How Did AET Begin?

The Legacy of AET Wisdom from Assoc Ed Therapists on Vimeo.

Timeline

1979-1989

  • California Association of Educational Therapists (CAET) incorporated

  • First Annual Conference and general membership meeting held

  • Association of Educational Therapists (AET) incorporated 

  • Certified Educational Therapist (CET) criteria adopted 

  • First Advisory Board meeting held

  • Study Groups established in California

  • Educational therapy training programs at universities established 

  • IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit status granted

  • Code of Ethics initially adopted

  • The Educational Therapist professional journal first published 

1990-1999  

  • “Educational Therapy Defined” published in The Educational Therapist journal defining the profession’s scope of practice

  • Psychoeducational Perspectives by Dorothy Ungerleider published by AET  

  • Website, www.aetonline.org, launched

  • AET logo adopted

  • Study Groups expanded nationally 

2000-2009

  • AET accepted by the American Speech & Hearing Association (ASHA) as approved continuing education provider

  • Board Certificated Educational Therapist with registered mark of BCET® established to replace CET and registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office 

  • AET accepted for membership in the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD)

    • Participation in National Roundtable on Learning Disabilities begun

    • Educational therapy written into No Child Left Behind (NCLB) 

    • NJCLD position paper on the NCLB written with AET participation 

    • Response to Intervention criteria for defining learning disabilities proposed

    • Represented at a national forum on Response to Intervention

  • AET Invited to participate in National Center for Learning Disabilities Roundtable in Washington

  • Educational therapy included in new regulations for Reauthorization of IDEA

  • First Virtual Study Group launched reaching a national audience

  • Educational Therapy Institute (ETI) ® established

  • Professional Membership renamed Educational Therapist/Professional with the registered mark of ET/P®

2010-2019

  • New AET logo adopted

  • Textbook, The Clinical Practice of Educational Therapy: A Teaching Model first edition published, creating a uniform resource for the training of educational therapists, followed by second edition: The Clinical Practice of Educational Therapy: Learning and Functioning with Diversity

  • Dorothy Ungerleider Award established

  • Webinars offered to members and the public

  • “The Legacy of AET Wisdom” video produced

  • Tagline: “Empowering Professionals. Nurturing Learners.” adopted

2020-

  • Statement of commitment developed by the Social Justice working group 

  • Nan Freund Distinguished Service Award established

  • Vision, Mission, and Core Values adopted

  • Website redesigned

  • Educational Therapy Institute (ETI)® re-established

  • Visionary Volunteer Award established

  • First Virtual Conference convened (due to the pandemic)

Find an ET

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The Educational Therapy Institute Presents

Southern California Workshop

January 31, 2026

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Upcoming Events

12 Dec
2nd Friday VSG (open forum)
MOD_DPCALENDAR_UPCOMING_DATE 12/12/2025 8:00 am - 9:00 am

The 2nd Friday of the month, the AET VSG is an "open forum" where AET members can bring any topics or cases they would like to discuss with the group from 8:00am-9:00am PT / 10:00am-11:00am CT / 11:00am - noon ET

To join, click here.  

Questions?  email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

16 Dec
Public Policy Committee
12/16/2025 10:00 am - 11:00 am
17 Dec
EET 2025 meeting
12/17/2025 9:00 am - 10:30 am

The Entreprenuership for Educational Therapists (EET) 2025 cohort meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 9:00-10:30am (PT)/12:00-1:30pm (ET).  The cohort runs anually from August - May. EET is a mentorship group for ETs in teh early stages of private practice.  For more informationon joinin the next cohort, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

17 Dec

Helping Students Access College Disability Services:

A Guide for Educational Therapists

Presented by: Susana Thengvall, MEd


Wednesday, December 17, 2025 ● 10-11 AM PT / 12-1 PM CT / 1-2 PM ET

Register for FREE at https://aetonline.org/events/webinars 


This webinar will share the differences between high school and college disability support systems, the
range of accommodations available to students, and the step-by-step process for securing those
accommodations in higher education. Participants will leave equipped with practical strategies to better
prepare neurodiverse students for independence, including building self-advocacy, executive functioning,
and organizational skills. Educational therapists will also gain concrete tools, such as conversation prompts
and documentation guidance, that can be applied immediately in their practice to support both students
and families.


Susana Thengvall is an Assistant Director and Disability Specialist at the University of San Francisco’s
Student Disability Services, where she supports neurodiverse students in accessing equitable learning
opportunities. With a Master’s in Educational Counseling from USC and experience in higher education
disability services, she is passionate about empowering students to recognize their strengths and thrive in
college.


Learning Outcomes - Participants will be able to:
 Explain how IDEA, Section 504, and ADA protections shift responsibility from schools to students in
college.
 Identify the most common academic, housing, dining, and technology accommodations available in
higher education.
 Coach students in essential transition skills, including self-advocacy, communication with professors,
and executive functioning strategies.


Continuing Education Credits
AET: 1 CE Hour
ASHA: 0.01 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level)
ALTA: 1 CE Hour
TEA: 1 CPE Hour
NASP: 1 Hour of CPD
CA BBS (Through NASP): 1 CE Hour (includes LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, LEP in California)

 

2025 AET Conference Sponsors