Connection First Speech Therapy LLC

04/02/2026

12/12/2025

Hello everyone!

As the busy year comes to an end, I wanted to share that starting Jan 2026 I will have a FEW openings to accept new clients!

My therapy is neuroaffirming, play-based, child led and FUN! My focus is supporting neurological differences, specifically the Autistic community. Embracing the way Autistic individuals think, communicate and experience the world. I strive to incorporate sensory needs and emphasize learning in the most naturalistic, everyday environments. At the heart of my practice is making authentic connections with each child that builds the foundation for all things, specifically communication. I have extensive training in working Autistic children, gestalt language processing, and sensory regulation.

If you want to learn more, please reach out! I’d love to connect with you! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 🎄

11/16/2025

A gestalt is a “chunk” of language rather than a single word. Children often pick up these chunks from songs, videos, and other media. All kids use some gestalts as they develop language, but when a child relies on gestalts for most—or all—of their communication, this indicates they may be a gestalt language processor.

Gestalt language processors tune in to intonation—the musical rhythm and melody of speech—more than to individual words. This can lead to speech that ranges from clearly repeated phrases to long strings of jargon that may be hard to understand. The lack of intelligibility usually happens because the child is focused on reproducing the overall melody of the chunk, not the precise words within it. For a gestalt language processor, the key for these gestalts to “stick” in their inventory is the emotional connection to the rich language heard.

For example, this little one singing the alphabet song is a perfect illustration. Notice how the intonation matches the song well, even though the individual letters aren’t clearly articulated.

Parents of gestalt language processors often report hearing long stretches of “unintelligible” speech that almost sounds exactly like something familiar—like a line from a show or a full song. These children might sing entire songs, such as the ABCs, yet still use few or no single words independently. Would you like to learn more? Let me know!

11/15/2025

Big goals loading for 2026. Larger scale, meaningful advocacy work 👏🏻

07/29/2025

Do you have a child who has an AAC device and not using it? Just something to think about with how you are utilizing the device with the child!

07/25/2025

I’ve spent the last few years really learning and understanding how as SLPs we need to understand our clients sensory needs and differences. Particularly how critical regulation is for connection and therefore communication. Something years ago sadly wasnt even a thought of mine 🫣 , now it’s my primary focus for all my sessions. I love collaborating with OTs/COTAs for my clients, but I dont always have access to their support during my sessions. I also have this “problem” that I need to know everything for myself 😜 and I decided I needed to learn more, so in January I started the USC sensory integration certificate program which was 4 courses with a 100 hours of coursework. I finished the program a few weeks ago and received my certificate of completion 💪🏻 this has given me such a deeper understanding of determining sensory profiles and the WHY and HOW of what we need to do to support our child’s sensory system. I can’t wait to continue to implement all that I’ve learned in this coursework as an SLP in my private practice 👏🏻

07/17/2025

Hi guys! It’s been a busy summer 😅 and it’s almost over 😩 …but has me planning ahead for the change. Come August I will be accepting new clients!
My sessions are child-led, play based and FUUUNNNN! 🤩 I have extensive training and a professional focus for working with Autistic children and I love to embrace and support their differences in language, play, interests, and sensory needs! Please reach out if you want to learn more! I accept BCBS and Cigna but also have private pay options! Let’s talk 😊

06/27/2025

Today I got to go back to SIUC to lecture to the incoming graduate students about Gestalt Language Processing. However, I had to sprinkle in affirming care, meeting sensory needs as an SLP and accepting and supporting play differences, of course! 🤪 It is so great to be able to spread knowledge to future SLPs, so they learn it FIRST instead of having to unlearn it down the road like I did! They all walked out with a better understanding of how to support Autistic children and GLPs! 👏🏻

06/05/2025

I love learning ❤️

What have you unlearned and learned since becoming an SLP? Any that are the same as me? 🙃

05/14/2025

The notion that autistic children are *just* not communicating and need to be forced to use communication is such an outdated idea. Forcing communication, withholding items or using hand over hand to *teach* the child that they HAVE to communicate to get something they want/need, is assuming that the child is somehow choosing to be difficult and refusing to communicate.

This is a compliance based mindset that pushes control by the adult, initially saying to the child that they control how/what/when they should communicate.

Can you imagine the frustration and stress this causes for the child? And it goes without saying, stress and frustration don’t mix to improve communication skills 🙃

Not to mention that it violates body autonomy and teaches the child that they are not in control of their body and communication. 🚫

Instead-
-Let’s validate and accept that they are the ones to choose how and when they communicate- and not worry if that makes it easier on the communication partner because it’s not always about us 🤪
-Let’s model without expectation
-Let’s pursue a multi-modal communication approach
-Let’s consider other factors that may be contributing to their communication difficulties and figure out ways to support them (I.e. sensory needs, motor planning difficulties, etc)

04/02/2025

I was going to make a big long video about myself taking about Autism since it’s World Autism Day. However, I feel like this video is what we all need to see. The beauty in innocence of a child’s perspective, keeping it simple, being autistic means being different. So I’ll keep it short. Check your own bias about what you think Autism is and is not. Be aware of that, then learn by educating yourself on what being Autistic means. Move towards accepting those differences in communication, sensory needs, play and special interests. I work towards advocating for those differences to be accepted, included, embraced and celebrated each and every day. Teach your kids. They are the future. If my 7 and 4 year old kids get it, we all can!

03/23/2025

3 years ago I finished my first NLA/ Gestalt Language Processing course with Meaningful Speech. Not being dramatic, but it legitimately changed my therapist life😂 🤗 I’ve been talking about it basically every day since and have done sooo many more trainings since! 👏🏻 got questions? Reach out! 🙂