Along with comprehensive evaluation and individualized instruction with our educational therapy team, assessment and treatment with additional specialists may be recommended for some students, depending on their individual needs. We may refer our families to local practitioners, each of whom provides expert evaluation and therapeutic intervention in his or her field. Our referrals list includes specialists in the fields of psychology, neuropsychology, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy, educational therapy, developmental optometry, nutrition, and more.
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Psychology
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Lisa Aronson, LCSW, PhD ~ Serving all ages
805-705-5597 ~ lisabetharonson@gmail.com
Ojai, Santa Barbara, and Ventura
1350 Cuyama Road ~ Ojai, CA 93023
22A Micheltorena Street ~ Santa Barbara, CA 93101
260 Maple Court, #130 ~ Ventura, CA 93003
Lisa Aronson provides individual evaluation and psychotherapy (brief, crisis intervention, long term). She also evaluates distress, disorders and disabilities, and provides appropriate psychological treatments. These treatments include psychodynamic psychotherapy, problem-solving therapy, and psychosocial support following/during stressful events, such as divorce, medical interventions, exposure to a sudden violent event, and bereavement.
Lisa is also available as a youth mental health consultant for teachers, lawyers, non-profits, and clinics. English is her mother tongue, but she also speaks Spanish.
Specialties: Psychotherapy, Problem-Solving Therapy, and Psychosocial Support.
Rates: $130/session with sliding scale.
Insurance Accepted: Cigna, Optum, United Health Care, United Behavioral Health and Life Strategies, and Case Agreements where applicable.
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Cronin Services
Pegeen Cronin, PhD ~ Serving all ages
1-877-428-8478 ~ askdrcronin@gmail.com
Dr. Pegeen Cronin works in the West Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, and Ventura areas. She has 16 years of experience and offers academic, psychological, and developmental evaluations of children and adolescents in addition to diagnostic evaluations for individuals suspected of a developmental disability. She also helps parents, children, and adolescents through support, social modeling, and social skills groups.
Specialties: Children, Adolescents, Family Support, Developmental Disabilities, Social Modeling, and Social Skills Groups.
Rates: Evaluation and Therapeutic Sessions – $200/session.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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Beverly Januszewski, PhD ~ Serving all ages
(805) 642-3648 ~ drzooski@sbcglobal.net ~ website
1280 S. Victoria Avenue, Suite 230 ~ Ventura, CA 93003
Dr. Beverly Januszewski specializes in providing evaluations and psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and young adults. She believes that helping her patients better understand their strengths and challenges will only expand their ability to self-monitor and regulate their attention, mood, and behaviors. She values collaboration with medical doctors, psychiatrists, school professionals, and other therapists. Dr. Januszewski considers it an honor to work closely with so many families who love their children deeply, and who recognize that theirs is a complicated situation.
Specialties: Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults, ADHD, Gifted, Divorce, Gender Issues, and Mood Issues.
Rates: Evaluation & Therapeutic Sessions – $150/hour.
Insurance Accepted: AETNA PPO, Anthem Blue Cross, Kaiser, TriCare, TriWest, and Single Case Agreements when applicable.
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Lisa Palladino, PhD ~ Serving ages 4+
805-229-5239 ~ drlisapalladino@yahoo.com ~ website
530 W. Ojai Avenue, Suite 209 ~ Ojai, CA 93023
Dr. Palladino’s philosophy is “believing in a holistic approach, which understands that emotional health is linked to nutrition and honoring of the body’s own rhythms. I believe that inherent in every person is the ability to live a fulfilled and satisfying life. The key is connecting with one’s own natural strengths.”
Specialties: Depression, Addiction, Life Transitions, and Spiritual Crisis.
Rates: $150/hour.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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Lifespan Development Center
Roland Rotz, PhD ~ Serving ages 6+
805-566-0441 ~ docrotz@gmail.com ~ website
957 Maple Avenue ~ Carpinteria, CA 93013
Dr. Rotz’s philosophy is to “Do the little things well now, for in time great things will appear, waiting to be done. Change is discovering choices and what to do with them. Whatever you do, do it with passion!”
Specialties: ADHD and Co-occuring Conditions.
Rates: $180/hour.
Insurance Accepted: AETNA which includes the UCSB Gaucho health plan.
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John Valenzuela, PhD ~ Serving ages 12+
323-364-4035 ~ jvphd1@gmail.com
308 N. Montgomery Street ~ Ojai, CA 93023
John is a Registered Psychological Assistant who believes that there are multiple paths to change. He wants to help his clients find their own unique paths through finding new ways to relate to others, discussing their dreams, and understanding their cultural narratives.
He is under the supervision of Dr. Ira Heilveil, PhD, and John provides short-term and long-term therapy for individuals, adolescents, and couples who are suffering from depression, anxiety, grief, or who are dealing with symptoms of ADHD and ASD. He also conducts psychological assessments and provides comprehensive reports about those assessments.
Specialties: Adolescents, Adults, Depression, Anxiety, Grief, ADHD, ASD.
Rates: Evaluation – $50/hour, Treatment – $120/hour.
Insurance Accepted: AETNA, Anthem Blue Cross, Beacon Health Services/Gold Coast, Blue Shield of California, Coventry, Magellan Behavioral Health, MHN, Multi-Plan, Tricare, and United Behavioral Health.
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Jordan Witt, PhD ~ Serving ages 3-30
805-564-1763 ~ jw@jordanwittphd.com ~ website
1531 Chapala Street #2 ~ Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Dr. Witt believes that every individual has unique strengths and weaknesses in their learning and skills. Helping someone toward success involves understanding of their learning style, remediating weaknesses, developing strategies, and developing their strengths. In addition, many individuals are held back from success through difficulty with executive skills (planning, organizing, and managing daily tasks), and targeted interventions can be helpful in these areas as well. Through comprehensive evaluation learning profiles can be uncovered and help enhance the design of appropriate supports and educational accommodations or changes.
Specialties: ADHD, Autism, Positive Behavior Support, Learning Disorders.
Rates: Variable depending on scope of treatment.
Insurance Accepted: AETNA, Cottage Health, and Single Case Agreements where applicable.
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Counseling
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Sandra Blase, LMFT ~ Serving all ages
805-646-0073 ~ mohava@aol.com
201 Bryant Street #1 ~ Ojai, CA 93023
Sanda Blase is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who works with children, adolescents and adults. She has over thirty-five years of experience as a therapist. For twenty-three years, she was the director of a school program for children and adolescents with emotional/mental health issues which were often coupled with educational deficiencies.
Specialties: ADHD, EMDR, Lifespan Integration, Depression, Anxiety, Relationships, Family Issues, Clinical & Behavioral Consultation to schools, hospitals, group homes, and businesses.
Rates: Evaluation – $140/session ~ Therapeutic Sessions – $140/session.
Insurance Accepted: Most major insurance companies and PPOs.
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Ojai Mind Body Spirit
Wendy Elliott, MA, LCMHC, BC-DTR ~ Serving ages 4+
805-640-0579 ~ wendy@OjaiMindBodySpirit.com ~ website
806 A North Montgomery Street ~ Ojai, CA 93023
Wendy’s philosophy includes utilizing Solution Focused Therapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Self-Determination Theory.
Specialties: ADHD, Learning Differences, and Autism Spectrum.
Rates: Mental Health/Mental Wellness Assessment (2 hours) – $250/session ~ Therapeutic Sessions ~ $125/hour.
Insurance Accepted: Yes.
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Axyal Node Healing Arts
Grant Gorman ~ Serving All Ages
831-601-5695 ~ axyalnode@gmail.com ~ website
501 E. Ojai Ave, Suite D ~ Ojai, CA 93023
Each session is completely unique to each individual and how a session looks varies just as much. Some sessions are all spirit delving into past lives, the ethereal plane, and other aspects of one’s spirituality. Some sessions deal strictly with the mind and the slough of circumstances that can lead to complex issues. Still others reside completely with the physical body. More than not, though, the session is an amalgam of the three, spirit, mind, and body.
Targeting a specific area or issue can either come up organically in the session(s) or you can make this known prior to the session and that will be the agenda for the that particular session, thus moving toward finding the root of that issue.
Specialties: Psychology, Listening Therapy/Counseling, Body Talk, Knowledge of Anatomy & Physiology, Energy Medicine, Extrasensory Perception, Past Life Recall, Intuitivism, Reiki, Crystal Therapy, Qi Gong, Tao, Spiritual Reading, Shamanism, Nutrition, Sound Healing, Acupressure (Eden Energy Medicine), Awareness of Public Health Issues, Awareness of Historical/Social Issues.
Rates: $165/2 Hour Session – $100/1 Hour Session.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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Elizabeth Hollon, MFT ~ Serving ages 3 – 90
805-850-8575 ~ ehollonmft@gmail.com
250 Maple Court, Suite 260 ~ Ventura, CA 93003
501 E. Ojai Ave, Suite B ~ Ojai, CA 93023
The therapeutic atmosphere that Elizabeth provides is safe, encouraging, insight oriented, and flexible. She has many years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples. She makes sure that her clients have the correct diagnosis before treatment and thoroughly take their needs and life circumstances into consideration in the therapeutic process. The goal is for her clients to achieve unconditional understanding, peace, and relief from disturbing symptoms. She is passionate about helping her clients achieve health and improvement in their quality of life. She works psychodynamically, use dialectical behavioral therapy, EMDR, and CBT. She offers a free phone consultation.
Specialties: Autism, PDD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, OCD, Trauma, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, and Personality Disorders.
Rates: $125/session.
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Passport to Adaptive Living
Tiffany Mandelbaum, BCBA, MA ~ Serving all ages
805-339-0210 ~ tmandelbaum@pal-services.org ~ website
2291 Portola Road, Unit A ~ Ventura, CA 93003
PAL supports individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. PAL provides social skills instruction, adaptive skills instruction, and intensive applied behavior analysis services. PAL has Board Certified Behavior Analysts monitoring all programming.
Specialities: Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
Rates: $40 – $125/hour.
Insurance Accepted: CenCal Health, Cigna, Blue Cross of California, LifeSynch, Anthem Blue Cross, United Behavioral Health, Magellan Health Services, MHNet, Gold Coast Health Plan, Aetna, HealthNet, TriCare, and Humana.
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Resources for Infant Educarers®
Elizabeth Memel, MA ~ Serving ages 0-2
(323) 651-0022 ~ lizmemel@authenticbabies.com ~ website
1943 Meiners Road ~ Ojai, CA 93023
Elizabeth has 33 years of experience in working with infants and young children. The goal is to help raise authentic infants who are confident, focused, peaceful, and curious. Elizabeth teachers RIE Parent-Infant Guidance Classes for families with children from age 0 to age 2 with a demonstration and observation program that meets once a week for 90 minutes at a time. She also offers consultation at her home studio and at in-home visits.
Specialties: Infants, Children, Certified RIE Parent-Infant Guidance Classes.
Rates: Evaluation – $125/hour for consultation home visits ~ Eight consecutive group sessions – $320.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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Chantal Wunderlich, MA ~ Serving all ages
(805) 455-8704 ~ chantal@chantalwunderlich.com ~ website
1010 Anacapa Street ~ Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Chantal’s approach is Person-Centered and draws from Family Systems Theory within a Psychodynamic framework. When working with children, she relies on Expressive Arts modalities as well as Non-Directive Play Therapy.
Specialties: Children, Adolescents, Young Adults, Grief, Loss, Self-Injuring Behaviors, Anxiety, Depression, Relationship Issues, Attachments Issues, Impulse Disorders, Family Conflict, and Divorce.
Rates: Evaluation – $135/session ~ Therapeutic Sessions – $90/session.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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Educational Therapy
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The Literacy Room
Jena Collins 
~ Serving ages 5+
805-252-9955 ~ jenacollins@mac.com ~ website
407 Bryant Circle Bldg. C ~ Ojai, CA 93023
As an educational therapist, Jena addresses the underlying processes that affect learning. She also helps the students to understand their styles of learning and how to advocate for their needs in academic settings and beyond.
Rates: Evaluation – $700-$1200 ~ Therapeutic Sessions – $110/hour.Specialties: Dyslexia, Hyperlexia, Learning Processes Disorders, All Subjects Including Spanish, Test Prep, and College Essays.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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Dubin Learning Center
Deidre & Barry Dubin ~ Serving ages 6+
805-962-7122 ~ dubinlearningcenter@verizon.net ~ website
112 West Cota Street ~ Santa Barbara, CA 93101
In working with a child with a learning difference, the Dubin Center takes a whole child approach. As Educational Therapists, Barry and Deidre see the child in the context of the school, family, and peers, addressing a child’s social and emotional needs as well as the academic concerns and processing challenges. The Dubin Center fosters self-esteem, confidence, and self-direction.
Specialties: Learning differences including Dyslexia, Reading and Writing Difficulties, Math Challenges, Visual and Auditory Processing Problems, Study & Organizational Skills, School and Test Anxiety.
Rates: Evaluation – $450 – $1,500/session ~ Tutoring Rates – $75 – $90/hour.
Insurance Accepted: Not applicable.
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The Six Plus One Trait
Paul Herder ~ Serving all ages
805-407-5021 ~ pherder.ogs@gmail.com ~ Serving Ventura County
Paul is a published author with twenty years of teaching experience as a lead English teacher at the secondary level. He specializes in expository and narrative writing for college essays, private high school applications, and other academic writing assignments. Paul’s instruction focuses on The Six Plus One Trait writing model comprising of; ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation.
Rates: $125/hour
Insurance Accepted: No
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Pat Johnson Educational Therapy
Pat Johnson ~ Serving ages 6 – 66
(805) 683 -1809 ~ patjson@sbceo.org https://sites.google.com/site/patjohnsonet/
Pat uses scientifically designed curricula with an Orton-Gillingham basis such as the Lindamood-Bell processes as well as other sensory-cognitive methods which were developed by the Landmark school. She uses a modified “Read Naturally” program for improving reading fluency. She address handwriting difficulties using the “Handwriting Without Tears” methodology as well as other methods that have proven successful over the years. She keeps current by attending meetings of the international Dyslexia Association and the Association of Educational Therapists.
Specialties: dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia
Rates: $80 per 55 minute session
Insurance Accepted: N/A
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Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® Practitioner
For
ming Movement
Birgit Jung-Schmitt ~ Serving all ages
520-369-5460 ~ bjungschmitt@gmail.com ~ Serving Ventura County ~ website
501 E Ojai Ave, Ojai CA
560 Coronado Street, Ventura CA
NeuroMovement® takes advantage of the brain’s amazing ability to change itself. It utilizes movement in all its forms to help upgrade the functioning of the brain that in turn can organize thinking, feeling, emotion, movement and action better.
Supported by the latest brain research, the Anat Baniel Method® NeuroMovement® uses simple, gentle movements and focus to help children and adults to maximize their potential, no matter what their skill level or diagnosis.
Birgit works with people of all ages, children, babies, adults, the elderly, individuals with special needs and learning challenges, and skill-based professionals, to help them overcome current limitations and pain and reach higher levels of performance. She recently completed the master program for ABM NeuroMovement® for Children with Special Needs.
The Anat Baniel Method NeuroMovement is known for its breakthrough results for children with autism, Asperger’s, brain damage, ADHD, learning disabilities and undiagnosed developmental delays. The NeuroMovement approach is broadly applicable and has helped people with many different needs and interests gain new skills, get rid of pain, and create a healthier and happier life: people with brain injury, recovering from a stroke, Cerebral Palsy, PTSD, recovering from injury and surgery, chronic pain, occupational and repetitive strain, scoliosis, symptoms associated with aging, MS, Parkinson’s disease, balance and coordination issues, people who long for more vitality and joy, feeling down, bored, off track, or stuck in some way – and for people who know that they don’t have to have a problem to get better!
UPCOMING EVENTS (please check www.formingmovement.com for more events and classes)
- NeuroMovement Classes at Namba Performing Arts Space, 47 S Oak Street, Ventura CA
- Free Presentations at Lighthouse Learning Solutions, Ojai CA
Rates: $90 per session
Insurance Accepted: No
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Educational Success
Lorilynn ~ Serving all ages
805-649-4905 ~ roadtoedsuccess@aol.com ~ website
Serves Ojai, Ventura, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Carpinteria, Montecito, and Santa Barbara.
Lorilynn’s philosophy states that “learning is maximized when the courses of study are tailored to individual needs, abilities, and pace. One on one teaching provides constant monitoring of subject mastery and adjustment of course material in an ongoing manner, which ensures greater student success.”
Specialties: Individualized homeschool programs, tutorial services, and test preparation for a wide range of ages and abilities, including gifted/advanced students and students with learning differences such as ADHD, dyslexia, processing issues, and/or executive functioning impairment.
Rates: Evaluation – $100/session ~ Tutoring – $75 – $100/hour ~ Test Prep – $40/hour ~ homeschool program rates available on request.
Availability: Monday – Saturday mornings and afternoons.
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Tutoring
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Craig Bessermin ~ Serving ages 5 – 18
(831) 241-8478 ~ cbessermin@gmail.com
Serves, Port Hueneme, Carpinteria, and Montecito
Craig has a well-rounded education and can help students develop their educational and emotional skills to increase knowledge, improve grades, and feel more confident about the decisions they make in life. He has received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics along with his Bachelor of Arts degree in French Culture and Literature. He has also received a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Policy and will graduate with a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychotherapy from the Pacifica Graduate Institute in March. Craig currently lives in Ojai and is not far from neighboring towns.
Specialties: Elementary Math, Social Skills, Pre-Algebra / Algebra, Organizational Skills, Emotional Functioning, Behavioral Counseling, Career Counseling, Foreign Language(s), Dream Work, Therapeutic Analysis, Family Systems, and Empathic Attunement.
Rates: $40 – $60/hour depending on travel distance
Availability: Monday – Saturday mornings and afternoons
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Jennifer Brown ~ Serving ages 12+
(805) 297-5121 ~ equinescribe@hotmail.com
Serves Ojai.
Jennifer grew up in the education system at Ojai private schools and gained a different perspective on teaching. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree of arts in theater and became a writer, with three published novels and a fourth novel nearing completion. She believes that everyone can benefit from learning about the creative arts.
Specialties: Writing Skills
Rates: $60/hour
Availability: Monday – Sunday afternoons
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Jael Burkhalter ~ Serving ages 5+
(808) 464-0594 ~ jaelmburkhalter@gmail.com
Serves Ojai, Ventura, Carpinteria, Montecito and Santa Barbara
Jael Burkhalter is a self-employed artist and dressmaker. She loves spending time interacting with people, seeing different cultures and viewpoints, and seeing the mystery and beauty nature holds. She especially loves experiencing these things through travel and conservation work. Jael also loves creating really nice, useful clothing; she would love to one day start a sewing school. She enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for learning with others!
Specialties: Reading Fluency, Comprehension, Writing Skills, Grammar, Writing Mechanics, Organizational Skills, Study Skills
Rates: Starting at $15/hour
Availability: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings and afternoons
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Robert Costanza ~ Serving all ages
(831) 234-5217 ~ rcostanza@yahoo.com
Serves Ojai, Ventura, Carpinteria, and Montecito
Robert worked in the aerospace industry and uses his experience to teach science, physics, and engineering in interesting ways, such as helping students design solar boats, or robotic musical bands. At the same time, he teaches students how to work with others in a group environment to achieve a goal.
Specialties: Elementary Science, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Physics, Engineering, and Career Guidance.
Rates: $20 – $50/hour
Availability: Saturday mornings and afternoons and Sunday mornings
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Zivile Gimbutas ~ Serving ages 5+
(805) 798-9271 ~ zgimbutas@gmail.com
Serves Ojai, Santa Paula and Ventura
Zivile holds her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She obtained her Master’s degree in Drama at California State University, Northridge. She holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Indiana University, Bloomington. She has experience working with elementary level students as well as working as a secretary and managing editor for the Program in Ethnomusicology at UCLA before pursuing graduate studies at Indiana University, Bloomington. In 1990, she completed her degree in Comparative Literature and has taught at a university in Lithuania. She has taught English at a local community college.
Specialties: World Literature, Literary Genres, Analysis of Poetry, Major Themes in Western Literature, Voices in American Poetry, Interdisciplinary Approaches to Poetry, Basic English, Basic Skills, Fundamentals of Writing, Basic Reading and Writing, Analytical Reading, English Composition, Composition and Literature
Rates: $40 – $45/hour
Availability: Monday through Friday afternoon, Friday and Saturday morning
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Allan Isbell ~ Serving all ages
(925) 550-8121 ~ email: tutorwithAllan@gmail.com
Serving Ojai, Ventura and Oxnard
Allan has worked with hundreds of students in Spanish, from beginners to the highest level of Honors Spanish. As a high-school Spanish teacher in both public and private schools, Allan has helped students to succeed not only in achieving the grades they desired, but to guide them to a deeper understanding and appreciation for the language they are learning. A graduate of Cal Poly University, Allan majored in Business Administration and received a double minor in Spanish and Latin American Studies.
Drawing upon his own unique experiences living in Spanish-speaking countries, it’s Allan’s goal to give students a grounded, real-life understanding of what they are learning and why they are learning it while, of course, enjoying themselves along the way! Allan is also a certified Mindfulness Facilitator who has worked with and trained hundreds of teachers and students to use and incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives.
Specialties: Spanish, Mindfulness, Comprehension, Grammar, Test Prep, Enrichment, Study Skills
Rates: $65/hour
Availability: Monday through Sunday, mornings and afternoons
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Larry Johnson ~ Serving ages 6+
(805) 798-3890 ~ filminglarry@gmail.com
Serves Ojai and Ventura
Larry has experience 25 years of experience in teaching, mostly in the areas of science and film at Oak Grove and Villanova, as well as experience in tutoring all academic subjects.
Specialities: Basic to High School Level Academic Skills, Science, Math, Film, Video Editing, Guitar, and Test Prep
Rates: $40/hour
Availability: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday afternoons
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Dawn Knoeller ~ Serving ages 12+
(805) 746-5352 ~ dawnknoeller@gmail.com
Serves Ojai and Ventura
Dawn has a bachelor’s degree of arts and a master’s degree in Mathematics and a minor degree in Economics. She taught for five years at Besant Hill School when it was still called Happy Valley School. She now tutors students individually to be able to identify and focus on their specific needs in regards to math.
Specialities: Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, Statistics, Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra
Rates: $65/hour
Availability: Monday through Friday afternoons and Thursday and Friday mornings
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Tom Moore ~ Serving ages 12+
(805) 452-2812 ~ miscplots@yahoo.com
Serves Ojai, Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Carpinteria, Montecito, and Santa Barbara
Tom has many years of experience working with students at a variety of levels and ages, and all throughout this time he has tutored in math because he has loved math since he was in grade school. Every tutoring experience to him is a new and fresh challenge. He enjoys working one-on-one to provide the support for a student’s individual areas of concern.
Since 1968, Tom has worked with students when he taught at the Santa Barbara Free School and worked as Co-Director at the Community School in Santa Barbara. He later worked as a math consultant for the Open Alternative School at the Santa Barbara Unified School District while running an after school program and teaching photography at Anacapa High School. He then worked with students diagnosed with learning disorders at the Santa Barbara Educational Clinic. He also taught a photography class at the Santa Barbara Homeless Shelter, worked as an Assistant Director at the summer camp Camp Jolly Roger, and supervised the summer playground for the Carpinteria Recreation Department.
Specialties: Elementary Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry
Rates: $40/hour
Availability: Monday – Friday mornings, Monday – Thursday afternoons, Sunday afternoons
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Ted Powell ~ Serving all ages
(805) 500-5134 ~ tedp@gotsky.com
Serves Ojai, Santa Paula, Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Carpinteria, Montecito, and Santa Barbara
Ted believes in using songs, music, and caricatures to help with learning. He has varied experience in working with English learners, high school level math, fashion and design, and architecture.
Specialties: Basic to High School Level Academic Skills, Organizational Skills, Study Skills, College Counseling, Career Counseling, German, French, Architecture, and Engineering
Rates: $60/hour
Availability: Monday – Sunday mornings and afternoons
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Shane Rilling ~ Serving ages 6+
(805) 451-6455 ~ shinerilling@gmail.com
Serves Ojai
Shane uses his education in nutrition, energy, and positive thinking, as well as a holistic approach to find a student’s learning style to help students of all ages. He has experience in working with students with dyslexia and students who have a lack of motivation, a fear of math, or a fear of tests.
Specialties: Basic to High School Level Academic Skills, Organizational Skills, Study Skills, Emotional Functioning, Behavioral Counseling, College Counseling, Career Counseling, Spanish, Life Coaching, and World Peace Perspectives.
Rates: $55 – $75/hour
Availability: Monday – Friday mornings and afternoons
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Sydney Robertson ~ Serving All Ages
(951) 468-4091 ~ s.i.s.robertson@gmail.com
Serves Ojai, Santa Paula, Ventura, and Carpinteria
Working with high school students for over 25 years, I have taught, coached, tutored, and nurtured a wide variety of students from diverse backgrounds. I have worked at the Thacher School, Sage Hill School, and Idyllwild Arts Academy as well as working as a college counselor in China and France. My strengths are teaching writing, reading, note taking, and research skills, and helping students engage with the material, with an emphasis on teaching history and social studies.
Specialties: Reading Fluency, Comprehension, Writing Skills, Social Studies, History, Organizational Skills, Study Skills
Rates: $45 – $65/hour
Availability: Monday – Friday and Saturday Morning or Sunday afternoons
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Johnathan Twena ~ Serving Late Elementary through High School
(949) 554-3988 ~ jonathantwena@gmail.com
Serves Ojai
Johnathan grew up in Newport Beach, CA. He went to UC Santa Barbara and received a B.A. in Geography. He began tutoring math in High School and has always had a passion for teaching. He spent a lot of time traveling in his 20’s and working seasonally as an outdoor educator. He spent three years working as a math and science tutor in the Bay Area. He recently moved to Ojai to be closer to his family.
Specialities: Elementary Math, Social Skills, History, Pre-Algebra / Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Test Prep, Organizational Skills, Study Skills
Rates: $50-$60/hour
Availability: Tuesday – Thursday (Mornings and Afternoons Only)
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Hayley Shula ~ Serving Pre-K through College 
(415) 351-8482 ~ hayleyshula@gmail.com
Serves Ojai, Ventura, and Oxnard
Hayley has been a private piano instructor for 10 years and enjoys teaching students of all ages. Other experience includes teaching music theory and performance at summer camps, leading after-school programs, and teaching music production and engineering to children. Her father being a high school English teacher and journalist, Hayley learned how to have a way with words at a young age. She specializes in tutoring in English and writing, spelling, typing, and other communication methods.
Specialties: Reading Fluency, Writing Skills, Grammar, Writing Mechanics, Social Skills, Organizational Skills, Study Skills, Emotional Functioning, Behavioral Counseling, Career Counseling
Rates: $30 – $40/hour
Availability: Monday – Sunday (Mornings Only)
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Zitta Stubstad ~ Serving ages 6-14
(805) 640-1211 ~ zitta@ojaimail.net
Serves Ojai
Zitta grew up and attended college in Denmark, where she taught public school for five years. She found that she wanted another way to teach. When she moved to Ojai in 1978, she home-schooled her children and developed her own program for home-schooling her children and other children. She has now taught for 35 years and sees her past students become adults who show integrity, honesty, leadership, and self-confidence.
Specialties: Reading, Writing, Basic Math, Pre-Algebra, and Geometry
Rates: $60/hour in groups
Availability: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday mornings and afternoons
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Vivian Sudhalter ~ Serving ages 12+
(805) 640-9737 ~ vivians09@att.net
Serves Ojai
Vivian is a semi-retired publishing professional who has used her experience to teach hundreds of young people how to write correctly and effectively. She encourages writing through interesting, tailored writing projects to engage and motivate.
Specialties: Reading Comprehension, Writing Skills, Writing Mechanics, and Grammar
Rates: $40/hour by email, $50/hour in home
Availability: Tuesday and Friday afternoons
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Travis Weedon ~ Serving ages 6+
(410) 409-1717 ~ travisweedon@oakgroveschool.org ~ website
Serves Ojai, Santa Paula, Ventura, and Oxnard
Travis has an M. A. in English and an advanced TESOL certification. He teaches Film Studies at the Oak Grove School in Ojai. In the past, he has taught college writing courses, at the University of Oregon and Washington State University, and ESL courses to students of all ages. Travis specializes in Language Arts and has experience tutoring students at all levels.
This summer he is excited to work online with students through Skype.
Specialties: ESL; Reading; Writing; Literature; Film Studies; Social Studies
Rates: $40-$50/hour
Availability: Monday – Friday mornings and afternoons and Sunday mornings
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Laura Wells ~ Serving ages 5+
(805) 990-6697 ~ laurabewells@gmail.com
Serves Ojai, Santa Paula, Ventura and Oxnard
Laura has a BA degree in Anthropology, a TESOL certificate, a Japanese Language Proficiency Certificate and 20 years of experience in Tokyo, Japan as an EFL teacher and adjunct instructor in content-based university/junior college and high school courses. Laura’s other skills include editing, proofreading and translating for well-known educational publishing companies in Tokyo. She has many years of experience in the U.S. and abroad in teaching and tutoring subjects of ESL, World History, U.S. History, Literary Analysis, reading (critical thinking) and writing (essay formation) in addition to TOEFL, TOEIC and SAT test preparation. Over the years, her students have ranged in age from 5- 85 years. More recently, Laura has gained experience teaching elementary and high school classes at public and private schools in Ventura County. Laura is bicultural and experienced in teaching the language and culture of Japan to individuals of all ages seeking to further their understanding of that country’s rich culture. She is available for consultation prior to personal and/or professional ventures to Japan in order to maximize results and enrich one’s overall journey.
Specialties: Phonics, Reading Fluency, Comprehension, Writing Skills, Grammar, Writing Mechanics, Elementary Math, Social Studies, Social Skills, History, Statistics, Earth Science, Biology, Test Prep, Organizational Skills, Foreign Language(s)
Rates: $40 – $80/hour
Availability: Monday afternoon, Tuesday through Saturday mornings, and Sunday afternoon
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Dan Willard ~ Serving ages 3-18
(805) 415-8478 ~ ojaimusicservice@gmail.com
Serves Ojai
Dan has been playing music since he was a child. He has over 40 years of experience with music and has been teaching it since 1992 at Besant Hill, Thacher, and Ojai Valley School.
Specialities: Music (clarinet, sax, flute, trombone, piano, guitar, drums, and trumpet) and Spanish
Rates: $50-$60/hour
Availability: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons; Saturday mornings
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Stephanie Goldstein ~ Serving ages 10+
(917) 254-9621 ~ stephgoldstein613@gmail.com
Serves Carpinteria, Montecito and Santa Barbara
Stephanie received her Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College of Columbia University in 2015. Since graduating, she has taught and led special education programs in middle schools across Manhattan while working towards earning her Master’s of Education. Stephanie is a co-author on a forthcoming book about mindfulness in education and began her doctorate at the University of California Santa Barbara in the fall of September 2019. She prioritizes relationship-driven instruction and seeks to empower her students holistically by approaching them as dynamic individuals with academic and social/emotional needs.
Specialties: Visualizing and Verbalizing, Social Thinking, Multi-sensory approaches to reading comprehension, Multi-sensory approaches to writing instruction, Scaffold instruction and Mindfulness based interventions
Rates: $60-$100/ hour
Availability: Wednesday afternoon, Thursday afternoon, Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and afternoon, Sunday morning and afternoon
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Crissy Goldman ~ Serving ages 5-13
(805) 603-2196 ~ cgoldman@callutheran.edu
Serves Ojai, Santa Paula, Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, Carpinteria and Montecito
Crissy has been in the field of education for ver 15 years. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master’s degree in School Counseling. It has been her passion to help find the magic and brilliance in each student and build on their strengths, while finding creative out of the box solutions to build on their areas of improvement. When not workin with children, she loves to garden, swim in the ocean, hike, yoga, and travel the world.
Specialities: Phonics, Reading Fluency, Comprehension, Writing Skills, Grammar, Writing Mechanics, Elementary Math, Elementary Science, Social Studies, Social Skills, History, Pre-Algebra / Algebra, Geometry, Test Prep, Organizational Skills, Study Skills, Emotional Functioning, Behavioral Counseling, College Counseling and Career Counseling
Rates: $40/hour
Availability: Monday Morning, Monday Afternoon, Tuesday Morning, Tuesday Afternoon, Wednesday Morning, Wednesday Afternoon, Thursday Morning, Thursday Afternoon, Friday Morning
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David Anthony Alvarez ~ Serving ages 5+
(805) 535-8823 ~ murasda@gmail.com
Serves Ojai, Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo
David graduated with honors and a degree in a chemical engineering from UCSB in 2018. He has been working for a company called Aptitude Academics as a professional tutor for the past year. David has tutored math, physics, chemistry and SAT/ACT prep. He received two A+ and an A in the Ochem series at UCSB and is extremely knowledgeable in math, physics and chemistry.
Specialties: Writing Skills, Elementary Math, Pre-Algebra / Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, Physics and Test Prep
Rates: $30-$50/ hour
Availability: Monday Morning, Monday Afternoon, Tuesday Morning, Tuesday Afternoon, Wednesday Morning, Wednesday Afternoon, Thursday Morning, Thursday Afternoon, Friday Morning, Friday Afternoon, Saturday Morning and Saturday Afternoon
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Sam Yarabek ~ Serving ages 10+
(631) 871-0050 ~ syarabek@gmail.com
Serves Ojai, Santa Paula, Ventura, and Port Hueneme
Sam discovered his love for teaching and working with kids when he assisted his Cultural History teacher in high school. He loved the whole process – learning the subject matter, designing a lesson plan, working with kids to learn the content of his lesson plan, and reflecting in his work. He knew then that he wanted to teach. The subject matter that he fell in love with was Philosophy and Literature. After high school, Sam attended Colorado College where he majored in Philosophy and student-taught in one of the local middle schools in Colorado Springs. After college, Sam earned a Masters in English Education from Columbia Teachers College in NYC. While there he student-taught at the Center School (a middle school) and Brooklyn Technical High School. After Graduate School, Sam worked for two years in EdTech as an instructional designer. He later taught 12th grade English at The Ross School, a private high school in East Hampton, NY, which is where he grew up. Sam taught there for five years. He taught English, Philosophy, Creative Writing and World Religions. In April 2019, he accepted an English teaching position at Besant Hill School in Ojai, CA. Sam has been tutoring for over a decade as well to a wide range of students with a variety of learning needs.
Specialities: Reading Fluency, Comprehension, Writing Skills, Grammar, Writing Mechanics, Elementary Math, Elementary Science, Social Studies, Social Skills, History, Enrichment, Study Skills, Behavioral Counseling, Foreign Languages
Rates: $50 – $80/hour
Availability: Monday Afternoon, Tuesday Afternoon, Wednesday Afternoon, Thursday Afternoon, Afternoon
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Occupational & Speech Therapy
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Michaela Gordon, OTR/L, Traveling Therapist ~ Serving all ages
805-290-0933 ~ michaela@michaelagordon.com ~ website
Michaela is an occupational therapist who works with clients of all ages to change areas of concern through sensory integrative and other neuro-based treatments in order to help the brain better interpret, organize, and use information that is received through the senses.
Specialties: Sensory integration and neuro-based therapy.
Rates: Evaluation – $350/session ~ Therapeutic Sessions – $120/hour.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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Two Trees Kids
Rosanna Kirkendall-Azer ~ Serving ages 0 – 18
805-765-4773 ~ info@twotreespt.com ~ website
3418 Loma Vista Rd Suite 4A ~ Ventura, CA 93003
Two Trees Kids specializes in: Pediatric Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy for Developmental Delays, Toe Walking, Sensory Processing Disorders, Scoliosis, Speech Delay, Sound Therapy, Torticollis, Autism, and Attention Disorders
Evaluation Rates: $150 – $250
Treatment Rates: $50 – $150
Insurance Accepted: Aetna, United, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, VCHCP, Tricare, Tricounties, Valley Care IPA, and more.
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Seaside Therapy, Inc.
Kristen Rohde ~ Serving all ages
805-644-8255 ~ website
530 W. Ojai Avenue, Suite 209 ~ Ojai, CA 93023
Seaside Therapy uses a developmental approach. It serves clients ages 0-99 for speech therapy and 0-13 for occupational & physical therapy.
Specialties: Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapies.
Rates: Evaluation – $250/session ~ Therapeutic Sessions – $90/hour.
Insurance Accepted: AETNA, Blue Shield, Blue Cross, United Healthcare, Seaview, TriCare, and all PPOs.
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Children’s Therapy Network
Cassie Woods, DPT ~ Serving all ages
805-667-8200 ~ info@childrenstherapynetwork.net ~ website
1857 Knoll Drive ~ Ventura, CA 93003
Children’s Therapy Network’s philosophy is to serve children with special needs by enhancing potential and fostering independence through high quality, innovative therapeutic programs and professional excellence within a natural environment. Their collaborative atmosphere is built upon a foundation of dignity and integrity. Children’s Therapy Network is a unique company designed to serve each child’s special needs and we are dedicated to preserving the “whole” family approach, recognizing that each child is one part of a complex family unit.
Specialties: Administrator of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Physical Therapy.
Rates: $30 for PT, OT, SLP evaluations ~ $1,000 for a SIPT ~ Treatment – $100/hour.
Insurance Accepted: PPO insurance.
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Vision Therapy
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Cornelius Mietus, OD ~ Serving all ages
805-969-2020 ~ sbvisiontherapy@gmail.com ~ website
1125 Coast Village Road ~ Santa Barbara, CA 93108
Dr. Mietus’ philosophy states that since “vision” is more than “sight”, having 20/20 clarity does not mean one has the visual processing and eye movement skills needed to live and learn successfully. Since vision is a learned ability, it can be trained at any age. Therapy must be appropriate to the level of the persons entering abilities and with a child, it must be FUN!
Specialties: Vision Therapy Programs and Visual Aids for reading and learning disorders, autistic spectrum, ADD, ADHD, Sensory Integration, Developmental Delay, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Strabismus, Amblyopia, Lazy-eye.
Rates: Initial Vision Therapy and Assessment – $225 /hour ~ Vision Therapy Session and Testing – $225/hour (usually 6 – 12 sessions needed).
Insurance Accepted: No, because although many plans cover vision therapy, not for “educational” needs.
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Nutritional Therapy
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Monica Lowe, 
Registered Dietician ~ Serving all ages
805-660-3232 ~ monicamlowe@gmail.com ~ website
P.O. Box 496 ~ Ojai, CA 93024
Monica’s philosophy is that you should be provided with the guidance and necessary information and tools you’ll need to successfully reach and maintain your health and nutrition goals. It is definitely not easy to take charge of your health on your own, but it can be done when you have the right skills, knowledge, and motivation. Monica’s approach is simple, yet effective. By taking small steps and making gradual improvements in your lifestyle, Monica promotes long-lasting results.
Specialties: Healthy Eating, Weight Management, Failure to Thrive, Sports Nutrition, Diabetes/Hypoglycemia, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Food Allergies/Intolerances, and Vegetarianism.
Rates: $95/hour.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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Natural Healing Consultants
Khabir Southwick ~ Serving all ages
805-308-3480 ~ khabir@naturalhealingojai.com ~ website
723 Fernando St. ~ Ojai, CA 93023
Khabir’s philosophy is that first, one must focus on the diet to improve digestion, reduce food reactions and improve nutrition. Secondly, use whole food supplements to address nutritional needs ie. pregnant, skin condition, ADHD etc. and identified nutritional deficiencies. Third, use home remedies, detoxification and herbal medicine specifically for each individual and condition as needed.
Specialties: Digestive conditions, IBS, Leaky gut, Whole food nutritional therapy, and ADHD.
Rates: $150/session.
Insurance Accepted: No.
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