Fusing Education and Social/Emotional Coaching

After tutoring students for over 20 years, it was both intriguing and heartbreaking to observe a very interesting pattern: Nearly all of my 100+ students I individually worked with were uniquely smart. However, as I got to know them, many of them came with both obvious and/or subconscious, substantial social, emotional, and/or psychological concerns that were not easy to hide. Whether it was a bad day at school, a fight with a close friend or a family member, being bullied at school, and/or ongoing familial or identity issues, these smart students were stuck and muted from their fullest potential and unable to perform to their maximum potential.

What I noticed when I helped students untangle their social, emotional, and cognitive distractions, was a direct correlation with their academic performance. I knew at that moment I needed more formal training in this area.

This is the reason I decided to continue my studies and pursue licensure in mental health counseling -- to fuse my background in education with mental health training. Resolving these bio, social, emotional, and psychological issues are fundamental to clear the path for these smart students to rekindle their motivation and achieve their fullest potential.