MidCoast SLP

06/11/2026

One of the unique things about being a speech-language pathologist is that success often means helping families reach a point where less support is needed.

Today we celebrated that milestone for Winsie!

That’s always the goal, but it never feels quite as straightforward when you’ve spent years getting to know a child and family.

Winsie attended her 130th and final speech session at MidCoast SLP today. When I think about her, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t a goal mastered or a test score. It’s her personality. She is a child who genuinely finds joy in EVERYTHING. She walks into every session with a smile, ready to laugh, be silly, connect with me, and make everyone present just as happy.

The progress Winsie has made has been incredible. The little girl who first walked through my door almost 2 years ago is now communicating confidently with family, friends, teachers, and anyone else she meets!

But what stands out just as much is her family.

Over the course of our sessions, Winsie’s parents showed up every single time. They asked questions, shared observations, practiced with us in session and while at home, communicated openly, and carried over strategies in ways that made therapy meaningful beyond our time together each week. They weren’t watching therapy happen, they were part of it.

After this time together, saying goodbye is not easy. But seeing Winsie reach a point where private therapy is no longer needed is exactly what we have all been working toward from the very beginning.

Congratulations to the one and only, very special Winsie, and her amazing family! Thank you for trusting me to be a small part of your story. It has been such a joy to watch you grow.

05/04/2026

Three years… and in the busyness of life I almost let it pass without acknowledging it!

MidCoast SLP opened on 05/01/2023, and somehow here we are!

121 families.
5,405 sessions.

All filled with effort, patience, laughter, frustration, and growth!

Early mornings, last-minute schedule shifts, kids cracking up or leaning in for hugs mid-session, moments where something finally clicks after weeks (or months) of trying. The hard days, the really good ones, and everything in between.

What stays with me most isn’t the numbers, it’s the people behind them. The families who trust me with their children, and the kids who keep showing up, trying, adjusting, and growing in their own time.

And honestly, some of my favorite moments don’t even happen in session. They’re the after-hours texts and videos from families… sharing a new word, a clearer sound, a moment they didn’t think would happen yet. Or hearing from families months (or years) later—taking me@up in my genuine offer to always reach back out to check in if needed to make sure everything still feels on track, or seeing if it’s time for a little extra support again.

Getting to be part of those in-between moments is something I never take lightly.

I’ve learned more from them than I ever expected about patience, flexibility, resilience, and what progress actually looks like when you zoom out.

I’m sure you’ve noticed the trend by now that I truly feel that many of the biggest wins are the quiet ones. More confidence. Feeling understood. Increased independence. Those don’t get tracked anywhere, but they’re the ones that have the biggest impact on my heart.

This practice was built to be individualized and relationship-based, not driven by outside expectations or checkboxes. The fact that families continue to choose that approach and be part of it means more than I can say.

Thank you for being part of these last three years. Here’s to what lies ahead! 🤍

05/01/2026

Flashback Friday!

Another two clips, same kid. We continued to work together a few more months after the second video and now we can say my friend is a speech therapy graduate!

In both videos, we’re working on /s/ at the beginning of words. But what stands out most to me isn’t just the sound… it’s him.

In the first clip:
You’ll see us really working together in a structured way. I’m providing more support by giving models, reminders, and little tweaks to help find where that /s/ lives. We’re at the word level, taking our time, figuring it out side by side.

There’s teamwork here. Building trust and awareness as comfort grows, and lots of shared moments in the play keeping communciative pressure low.

Fast forward to the second:
Now we’re moving into phrases and sentences. You see some continued challenges. And that’s part of it! Because you’ll also hear more accurate /s/ sounds showing up and more language overall.

What I love most is the willingness to try, adjust, and keep going. That confidence to stick with something even when it’s tricky—that’s real progress.

Because this is what it actually looks like:
Support → practice → trying → missing → adjusting → getting it.

Not perfect. Not linear. But meaningful!

That /s/ is coming through more clearly and more often. But even more than that… there’s this ease. More talking, more ideas, more personality coming out without needing to pause and think so hard about each word.

Less “working on it,” more just being a kid who’s talking. That’s the part that never gets old.

Because progress isn’t just about a sound—it’s about connection, confidence, and giving kids the tools to express who they already are.

If you’re noticing your child working hard to be understood, or you’re just not sure what’s typical, you’re not alone in that. If you’re wondering whether your child might benefit from a little extra support with speech, I’m always happy to talk it through.

*Videos are shared with parental consent*

04/10/2026

Flashback Friday!

Two moments with the same child, just about 6 months apart.

In the first clip, we’re hearing single words and a few short phrases, mostly to label and request. Lots of play, lots of modeling, and giving language space to build without pressure.

Fast forward… and it’s a whole different level
More commenting, more variety, pronouns, plurals, action words—and my favorite part...her humor woven throughout!

This kind of progress comes from consistent, long-term support and a lot of small moments adding up over time, not overnight.

Also, a real highlight:
“Clean up time” somehow turning into a very strategic, very intentional expansion of play… purely for language development purposes, of course!

Because when kids find their voice, they also get very good at using it. And honestly, isn’t that the goal?

03/20/2026

Flashback Friday!

Two moments with the same child.

It starts with connection and grows into communication.

The first video shows early shared moments—eye contact, joint attention, and engagement through play.

The second shows what that foundation can become—more words, more interaction, and more independence in communication.

Progress in speech therapy isn’t always loud. These small moments are the ones that lead to big progress. And by progress, I mean the incredible team effort families put in outside of each therapy session.

03/11/2026

Started from under the table, now we’re here!

What am I intentionally doing and why did I choose to do it?

· The Therapy Choice: Following the child’s interests
o The Why: It increases engagement and motivation, which in leads to more communication attempts.

· The Therapy Choice: Using short, simple phrases while the child plays
o The Why: Providing clear language models helps children map words to objects and actions in real time.

· The Therapy Choice: Taking the child’s utterance and expanding it into a slightly longer phrase
o The Why: Showing the child how language grows without correcting them directly.

· The Therapy Choice: Holding the toy briefly, pausing and waiting, looking expectantly at the child
o The Why: This encourages the child to initiate communication, teaches turn-taking in conversation, and builds intention communication.

Together, these strategies create a responsive communication environment where the child is motivated to interact and practice language! Small moments and building connection matters!

01/29/2026

Play, connection, and space!

No flashcards, no “say it again”, no “what’s this?”, no pressure.

Research shows children develop expressive language best through responsive interaction, play, and natural language modeling—not forced repetition. When communicative pressure is reduced, engagement increases and spontaneous language is more likely to emerge.

Do you see your child understanding so much but they’re still finding their voice? This approach may be a supportive next step.

You’re always welcome here.

01/20/2026

There’s no one “right” way to do carryover.

Real life is busy, days are full, and progress isn’t about doing everything perfectly—it’s about finding what works for your family and fitting it in when you can.

Open communication and true teamwork with your SLP make all the difference. Do what you can—it truly counts. 🤍

A huge shoutout to Ms. Gina for meeting us exactly where we are every step of the way—whether that’s a bright blue sticky note on the fridge, positive feedback after a video (see practice above!), or thoughtful problem-solving together to find strategies that actually work for our family. This is the kind of support that that makes home progress feel possible—and sustainable!

01/08/2026

Unexpected moments are powerful learning opportunities. And in speech therapy, flexibility is a skill — and it deserves to be noticed.

When a balloon popped unexpectedly, Mr. X used his familiar vocalization to let us know he didn’t like that. He could have switched activities. Instead, he showed flexibility by accepting a new balloon and continuing.

That moment mattered.

Through total communication, we supported gestures, sounds, AAC, emotions, and words — valuing every attempt while reinforcing adaptability in a safe, connected way.

Noticing flexibility builds confidence, resilience, and trust.

And connection makes space for all of it! 🤍

01/07/2026