Joyful Sounds Speech Therapy

10/12/2026

10/01/2026

Movie Time! 🍿 recently we have been going out in the community for Hudson to practice doing his preferred activities! He has been loving the movie theater lately and so what better movie to see than the Paw Patrol Dino Movie! 🦖

When Hudson is excited to try something we try to fuse the trip to practice new things! We practice using his AAC in public, staying close to the family without his wheelchair, and following the rules that a movie theater requires. Doing activities like this can be intimidating for families, but every outing is so important for them and you! 🦕

We do our best to set Hudson and ourselves up for success such as taking him to a preferred activity where we know he will be engaged, going at a time of day that has low crowds, and bringing his AAC to communicate with us. Focusing on these things is helpful when practicing what we did at the movies! 🎥 💚

09/22/2026

AAC Community Support: Audiology Appointment👂

Taking a child to the doctors is overwhelming for many, there are so many experiences that you cannot be prepared for 🧑‍⚕️ Setting up an AAC device prior to that appointment with the language needed in that specific setting is a game changer for many AAC users. Visiting an audiologist is a perfect opportunity to create a folder! Getting your hearing checked is a routine situation that has a similar experience every appointment!

It’s crucial for them to have access to these phrases to allow them to advocate for themselves, understand what is expected of them, and feel safe knowing they can express their feelings and opinions. 🗣️ I want all of my patients to know they have access to all language and especially the words needed at a doctor’s appointment.

In this video, these are common phrases/words used in the context of an audiology appointment which many AAC users often go through. My hope is that more medical settings have accessible language for their patients! 🩵

09/15/2026

Boom Cards 🔔 bringing Boom Cards back! I use these during the pandemic and they were truly a lifesaver! This is such a simple activity, and as you canssee they enjoyed every bit of it 🥰 One ofthe perks of using this as a therapist, is that you can mold it to what your specific client needs. In this session, I had to be flexible with the prompts so that my client was successful in the activity. REMINDER: some Boom Cards are FREE
Boom Cards by Boom

09/08/2026

Uh, oh! 🧊 Don’t Break the Ice is a crowd favorite! My clients love playing this game and it’s such an easy game to incorporate so many session goals from listening skills to following directions to taking turns! 🥶 I truly have a love-hate relationship with this game as it feels like all we do is set up the game over and over again😂🫠

09/02/2026

Everyone deserves to be out in the community! ❤️

There are so many components that go into helping my clients feel successful and confident out in the community. Speech therapy can truly happen anywhere—not just at a table or in a therapy room.

It can look like working on:
✨ Functional communication
✨ Following directions
✨ Transitions
✨ Emotional regulation
✨ Social interactions
✨ Making choices
✨ Advocating for wants and needs
✨ Navigating new or unexpected situations

But my heart behind community outings goes beyond the therapy session. I want families to feel confident going into their communities with the tools we practice together in therapy.

Every family deserves to be able to go places, make memories, and do things together. ❤️ And I know that sometimes there are so many things that can make community outings feel overwhelming or even impossible. If you’ve ever thought, “I wish we could do that, but I don’t know how,” I want you to know that you’re not alone.

Send me a DM or comment below. This is a safe space to talk through what’s getting in the way and figure out how your child can best succeed in the community. 🫶🏼

Because the goal isn’t just to communicate during therapy—it’s to communicate, participate, and feel successful in everyday life.

08/26/2026

Vocab Time! 🔤 the most important concept I advocate for is that all AAC users need to have access to ALL language! So many times I have parents, therapists, and clinicians say they don’t need access to “those” words right now 👀 It is assumed that since they do not actively use the icons now, that later on will be better. But ultimately they have to grow with their device! 🚶‍♂️

Having their device used in school is great because they are able to connect what they are learning to something that they use every day! Why limit their understanding and knowledge to our expectations? 🤯Using an AAC promotes strong reading skills, learn how to spell and understand vocabulary 🙌🏼

08/21/2026

A lot of my patients are Gestalt Languages Processors (GLP) and are normally reported to not demonstrate their knowledge of school concepts such as counting, days of the week, greetings, etc.

Singing Walrus is an incredible tool to merge their learning style with these school concepts! ✏️

Hudson loves to have his music time while jumping on the trampoline!
communicationmatters

08/19/2026

Lincoln’s step by step tutorial of using an AAC to build a Mr Potato Head 🥔 having all the language being available for an activity like this is so helpful in the child’s ability to participate. This was a fun activity to do with the siblings of an AAC user for them to get a better understanding of device for their big brother 👬 it’s great to see siblings who are able to verbally communicate want to use the device simultaneously. They are truly the best models!

08/12/2026

Cue tears 🥹 siblings of special needs kiddos are made for this! The bond, loyalty, friendship and protection they provide to their siblings is so special 😭🫶🏼