At Sierra Care, educational therapy is a critical component of comprehensive subacute rehabilitation for patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries, and other medically complex conditions. Our neuro-educational therapy services help our clients restore academic, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning in a supportive, compassionate environment. Personalized educational interventions support patients as they work toward returning to school, work, or daily life activities. No matter what you’d like the rest of your life to look like, our educational therapy team can provide you with the inpatient educational therapy services you need to thrive.

What Is Educational Therapy?

Educational therapy in subacute care includes assessment-driven, goal-oriented learning sessions designed to meet each patient where they are. Whether it’s relearning basic literacy, improving cognitive flexibility, or managing emotional responses in academic tasks, brain injury educational rehabilitation therapists work to create individual plans that evolve alongside patient progress.

Cognitive Rehabilitation

Cognitive rehabilitation can address a number of factors while you’re receiving subacute care. Comprehensive neuropsychological testing is used to identify deficits in memory, attention, executive functioning, and processing speed. Your subacute care educational therapy team will use this information to develop a treatment plan. As you move through your time at Sierra Care, we’ll regularly reevaluate your needs to ensure that your educational therapy plan continues to support your ongoing progress.
Targeted cognitive therapy rehabilitation sessions may work on skills in several focus areas, including:

• Memory: Your therapist may walk you through activities designed to support your memory, including repetitive exercises, the use of mnemonic devices, and training on how to use external reminders to help you keep track of tasks and ideas.
• Attention: Some patients receiving subacute care require help with focus and attention. Your educational therapist may help you develop these skills by practicing sustained concentration and multitasking activities.
• Executive skills: Planning, organizing, and problem-solving are all facets of executive functioning. Your therapist will assess and help you redevelop executive functioning skills as a part of your educational therapy.

Often, strategies taught in cognitive rehab for stroke patients are reinforced through integration with other therapies. Your occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, and other members of your care team may help you utilize the skills you’re learning in educational therapy.

Academic Relearning

If you’re working to return to school or participate in job-related training, your educational therapist may recommend academic relearning.

Academic therapy for recovering patients can target several skills, including:

• Literacy and numeracy, including reading comprehension, spelling, basic math, and calculator use
• Writing and expression, including handwriting support, sentence construction, and vocabulary rebuilding
• Study and learning strategies, including note-taking, time management, test preparation, and organizational skills
• Assistive technology use, including using tools like speech-to-text, digital organizers, and adaptive software

Over time, your educational therapist will reevaluate your needs and adjust your therapeutic plan to help you continue making progress toward your goals.

Behavioral and Emotional Support

Emotional and behavioral challenges are common during subacute recovery. Your educational therapist may address these needs with:

• Behavioral therapy: During your behavioral therapy sessions, you’ll identify triggers and reshape behaviors using reinforcement techniques and new coping strategies.
• Cognitive-behavioral approaches: Many patients receiving subacute care experience thought patterns that involve anxiety, frustration, and low self-esteem. Working with an educational therapist can help you change these patterns as you move through the healing process.
• Structured routines: Your therapist will work with you to combine daily academic tasks with calming strategies that can foster predictability and emotional regulation.
• Peer and group support: Sometimes recovery can feel isolating, and talking with others who are in similar situations can help. Your educational therapist may recommend participating in facilitated groups for social learning, emotional sharing, and communal reinforcement.

School Reintegration

Transitioning back into an educational setting after a life-altering injury or medical event can be tough, and working with a trained educational therapist can help. Your therapist may recommend a multi-faceted approach, including gradual reentry planning, school liaison services, skill-building to help you regain your independence, and ongoing monitoring to ensure you have the support you need to thrive. It’s important to us to work with your educational institution to provide you with the support, understanding, and compassion necessary to help you transition back into your school or higher education program.

Family and Caregiver Training

Your recovery doesn’t stop when you leave Sierra Care, and it’s important to us to provide your support system with the training necessary to lift you up during your continued recovery process.