Blog
Usha Patel, Neurocognitive Therapist and Director of Raviv Practice London shares her first-hand experience of working with children /adults and the latest research and upcoming events in her series of blog posts.
Unlocking Potential: The Transformative Power of Working Memory Training
As an educator, I've encountered numerous bright and capable students who suddenly struggle to keep up with their peers. One such student was a 14-year-old girl who had been excelling academically but began falling behind unexpectedly. Her Educational Psychologist's Report…...
What the Euros 2024 - England Vs Spain taught us about emotional brains
We all watched the match on Sunday, July 14th. But how did we feel? Could we rationalise our disappointment?
Can you tell if your child has Dyslexia just by looking at their handwriting?
While issues with handwriting are certainly considered when it comes to diagnosing dyslexia, they are not actually key indicators themselves. Letter or number reversals can occur for a number of different reasons, and concerned parents should look elsewhere for signs of dyslexia in their children.
Are you Neurodivergent and struggle with Time Management?
MANY individuals with dyslexia often continue to struggle because of a weak working memory, even long after good literacy skills have been established. So, in a busy work environment that is increasingly flooded with information, professionals need to stay on track, prioritise activities and overcome the constant distractions that slow productivity.
How can we address post-pandemic education gaps in our children?
Research has revealed that the pandemic significantly impacted children entering the reception year in 2020/21
Training Muscles ‘verses’Training the Brain
Sometimes you might hear that “your brain is a muscle”. Well its not. It is much more advanced than just a muscle, and completely useless at lifting heavy objects off the ground.
There are some similarities though, especially when it comes to training.
Working Memory - Your Minds Muscle
Try calculating 13 times 6 mentally – really, go ahead and try! Most people will begin by calculating 10×6, and put that result (60) to the side, then calculate 3 × 6 (18), and then add the two together (78).
How Tom Daley has shown the nation a few things other than diving….like knitting!
A few years back summer of 2021, we are all glued to our TV sets watching the Tokyo Olympics. Nothing was more amusing than seeing Olympic Gold Medalist Tom Daley's knitting. Tom was seen showing off his work to the cameras as he knitted a pouch for his pending medal. So charming – we all went “ahhhh!”.
Why is my child always getting so angry and frustrated by everyday tasks?
Poor emotional regulation can obstruct progress, stopping us from achieving our goals. Most adults will find a way to regulate their emotions for the majority of the time, but children need to learn how to navigate their emotional states as they grow…Most of the time, this is all perfectly normal and you will find a way to address it naturally as your child develops
A parent's guide on how to teach your child to learn to read the time
As a Neurocognitive Therapist, I work with all sorts of curious learning glitches. One that seems to be cropping up more and more in recent years is not being able to read the time. Children, who otherwise have the reasonable ability, are stumped at telling the time from an analogue clock!
When Dyslexia doesn’t feel like much of a “gift”
For a long time, dyslexia/neurodivergence was poorly understood in education, and only seen in terms of the challenges it created for both those in more old-fashioned schools and those trying to teach them with outdated methods. … It can be called many things: being easily distracted, having poor executive function skills or having poor working memory.
What is working memory, and why is it so important?
What is working memory, and why is it so important? If your child has difficulties following instructions, is challenged with mental maths or reading comprehension understanidng working memory is the first thing you need to learn about.
Does your child hate reading?
So, what do you do if your child does not like reading? Do you force them against their will; each day trying to convince them, “to just try,” After all it’s good for them, isn’t it? We all need qualifications, and your child is no different. It is a bit of a dilemma, and we feel we need to do the best for our children to give them the best chances in life....are we doing that? Can we think about this a bit more?
Does your child constantly talk about doing things wrong?
We all want our children to grow up confident and happy in their abilities, and able to face life’s challenges with positivity. So, what can we do to help them if they seem stuck in a cycle of negativity about themselves?
Why Cogmed working memory training can fail
Here, at Raviv Practice London, we have developed a new method that shows more valuable data about the positive effects taking place. While we still use Cogmed as an objective measure, we have also introduced our own, more subjective, measure in the form of a questionnaire.
The “Time Planning Fallacy” and what it could mean for you
For most of us, the seasons don’t affect our time planning very much. We might feel more tired because it is dark when we wake up or come home from work, but usually we still know, for example, that it takes 30 minutes to get to work and plan accordingly. Many of those with ADHD, however, struggle with this because they struggle with measuring time.
What is Cogmed? Is Cogmed Worth the Money?
Cogmed is a clinical software program, worked on at home, on the computer. Raviv Practice London has been using this program since it arrived in the United Kingdom in 2008. We are the leaders in terms of experience and have a track record of working directly with Cogmed (the makers of Cogmed) and then with Pearson Clinical (distributors of Cogmed). At Raviv Practice London, Cogmed is part of a more extensive therapeutic intervention for 90% of our students.
It only takes a minute...to find your flow!
More and more individuals are showing signs of ADHD. The fast-paced world we live in, and all its many distractions, means we are constantly flitting from one task to another. So, how can you solve such a prevalent problem and stay on task?
How to work with your ADHD to achieve success
Having ADHD could be considered a superpower. Those with ADHD often say they have many thoughts racing at any one time.
Is your Child Graduating from Nursery to School?
A child’s life is full of milestones, and sometimes it seems like they flash by in a blur! One day they are a tiny infant in your arms, and then suddenly they are off to nursery. It only seems like 5 minutes after that they are getting ready to go to school full-time.