Learn Smarter Podcast

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, discuss the things learners say all the time—and what educational therapists hear underneath those words. From “I don’t care” and “I forgot” to “I’ll do it later” and “I already studied,” Rachel and Stephanie explain why these statements often tell us much more about a learner’s executive functioning, anxiety, overwhelm, avoidance, or ski...

Newsflash: there is no such thing as an academic emergency. In this re-air of episode 90, Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET share what an academic emergency is, how parents can respond to a perceived emergency, and what some strategies are for preventing them. They also dig into how to keep long term goals in mind when these situations arise. Support us on Patreon: https:/...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET share that September can feel like a fresh start—or an early warning sign. In this episode, we share what educational therapists consistently notice during the first month of school that parents often overlook. From hidden executive functioning breakdowns to emotional overload disguised as “behavior,” we explain what’s actually happening b...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET welcome Dr. Ranjani Iyer to the podcast to discuss neurodivergence and math. Dr. Iyer is an educator, researcher, curriculum developer, heartfulness leader, and parent. She talks about the importance of preparing learners and the importance of breaking down the problem. She talks about thoughtfulness in how we approach teaching math and th...

Running a business requires executive functioning just as much as school or work does. In this episode, Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, share the systems, automations, and workflows they’ve implemented to make running their businesses more efficient. They discuss ways to reduce decision fatigue, eliminate repetitive tasks, and create processes that save time and mental...

Cost is one of the most common concerns families have when considering educational therapy. In this episode, Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET, explore how to think about the cost of educational therapy through the lens of value rather than price alone. They discuss what families are truly investing in, the potential cost of waiting, and why educational therapy is designed...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET re-air an important episode from early days. Educational therapy can be magical in that it allows students to tap into their potential. Yet oftentimes, the potential parents and teachers see in a learner is a heavy burden and source of conflict in family homes. In today’s episode, Rachel & Steph talk about potential from the perspectiv...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET explore one of the most common—and misunderstood—academic struggles: why learners resist revising their writing. They break down the real reasons revision feels so hard, including executive functioning overload, emotional attachment to first drafts, vague feedback, and the belief that revision means starting over. Rather than framing revis...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET explore why so many learners rush through their work—and why it’s rarely about laziness or apathy. They unpack how executive functioning challenges, anxiety, time blindness, and cognitive load contribute to rushing, and explain why telling learners to “slow down” often doesn’t work. The episode reframes rushing as a skills-based issue and...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET share some life updates on this episode! They also chat about systems versus tools and how both are required to symbiotically work together.   Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodcast   How to connect with us: Join our e-mail list Rachel’s Kapp Educational Therapy Group website Steph’s My Ed Therapist website  @le...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET explore why traditional consequences often fail for kids with learning differences and/or executive functioning  skills challenges—and what actually helps instead. They unpack the critical idea that consequences only work when a child already has the underlying skills, and explain how repeated punishment can increase stress, shutdown, and...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET revisit a previous episode to discuss the concept of failing forward. They talk about why summer is the perfect chance to prioritize this idea, how to involve parents in the process when appropriate, and the importance of planning for “failing”. They share the transformation that can occur with prioritizing this conversation and plan and f...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET explore a common parent belief that they should “try everything else first” before seeking outside support. They explore why this hesitation shows up, including fears of overreacting, and the pressure to solve challenges independently. Rachel & Stephanie also explain the hidden costs of waiting—academically, emotionally, financially, a...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET explore whether music helps or hurts a learner’s ability to focus. They break down why some students work better with background sound, why others become more distracted, and how the type of task—and the type of music—matters. The episode includes simple strategies families can use to help learners identify what supports their focus best a...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET unpack why executive functioning work is about increasing a learner’s capacity —not enforcing compliance. They break down the difference between behavior that comes from pressure and behavior that comes from internal skills, and they explain why real progress happens only when learners develop planning, regulation, and flexible thinking. T...

In this re-air of episode 190, Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss how the learners they work with at Kapp Educational Therapy Group and My Ed Therapist ALL have some emotional response to tasks that they avoid. Rachel and Steph dig into this–they talk about what it means, what it looks like, how to figure it out through getting curious, and some examples from their...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET explore a common concern they hear from parents: the fear that seeking support for their learner will lead to stigma—within their family, cultural community, or even in how their child sees themselves. They unpack why these fears are so prevalent and why they make complete sense, especially for families navigating cultural messages around...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss why learners get stuck in decision-making and what they need in order to move on. They break down the executive functioning skills required to make choices, why overwhelm and perfectionism create paralysis, and how adults can help learners gain clarity and confidence. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/learnsmarterpodca...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET welcome Ellen Galinsky to discuss her latest book The Breakthrough Years . Ellen is a “research adventurer,” parenting expert, president of the Families and Work Institute , former Fred Rogers Parenting Expert, a civic scientist and author. She talks about how her fundamental core question of “How can we best help kids learn and thrive?” h...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET revisit an episode from the early days to talk about highly gifted students. When we think of neurodiversity or learning differences, we often think of students who have challenges such as dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety, etc. However, students with high intellect require a unique learning approach as well. Listen in to hear us discuss the typical...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET explore one of the most common questions families express when starting educational therapy: the desire for quick results. They discuss why this is such a universal question, what parents are actually asking for, and how professionals can guide families toward a clearer, calmer understanding of the educational therapy process.   Support us...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET break down one of the most persistent myths in school, work, and home life: the idea that multitasking is a skill. The science is clear — the brain cannot actually multitask. What the brain does is rapidly switch between tasks, and that switching is far more costly than most people realize. Rachel and Stephanie discuss what is really happe...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET discuss the role of the educational therapist as a middleman. We dig into the middleman role educational therapists often end up playing — between parents, teachers, clinicians, tutors, and everyone else on a child’s support team. They discuss the benefits and challenges of this role and how to keep boundaries that are in alignment with yo...

Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET welcome Claudia, a former parent from My Ed Therapist, to the podcast. Claudia shares her journey with her daughter, Emma, who is autistic, has ADHD, and has Pathological Demand Avoidance (or “Persistent Demand for Autonomy”). Claudia shares about the impact of these diagnoses on her relationship with Emma and the family. She shares about...

In this re-air of episode 169 (originally aired August of 2021),  Rachel Kapp, M.Ed., BCET, and Stephanie Pitts, M.Ed., BCET talk with Dr. Sharon Saline, author of What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life . Dr. Saline discusses her goal of improving the connection between parents and learners with ADHD through improving conversation. She...