Our Story

Rachel’s son was diagnosed with ADHD and Generalized Anxiety Disorder at eight years old, so she understands what it's like to raise an exceptional child. The loneliness, fear, and anxiety parents feel. Will they ever feel the bond of close friendships?  Will they become happy, self -actualized grown-ups?

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"Our children are very different from one another, but as parents, we all share similar experiences."

 

Rachel wanted to create something meaningful that would help other parents navigate the frustrating experience of raising an exceptional child while also helping them learn something new about themselves in the process.

 

For three years, Rachel ran a summer day-camp by the beach, giving her the chance to get to know hundreds of kids & their families each summer. Under the camp's self-directed philosophy, she learned how unique kids were in the ways they learned and communicated. 

 

By early 2020, Rachel had taken several teacher's training courses on mindfulness, hoping to introduce it into the daily practice of the kids she worked with during summer. But when Covid-19 hit, Rachel’s camp was canceled. She seized the opportunity to do something she’d long been wanting to do: help other parents of exceptional children.

 

Witnessing how parents were struggling with remote learning, Rachel came up with the idea to create a platform that connected children who needed extra help academically with experienced tutors who use a mindful approach to teaching. She wanted to not only offer tutoring in math and science but to also offer mindfulness tools for them to use in every aspect of their lives...and to somehow do this for ALL families, regardless of their socio-economic background.  

 

Rachel hired Annie as a camp counselor during the summer of 2019.  She was impressed by Annie’s work ethic and integrity and brought her aboard as co-founder of Exceptional Mindset Tutors. Annie recently graduated with a degree in Psychology from UW-Madison and shared many of Rachel’s passions for working with children and assist struggling families. Annie was eager to take part in Rachel's project, with the hopes of making some kind of difference in the world of education.

 

After a very successful soft launch, Rachel and Annie gathered together a team of advisors and talented professionals who believed in the concept. Within weeks, Exceptional Mindset Tutors was up and running.