Available Services

I have many years of experience with assessing and providing intervention in the following areas:
- Motor speech disorders (articulation, phonology, apraxia, dysarthria and dysfluency)
- Language (expressive and receptive)
- Social Communication related to autism, including self advocacy
- Cognitive skills of memory, thought organization, flexibility of thought and routine
- Communication modifications for daily living needs for children and adolescents that are non-verbal (functional communication skills)
- Behavioral strategies for children who have significant communication delays
In addition to my training as a Speech Language Pathologist, I have significant knowledge in the area of Special Education and the IEP process from both leading and participating as a parent of a child with Down Syndrome.

Motor Speech

Motor speech refers to the ability to use tongue, lips and soft palate to form sounds in the English language.

Motor speech evaluation and treatment focus on assessing and improving the speech production abilities of individuals with motor speech disorders. The evaluation typically includes a comprehensive assessment of speech clarity, articulation, and the coordination of speech muscles. Treatment may involve targeted practices, speech therapy techniques, and strategies to enhance communication effectiveness. The goal is to help individuals regain or improve their ability to speak clearly and confidently.

Cognitive Skill Building and Strategies

Cognitive skills refers to use memory, problem solving and prediction skills for day to day situations.

Cognitive skills therapy is a therapeutic approach designed to enhance an individual's cognitive, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. This therapy often structured exercises and activities that challenge the brain to improve mental functioning and overall cognitive health. Focusing on specific thinking skills so that individuals can develop strategies and techniques for daily as well as enhance their quality of life. This therapy is beneficial for people of all ages, including those with developmental delays and acquired head injuries.

Behavioral Strategies

Behavioral strategies refers to specialized techniques to aid parents and caregivers with supporting positive behaviors in their children learning to communicate.

Behavior issues often accompany reduced motor speech, expressive/receptive language, cognitive impairment, and social communication. To support communication needs, appropriate strategies for acknowledging the purpose of behaviors are necessary to assist individuals with a functional method of communicating in the world.

When communication partners are able to understand the "why" of behavior, they are empowered to use effective strategies to assist communication.

Expressive/Receptive Language

Expressive/receptive language refers the ability to clearly construct a verbal message and understand verbal messages spoken.

Expressive language skills relate to our ability to retrieve stored information to construct meaningful sentences. Stored knowledge of vocabulary, ability to retrieve words, and use appropriate grammar assist with sentence construction.

Receptive language skills relate to understanding spoken language. The ability to answer questions and follow directions is the responsibility of our receptive language skills.

Social
Communication

Social Communication refers to the use of language and cognitive skills to participate in conversations/interactions.

Social communication refers to the ways in which individuals interact and exchange information with one another in a social context. It encompasses verbal and non-verbal communication, including spoken language, body language, gestures, and facial expressions. Effective social communication fosters understanding, builds relationships, and facilitates collaboration among people. It plays a crucial role in both personal and professional settings, helping to convey emotions, share ideas, and resolve conflicts. This is beneficial for individuals on the Autism Spectrum or developmental delays.

Advocacy

Advocacy refers to specialized strategies for assisting parents, caregivers, and self-advocates in advocating for their needs and acceptance.

Advocacy is the act of supporting or promoting understanding. It involves raising awareness and influencing decision-makers.

Advocates work to create positive change by addressing issues of inclusivity, acceptance, and modification. Through advocacy, nonverbal or communication-impaired individuals are given opportunities to thrive that they may not be able to complete without support.

Contact

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