The Individual Matters Podcast
by Andrew Katen
Information, ideas, and interviews about self-improvement, learning, and development.
Podcast episodes
Make it a Great School Year! (Eric Gil, Strong Branch Learning)
To kick off the school year, Eric Gil explains the value of attending back-to-school night and connecting early on with school counselors. Then he lays out the rationale and process for establishing a consistent study/homework routine.Eric Gil is founder, “nerd,” and CEO of Strong Branch Learning, a tutoring and educational services provider in Grand Junction, Colorado. He is a former middle school teacher who works with students in need of individual and group tutoring, test prep, online tutoring, and after school and homeschool support.Connect with Eric:www.strongbranchlearning.com(970) 623-6517Eric@strongbranchlearning.comIndividual Matters is a boutique psychology practice that specializes in comprehensive learning and neurodevelopmental evaluations. Dr. Katrina Katen, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist, speaker and educator, and author of "The Ownership Yard." Andrew Katen is an educator and author.Website: https://individualmatters.orgYouTube: https://youtube.com/individualmattersFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/discoveractgrowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/individual_matters/Newsletter: https://individualmatters.org/newsletter-sign-up/
My Child is Struggling in School... Now What? (Kim Maurin, Academic Language Therapist, Vector, LLC)
My Child is Struggling in School... Now What? (Kim Maurin, Academic Language Therapist, Vector, LLC)
Learn the first steps you should take if you suspect your child has a learning struggle. What to do when contacted by your child’s school, what mindset you need to adopt, who’s in charge of this process, how to work with the school’s educational team, basic options available to you and your student, as well as their associated pros and cons, costs, and much more. Kim Maurin (academic language therapist) focuses on four primary options available to parents: 1) Do nothing (non-intervention). 2) Request a school evaluation. 3) Seek a dyslexia/learning assessment (private sector). 4) Seek a comprehensive neurodevelopmental evaluation (private sector). Importantly, Kim makes the point that you (as the parent) "drive the bus" of your child's learning and development.Recommended resources (for letter templates, more info, and list of learning assessment providers): https://www.understood.org/ https://www.ldonline.org/ https://www.cokid.org/ http://www.peakparent.org/ Kim Maurin is an academic language therapist, Sounds in Symbols specialist, and executive function coach. She owns and manages Vector Learning, LLC, (https://kim-maurin.squarespace.com/) a company in Grand Junction, Colorado, that offers dyslexia assessments and one-on-one intervention sessions for students in preschool through sixth grade. (This episode was originally published on YouTube on July 30, 2023.)Individual Matters is a boutique psychology practice that specializes in comprehensive learning and neurodevelopmental evaluations. Dr. Katrina Katen, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist, speaker and educator, and author of "The Ownership Yard." Andrew Katen is an educator and author. Website: https://individualmatters.orgYouTube: https://youtube.com/individualmattersFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/discoveractgrowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/individual_matters/Newsletter: https://individualmatters.org/newsletter-sign-up/
Dyslexia: A Family Affair (One Mother's Story)
A mother shares her uplifting and inspiring story about what it's like to have dyslexia, and its superpowers. (This episode was originally published on YouTube on July 2, 2023.)Individual Matters is a boutique psychology practice that specializes in comprehensive learning and neurodevelopmental evaluations. Dr. Katrina Katen, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist, speaker and educator, and author of "The Ownership Yard." Andrew Katen is an educator and author. Website: https://individualmatters.org YouTube: https://youtube.com/individualmatters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/discoveractgrow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/individual_matters/Newsletter: https://individualmatters.org/newsletter-sign-up/
Beyond the Eye Chart: Why Vision Matters (Dr. Jennifer Fortuna, PhD, OTR/L, Colorado Mesa University)
Beyond the Eye Chart: Why Vision Matters (Dr. Jennifer Fortuna, PhD, OTR/L, Colorado Mesa University)
Visual functioning affects all aspects of child development: play, learning, and socializing. It involves much more than just reading letters on an eye chart. In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Fortuna describes how and why visual development matters, symptoms that parents and teachers should look for, and how dysfunction is assessed and treated by occupational therapists. Dr. Jennifer Fortuna, PhD, is an occupational therapist and assistant professor in the Occupational Therapy Program at Colorado Mesa University. She has clinical experience in pediatrics, visual-motor rehabilitation and home care. Her research interests include health literacy, visual impairment and accessibility in community settings.Fortuna has peer-reviewed publications in national and international scholarly journals. She has presented at regional, national and international conferences. Fortuna serves as the art editor at the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT) and is an instructor and regular contributor at MedBridge Education. (This episode was originally published on YouTube on June 25, 2023.)Individual Matters is a boutique psychology practice that specializes in comprehensive learning and neurodevelopmental evaluations. Dr. Katrina Katen, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist, speaker and educator, and author of "The Ownership Yard." Andrew Katen is an educator and author. Website: https://individualmatters.org YouTube: https://youtube.com/individualmatters Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/discoveractgrow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/individual_matters/Newsletter: https://individualmatters.org/newsletter-sign-up/
Sensory and Behavior: The Vestibular System (Kathy Den, OTR/L, Individual Matters)
Kathy Den, occupational therapist, explains how behavior, learning, and development is affected by a sensory component called "vestibular processing."What is vestibular processing, and why does it matter? What are the symptoms of vestibular delays in children? When should parents be concerned? How are vestibular problems assessed and treated? What can parents and teachers do today to support vestibular sensory development in their children?Kathy Den, OTR/L, is a graduate of Boston University Sargent College of Allied Health Professions and has over 30 years’ experience as an occupational therapist. She has worked in a variety of settings including home health with newborns, outpatient pediatric services, and schools, and she joined Individual Matters in 2019. Kathy specializes in sensory processing, learning disabilities, developmental delays, and ADHD. She is certified in Ayres Sensory Integration intervention and is a certified Clinical Specialist in Autism Spectrum Disorder.(This episode was originally published on YouTube on June 13, 2023.)Individual Matters is a boutique psychology practice that specializes in comprehensive learning and neurodevelopmental evaluations. Dr. Katrina Katen, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist, speaker and educator, and author of "The Ownership Yard." Andrew Katen is an educator and author.Website: https://individualmatters.orgYouTube: https://youtube.com/individualmattersFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/discoveractgrowInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/individual_matters/Newsletter: https://individualmatters.org/newsletter-sign-up/