the skills to address those challenges head on. Our coaches utilize motivational interviewing to help students gain insight into their own behaviors and tendencies and the way that may be affecting them academically or personally. The coach will then work together with the student to build a plan to cultivate skills crucial to success inside and outside the classroom such as adaptable thinking, planning, self-monitoring, self-control, time management, organization, and goal-setting. The coach will also work with the student to address potential challenges such as procrastination, disorganization, distractibility, and a lack of motivation. Just like any coach, an executive functioning skills coach can help provide accountability and oversight for a student who isn’t meeting expectations while also providing support when they are frustrated or overwhelmed.