Alexandra Dunnison
Alexandra received her Master’s in Education (Ed.M.) from Harvard University in Education Policy and Analysis and her Bachelor of Arts in Developmental Psychology and Education from Vassar College in New York. Aside from her formal education, she has been a lifelong learner, adding many therapeutic trainings and certifications based on the practices of neuroscience. Her early career spanned all levels of traditional education from pre-school, elementary, and high school through adult education. As well, she has worked in educational publishing where she was involved in developing reading programs, editing, marketing and teacher training.
For over a decade, Alexandra delivered programs based on the principles of neuroscience to students, both children and adults, with learning difficulties. As Director of multiple Arrowsmith programs in Canada and the United States from 2006 to 2015, she helped hundreds of students leverage the latest cognitive training techniques to reduce the impact of their learning difficulties or even resolve them completely. Resolved difficulties include students’ abilities to process, read, write, pay attention, listen, read social cues, plan, and reason.
What Alexandra Does
Passionate about helping people realize their potential, Alexandra Dunnison consults on neuroplastic-based solutions for people struggling with learning and processing challenges. With over thirty-five years of experience in formal education and neuroscience-based programs and techniques, Alexandra offers comprehensive insights and actionable solutions to permanently and measurably improve brain function. Alexandra helps people access ways to re-wire their brains.
Alexandra is focused on neuroplastic techniques to leverage the brain’s ability to adapt. Alexandra’s experience underscores that neuroplasticity can be successfully applied throughout a person’s life for positive and permanent cognitive change. She has demonstrated successes working directly with a wide audience from around the world, ranging from preschoolers to those in their golden years.
There are many avenues to improve the brain. What makes Alexandra unique is her wealth of knowledge – including with conventional educational systems – and hands-on expertise with the leading neuroplastic resources available today. She is collaborative and holistic in her approach and is passionate about helping her clients understand and access those resources that best match their individual needs. Alexandra is honored to guide her clients to expand their options and live their true potential.
Why Alexandra Does This
Traditional educational interventions view learning difficulties as lifelong disabilities that cannot be remediated. Conventional interventions focus on compensation around the challenge rather than direct resolution. Compensations can include giving extra time for lessons or tests, providing a quiet space, and offering adaptive technology. Compensations change the environment for the person to work around weaknesses. Neuroplastic methods change the person’s abilities by strengthening the weak brain areas responsible for their difficulties and allows them to successfully manage everyday environments without compensating.
“Neurons that fire together, wire together.”
~Donald Hebb, a Canadian neuropsychologist in 1949