Beyond Speech Therapy Center

11/06/2026

Fun opportunity supporting 2 local businesses (we can personally vouch for both of them being wonderful!).

11/05/2026

“Let me know when they’re more independent, and then we can collaborate.”

I’ve been hearing variations of this sentiment from SLPs recently when discussing individuals who use spelled communication.

And I think we need to talk about it.

Imagine telling someone who uses a wheelchair, “Let me know when you no longer need assistance, and then I’ll help you access your environment.”

Sounds backward, doesn’t it?

Support is often what makes independence possible in the first place.

The same is true for communication.

Some individuals need skilled communication partners, even as they become increasingly independent in expressing their thoughts.

And there’s an important distinction between providing support and influencing a message.

Support can look like helping with regulation, keeping communication materials steady and positioned for easier motor access, and encouraging visual-motor coordination. None of these inherently requires directing what someone communicates.

We should continually work to strengthen autonomy and independence.

But requiring someone to no longer need support before we’re willing to provide it?

That’s essentially saying, “I’ll help you when you don’t need help.”

Needing support isn’t a failure.

Our responsibility is to make communication more accessible, not wait until someone can access it without us. 🧡

SpelledCommunication

11/04/2026

🎄❤️ Help us spread a little extra Christmas magic this year!

Beyond Speech Therapy Center is proud to support Project Noelle this holiday season, and we’d love for our families and community to join us!

❤️ What is Project Noelle?

Project Noelle is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children whose lives have been impacted by the opioid epidemic. Many of these children have lost a parent to addiction or are being raised by grandparents or other family members. Project Noelle provides year-round support, resources, and opportunities to help these children feel loved, valued, and supported.

This Christmas, we’re helping make the holidays a little brighter through their Adopt a Child program! 🎁

We’ve set up a giving board right in our BSTC lobby, and anyone who would like to participate is welcome!

🎅 How to help:

* Choose an envelope from our lobby board.
* Shop for your selected child! There is no required spending amount—give whatever you’re comfortable with.
* Return your gifts unwrapped by December 5th, with the envelope attached.

Every child deserves to experience the joy and excitement of the holiday season, regardless of the challenges their family may be facing.

We’re so grateful to be part of a community that shows up for others. Thank you for helping us make a difference, one child at a time! ❤️🎄

To learn more about Project Noelle, visit www.projectnoelle.com.

11/03/2026

What If We’re Missing Something? 🧡

As a speech-language pathologist, I’ve experienced what it’s like to feel confident in the approaches you’re using, yet still wonder why you’re not seeing the meaningful progress you’d hoped for.

That curiosity led me to explore communication from a different perspective, and what I learned significantly changed the way I approach my clinical practice.

I’ve been wanting to create an opportunity to share some of that knowledge with other professionals, and I’m excited to finally start putting it together!

What If We’re Missing Something? will be a professional training exploring motor and sensory differences, communication access, regulation, and spelled communication.

But more importantly, I want to focus on practical application. How can we better support individuals who struggle to access AAC, initiate purposeful movements, or make progress with traditional approaches? What can we do differently in our therapy sessions, classrooms, and everyday interactions?

My hope is that professionals walk away with new perspectives, practical strategies, and resources they can actually use to better support the individuals they work with.

This training is still in development, but I’m beginning an interest list for SLPs, OTs, educators, and other professionals who would like to learn more.

And to the families who follow our page: If there’s a therapist, teacher, or other professional in your child’s life who might benefit from exploring these perspectives, I’d love for you to share this with them!

There’s no commitment to register. Joining the interest list simply means you’ll be among the first to receive details when they’re available. Join the list here: 🔗 https://forms.gle/i962Fgq6YPvWEVBs5

Curiosity is enough. 🧡

10/02/2026

October is AAC Awareness Month 🧡

AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. Basically, it’s the ways people communicate in addition to - or instead of - speech. People may use AAC because they can’t speak (or fully express themselves with speech).

When people think of AAC, they often think of a “talker.” But AAC includes so much more! Letterboards, keyboards, gestures, signs, and picture boards are all forms of AAC, too.

If your nonspeaker has a talker but isn’t able to use it to really share what they’re thinking, there are other options worth exploring. Spelling or typing may be one of those options.

We want communication that goes beyond asking for a snack or choosing an activity. We want people to be able to ask questions, share opinions, tell stories, disagree with us, and let us get to know them.

Finding the right tools and support is individual. Someone may use a talker for some things and spelling or typing for others.

Everyone deserves access to a way to say what THEY want to say. 🧡

10/02/2026

Today, I attended an IEP meeting for a nonspeaking student who has worked for years to reach this level of communication. He typed this message for his school team without prompting.

After I left, I was told that being the only SLP in the area trained in Spelling to Communicate had been called a “red flag.” That was disappointing, especially after I’d offered to talk further and answer questions.

But I want to bring the focus back to his words:

“im trying so greatly”

He’s asking his team to understand that what looks like refusal doesn’t reflect how hard he’s trying.

I welcome questions about my work. But at the center of this conversation is a student who has worked incredibly hard to share his perspective and deserves to have it heard and thoughtfully considered. 🧡

09/08/2026

These songs are SO good - guaranteed to give you goosebumps & make you dance! Beyond Speech Initiative provides communication scholarships to Nonspeaking individuals. Buy the album and support BSI today 💙

💙 LETTER BY LETTER, VOL. 1 IS HERE! 🎶

15 original songs. Their words. Their vision. Letter by letter.

This album was created by nonspeaking, minimally speaking, and unreliably speaking artists who communicate through spelling. They wrote every lyric and directed the musical vision for their songs — choosing the genre, tempo, mood, style, and overall sound.

🎵 Digital Album + Digital Lyric Booklet: $20

100% of proceeds support Beyond Speech Initiative and our mission to expand communication access and opportunities for nonspeaking individuals. 💙

Ready to listen? Email [email protected] to purchase. We accept cash, check, Zelle, and Venmo. Once payment is received, we’ll email you private access to the full 15-track album and digital lyric booklet.

Please share this post and help us get their words out into the world. 💙

15 songs. Their words. Their vision. Letter by letter.

09/07/2026

🎉 ❤️