Iowa Speech Solutions, PLLC

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Johnston, IA
Iowa Speech Solutions, PLLC

Adult medical/neuro speech, language, swallow and cognitive services. Based in Des Moines, Iowa. Our visits are by appointment only.

Please give us a call and we will be as flexible as possible. We can offer in home options, depending on the case and location. We are currently accepting Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Midlands Choice. Pending enrollment with Medicaid and Humana. We are adult focused, personalized, specialized and flexible. Our clinicians have additional training in adult dysphagia (swallowing), Parkinson's Vo

ice (SPEAK OUT! and LSVT LOUD), short program for ARK J Trismus, McNeill Dysphagia (swallowing) Program and Intensive Dysphagia treatment, AAC, and Dementia Practitioner.

08/14/2026

Note-Taking as a Cognitive-Communication Strategy

As a neuro focused SLP, note-taking training is one of my go-to compensatory strategies for clients with TBI, stroke, or other cognitive-communication challenges. It’s not just writing all the things down; it’s building external memory supports and organizing thinking.

Try the Cornell Method (pictured, hand-drawn by me, no fancy template needed):
* Header: Subject + Date
* Details column (wide, left): main content
* Key Points column (narrow, right): cue words and prompts for recall
* Summary (bottom): 1-2 sentences in your own words
This structure encourages active processing instead of passive transcription (autopilot mode).

Other tips:
* Bullet points over full sentences
* Consistent symbols/abbreviations (→, w/, etc.)
* Review notes within 24 hours to reinforce encoding
* Pair with a planner or memory book for carryover
* Practice in real-life contexts, not just therapy sessions
The right system depends on each person’s individual needs and daily demands. All you need is paper and a pen.

08/06/2026

How a Concussion Can Change the Way You Sense the World

Many people who have had a concussion or brain injury report changes in their sensory system. A brain injury can change how your senses work, sometimes turning things up and sometimes turning them down.

Sound-
Everyday noises like a dishwasher running or a crowded room can suddenly feel too loud or even painful. On the flip side, some people find sounds feel muffled, or have a hard time picking out a voice in a noisy space.

Light-
Bright screens, sunlight, or store lighting can trigger headaches or make you feel overwhelmed. This is one of the most common changes people notice after a concussion.

Taste-
Food might suddenly taste bland or a little off. Some people also become more sensitive to strong flavors, like bitter or spicy foods.

Smell-
Some people lose part of their sense of smell, while others find familiar smells suddenly smell wrong or unpleasant. Some become extra sensitive to strong scents like perfume or cleaning products.

Touch-
Light touches, clothing tags, or temperature changes can feel unexpectedly irritating. Other times, people notice numbness or tingling instead.

Why does this happen?
Your brain acts like a filter, deciding what sensory information to pay attention to and what to tune out. After an injury, that filter can get thrown off, so things come through too strong or not strong enough.

These changes are real, they’re common, and they’re not “all in your head.” Many people improve with time, and therapies like PT/vestibular, speech, vision or occupational therapy can help move things along; and provide education and validation.

If this sounds familiar, it’s worth chatting with a doctor who specializes in brain injuries.

07/22/2026

Ever notice some days you can barely decide between chocolate and vanilla, let alone should you have a bowl or cone? That is called decision fatigue.

As a SLP, I see this daily. I have also experienced this firsthand. The same mental energy used for choosing a flavor is used for finding words, staying organized, and following a conversation.

Larger or compounding decisions drain that same tank even faster, like:
* Managing a packed work schedule and constant emails
* Making medical or financial choices for yourself or a loved one
* Caregiving decisions, from medication schedules to daily routines
* Parenting choices made all day, every day
Decision fatigue is also a common symptom after concussions, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and other neurological conditions. When cognitive reserve is already reduced, even small choices can feel exhausting, and communication is often one of the first things affected.
You may lose your train of thought, struggle to find words, or feel too drained to keep a conversation going.

A few tips to protect your mental energy:
1. Make important decisions and have key conversations earlier in the day
2. Simplify small daily choices with routines (meals, outfits, schedules)
3. Offer structured choices to others instead of open ended questions
4. Take short breaks between demanding tasks to let your brain reset

07/15/2026

Ever try to explain your fatigue and “tired” just doesn’t cut it? Spoon theory and battery theory are two popular ways people in the chronic illness and disability communities describe their energy.

Read the full blog to find out which one fits you.

www.iowaspeechsolutions.com

06/03/2026

Chronic fatigue is a major symptom for many people with a neurological diagnosis, whether acquired (such as a brain injury) or progressive (such as MS). In my experience, these clients are often hard on themselves, because we live in a society that rewards a “don’t stop until you drop” mentality.

I always have to remind people (and even myself) that rest is not a treat. Especially with medical conditions, rest needs to be a scheduled part of our routine, one that is genuinely beneficial for our body and brain. And it doesn’t have to be a nap! It can look like time outside, coloring, or spending time with a beloved fur baby.

Pacing and regular breaks are crucial for our health. If we don’t build them in, our brain and body will eventually “take a break for us.” This can look like a crash lasting days, a migraine, or difficulty finding words and thinking clearly.

Shout out to my friend, Louie, a cute doggie I got to visit with during my vacation.
Photo credit:
Alt text: [Kelsey the SLP is holding a small dog named Louie]

05/13/2026

Okay I need your help.

I have this photo and now I can’t decide on a caption.

Current contenders:
• “Press 1 for scheduling. Press 2 for billing. Press 3 for your actual SLP. (It’s all me.)”
• “Asked my boss for a day off. She said no.”
• “Director of First Impressions, Last Impressions, and Everything In Between.”
• “When the owner, the scheduler, and the therapist all have the same commute.”
• “The staff meeting was very productive today. (It was just me.)”

Drop your suggestion below. Best caption wins…absolutely nothing but my sincere appreciation.

Alt text: “Kelsey, a Speech-language pathologist and practice owner, waving from the doorway of Iowa Speech Solutions office inside of Breathe Physical Therapy North Liberty.”

05/04/2026

🌱 Spring is here, and your garden might be doing more for your brain than you think!

At Iowa Speech Solutions, we work on skills that matter to YOU and your daily life. One area we love to target? Sequencing.

Sequencing is the ability to organize steps in a logical, correct order. It sounds simple, but it is actually a powerful cognitive AND language skill that works together at the same time.
When a client walks us through how to plant a garden, step by step, they are not just chatting about a hobby.

They are exercising:
🧠 Cognitive skills like planning, organization, working memory, attention and logical reasoning
🗣️ Language skills like word retrieval, sentence formulation, and structured discourse

This is the heart of what we call cognitive communication (sometimes called cognitive linguistics) in speech pathology. The brain and language system do not work in separate silos. They are deeply connected, and when one is affected by stroke, brain injury, or another condition, we see it show up in tasks exactly like this one.

Asking a client to describe how to plant tomatoes from start to finish is a functional, and meaningful therapy task. It gives us a real window into how someone is organizing their thoughts AND expressing them clearly.

We love meeting people where their interests are. Gardening, cooking, building, baking. Your passions become our therapy tools.

Alt description: [An outdoor garden scene featuring a decorative owl statue perched beside a raised garden bed, next to a terracotta pot with a small, freshly budding herb plant.]

04/25/2026

Our therapy isn’t only about practicing speech sounds.

Most times, it’s about someone who hasn’t felt heard in months, maybe years, and watching them finding confidence in their communication again.

After a stroke, a neurological diagnosis, or a surgery, so much can feel taken from you.

My role isn’t just to help you speak more clearly. It’s to help you enter a conversation, a doctor’s appointment, or a meeting at work, and feel that confidence again.

04/18/2026

Just had my biannual dentist appointment! It’s a good reminder of something I always come back to as a medical SLP: oral care is health care.

Oral hygiene plays a direct role in swallowing health and dysphagia management. For all folks, but especially patients with dysphagia; bacteria in the mouth can travel to the lungs during aspiration, increasing the possibility of aspiration pneumonia.

Good oral care also supports saliva production, essential for patients with chronic dry mouth.

Oral hygiene matters more than we often give it credit for. This post is just one example as it relates to swallowing care.

Alt Text: A speech-language pathologist’s hand holding a toothbrush, floss, and travel-size toothpaste received at a dentist visit.

04/09/2026

A small peek at Iowa Speech Solutions. This space is dedicated to specialized, neuro-focused speech therapy for adults.

As the SLP and owner of Iowa Speech Solutions, I get to spend my days helping adults find their voice again after stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s and more.

Our office is located inside of Breathe Physical Therapy in North Liberty.

IowaSLP SmallBusinessOwner

Address

6165 NW 86th Street Suite 238
Johnston, IA
50131

Telephone

+15152197254

Website

http://www.iowaspeechsolutions.com/

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