What Is Educational Therapy — and How Is It Different from Tutoring?
- Dominique Marinello
- Aug 29
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 29
If your child is struggling in school, you may be wondering whether tutoring is enough—or if they need something more. As an educational therapist in San Diego, one of the most common questions I hear from parents is:
“What exactly is educational therapy, and how is it different from tutoring?”
To help answer this, I recently joined ophthalmologist Dr. Rupa Wong on her podcast In Focus. Together, we explored how learning differences and vision challenges can show up in children, and how parents can recognize when extra support is needed.
Too often, kids get labeled as “lazy,” “distracted,” or “behind,” when in reality, those behaviors are signs of something deeper—sometimes ADHD, sometimes dyslexia, sometimes executive function struggles, and sometimes even vision issues.
In this conversation, we cover:
What educational therapy really is (and why it’s not the same as tutoring)
Early signs of ADHD, dyslexia, and executive function struggles parents should not miss
The powerful “iceberg analogy” that explains what’s happening beneath the surface of school challenges
Where vision therapy helps—and where it doesn’t
How to know when it’s time to seek extra learning support for your child
If your child is having difficulty with reading, focus, or keeping up in school, this episode can give you the clarity and direction you’ve been searching for.
🎧 You can listen here:
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If you’re looking for educational therapy in San Diego or online, I work with students who face challenges with reading, writing, math, attention, and executive functioning. Unlike traditional tutoring, which focuses on reteaching school content, educational therapy addresses the underlying learning processes—helping students build strategies, confidence, and independence.
Whether your child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, ADHD, or another learning difference, or you simply notice they’re working much harder than their peers, educational therapy may be the missing link to unlocking their potential.
✨ If you’d like to learn more about how Reimagine Education can support your child, feel free to contact me here.
