Lingua Speech, Swallow, and Voice Services LLC

04/24/2026

I’ll be honest: this week threw us for a loop.

A fantastic evaluation with a client, we were genuinely so excited to help. And then, next day... every single follow-up appointment was canceled. Another client who we have been troubleshooting and collaborating with other providers for quite some time decided to step away.

My clinician felt it. I felt it. The heaviness that comes with that feeling of doubt and disappointment

People always say “don’t take business personally,” but when you care deeply about the people you treat, it sits with you. You replay the evaluation, the emails, the sessions, and honestly the plan of care you know to be true. You wonder what shifted. You ask yourself if you missed something.

That’s just being human.

But here is what we are reminding ourselves (and maybe you need to hear this today, too):

Life is incredibly heavy right now. Everyone is stretched thin. Sometimes they need to put their resources elsewhere, or they just aren’t ready for the work yet. None of that makes them wrong.

We can hold the sting of a loss AND still know the immense value of our work.

We still get to wake up and bring our absolute best to the infants, children, and adults who *are* walking through our clinic doors today—the ones who are ready and counting on us.

It is an absolute privilege when a client chooses to invest their time, trust, and resources into us. We never take it lightly.
So we take a breath. We zoom out. We remember our mission. And we keep showing up.

private practice owner, clinician life, healthcare business, clinic management, overcoming setbacks as a business owner, patient care, healthcare provider burnout, therapy clinic, empathetic leadership, small business realities, pediatric therapy, patient evaluations, therapy community

04/21/2026

Usually we’re the ones getting thank‑you emails… but last week, I reached out to thank a parent — and her response opened a window into a reality I bet you’re used to feeling.

For 7½ years, Tamara kept asking for help.
And for 7½ years, she was dismissed, minimized, or told to “wait and see.”
Her story wasn’t new to me… but it still hit hard.
Because this is the part of parenthood no one prepares you for: advocating again and again, only to be told you’re imagining things.

She heard every line in the book:
“He’ll grow out of it.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“There are no ties.”
“Come back when he’s older.”
(If I had a dollar for every time a parent heard that one, I’d have a new espresso machine for the waiting room just like Waterfront Ortho!GOALS!)

But here’s what mattered most:
When Tamara finally found a team who listened — when she found Dr. Joanna, and then found us — she didn’t just show up.
She committed.

This family stayed on plan.
They trusted our clinical reasoning.
They didn’t go rogue with TikTok exercises, bounce between non‑preferred providers, or rush into procedures that would’ve pushed true wellness even further away.

They did the work — consistently and compassionately.
And because of that, we were able to make the kind of progress that changes a child’s life, not just their symptoms.

Tamara told us,
“Pennsylvania wasn’t even on our list… but I think we ended up here to find Lingua.”

Stories like this remind me why we exist:
To listen first.
To validate parents who’ve been dismissed for far too long.
To create plans that actually make sense.
And to walk alongside families who are ready for real, sustainable change.

📍 Pittston, PA (Office)
🏠 In‑home: Bucks County, PA + Western Slope, CO
💻 Virtual therapy
🌐 www.linguallc.com

Names have been changed to protect privacy; consent received for photos.

04/13/2026

The truth is prolonged thumb sucking is communication. Trust me, I would know. I am a braces twice thumb sucked til 12 years old oral myofunctional therapist.

It’s comfort, regulation, habit… and often a quiet signal that the mouth and airway are working a little harder than they should.

Many kids turn to their thumb because it helps them feel grounded, keeps their tongue busy when it’s not resting on the palate, or even opens the airway just enough to feel “right.” When you understand why their body is asking for that support, everything about the next step becomes clearer.

This guide helps you decode the need underneath the habit — from oral posture to airway patterns to nervous system regulation — and gives you a gentle, realistic plan to help your child shift toward healthier patterns.

No shame. No battles. No “just stop.” No nail polish or ill flavored thumb vinegar ( ew).
Just connection, clarity, and a step‑by‑step approach that actually works for real families.

“See You Later, Thumb” is now available. Head to our website > education and events > digital products.

A calmer, more supported path forward starts here.

04/10/2026

Repeat after me: removing or altering anatomy does not change habits.

We had an adult patient come in recently — exhausted, frustrated, and confused.
She’d had her tonsils removed years ago as a late teen ( woof, ouch). Prior to that, ear tubes. Then most recently a septoplasty.

Each time she was told, “This should help your breathing.”
Not once did anyone mention oral myofunctional therapy.

She still mouth‑breathed.
Still snored.
Still woke up with jaw tension and a tongue glued to the floor of her mouth.

Because anatomy can be adjusted…
but habits live in the nervous system, the muscles, and the patterns we repeat every day.

When we finally worked together on tongue posture, nasal breathing, and functional patterns, that’s when things started to shift.

Structural changes can support function — but they don’t replace it.
Function has to be trained.

04/10/2026

It’s been a minute since we updated our services information here on Instagram. Since we are a fee for service clinic, we also wanted to provide transparency around pricing!

We see infants, children, and adults.
You can see us in our office in Pittston, PA, in your home in Bucks County, PA, in your home in Montrose, CO or virtually.

Some services are only available virtually and monthly subscriptions are available so that you can save money and make progress ( because therapy is much like going to the gym, you cannot just go once and think it will make a difference !)

As always, more information is available on our website and we are so thankful to be apart of you eat, sleep, speak or breathe better journey.

04/08/2026

We are STOKED for this type of care in NEPA. Dr. Runco has been effortlessly communicating and collaborating with us for oral myofunctional therapy to bring best outcomes to his patients! Dream team 🤝!

A new chapter begins ✨

We’re excited to share the next step in our journey—Runco Perih Orthodontics.

This new name represents growth, partnership, and a shared commitment to the patients and families we care for every day.

While the name is new, everything you love about our office remains the same—our team, our approach, and our dedication to creating confident, healthy smiles.

We’re so grateful for such an amazing community and are excited for what’s ahead!

04/08/2026

Wherever you are, there’s a way to work with us.

Swipe through to see every place Lingua shows up — in person, in your home, in your community, and right on your screen.

Families in NEPA - Doylestown, PA - Montrose, CO and beyond are choosing care that feels personal, evidence‑based, and actually accessible. If you’ve been waiting for the “right” moment to start… this is it.

✨ Save this post so you always know where to find us
✨ Share it with a friend who’s been looking for support for themselves, their child, or maybe they are newly pregnant
✨ DM us if you’re not sure which option fits your family

Whether it’s feeding, sleep, speech, airway, or oral habits — we meet you where you are.

From Scranton, PA to the Western Slope -
Let’s work together.

04/02/2026

I may never figure out how to fold a fitted sheet… but unraveling the way oral function impacts the jaw with one of our clinicians? That’s my wheelhouse.

Most people have no idea that things like tongue posture, mouth breathing, clenching, swallowing patterns, or limited mobility under the tongue can quietly shape the way the jaw grows, how the face feels, and even how the airway functions. These aren’t “little quirks”—they’re patterns the body adapts to, and over time they can lead to tension, fatigue, headaches, bite changes, and that “why does everything feel tight?” vibe. Ignoring these symptoms can cause major dysfunction that get as serious as needing jaw surgery.

Spending time with providers that understands and is knowledgeable is critical. Myofunctional therapy looks at the why behind those patterns. We help retrain the muscles of the face, tongue, and airway so they work the way they were meant to—gently, functionally, and in harmony with the rest of the body. When those these click the palate grows as it should, the jaw stays wide and stable, and tension is eliminated.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your oral habits or jaw tension have a deeper root, or you’re just curious what myo even is, you’re in the right place.

Evaluations in our office Pittston, PA , in home in Doylestown, PA, in home in the Western Slope of Colorado, or Virtually.