Alexandra Schumann, MEd
Alexandra “Alex” Schumann has spent her 20+ year career working with adolescents, young adults, and parents in the education and mental health fields. Alex has a BA in Political Science from Tufts University and a Masters of Education (MEd) in Psychological Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. Alex has also completed the ADHD Parent Coach Academy through PTS Coaching.
Alex has had many roles including academic advisor, mental health counselor, and college success skills instructor. Alex has worked with a variety of school settings as a professional or as a parent including public school, private school, international school, community college, and even homeschool, and she has engaged in many IEP meetings. She has been an intensive in-home family counselor and worked for many years as a counselor for students transitioning from high school to community college and beyond.
Alex has two boys and lives in a neurodiverse household. She is well aware of the challenges - and gifts - that ADHD and other neuro differences bring to a family. Alex is also quite familiar with the struggles associated with moving and school changes, as she and her family have lived overseas in several different countries and have lived through several moves, both planned and unexpected.
Philosophy and Approach
Students
Alex excels at supporting students to overcome personal and academic challenges by working from a place of strength while building executive function and coping skills, in turn helping students to identify goals, design plans, and build confidence. She has expertise - and particularly enjoys - working with students who have ADHD, are on the Autism spectrum, have special education needs, and twice exceptional students. Alex believes that connection and mutual respect are essential for success when working with young people.
Parents
Throughout Alex’s career, she has worked in close partnership with parents. Alex believes that parents are an essential part of student success and that change is most successful when it starts at home. Especially for households that are challenged (and blessed!) by neuro-diversity, parent coaching can be an essential step to address conflict and to increase calm and connection within a family unit. Alex knows firsthand how changes in parenting can affect a household for the better. She has spent countless hours learning and practicing how to best support her children and views it as a lifelong learning process. Alex enjoys working with parents to help them see the strengths and gifts that their children bring to any situation, and to acknowledge and build from small wins to ensure progress.