I provide therapy for people with learning disorders (LDs), helping people navigate the unique challenges at school, work, and in everyday life. Learning disabilities and mental health are linked and can impact self-esteem, contentment, and academic or professional success. However, you can overcome a learning disability and find new strengths and opportunities. My approach is centered on providing a supportive space where clients can develop deeper awareness, coping strategies, and confidence in their abilities. Through evidence-based therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Narrative Therapy, and executive function coaching, I help individuals manage their learning challenges and build resilience and self-advocacy skills. Later in this post, you can get an idea of my approach through a case example of therapy for learning disabilities and depression.
If you have any questions about my services in general, how to overcome a learning disability, or therapy for people with learning disorders, please feel free to contact me or schedule a consultation anytime.
Learning Disabilities and Mental Health
People with LDs often experience mental health challenges due to the struggles they face in school, work, and social settings. These challenges can include anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and emotional regulation difficulties. Understanding this connection between learning disabilities and mental health is key to finding the right support.
How Learning Disabilities and Mental Health are Linked
Here are some common symptoms that people with unaddressed LDs often face:
- Chronic Stress & Anxiety – Difficulty keeping up with academic or work demands can lead to frustration and anxiety.
- Low Self-Esteem – Repeated struggles can cause feelings of failure, leading to self-doubt and low confidence.
- Social Challenges – Some LDs, like dyslexia, can make communication or social interactions harder, leading to isolation.
- Emotional Regulation Issues – Struggles with executive functioning (common in ADHD) can make it harder to manage emotions.
- Depression & Burnout – Feeling misunderstood, unsupported, or constantly overwhelmed can contribute to depression.
Holistic Approaches and Therapy for People with Learning Disorders
There are a variety of approaches that can help you overcome the effects of an LD, such as:
- Therapy & Counseling – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and talk therapy can help manage anxiety, stress, and self-esteem issues, thereby disconnecting learning disabilities and mental health.
- Executive Function Coaching – Helps with organization, time management, and reducing overwhelm.
- Mindfulness & Stress Management – Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and movement-based therapies (yoga, exercise) can improve emotional regulation and disengage learning disabilities and mental health challenges.
- Support Groups & Community – Finding others with similar experiences can reduce feelings of isolation and provide coping strategies.
- Self-Advocacy & Accommodations – Requesting accommodations at school or work can ease stress and improve confidence.
How to Overcome a Learning Disability
While there is no cure, you can overcome a learning disability by finding positive strategies, accommodations, and support systems that help you succeed, find new opportunities, and reach your full potential. Here’s a step-by-step approach to managing and thriving:
Overcome a Learning Disability Through Understanding
- Get a formal diagnosis if you haven’t already.
- Learn about your specific challenges (e.g., dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, etc.).
- Recognize your strengths—many people with learning disabilities excel in creative or problem-solving areas.
Use Accommodations and Assistive Technology
- Request accommodations at work or school (extra time on tests, note-taking assistance, audiobooks, etc.).
- Use technology like speech-to-text software, text-to-speech programs, and organizational apps.
- Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
Develop Effective Learning Strategies
- Try multi-sensory learning (visual, auditory, kinesthetic).
- Use graphic organizers, color-coding, and mind maps for better comprehension.
- Practice active reading strategies like summarizing or discussing key points.
Strengthen Executive Functioning Skills
- Use planners, digital calendars, or reminder apps to stay organized.
- Develop routines and structure to help with time management.
- Work on self-advocacy skills—learn how to ask for help when needed.
Seek Support from Professionals
- Work with a specialized academic therapist or tutoring specialist.
- Consider therapy (more in the next section)
- Join support groups for people with LDs.
Build Self-Confidence and Resilience
- Focus on your progress, not perfection.
- Develop a growth mindset—view challenges as opportunities to grow.
- Surround yourself with people who encourage and support you.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
- Supports motor skills, sensory processing, and daily living tasks
- Can help with handwriting, organization, and executive function challenges
- Often used for people with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia
Speech and Language Therapy (SLT/Speech Therapy)
- Helps with communication difficulties, including expressive/receptive language issues
- Supports social communication and pragmatics
- Useful for individuals with dyslexia, autism, or other language-processing difficulties
Executive Function Coaching
- Focuses on skills like organization, planning, and time management
- Helps individuals with ADHD or LDs develop routines
- Can be combined with therapy for better results
Social Skills Training to Overcome a Learning Disability
- Helps with reading social cues, making friends, and navigating conversations
- Useful for autistic individuals or those with nonverbal learning disabilities
Types of Therapy for People with Learning Disorders
Therapy for people with learning disorders can be highly beneficial, offering support in areas like emotional regulation, social skills, executive functioning, and self-esteem. The right type of therapy depends on individual needs, but here are some common approaches:
Different therapeutic approaches can help individuals with learning disabilities manage challenges like self-doubt, anxiety, and frustration. Here’s how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Narrative Therapy can be beneficial:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for People with Learning Disorders
Focus: Accepting challenges and committing to personal values instead of avoiding difficulties.
How ACT Helps Overcome a Learning Disability:
- Encourages self-acceptance rather than struggling against LD-related difficulties.
- Uses mindfulness to help with frustration and focus issues.
- Helps build psychological flexibility – adjust instead of feeling stuck.
- Encourages individuals to commit to meaningful goals, despite obstacles.
Example Strategy:
A student with dyslexia might struggle with reading but, through ACT, can accept this challenge and focus on alternative strategies (e.g., audiobooks) while pursuing their passion for storytelling.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for People with Learning Disorders
Focus: Identifying and changing negative thought patterns that contribute to emotional distress.
How CBT helps People Overcome a Learning Disability:
- Addresses self-doubt and negative self-talk (e.g., “I’m not smart enough”).
- Helps reframe perfectionism and failure as opportunities.
- Provides strategies to manage test anxiety, procrastination, and frustration.
- It improves emotional regulation by helping individuals recognize and change thought patterns.
Example Strategy:
Someone with ADHD who struggles with organization might replace the thought “I’ll never be good at this” with “I can improve with the right strategies and support.”
Narrative Therapy for People with Learning Disorders
Focus: Rewriting personal stories to emphasize strengths and resilience.
How Narrative Therapy Helps People Overcome a Learning Disability:
- It helps individuals see themselves beyond their LD diagnosis—focusing on strengths rather than struggles.
- Encourages reframing experiences (e.g., “I’m resilient” instead of “I always fail”).
- It uses storytelling to explore identity beyond academic performance.
- It empowers individuals to shape their own positive narratives rather than internalizing societal stigma.
Example Strategy:
A student who believes “I’m a failure because I struggle in school” might rewrite their story: “I face challenges, but I am creative, determined, and capable of success in my own way.”
Which Therapy is Best?
- ACT therapy for people with learning disorders is great for building self-acceptance and focusing on values-based action.
- CBT therapy for people with learning disorders helps with negative thoughts, anxiety, and emotional regulation.
- Narrative Therapy helps shift self-identity and develop a positive personal story.
Psychoeducation & Counseling for People with Learning Disorders
In addition to the more formal therapy approaches listed above, I also provide education and general counseling to clients with LDs and guidance to their parents if they are children. This approach:
- Helps individuals understand their challenges and develop self-advocacy skills
- Can include family therapy to support parents/caregivers in understanding needs
Case Example: Learning Disabilities and Depression
Name: Alex (fictional example)
Age: 19
Diagnosis: Dyslexia and ADHD
Presenting Concern: Struggling with learning disabilities and depression, as well as low self-esteem after transitioning to college
Case History
Alex was diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school and ADHD in middle school. Despite receiving accommodations, she always felt “behind” her peers. Throughout high school, she developed coping strategies that helped but often avoided reading-heavy tasks.
Now in college, Alex faces overwhelming coursework, struggles with time management, and feels embarrassed asking for help. Her grades are declining, and she withdraws from social activities, feeling like she “isn’t smart enough.” Negative self-talk (“I’ll never succeed”) leads to persistent sadness, fatigue, and loss of motivation—signs of depression.
Learning Disabilities and Depression Therapeutic Approach
CBT for Learning Disabilities and Depression
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- Challenge Negative Thoughts: Identifying and replacing self-defeating beliefs with realistic, encouraging statements.
- Behavioral Activation: Setting small, achievable goals to rebuild motivation and self-confidence.
Example: Negative Thought: “I’m stupid because I struggle with reading.”; Reframed Thought: “I have challenges, but I can use audiobooks and other strategies to succeed.”
ACT for Learning Disabilities and Depression
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- Mindfulness for Emotional Regulation: Observing thoughts without judgment.
- Values-Based Goals: Focusing on what matters (e.g., passion for creative projects) rather than academic perfection.
Example: Alex accepts her challenges instead of fighting them and focuses on personal growth.
Narrative Therapy for Learning Disabilities and Depression
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- Rewriting Self-Perception: Moving from a “failure” mindset to recognizing strengths.
- Empowerment through Storytelling: Seeing challenges as part of a bigger journey toward resilience.
Example: Alex reworks her personal narrative from “I’m broken” to “I’m resourceful and persistent.”
Outcome & Progress
- After a few months of therapy for learning disabilities and depression, Alex develops self-compassion and utilizes accommodations without shame.
- With executive function coaching, she creates structured study routines.
- Her mood improves as she engages in social activities and focuses on strengths beyond academics.
This example highlights how certain types of therapy can help individuals with learning disabilities and depression reframe their struggles and build resilience.
Conclusion and My Work
Living with an LD can be challenging, but with the right support, individuals can thrive in both academic and personal settings. As a clinical psychologist, I aim to empower clients by equipping them with practical strategies and emotional resilience to navigate their unique profiles and unlink learning disabilities and mental health challenges. Therapy for people with learning disorders provides a space to reframe negative beliefs, develop strengths, and create a fulfilling path forward. With patience, self-acceptance, and the right accommodations, people can succeed on their own terms.
Therapy for people with learning disorders: Subspecialties
I also offer two subspecialties in addition to traditional therapy for people with learning disorders:
Testing for Accommodations
You typically need formal testing to document your LD to receive accommodations in school or work. The process involves:
- Cognitive ability assessments (IQ, memory, processing speed) – E.g., WAIS, WISC
- Academic achievement testing (reading, writing, math skills) – E.g., WIAT, Woodcock-Johnson
- Executive function & attention (for ADHD assessments) – E.g., TOVA, D-KEFS
- Language processing (for dyslexia, speech issues)
Possible Accommodations That Help People Overcome a Learning Disability:
- Extra time on exams
- Note-taking assistance or audio recordings
- Reduced-distraction testing environments
- Assistive technology (text-to-speech, dictation software, etc.)
- Flexibility with deadlines or workload
Therapeutic Tutoring for Learning Disabilities
Unlike regular tutoring, therapeutic tutoring (or educational therapy) combines academic support with cognitive and emotional strategies to address both learning disabilities and mental health. :
- Teaches executive function skills (organization, time management) that help people overcome a learning disability.
- It uses multi-sensory learning (great for dyslexia, ADHD, and processing disorders).
- Teaches study strategies, self-esteem enhancement, and coping skills (which helps, for example, with learning disabilities and depression and anxiety)
- It often involves special education teachers or specialists trained in LDs.
Therapeutic tutoring addresses learning disabilities and mental health concerns that are affecting progress and potential.
In addition to general therapy that seeks to unlink learning disabilities and mental health challenges and the subspecialties above, I can provide services that work on sports performance with athletes who have an LD, and fear of public speaking that is related to some LDs, among other specific therapies. I can weave in addressing LDs to any therapy course in my integrative psychological practice.
If you have any questions about my services, how to overcome a learning disability, or therapy for people with learning disorders, please feel free to contact me or schedule a consultation anytime.
