"Emily helped to turn what we thought might be a stressful and confusing process into a collaborative and even inspiring experience. She cares deeply about students' needs, has an exceptional understanding of current research and resources, and offers an insider's insight into the process of putting together services from the perspective of the school and district. Instead of arming parents for a fight against adversaries in education, Emily offers a path toward working together with teachers and staff members for the best possible solution for our kids. With the help of Emily's counsel, we were not only educated about the resources available to our daughter but also collaborative in our approach as we worked through the IEP process with her team. As a result, our daughter's team provides services above and beyond what is required, consistently communicates with us, and remains curious about the most effective ways to support her. We are so very grateful to have Emily as part of our team as are the others who play a role in our daughter's academic success."
Parent of a 2nd-grade student - southern NH
"When our family received the test results for my 8 year old son, indicating a neurological learning disability, I felt comforted because it answered questions for me as to why school had been so difficult for him. With this comfort came many questions and concerns about what to do next, as he did not have a “typical" learning disability. My husband and I were handed several reports (each about 10-15 pages long) with details of tests performed, how my son scored on each test, and recommendations. It was very overwhelming. We needed help to make sense of all this information. Fortunately, my son’s doctor recommended Emily Gatchell. Emily has been a life-saver for my son and my husband and I. She met with my husband and I numerous times to filter through all the information and help design a plan for my son. She held my hand every step of the way professionally and personally. She has years of professional experience and expertise and knows the rules and regulations in special education. She is the reason my son receives the services that are now implemented for him. He receives the individualized one on one help that enables him to learn like his peers and feel good about himself. He is in his fourth grade now, and he is having the best year which makes life easier for him and for our family!."
Parent of a 4th-grade student - South Shore, MA
"My husband and I are the parents of a 9 year old boy with Dyslexia, ADD, Dyspraxia, Anxiety and a complex learning disability. We were both fortunate and blessed to cross paths with Emily. Before we met Emily we had gone through one advocate and two attorneys.
While my husband and I both have Masters degrees and I have work experience in a Neurological setting of 13 years, we could not make sense of our son or this system that we needed to navigate through. Starting at the age of 15 months he has been through Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Integrated Listening Therapy, Eastern Medicine practices, 3 neuropsychological evaluations, private tutors, private reading instruction and Hypnosis. With the help of his neurologist and pediatrician, it was realized that he possibly has a neurologically based learning disability and not a language based learning disability, and the first person I called was Emily! She has been the most effective professional that we know that has been able to get our son's IEP to reflect his needs. Not only is she well educated, professional and supportive, she is able to get my son what he needs without causing conflict with the team. Its impressive how she does this with a smile even when there is push back from the district. We couldn't be happier or more blessed to have her on our side advocating for my son and navigating this complex educational path. We wasted a good amount of time in the early part of this journey with the wrong people. You will soon find out, time is not something you can afford to waste when getting your child what he/she needs."
Parent of a 4th-grade student - North Shore, MA
"Emily was absolutely invaluable to us in navigating the process and discerning the language in our son's IEP. She helped us to break down the complex and at times emotional process and language. Specifically, she helped us clearly understand reading development and the goals outlined in the IEP. Emily is a pleasure to work with!"
Parent of a 2nd- grade student-North Shore, MA
"I could not think of a better position for Emily, than as a liaison working with neuropsychologists, parents and districts. In recommending Emily for such a position she possesses qualities that are a perfect fit for each of these roles. She would be able to connect with those professionals whose results she would be conveying as a fellow colleague, while at the same time, communicating with parents in an effective and understandable manner. She would garner the respect necessary to communicate with district professionals on their level. Emily is not only intelligent, experienced, qualified, and credentialed, she has an engaging personality. She is a pleasure to work and spend time with."
Special Education Attorney - Massachusetts
"Emily Gatchell brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication to her work as an educational consult. Intelligent and insightful, she is also exceptionally thorough and works diligently to forge collaborative relationships between parents, teachers, and administrators on behalf of students. She is a consummate professional who excels in helping to craft personalized educational programs that facilitate academic growth whilst supporting psychosocial functioning. She is also exceptionally talented when it comes to helping parents understand their child's learning profile."
Clinician at Boston Children's Hospital
