Play is the work of children. Research has supported time and time again that kids learn best through play. I take the very best language strategies and find a way to infuse them into play for the best possible results. (Pro tip- play doesn’t always mean toys)

Do you every wonder why your kids are always at your feet instead of the nice playroom you made for them? They are interested in you and “adult jobs”! They don’t see the dishes, cooking, getting dressed, mowing the lawn as “chores”. These daily routines are actually some of the most powerful places to embed language, don’t miss them!

Who knows your child better than anyone? You of course! As a mom of three I know that I am the expert on my children. I believe that you are the expert on your child. I have no intention of taking you out of the treatment plan, but rather working with you in the context of your own unique family. Your goals. Your ideas. Your child.

When I think “holistic” I think, “whole child”. How do their sensory needs effect their speech? How is their behavior connected to movement, level of interest, feelings of trust? How does their overall health connect to their communication? I want to partner with parents and other professionals to keep “the whole child” at the center of care.

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of the culture of looking for weaknesses and over- emphasizing everything that’s a “deficit”. Let’s not ignoring the strengths and what is working. I want to help you find your child’s strengths and build their speech and language from there (instead of always just hearing about where they don’t measure up).

I LOVED curling up in a comfy chair back in grad school to dive into research journal articles, anyone else? I still love staying up to date on the newest research behind treatment strategies. Just because you hear about some great new supplement/horn/gadget that will make your child talk doesn’t mean it’s research or evidence backed (it might just be marketed well).

What’s presumed competence? It’s the belief that all children (autistic, rhett’s, down syndrome, etc) have the ability to learn, think and understand. It’s seeing the child as a capable individual and treating them accordingly. It’s not “assuming” they don’t understand just because they may not respond or speak using “mouth words”.

What does this mean? It means respecting an individual's right to control their own body. For example, refraining from using hand-over-hand prompts, not restraining children in highchairs for therapy and asking permission. It’s allowing a child to move and become regulated when needed.

I believe that a child doesn’t have to “prove” they are ready to be given robust communication. I have heard it said that “higher needs require higher technology” (with no proving required).