Valued Voices

Directions Website Contact the practice

Valued Voices https://valuedvoices.mykajabi.com/handbooks

https://valuedvoices.com Valued Voices is committed to hearing everyone's voice.

We are based in the southern California area, and provide in-home, as well as clinic-based services to clients and their families.

09/17/2026

Self-care before sunrise. A parent coaching call where she walks away feeling supported, not judged. A session where connection comes first and growth follows. Then the business side that makes room for all of it. SLP and owner, and every part of it fuels me. Who could ask for anything more? 🧡

Let’s keep the conversation going! With love, your VV SLP, Sholeh

If you’ve watched another toddler chatter away at the playground while yours stayed quiet, you’re not overreacting. You’...
09/16/2026

If you’ve watched another toddler chatter away at the playground while yours stayed quiet, you’re not overreacting. You’re paying attention.

“Is my child behind?” is one of the most common questions parents bring to me, and it deserves an honest answer instead of a shrug.

Here’s the short version:

Around age 2, many children use 50+ words and start putting two together. Many. Not all. Some kids pour everything into climbing and problem-solving first, and language a little later. Bilingual kids split their words across two languages. Plenty of quiet toddlers go on to talk.

A “late talker” isn’t a diagnosis; it’s a child who understands, plays, and connects just as you’d expect, and is taking their own time with spoken words. More than half catch up on their own by preschool.

But “wait and see” has a cost when a child isn’t going to catch up on their own. You lose months of the window where support works best.

A speech evaluation isn’t a commitment to years of therapy. Often it’s a professional telling you your child is right on track, or needs a little support and extra care, which is worth the peace of mind all by itself. There’s no downside to knowing.

I wrote the full blog: what’s typical at 2, the things actually worth a closer look, and 6 SLP-backed things you can do at home today (no flashcards required).

Comment CONNECT and I’ll send it straight to your DMs.

However your child’s language unfolds, they’re learning, growing, and exactly who they’re meant to be. You’re already doing the most important thing: paying attention with love.

Let’s keep the conversation going! With love, your SLP, Sholeh

Your everyday routines are secretly speech therapy! Here are 10 ways to make them count. Here’s what most people forget:...
09/02/2026

Your everyday routines are secretly speech therapy! Here are 10 ways to make them count.

Here’s what most people forget: language grows in the moments your child is motivated and connected. Snack time, bath time, the walk to the car… those repeatable routines are gold, because the predictability allows your child to blossom in their speech, language and communication skills!

A few therapist-approved tips:
-Narrate what you’re doing instead of quizzing
-Pause and wait: give your child a beat to process and respond
-Follow their lead and talk about what they’re into.

No flashcards. No pressure. Just your regular day, working harder for you!

Comment “TIPS” and I’ll send the full blog straight to your inbox.

“Will my child ever talk?” If you’ve whispered this question at 2am after scrolling through milestone charts, you are so...
08/17/2026

“Will my child ever talk?”

If you’ve whispered this question at 2am after scrolling through milestone charts, you are so not alone. It’s one of the most common, and most honest, questions we hear from parents of late talkers.

Here’s what we want you to know: “late talker” doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. Every child’s path to communication looks different, and there’s often so much more going on beneath the surface than the words we can hear. The earlier we understand how your child is communicating, with gestures, sounds, play, and connection, the more we can support what comes next.

I wrote a whole blog breaking it down: what “late talker” really means, the things worth watching, and what actually helps.

Comment “VOICE” and I’ll send the full blog straight to you.

Late talker or gestalt language processor? Some kids learn word by word. Others learn in whole “chunks” first, then brea...
08/03/2026

Late talker or gestalt language processor? Some kids learn word by word. Others learn in whole “chunks” first, then break them down over time…that’s GLP, and it’s a totally valid path to communication.

Knowing the difference changes everything about how we support your child.

Comment GESTALT for my latest blog straight to your inbox: Late Talker or Gestalt Language Processor?

Hearing your little one repeat phrases from shows or songs? Drop a comment below.

07/15/2026

Pool Noodles are SUCH a versatile toy for boosting development! Here are some of my favorite games and activities incorporating this summer staple!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
☀️Ring catch
Having your child try to reach for different rings in all directions is a great way to work on crossing midline, visual motor coordination, and balance. Make this harder by having your child balance on one foot or on an unstable surface while they catch those rings, or bring it to the park and have them catch the rings while swinging!
☀️Balloon tennis single and both arms
Using the noodle as a racket, try playing a super fun game of balloon tennis! This game is such a cool way to work on visual tracking, bilateral coordination, and balance! For more of a challenge, have your child stand on an uneven surface while volleying the balloon.
☀️Making a boat
This is a great sequencing and fine motor activity incorporating the noodle! Start with a small piece of noodle, a straw or a popsicle stick, and foam for the sail. Cut into triangles and then make a small opening for the popsicle stick. Place in water and watch it sail away!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Building skills through play, every day! Love, your VV OT, Kaelyn

Before we label a behavior as “good” or “bad,” it helps to ask a different question: what is this child’s body trying to...
07/15/2026

Before we label a behavior as “good” or “bad,” it helps to ask a different question: what is this child’s body trying to tell me?

So much of what gets called “acting out” is actually a nervous system doing its best to cope; seeking input it’s missing, or escaping input that feels overwhelming. The child spinning in circles, chewing their sleeve, crashing into the couch, or covering their ears isn’t giving us a hard time, it’s them having a hard time.

When we look past the behavior to the sensory need underneath, two things happen: the child feels understood instead of corrected, and we get to actually help with tools, strategies, and co-regulation that meet their body where it is.

Every child is doing the best they can with the nervous system they have. Our job isn’t to fix them. It’s to understand them. 💛

Comment “SENSORY” to get our latest blog post all about your child’s sensory needs with strategies to support them.

Let’s keep the conversation going! What sensory need has surprised you in your own child? Tell us below.

Love, your VV SLP, Sholeh

07/06/2026

Caught hyping ourselves up and we’d do it again. SLP 🤝

OT, genuinely the best team you actually want in your kid’s corner. 💛

Building skills through play every day! Love, your VV team

07/03/2026

Fourth of July is such a fun, family friendly holiday but the traditional celebrations (fireworks, parades, etc.) can be difficult to tolerate for some. Between the unexpected visual and auditory input from fireworks, to the unexpected tactile input from walking through crowds or going to the beach, typical Fourth of July celebrations can quickly become overwhelming.

However, there are so many ways to celebrate and tips and tricks to help support your child (or yourself!) while still having fun. Here are a few of my go to strategies and tips for making the most of the summer holiday!

Building skills through play every day! Love, your VV team

Address

19782 MacArthur Boulevard , Suite 310
Irvine, CA
92612

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 7pm
Tuesday 8am - 7pm
Wednesday 8am - 7pm
Thursday 8am - 7pm
Friday 8am - 7pm
Saturday 8:30am - 5pm
Sunday 8am - 5pm

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Valued Voices posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Valued Voices:

Shortcuts

Share

Category