From Therapist to Tutor: A New Way to Empower Young Minds
Bridging the Gap Between Therapy and Education to Empower Children for a Brighter Future.
When I made the decision to move into tutoring, it wasn’t a complete switch. In fact, I haven’t stopped being a therapist, and I don’t think I ever will. What I’ve done is found a new way to offer therapy. Tutoring, for me, is just another way to help people—specifically, young people—heal and grow.
Over the years, as a personal development coach, NLP practitioner, and person-centred therapist, I’ve seen the same issues crop up time and again. Adults would come to me struggling with anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, or other mental health concerns. And guess what? So many of these problems had roots in childhood. Slowly, I found my client base getting younger. Young people, adolescents, and even children were coming to me for help. They were anxious, overwhelmed, struggling with ADHD, or dealing with other emotional challenges.
It became more and more clear to me that if we want to stop the mental health crisis in its tracks, we have to start early.
Addressing Mental Health in Youth: The Elephant in the Room.
You hear people say things like, “Mental health wasn’t a thing when we were young,” as if it’s a modern-day invention. To that, I can only roll my eyes. Mental health was always a “thing,” it’s just that, back then, we were terrible at dealing with it. People were either told to pull themselves together, or worse, they were made to feel ashamed. We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve learned a few things since then—although, not fast enough.
It’s still frustratingly common to hear adults say kids today are “soft” or that they’ve got nothing to be anxious about. Truth is, the world is faster, tougher, and more complicated than it used to be. Kids face a lot of the same issues we did growing up, but with more pressure to succeed, fit in, and excel at everything. Social media, constant comparison, and the never-ending flow of information bombard them every day. We’ve handed them a world on speed, but we’ve not done much to help them navigate it.
As a therapist, I saw that many young people were coming to me because they felt lost in this chaos. They wanted fast results. But let’s be honest—real healing doesn’t happen with a quick fix. It’s hard work. Yet, many of them were looking for that magic pill to make the pain disappear. Unfortunately, they’d often been given just that.
The Over-Reliance on Medication and Quick Fixes
I’m not here to bash GPs. They’re doing their best under the circumstances. The mental health services in the UK are stretched to breaking point. With wait times for therapy stretching up to five years, what else can doctors do but offer medication as a temporary solution? And let’s be real, medication can help people. But all too often, it becomes a crutch. Before they even get to see a specialist, many patients are already reliant on pills, and that complicates their recovery down the line.
There’s also so much red tape and bureaucracy now in mental health care that many therapists and specialists are choosing to go private. And if people can get pills for free from their GP, why would they pay for private therapy?
This is the reality we’re living in. But for me, the question was: how do we break this cycle?
I Chose Tutoring as My Therapeutic Platform
I started to wonder, “How can I make a bigger difference, earlier in these kids’ lives?” The answer seemed clear—work with children before they hit crisis point. It made sense to me to start addressing these issues before they become ingrained, before children start believing they’re “not good enough” or that they’ll never succeed. So, I turned my attention to schools.
But here’s the problem with that. Schools are over-subscribed, underfunded, and caught in the relentless grind of a one-size-fits-all national curriculum. Teachers are doing the best they can under impossible circumstances, but they simply don’t have the capacity to meet every individual need. They’re following strict guidelines with large class sizes, and inevitably, some kids get left behind.
Those kids—the ones who struggle to keep up—are often the ones who end up getting bullied. Or worse, they withdraw, stop trying, and give up on themselves. And that’s where it spirals. It’s not long before they become disruptive, acting out in class to get attention because at least that way, they’re seen.
Once that starts, they’re often written off as troublemakers. Some are sent to alternative education, which, for many, only reinforces the belief that they don’t belong. They’re left feeling isolated, misunderstood, and angry. These are the kids who won’t walk into a therapist’s office. They won’t respond to traditional approaches. And they certainly don’t want to be labelled as needing “special” help.
So how do we reach them? How do we get to these kids before they fall through the cracks?
Therapeutic Tutoring: A New Approach to Learning and Growth
That’s where my tutoring approach comes in. Instead of seeing these kids as “difficult” or “problematic,” I choose to see them as individuals—each with their own unique potential. I combine all of my years of therapeutic experience into tutoring, using a child-led, therapeutic model.
This means I get to know the child, not just as a student, but as a person. I take time to understand their interests, their passions, and their dreams. We don’t start with the curriculum; we start with them. What do they like? What makes them laugh? What lights them up?
Once I have that foundation, I tailor their learning to them. It’s not about fitting them into a rigid structure or trying to make them conform. It’s about helping them rediscover their confidence, their curiosity, and their love of learning. If they don’t understand something, we don’t push forward. We find another way. If that means using unconventional methods, so be it. The goal is always the same: to help them feel capable, empowered, and confident.
When children are given the chance to succeed on their own terms, amazing things happen. They begin to believe in themselves. And that’s when real growth occurs—not just in their academic abilities, but in their self-esteem and emotional well-being.
Why Therapists Make Great Tutors
This is why more therapists should become tutors. We’re not just teaching subjects; we’re teaching resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-worth. We’re helping kids build a foundation that will carry them through life, not just through their exams. By addressing both the emotional and academic needs of a child, we can help stop the spiral of low self-esteem and lack of confidence before it takes root.
George Benson and Whitney Were Correct!
Children are the future, and they deserve every chance to succeed. As a therapeutic tutor, I’m committed to giving them that chance.
As the song goes, “I believe that children are the future; teach them well, and let them lead the way.” And I believe that, with the right approach, we can change the world one child at a time.
By Simon Agius
FAQs
Why did you move from therapy to tutoring?
I haven’t stopped being a therapist; I’ve simply found a new way to use my skills. Tutoring allows me to combine my therapeutic expertise with education, offering a holistic approach to helping young people grow and thrive.
How does therapeutic tutoring differ from traditional tutoring?
Therapeutic tutoring focuses on the emotional well-being of the child as much as their academic progress. It’s about building confidence, self-esteem, and a love for learning, rather than just meeting curriculum goals.
Why do children need therapy in their education?
Many children struggle with issues like anxiety, ADHD, or low self-esteem, which can hinder their academic performance. By integrating therapy into their education, we can address these challenges and help them succeed both academically and emotionally.
Isn’t therapy only for serious mental health issues?
Not at all. Therapy can be beneficial for anyone, especially children who may be struggling with confidence or anxiety. By offering a therapeutic approach to tutoring, we can help children overcome obstacles before they escalate into bigger problems.
How does this approach benefit children in the long term?
By focusing on emotional and academic development together, children learn resilience, confidence, and a sense of achievement. This helps them not just in school, but in all areas of life.
Why do you think more therapists should become tutors?
Therapists are trained to understand people on a deeper level. By becoming tutors, they can use that knowledge to help children who might otherwise be written off as “difficult” or “unmotivated.” It’s about changing lives from the inside out.
Visit SoeL Therapy – Therapy Service. www.soeltherapy.co.uk this is my other website where I offer different types of therapy.
More Helpful Resources for Parents and Children
Here are some valuable resources that can help support your child’s emotional and educational journey:
1. BBC Bitesize – Educational Resources for Kids
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
A fantastic, engaging platform offering learning tools for children of all ages. Whether it’s Maths, English, or Science, BBC Bitesize helps kids stay on top of their studies while offering advice on well-being.
2. Child Mind Institute – Helping Families with Learning and Mental Health
https://childmind.org
This site provides practical guidance for parents on topics like ADHD, anxiety, and learning difficulties, offering resources that align with therapeutic approaches.
3. Parenting for Brain – Emotional Intelligence and Child Development Tips
https://www.parentingforbrain.com
A great resource for parents looking to help their children build emotional intelligence, confidence, and self-esteem. Full of insightful articles to support your child’s development.
4. ADDitude – Resources for ADHD and Learning Disabilities
https://www.additudemag.com
A comprehensive site for parents of children with ADHD or learning disabilities. Offers strategies and resources to help both kids and parents manage these challenges effectively.
5. Reading Rockets – Literacy Resources for Parents
https://www.readingrockets.org
Provides parents with activities, strategies, and tools to improve their child’s literacy skills, helping children become confident readers and learners.
6. Family Lives – Parenting and Behaviour Support
https://www.familylives.org.uk
Family Lives offers advice on managing children’s behaviour, emotional well-being, and navigating mental health challenges, with a focus on creating a supportive home environment.
