Therapy or Tutoring? What a Struggling Student May Need

If your teen’s grades are slipping, tutoring helps when the problem is the material; therapy helps when anxiety, mood, attention, substances or stress are getting in the way of a student who could otherwise do the work. Many students need a bit of both. Blackburn Clinical Services, in West Los Angeles, offers assessments, one-on-one therapy in our office or by secure video (for clients located in California) for teens 13 to 17, family sessions and ADHD and neuropsychological testing, so families can find out what is really going on before adding more hours of help.

A quick way to think about it

• Tutoring is likely enough when: the struggle is in one or two subjects, your teen is engaged and wants help, mood and sleep are fine, and grades improve once concepts click.
• Testing is worth considering when: your teen works hard but reading, writing, math or focus stay harder than they should, or tutoring has not helped. See ADHD and neuropsychological testing.
• Therapy is worth considering when: grades fell across many subjects at once, your teen avoids work or school, seems anxious, flat or irritable, is sleeping poorly, has panic before tests, or has started vaping, drinking or using cannabis.
• More structure may help when: your teen knows what to do and feels okay, but planning, follow-through and routines keep breaking down.

Why this matters in a demanding school

At college prep and other independent schools, the usual response to a dip in grades is more help: a subject tutor, an executive function coach, a test prep course. When anxiety, depression or an attention problem is the real driver, piling on more hours can make a tired, overwhelmed teen feel worse. An assessment can save months and a lot of frustration.

Questions to ask yourself

• Did the change happen gradually, or suddenly?
• Is it one class, or everything?
• Has your teen’s mood, sleep, appetite or friend group changed?
• Does your teen avoid starting work, or start and get lost?
• Has tutoring already been tried, and did it help?
• Has a teacher or counselor mentioned focus, anxiety or behavior?

If several answers point to mood, avoidance or a sudden change, start with a mental health assessment. If they point to a specific skill, start with tutoring or testing.

What therapy at Blackburn looks like

• An assessment of mood, anxiety, attention, sleep, substances and school stress, with your teen and with you.
• One-on-one therapy in our office or by secure video (for clients located in California) to work on avoidance, procrastination driven by anxiety, perfectionism and low mood.
• Family sessions to cut down on homework fights and agree on how parents check in.
• Testing when attention or learning is in question, with recommendations for school.
• Psychiatric care can be arranged when an evaluation for medication makes sense.
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, scheduled within those hours around school.

If your teen does not need clinical care but needs help with structure and follow-through, our sister organization offers mentoring for high school students.

What parents can do this week

• Gather the facts. Look at grades and missing work across all classes, not just the lowest one.
• Talk with your teen about what feels hardest, without lecturing.
• Ask the school what teachers are seeing in class, if you are comfortable doing so.
• Watch mood and sleep for a week or two.
• Call us if you see signs of anxiety, depression or substance use, or if you simply cannot tell what is going on.

If you are a tutor or educational consultant working with a family, see for educational consultants and tutors.

When to get urgent help

If your teen is in danger right now, call 911. If your teen talks about wanting to die, is harming themselves or you are worried they might, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time of day. You can call 988 as a parent, for advice about what to do next.

Wondering which kind of clinician fits? See psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist: who to see first.

Questions

How do I know if my teen needs therapy instead of tutoring?

If grades dropped across many classes, or your teen seems anxious, down, irritable or avoidant, start with a mental health assessment. If the struggle is limited to one subject and your teen otherwise seems well, tutoring is a reasonable first step.

Can a teen do therapy and tutoring at the same time?

Yes. Many students do. Therapy addresses what is getting in the way, and tutoring fills content gaps.

Do you offer tutoring?

No. We provide assessment, therapy, family sessions, psychiatric care that can be arranged, and ADHD and neuropsychological testing.

When should we consider ADHD testing?

When focus, organization or learning problems have been present for a long time and have not improved with effort or tutoring. Our testing page explains what is involved.

Can you share results with the school?

Only with your written permission. When clinically appropriate, we can provide documentation for your teen’s school.

More for families: therapy for private school students, therapy for high-achieving teens and signs of teen depression.

Get started

You can also email info@blackburnclinical.com or contact us. Parents usually make the first call; your teen does not need to be on the line.

Sources

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline