Online Therapy from Paradise

One of the numerous advantages of online therapy is it’s versatility. Lexercise utilizes technology to make it possible for a trained professional to help children from any location, including the Caribbean! Similarly, clients love only therapy because they can take their therapist with them when they travel.

One of our clinicians, Ruth Bevan, lives and works in St. Croix (Virgin Islands). Thanks to online therapy, she didn’t have to sacrifice her career for her personal aspirations. As a result, Ruth is able to help her dyslexic patients from the comfort of her tropical beach cabin. Here is what Ruth has to say about her lifestyle as a clinician in paradise:

That was Then, This is Now:

I grew up in NE Pennsylvania, earned my B.S. in Elementary and Special Education, and taught general and special education in Delaware and Pennsylvania. My husband, daughter and I lived in the northeast until 1990. We then moved to Florida where I taught children with dyslexia and learning disabilities, and earned my M.Ed. in Special Education with a focus on dyslexia and learning disabilities. I took advanced training in the Orton Gillingham Approach and opened a small private practice working individually with children with dyslexia. After early retirement from the school system, I expanded my private practice but wanted to do more traveling. During a vacation in St. Croix, my husband and I realized we wanted to live there, but we also wanted to continue working with children with dyslexia. During that trip, I began to explore the possibility of working with my clients via the internet and found Lexercise. What a fabulous vacation, and a fabulous discovery! Within a month, I had partnered with Lexercise, and within 4 months, I had graduated most of my current clients and moved several to the Lexercise model of therapy through secure weekly webinars and daily internet-based therapeutic games and table-top practice with parents. We purchased a condo on the beach near Christiansted, USVI,  and we haven’t looked back!

My Transition:

The transition was a lot quicker and smoother than I expected. I accomplished the transition over a 4 month period, from seeing clients face-to-face over a table 3 hours weekly, to seeing clients face-to-face through a computer 1 hour weekly and providing daily, structured practice through on-line and off-line exercises and activities. The transition was actually very smooth, with great parental support, and all involved were very pleased with the Lexercise program and ability to access a personal service in their own homes. I saw an increase in progress and success for my students as they actually increased their practice time during the week due to the games and work with parents. Not only did the online format allow me to keep many of my existing clients but Lexercise improved the efficiency of therapy overall, saving everyone time and frustration.

Reliable Internet:

Obviously, if this transition was going to work we were going to need a reliable internet connection. We purchased the best internet service available on St. Croix. It is not as powerful or as fast as the service we have in Florida, but it works well for my webinars with clients. On the rare chance that I lose the ability to see my student, or they are unable to see me due to bandwidth problems, we are able to hear each other and see the presentation materials and continue with our work. We are always able to work it out, however, and I believe I will never go back to in-office therapy.

My Day-to-Day:

Living in St. Croix is a dream come true. All my life, I have wanted to live on the water, but we were never able to afford the property or the taxes. St. Croix is really very affordable and we were able to purchase a sweet little condo right on the beach. I schedule clients 3 days a week, and I play and relax 4 days a week. We live in a small, gated community with a gorgeous pool, so we have beach and pool options right at our doorstep. We can sit on the patio and watch the sailboats and wind surfers go by, bird-watch, walk the beach, snorkel, fish, and visit with neighbors at the pool. I also love to spend a lot of time with my watercolors—St. Croix light and colors are very inspiring.

Why I Love Online Therapy!:

I really love working with my kids, seeing the light bulb go on, seeing the tremendous progress they make. The weekly contact with parents, having their daily support is a tremendous plus for me as well as for my students. I really like the Lexercise presentation materials and the games are excellent. I am so blessed!!!

Why You Should Try Online Therapy:

I think anyone looking for dyslexia therapy should consider online options like Lexercise as the fees, quality of service and benefits compare favorably to facility-based therapy. The parents I work with are very supportive and appreciative of the opportunity to observe the sessions and truly be involved in their child’s program and progress. I encourage them to try a month to actually see how it all works. I caution my parents that they may not see a lot of progress in just one months and that 3 months is a better gauge for progress monitoring, but they will begin to see change! I have found that the parents who really want to participate and help their child  becoming an independent reader love Lexercise. I would recommend Lexercise teletherapy to anyone looking for a convenient and personalized experience.

Special thanks to Ruth Bevan for taking the time to tell us her story!