Meet Our Therapists
Owner/President of Small Talk Therapy, Inc.
I knew early on that I loved working with children. One of my very earliest experiences was teaching swimming lessons while I was still in high school. One afternoon, I was introduced to my newest student, was handed a sign language pamphlet, was told by his mother that he was very eager and so excited to learn how to swim, and that he was deaf. Then, as her exuberant six year old, who didn’t know how to swim, raced towards the pool, she taught me a key phrase for use in our lesson that I remember very clearly to this day because of how frequently I used it that summer, “Not Yet”. That one phrase probably quite literally saved this child’s life as he frequently was in “over his head”, thus the importance of learning how to swim! Trying to learn sign language in order to teach this child to swim sparked my curiosity for how the ability to communicate effectively impacts learning in every facet of our lives.
Choosing to become a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), I pursued every opportunity that came my way. I was awarded a number of scholarships and chosen for internships at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London, UK as well as the Children's Hospital in Denver, CO. Each of these opportunities provided me with hands on experience and exposure to a variety of diagnoses and therapies modeled by top SLPs in the field. I was also selected as the graduate assistant for the SPECTRUM project at the University of Colorado, a project aimed to foster collaboration with parents and caregivers recognizing the critical role that they play as the expert on their child, which is imperative to future success in therapy and learning.
Upon graduation, I accepted a position at Douglas County School District for five years as a significant support needs speech language pathologist and a learning specialist teacher while providing early intervention and private therapy speech language pathology services part-time on the side. In 2005, I decided to transition to private practice full-time. I had found my true calling. I thrive balancing the science of speech language pathology with the creativity of making new skills accessible even to the youngest learners and have a passion for collaborating with, and empowering, parents and caregivers to connect with their children through communication.
With over twenty years of pediatric experience, my expertise and excitement continue to grow. I truly believe that the moment you think you've seen it all, is the moment you stop looking at scenarios from different perspectives, missing opportunities to learn and grow as a person and as a teacher. Every new child and family that I meet has something new to teach me! I use my love of learning to spark curiosity in others while being mindful that many times the best opportunities for learning are imbedded in the everyday routines that life provides. Recognizing and sharing these learning opportunities with my clients brings joy to my life on a daily basis.
After having my own children, who are now in high school, my appreciation and understanding for how different children and family dynamics impact learning has only deepened. Understanding that parenting is an around the clock endeavor, I strive to respect all families commitments and obligations when providing strategies, embedding many strategies into existing routines. No two children or families are alike. I respect that each parent/caregiver is the expert on their child and that your knowledge of your child combined with my understanding of developmentally appropriate teaching strategies and expertise with a variety of speech and language delays, disabilities, and disorders, makes for a powerful team approach!
I love what I do with a passion and look forward to working with your family!