Not Just Words, Mobile SLP

Not Just Words, Mobile SLP Mobile SLP providing services in your home, child-care facility, private school, etc. Regulation before expectation.

Child-led, play-based, neuro affirming 🩷

Jon Peterson & Autism Scholarship provider

Serving children and adults ASHA certified
Certified in neuromuscular electrical stimulation for dysphagia

I know that can sound surprising.Parents will sometimes look at me and say, “Should we really stop? We just got started....
02/24/2026

I know that can sound surprising.

Parents will sometimes look at me and say, “Should we really stop? We just got started.” And my answer is almost always yes… if their child’s body is telling us they need it.

Here’s the educational piece behind that 👇

Language lives in the brain.
But the brain does not learn well when the body feels overwhelmed.

If a child is wiggly, crashing, avoiding eye contact, shutting down, or getting silly out of nowhere, that is not “bad behavior.” It is often a sensory system asking for support.

When we pause for a movement break, deep pressure, a quick jump session, or even quiet time under a blanket, we are not losing therapy time.

We are preparing the brain to actually learn.

Regulation before expectation is not just a cute phrase. It is how lasting progress happens.

And this is especially important for my homeschool families. When therapy happens in your child’s natural environment, we can build these sensory supports right into your real routines, not just a clinic room.

Also, if you are a homeschool family in Ohio, this is something many people do not realize…

Speech therapy services can be completely free under the Jon Peterson or Autism Scholarship through the Ohio Department of Education. We currently accept both scholarships and are happy to answer questions about how that works.

We also offer out of network insurance options and private pay through our reservation model, so families can choose what fits best.

If you are a homeschool parent wondering whether speech therapy might help and how to access it, send me a message or reach out for a complimentary consultation. I would love to talk through your options

One of the biggest shifts I help parents make in speech therapy isn’t about what to say.It’s about how we show up in the...
02/19/2026

One of the biggest shifts I help parents make in speech therapy isn’t about what to say.
It’s about how we show up in the conversation.

So many well-meaning adults talk at kids all day long. We ask question after question. We correct. We prompt. We fill the silence because it feels uncomfortable.

But kids learn language best when they feel like they’re part of a shared moment, not a performance.

That’s why so much of my work looks like teaching parents how to:
🧠 pause instead of prompt
👀 follow their child’s lead
🎲 join the play instead of directing it
💬 comment more and question less

When we slow down and talk with a child, we give their brain time to process, organize, and respond in their own way. That’s often when communication becomes more natural, more meaningful, and more confident.

This is exactly why I love providing therapy in a child’s natural environment. Real conversations happen during play, snack time, routines, and everyday moments. And when parents are coached right there in the moment, those skills actually carry over into real life.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re talking all day but not really connecting, you’re not doing anything wrong. Sometimes a small shift in how we communicate makes a big difference.

If you’re curious about how this approach could support your child, I’d love to talk it through with you. Reach out for a complimentary consultation, and let’s see what feels right for your family.

Do you ever wonder if you’re helping too much when you talk with your child?

Parents often ask me if this means their child is confused or falling behind. The short answer? Not at all. 💛For bilingu...
02/18/2026

Parents often ask me if this means their child is confused or falling behind. The short answer? Not at all. 💛

For bilingual and multilingual kids, this is often their brain doing exactly what it’s designed to do. Kids naturally organize languages by context. Home might feel safest in one language. School might feel easier in another. That switch isn’t a problem. It’s a skill.

Some kids understand both languages really well but choose the one that feels most efficient in that moment. Others might mix words or stick to one language in certain settings. That doesn’t mean they’re losing a language. It means they’re sorting, storing, and using language in ways that make sense to them.

One simple thing you can try at home is modeling without pressure. Keep speaking your home language naturally. Repeat their message back without correcting or quizzing. Language grows best when kids feel safe, not tested.

We look at the whole child and the whole communication system. We support bilingual kids in a way that honors their culture, their environment, and how their brain works.

If you’re curious about how speech therapy can support bilingual kids in everyday life, feel free to reach out or book a complimentary consultation.

One of the biggest myths I hear as a speech therapist is this:“If my child understands everything, they must just be cho...
02/16/2026

One of the biggest myths I hear as a speech therapist is this:
“If my child understands everything, they must just be choosing not to talk.”

Here’s the truth I wish more parents knew: late talking often has nothing to do with intelligence.

I’ve worked with so many kids who are incredibly bright. They problem solve. They notice details. They understand routines, stories, and directions. But getting words out feels hard. Not because they don’t know what to say, but because the path from thought to speech is still developing.

Language is more than knowing words. It’s timing, coordination, confidence, and feeling regulated enough to try. Some kids need more support putting all of those pieces together, and that’s okay.

This comes up a lot in the homeschooling community. Parents are with their kids all day and notice the gaps early, but many don’t realize that speech therapy support can be completely free for homeschooled students in Ohio through the Jon Peterson or Autism Scholarship.

That means your child can get help building communication skills without adding financial stress to your family. Therapy that fits into real life, meets your child where they are, and supports learning across environments.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your late talker just needs a little extra support, I’d love to talk it through with you. Reach out for a complimentary consultation, and let’s see what might help your child feel more confident using their voice.

Have you noticed your child understands so much more than they can say right now?

Speech therapy was never just about saying sounds correctly or adding more words to a vocabulary list. It was about the ...
02/13/2026

Speech therapy was never just about saying sounds correctly or adding more words to a vocabulary list. It was about the moments around the words.

It’s the pause before a child finally looks up to share something.
It’s the gesture that comes before the word.
It’s the regulation that has to happen before communication can even begin.
It’s the parent learning how to slow down, follow their child’s lead, and feel confident supporting them outside of sessions.

That’s why our work is rooted in play, connection, and collaboration. We focus on the whole child, not just what they can or can’t say yet. Language grows best when kids feel safe, regulated, and understood.

At Not Just Words, therapy happens in real life. In your home. In daily routines. In moments that actually matter to your family. We work together to build skills that carry over, not just show up in a session.

Because communication is about connection, confidence, and being able to show the world who you are.

If you’ve ever felt like your child needs support that goes beyond drills or checklists, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to navigate it by yourself.

Want to learn more about our approach or see if it feels like the right fit for your family? Reach out for a complimentary consultation. I’d love to connect. 💛

What does communication look like in your home right now?

I work with so many kids whose nervous systems are doing a lot behind the scenes. Sensory overwhelm can show up as:👀 zon...
02/11/2026

I work with so many kids whose nervous systems are doing a lot behind the scenes. Sensory overwhelm can show up as:
👀 zoning out instead of melting down
🧍‍♂️ freezing or refusing instead of reacting
🗣️ shutting down verbally when things feel like too much
😖 irritability, tears, or exhaustion after everyday activities

Because it doesn’t always look dramatic, it’s often misunderstood as defiance, lack of motivation, or “they’ll grow out of it.” But what’s really happening is a child trying to cope with input their body and brain aren’t ready to handle yet.

When we slow down, follow the child’s lead, and focus on regulation before expectation, everything changes. Kids feel safer. Communication comes more naturally. Learning sticks. This is why we don’t separate sensory support from speech and communication at Not Just Words. It’s all connected.

If you’ve ever thought, “Something feels off, but I can’t quite explain it,” trust that instinct. Support doesn’t have to wait.

Would you like to talk through what you’re seeing and see if this kind of support could fit your child and your homeschool routine? Reach out anytime for a complimentary conversation.

First, let me say this: you’re not imagining it. And you’re not overthinking it either.Some kids sound like their voice ...
02/09/2026

First, let me say this: you’re not imagining it. And you’re not overthinking it either.

Some kids sound like their voice is coming more through their nose than their mouth. This doesn’t mean they’re doing anything wrong or that they’re not trying. It usually means their speech system is still figuring out how to coordinate airflow, muscles, and sound.

Here are a few things that can contribute:
👃 Ongoing congestion or mouth breathing from allergies or frequent colds
🗣️ Muscles that aren’t coordinating smoothly yet
🧠 Difficulty feeling where sounds are coming from in their mouth

What I see often is that kids who sound nasally aren’t aware of it at all. They’re focused on getting the words out, not how they sound. That’s where gentle, play-based speech therapy can help build awareness without pressure.

In sessions, we don’t ask kids to “fix” their voice. We focus on helping them feel the difference between sounds, use their breath more intentionally, and build clarity over time in ways that feel safe and natural.

If you’ve noticed this with your child, it’s okay to trust that instinct and ask questions. Early support can make a big difference, and it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or clinical. 💛

If you’re curious whether this is something your child could use support with, I’d love to talk it through with you. Reach out for a complimentary consultation, and we can decide together what makes sense for your family.

Have you ever noticed changes in how your child’s voice sounds depending on the day or situation?

Speech therapy isn’t about fixing a child.It’s about understanding how they experience the world and building skills fro...
02/06/2026

Speech therapy isn’t about fixing a child.
It’s about understanding how they experience the world and building skills from there.

I wish more parents knew that progress doesn’t always look like new words right away. Sometimes it looks like:
✨ Your child is staying in the room a little longer
✨ Trying again after frustration
✨ Making eye contact, pointing, or inviting you into play

Those moments matter. They’re the foundation.

We don’t rush kids through drills or expect them to perform on command. We start with connection, regulation, and play, because communication grows best when kids feel safe. Therapy happens in real life, in homes and everyday spaces, with parents involved every step of the way.

Speech therapy can support so much more than pronunciation. It can help with understanding language, expressing needs, social connection, feeding and oral skills, confidence, and even how kids move through their day.

Every child’s path looks different. And that’s not a problem. That’s the point.

Reach out anytime for a complimentary conversation, and we’ll figure it out together. 💛

If you’ve ever noticed your child talks more clearly when they’re moving, calmer after a swing, or more connected after ...
02/04/2026

If you’ve ever noticed your child talks more clearly when they’re moving, calmer after a swing, or more connected after a few minutes of play, there’s a reason for that. 💛

Communication doesn’t start with words. It starts with the body feeling safe and organized.

When kids are wiggly, overwhelmed, or shut down, their brain is busy just trying to cope. There’s not much space left for language. But when we add movement and help their body settle, everything shifts.

That might look like:
🤸‍♀️ jumping or climbing before sitting down
🧸 heavy work like pushing, pulling, or carrying
🌿 slowing things down with floor play or deep breaths

Once a child’s body feels regulated, their attention improves, their frustration drops, and suddenly, communication feels easier. That’s when words, gestures, and connection start to show up more naturally.

This is why we don’t rush kids to sit still or “use their words” right away. We focus on regulation before expectation. We meet kids where they are, use movement intentionally, a nd build communication through play and connection, not pressure.

Reach out if you’d like to talk through what regulation and communication could look like for your child in everyday moments. 💛

When kids learn at home, their communication doesn’t live in a bubble. It shows up during breakfast, sibling play, math ...
02/02/2026

When kids learn at home, their communication doesn’t live in a bubble. It shows up during breakfast, sibling play, math lessons, and meltdowns in the middle of the day. And that’s exactly why speech therapy often works better in a homeschool environment.

When therapy happens in a child’s real routines, we get to support language where it actually matters. Not at a desk. Not in a quiet room with flashcards. But during real conversations, real emotions, and real life.

We lean into this flexibility. We collaborate with parents, follow the child’s lead, and build skills that carry over naturally across the day, not just during a session.

And here’s something many homeschool families don’t realize at first.
Speech therapy like this can be fully funded through Ohio’s Jon Peterson or Autism Scholarship for eligible homeschooled students. That means support without adding financial stress, while keeping your child in the learning environment that works best for them.

If you’re homeschooling and wondering whether speech therapy could fit into your daily rhythm, let’s talk. I’m always happy to answer questions and help families explore their options.

Does this style of support sound like something your child could benefit from? Reach out anytime, and let’s figure it out together. 💛

🎉 📣❤️
01/28/2026

🎉 📣❤️

Sometimes the hardest part of talking… is getting calm enough to try. 💛One thing I see all the time is kids who can comm...
01/28/2026

Sometimes the hardest part of talking… is getting calm enough to try. 💛

One thing I see all the time is kids who can communicate, but their body is just too busy to let the words come out. Big energy, big feelings, wiggly bodies, racing brains. Talking asks a lot from a child who isn’t settled yet.

Before I ever focus on words, I help parents work on settling first. Here are a few simple things I teach families that can make a real difference:

✨ Slow things down.
Pause your own speech. Short phrases, softer voice, fewer questions. Calm is contagious.

🧸 Start with connection, not demands.
Sit on the floor. Join their play. Follow their lead. Kids communicate more when they feel safe, not rushed.

🌬️ Give the body a job.
Pushing a wall, squeezing a pillow, carrying something heavy, or even a big hug can help their body organize before talking.

👀 Get face-to-face at their level.
Eye level helps kids feel seen and supported. It also makes communication feel more natural.

⏳ Wait longer than feels comfortable.
Many kids need extra time to process before they respond. Silence isn’t failure. It’s thinking time.

This is why we focus on regulation before expectation. Speech doesn’t live in isolation. It’s connected to a child’s body, emotions, and sense of safety. When we support the whole child, communication comes more easily and more confidently.

If your child struggles to talk when they’re overwhelmed, you’re not doing anything wrong. Sometimes the missing piece isn’t more practice. There is more support before the words.

If this sounds familiar, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to talk through what support could look like for your family. 🌿

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Maineville, OH
45039

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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