Unison Speech-Language Pathology

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Canada
Edmonton, AB
Unison Speech-Language Pathology

Speech, language, and communication treatment, assessment, and consultation. Music Together Within Therapy groups.

Individual speech, language, and communication services. Treatment, assessment, and consultation available. Now offering Music Together Within Therapy groups!

05/18/2023

After 10 years in private practice, I am moving on. Next year my kids will all be in school full-time, and I plan to work in a context that will allow more of my work to happen during school hours, and less on evenings and weekends. Building Unison SLP and working for myself has been such a gift in so many ways, and I am so grateful to the families I’ve worked with. So this transition is a little bittersweet, but I am so excited about what comes next. 💖

03/27/2023

Happy Spring Break, to everyone participating this week!

Wishing you some time for connection and rest.

Remember that registration is open for Music Together Within Therapy groups starting in April, and I'd love for you to join us! Lots of info at the link in the bio. :)

03/20/2023

Music is a great tool to support language learning!
- Because music has lots of built-in repetition, kids get lots of modelling.
- Music is motivating! Kids watch, listen, and ask to listen over and over again.
- Songs make great people games (think about peek-a-boo, London Bridge, Pop goes the Weasel...), with a routine and some interaction that's repeated the same way each time.

Want some tips for getting the most of your music time?
- Show what you're singing about using actions or objects;
- Change the words to match what you're doing (e.g., Instead of "the wheels on the bus go round and round", try "the wheels on the car go round and round")
- Follow your child's lead. Sing the parts they like again, or sing about the thing they're showing you. Then wait and see if they take a turn!
- Make it a game! Do a fun action (e.g., lift them up, twirl them around) at the same part of the song every time.
- Repeat! It's great to sing their favourites over and over again.
- Go SLOW. This way your child can really hear all the words, and eventually they may be able to join in.

And if you're nervous about singing, try not to worry. Your kids are your biggest fans, and they just love feeling connected to you. :)

If you want more tips, or to see this in action, come join a Music Together Within Therapy group! Registration is open for classes starting in April at the link in the bio.

Photo by Juan Encalada on Unsplash

03/16/2023

Are you thinking about having your child assessed by an SLP? Have you ever wondered what a speech-language assessment entails?

An SLP assessment can include any of the following areas:
- Understanding language (receptive language),
- Using language (expressive language),
- Speech clarity and use of speech sounds,
- Literacy/pre-literacy skills,
- Communication skills,
- Fluency (stuttering),
- Oral rest posture (i.e., tongue position and related swallowing concerns)

At the assessment, we'll talk about your history's speech and language history; you can share your concerns, perspectives, and priorities; I'll observe your child while they play; we may do formal or informal language tests, or screenings.

If you need an assessment to get into an early education program, or if you are looking for an official diagnosis, a full report can be provided.

My hope is that at an assessment, parents feel heard, and that their experiences and concerns are validated and prioritized, and that it is a positive experience for child and parents alike.

If you have concerns about your child's speech, language, or communication development or with the structure or function of their mouth for eating or talking, it may be worth seeking out an assessment!

03/08/2023

Registration for SPRING semester is open!

Join us for a Music Together Within Therapy group running April–June on Saturday mornings.

Link in the profile to register. :)

02/22/2023

Did you know that gestures help build language skills?

- Gestures are an important building block for spoken words!
- Gestures can be standard (waving, pointing, 'standard' signs like baby sign) or your child's own (showing how a bird flaps or 'driving' a car).
- The motor plan to gesture is usually simpler than to say a word. That's why modelling some signs or gestures along with your words can be really useful, especially at that stage when littles know what they want, but can't quite say it yet. That can be SO frustrating.
- Sometimes on the way to combining words into phrases, a child will combine a word and a gesture (e.g., saying "mom" and gesturing "come"). This is so cool!

If you want to try this at home:
- Try modelling some simple signs as you speak with your little one.
- Start with things like waving, pointing, and gesturing to 'come'. - Feel free to make up your own gestures to go with favourite things, or check out some baby signs.
- Be consistent, and try to use the same gesture every time.

Have fun!

02/20/2023

Registration is open for Music Together Within Therapy groups running April–June 2023!

Come join us for music, movement, and CONNECTION all while supporting your little ones' speech and language development. ❤️

Photo by Alireza Attari on Unsplash headphones

02/15/2023

Having parents involved and engaged in a child's speech-language services has so many benefits! When a parent attends sessions with their child, they see what the SLP is doing (how do we work on this? what cues can I use? how do we encourage and reinforce?), and they have a chance to fully observe and understand what they may be asked to practice at home. I have found that kids make the fastest progress when a parent can integrate the strategies and approaches from sessions into their daily life.

Having a parent present also gives them the chance to explain what they're seeing at home, and ask any questions or make adjustments to the treatment plan. Speech-language treatment is very collaborative, and the parent is an important part of the team!

What does this look like in real life? For me, sometimes it looks just like that—a parent is present and participates in every session. Sometimes it means a parent is 'listening in' on the teletherapy call, and they check in at the beginning and/or end. Sometimes the parent is not present in sessions for any number of perfectly good real life reasons: their child is less distracted without them there, there are siblings to attend to, supper to be made, work demands... We are all balancing our children's and families needs the best we can, and so parent involvement will look different for every family, and that is OK!

Photo by Suzi Kim on Unsplash

01/03/2023

Last chance to register for a Music Together Within Therapy class in January! I still have space for one or two kids, either clients working on speech-language skills or community models who would enjoy singing and dancing with a small group on a Saturday morning.

Details: www.unisonSLP.com/classes

12/23/2022

Happy holidays!

However you celebrate the season, wishing you a time of rest, connection, and joy.

[Image description: a group of five green evergreen trees on a pale blue background with snow falling, and the text "happy holidays!"]

12/22/2022

Why MTWT groups?
- Give your child the opportunity to practice being in a group with other kids;
- Work on SPEECH and LANGUAGE goals;
- Meet other parents;
- Support your child's MUSICAL development!

Registration is now open for groups starting in January. Sign up at the link in the bio. 🎶

12/21/2022

What is telepractice?

Telepractice (aka telehealth) refers to any services that happen online/virtually, these days by video call.

At UnisonSLP, online sessions are always available if that is your preference. I have some families who switched to online sessions during the pandemic, and never went back to in-person! It's hard to beat the comfort and convenience of sessions from your home. 🏡 And you always have the option of switching to an online session if your child is sick, if the roads or weather are bad, or if it makes scheduling easier! In the past two weeks, I've had all of these come up, including a family that did their speech session in the car on the way to a hockey tournament. 😀 🇨🇦

Telepractice is supported by Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC) "as a means of facilitating access to speech-language pathology and audiology services", and there is research that supports its efficacy. We use a telepractice platform that complies with relevant privacy legislation and practice standards.

When I think about silver linings to come out of the pandemic, this is definitely one of them. Without the necessity of figuring out a way to deliver services virtually, I probably would never have known what a useful tool telepractice can be! Virtual services are making SLP services more accessible to more families, which is a great thing. 🥳

Address

Edmonton, AB
T6B1X3

Website

http://www.unisonSLP.com/

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