FAQ

A speech-language therapist, aka speech-language pathologist, becomes certified by holding the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), a nationally recognized professional credential awarded by the American Speech Hearing Association (ASHA).

The speech-language therapist voluntarily undergoes rigorous academic and professional standards to meet requirements for state licensure.

The speech-language therapist is a highly skilled and knowledgeable expert in communication, speech and language, and feeding and swallowing. They receive training to diagnose and treat a wide range of speech and language disorders and delays.

Speech-language therapists may treat various speech and language deficits as part of their scope of practice but may choose the specific area(s) of specialization.

My areas of specialization are literacy – dyslexia and written expression.

I also provide services for various speech and language issues, including oral language comprehension and expression, voice therapy, stuttering, and accent modification. 

Take a look at my services pages, and let me know if you have any questions via the form at the bottom of this page.

I evaluate and treat school-aged children through adults.

Yes, I offer teletherapy when appropriate to the individual and situation.

Likely, Individuals learning a second language after age 11 will always have some “accent” to their speech. The remainder of some accent is your native language’s influence on the sounds of English, the second language.

Accent Modification teaches you how to reduce your first language’s impact on English, allowing you to be readily understood.

I went through a two-year master’s level Orton–Gillingham training program through Fairleigh Dickinson University. It included the theoretical basis of dyslexia and dyslexia intervention and a clinical practicum working twice a week in a one-on-one setting, providing remediation for individuals with dyslexia.

Signs of dyslexia vary among individuals.

Early signs can include difficulty learning to talk and forming correct sounds. Children should be able to pronounce most words correctly by five to six years of age. However, children with dyslexia have trouble pronouncing new words or longer, more complicated words. They may also leave out or switch the order of sounds in words.

For example, spaghetti might be pronounced as pesghetti. Individuals with dyslexia are often poor spellers. Other indicators may include difficulty hearing rhymes, identifying letter names with corresponding sounds, or writing letters or numbers.

Contrary to popular belief, people with dyslexia do not read letters and words backward.

Children with a family history of dyslexia need monitoring from an early age because early identification through diagnostic assessments is vital to at-risk individuals’ reading and academic success. The brain is much more receptive to intervention and allows for developing new neural pathways in the early years. Response to intervention lessens as the brain matures. However, it is never too late to get help!

To quote Dr. Sally Shaywitz, the co-director of the Yale Center for the Study of Learning and Attention, “Less than one-third of the children who were reading below their age, ability, and grade level were receiving school services for their reading difficulty.”

Dr. Shaywitz says that by the time schools do identify the problem, usually around the third grade or above, reading disabilities become significantly more difficult to remediate.

Dyslexia is NOT a reflection of a person’s intelligence. Many knowledgeable people have dyslexia (Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, and Leonardo Da Vinci).

Often, people with dyslexia are overwhelmed with low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy.

Memories of past experiences and difficult school experiences lead people with dyslexia to question their ability to learn, lose interest in reading, and question their self-worth – all devastating consequences.

Because no two people are the same, people will progress at different rates. 

Factors that affect the rate of progress include the severity of a disorder, the individual’s age, level of motivation, and the ability to focus. For the best results, I recommend two weekly sessions and completion of homework assignments.

Articulation – how sounds and words are produced

Fluency – speech characterized by sound and/or word repetitions, prolongation of sounds in a word, blocks, and disruptions to the normal rate and rhythm of speech

Receptive Language – understanding of verbal and/or written communication and language

Expressive Language – the use of verbal communication, gestures, and writing to convey meaning and messages to others

Accent Modification – modification to speech patterns

Written Communication – reading comprehension and written expression