Improve Your Child's Confidence, End Your Frustration

Academic Advantage, LLC transforms children’s challenges so they become comfortable, confident, and independent learners.

Self-esteem is your child’s passport to a lifetime of mental health and social happiness. It is the foundation of a child’s wellbeing and the key to success as an adult. Students who are struggling with schoolwork often feel helpless and inadequate, thus lowering their self-confidence. In turn, you as a parent frequently feel worried and frustrated. If your child experiences challenges in school, such as inabil­ity to stay focused, test anxiety, inability to complete assignments on time, struggles with reading fluency and comprehension, acts impulsively, or exhibits symptoms of dyslexia, Dr. Trissy Pitkin, founder of Academic Advantage, LLC, offers help and hope. Dr. Pitkin has experienced great success in helping countless children with their learning struggles. As a result, these children feel more confident, comfortable and successful in school, and their parents feel less anxiety and frustration.

Dr. Pitkin, who has 24 years of experience in both the public and private school sector, specializes in dyslexia remediation, reading challenges, attention training, and test taking techniques, as well as having extensive training in ADD/ADHD.

Dr. Pitkin has her doctorate in Clinical Christian Counseling and holds a master’s degree in Multi-Categorical Disabilities, as well as being a Certified Educational Therapist, ADD/ADHD Coach, Reading Specialist, and Dyslexia Remediation Specialist. Since 1988 she has taught in various capacities as a Certified Early Childhood and Elementary School Teacher (Grades Pre-K through 6th Grade). Further, she has taught Music, been a Reading Specialist, and a Special Education Teacher. She has also developed and implemented an RTI (Response to Early Intervention) program, Early Childhood, Reading, and Language Arts programs. Dr. Pitkin is a member of the Educational Therapists Association and International Dyslexia Association.

Twenty years ago, Dr. Pitkin founded Academic Advantage, LLC. Academic Advantage, LLC provides assessments and consultations, as well as a variety of research-based techniques and strategies to fit the needs of each child. “I’ve spent years researching various methodologies so I can now utilize the most effective techniques, strategies, and programs to effectively reach the child,” she says.

Dr. Pitkin provides Educational Therapy which addresses the root cause of the underlying issue of the child’s challenge. By examining gross and fine motor skills, visual and auditory processing, attention and memory, academics, and social and family dynamics, she is able to develop and implement an individualized roadmap for success for each child.  
Academic Advantage, LLC is unique in its approach because Dr. Pitkin collaborates with both the child’s teacher as well as the parents. “It’s a team effort,” she adds.
Dr. Pitkin also offers a Third Grade Guarantee Program. “Your child will pass the state reading test or 50 percent of the parents’ investment will be refunded,” she says. The Third Grade Guarantee Program includes: an assessment, reading software, and twice a week, 60-minute sessions. For this guarantee to be valid, the child must attend two 60-minute sessions per week. The result of your child participating in this program is that they will experience significant improvement in reading skills, comprehension skills, test taking skills, and attention.

Here is what some of her parents have said:

“Test anxiety has crippled my daughter. After seeing Dr. Pitkin, my daughter was able to use her test taking strategies which allowed my daughter to score very well on her state reading test and all of her end of year finals. Thank you!” said Tara.

“Dr. Pitkin has changed not only our son’s life, but ours too. My husband and I had a difficult time understanding how our son learned. She explained in a way that we understood and educated us on how to best help him. We are so appreciative,” said Susan.  

“Thank you so much for helping our son. At the end of the school year, his teacher asked him what he was doing as he had made such remarkable progress in reading.  He said, ‘Dr. Pitkin is helping me.’ I was so happy by my son’s progress that we now send our younger children to her as well. Their test scores have soared. For the first time, I am learning what it is like to enjoy Parent-Teacher Conferences. Thank you!” said Lori.

“The learning experience happens differently for each child,” says Dr. Pitkin. “It’s like a puzzle. After we understand what is really happening with a child, we can put the pieces together to create the whole picture.”