I am a state licensed and nationally certified speech-language pathologist, who has been practicing for over thirty years. During this time, I have worked with children diagnosed with autism and related spectrum disorders, developmental language disorders, learning disabilities, and apraxia. I see all the ways that language is an underlying factor to executive function skills areas and challenging social behaviors. Our work is needed now more than ever, as we continue to educate and advocate for those who need language-based strategies to make progress and achieve competent communication skills.

In my personal life, I have three wonderful grown children of my own, who still continue to teach me everyday. I have seen and understand the challenges children face today. Our communities are doing the best they can in embracing the neurodiversity within our youth. But there is a lot more work to be done.

One thing has always stood true: communication is the key to our connections.

Helping others to keep those connections is so very important to me.

Test scores, goals and objectives all have their place. But, helping a child or young adult become an effective communicator in today’s world is immeasurable.

Success in therapy is when a child can tell their story, when they tell someone what happened …and it makes sense.

Success is when children can say how they are feeling, instead of leaving the room.

There’s an incredible sense of pride in being able to explain an answer, instead of saying, “I don’t know”, when you really do.

That is being able to express oneself.

That is success.