Speech Therapy Connections

Speech Therapy Connections We are a neuro-affirming speech therapy practice. Amy Zembriski MBA, MS, CCC-SLP

✨ We’re officially nominated… thanks to YOU! ✨I am feeling so grateful today. Because of this community, Speech Therapy ...
12/08/2025

✨ We’re officially nominated… thanks to YOU! ✨

I am feeling so grateful today. Because of this community, Speech Therapy Connections has been nominated for the 201 Magazine Best of Bergen 2026 Community Choice Awards.

As a small, locally owned practice, being recognized alongside much larger clinics means the world. What fuels this work isn’t size. It’s the quality of care, the relationships I get to build, and the trust you place in me every single day.

You’ve helped create a space where kids feel seen, supported, and celebrated…and now more families may be able to find this space because of you.

If you’d like to support the nomination, here’s how to cast your vote:

1️⃣ Tap the link in my bio
2️⃣ Scroll to Health & Beauty
3️⃣ Select Best Medical Services
4️⃣ Choose Speech Therapy Connections

You can also comment VOTE down below and I’ll send you the link directly.

Thank you again for uplifting this small (but mighty) practice. Your support truly shapes the heart of this work. 🧡

12/04/2025

If it’s one thing our kids know how to do… it’s how to say “no.” Am I right or am I right? 😂

👉share with a parent who feels your pain!

12/01/2025

If you’re trying to support your toddler’s speech at home, there are two phrases I recommend avoiding because they can add pressure instead of helping communication grow.

❌ “Say this.”
❌ “Use your words.”

Many toddlers, especially late talkers and autistic children, communicate more easily when we model language instead of prompting for performance. When we create a low-pressure environment, kids feel safer exploring and using language on their own terms.

In my Bergen County speech therapy practice, I focus on connection, play, and modeling without pressure so communication feels natural and stress-free for your child.

👉 Share this with another toddler parent who would find it helpful.

📌 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘕𝘰 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥.

11/28/2025

In my speech therapy sessions, your child is always met with respect, autonomy, and communication that feels safe for them. That means there are a few things I never do because they can create pressure instead of connection.

1️⃣ I never withhold items your child loves.
2️⃣ I never make sensory breaks something to earn.
3️⃣ I don’t place a higher value on verbal speech because some children may need to communicate in other ways

My goal is to meet you child exactly where they are so they feel understood, supported, and welcome.

👉 share this with a parent who may be struggling to find a neurodiversity affirming therapist so they know what to look for!

📌 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘕𝘰 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥.

11/24/2025

If mealtimes feel stressful with your picky eater, you are not doing anything wrong. One small shift can make a big difference. Kids often explore food more easily when the experience feels playful and low pressure, not forced.

In this video, my toddler is using chopsticks. I can never guarantee how any child will respond, but adding fun utensils can spark curiosity and make mealtime feel lighter.

Try bringing in utensils that help your child feel excited and in control:
👉 utensils with their favorite characters
👉 silly straws that make sipping more fun
👉 colorful tongs to serve you and others

Families I support here in Bergen County often share that little tweaks like these can really help their child relax, explore, and participate without pressure. Whether you’re looking for help with picky eating, feeding therapy, or early speech and language support in Bergen County, playful connection is always the starting point.

👉 Share this with another toddler parent in who’s navigating picky eating & may want to try this tip!

📌 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘕𝘰 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥.

11/19/2025

Parents often worry that if their child isn’t sitting during therapy, they’re not learning. But movement is a normal and healthy part of how many toddlers and autistic children take in information.

Sitting still is not a prerequisite for communication.
Kids learn language through regulation, connection, and shared engagement. And sometimes their bodies need to move in order to feel calm, safe, and ready to interact.

When I follow your child’s natural movement, I’m not lowering expectations. I’m supporting their nervous system so they can participate in a way that feels good for them.

Movement is not a distraction.
It is communication.
It is regulation.
It is learning.

🧡 Your child can grow, connect, and build language without staying in one spot.

📌 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦.

If mealtime has started to feel like a battle, you’re not alone. 🧡⁣⁣Every parent of a “picky eater” knows the untouched ...
11/12/2025

If mealtime has started to feel like a battle, you’re not alone. 🧡⁣
⁣
Every parent of a “picky eater” knows the untouched plates, the same few foods, and the worry that creeps in:⁣
“Are they eating enough?”⁣
“Did I do something wrong?”⁣
⁣
But what most people don’t see is how much energy it takes to make a meal feel safe.⁣
Many children labeled as “picky” are actually showing us something deeper, which is a need for safety, predictability, and trust.⁣
⁣
What looks like defiance is often a body saying, “this is too much for me right now.”⁣
And when we begin to understand this, everything shifts.⁣
⁣
In my free Picky Eating & Relationships Webinar, I’ll share how to:⁣
✨ Reframe “picky eating” ⁣
✨ Support feeding through safety and connection⁣
✨ Reduce stress at mealtimes for both you and your child⁣
⁣
💬 Comment RELATIONSHIP below and I’ll send you the link to watch!
⁣
📌 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘕𝘰 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥.

So excited to have had the opportunity to contribute to this piece for about educational & fun board games!⁣Comment GAM...
10/31/2025

So excited to have had the opportunity to contribute to this piece for about educational & fun board games!
⁣
Comment GAMES down below and I’ll send you the link! 🔗⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣
⁣

If mealtimes feel like a constant battle, you’re not alone ❤️So many well-meaning phrases we use at the table like “you ...
10/17/2025

If mealtimes feel like a constant battle, you’re not alone ❤️

So many well-meaning phrases we use at the table like “you liked that yesterday,” “just one more bite,” or “you have to finish dinner before dessert” can unintentionally make picky eating worse.

Here’s why ⤵️
✨ “You liked that food yesterday…”

Kids’ sensory needs and preferences change daily. Drawing attention to the change can make them feel pressured instead of safe.

✨ “Just one more bite…”
Pressure often backfires. It can disconnect your child from their own hunger and fullness cues, making them less likely to try new foods.

✨ “Eat dinner before dessert…”
Making dessert a “reward” teaches kids that some foods are better than others. Serving all foods without hierarchy helps reduce anxiety around eating.

When we remove pressure and create safety, kids become more open to exploring food at their own pace which is where real progress begins.

👉 Save this post for your next mealtime reminder. And if you’re ready for calm, connected meals again, I’d love to support your family in therapy or parent coaching and you can reach out at info@speechtherapyconnectionsllc.com

📌 Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only and does not replace therapy or medical advice. No guarantees are made. Please seek professional support if needed.

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5-11 Saddle River Road Suite 2A
Fair Lawn, NJ
07663

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