General
- What is the process to get into therapy with your clinic?
- Are you covered by medical plans?
- How long does therapy typically take?
- Do I need a doctor’s referral to see you?
- What kind of success do you have?
- What is oral-myofunctional therapy? Who needs it?
- How do you pronounce your name?
Child Specific
- What is the youngest you see children?
- What do you do with the really young ones?
- I understand my child well, but others don’t. Does he need therapy?
- My child is stuttering. Should I be concerned?
Adult Specific
What is the process to get into therapy with your clinic?
The first step is to have an assessment. If an assessment has already been done elsewhere, then you simply need to send a report to me by mail, email, or fax. After the assessment, we begin therapy. Therapy at our clinic is typically weekly (though some people come less frequently and some people more frequently, depending on the needs of the client). You get a weekly time slot and you come in every week at the same time, until you are ready to decrease therapy frequency . If this is not possible due to shift work or other reasons, we will do our best to accommodate your schedule and get you in consistently.
Are you covered by medical plans?
MSP does not cover private speech services. However, if you have an extended health plan, you likely have some coverage. It is up to you to contact your insurance provider to find out exactly what your coverage is. You are required to pay us directly, and then submit your receipts to your insurance company for reimbursement.
How long does therapy typically take?
Unfortunately, there is no specific answer. Therapy duration depends on the type and severity of the problem, whether there is an underlying reason for the problem, the amount of home practice done, and the motivation of the client.
Do I need a doctor’s referral to see you?
No, you don’t. The only reason you may need a doctor’s referral is if your benefits plan requires it.
What kind of success do you have?
We typically have excellent success with clients who follow our recommendations, come to therapy consistently, and practice at home. You can’t expect success without those aspects.
What is oral-myofunctional therapy? Who needs it?
Oral = mouth; myo=muscle; function=how it works
So, oral-myofunctional therapy is specific treatment that targets the stimulation, coordination, and strength of the mouth musculature. Very few people actually need this type of therapy, but those who do include clients with lateral lisps or tongue thrusts, or those with significant weakness due to any developmental or degenerative disorders.
How do you pronounce your name?
Dara rhymes with Sara, as in “I dare you to say my name right.”
Child Specific
What is the youngest you see children?
For a typically-developing child who is not yet talking, we will begin seeing them with their parents as young as 16 months. If a specific disorder has already been identified (e.g., Down syndrome), we can start even earlier to teach parents specific strategies to use with their child.
What do you do with the really young ones?
We teach the parents specific language strategies to use, which help make the child want to talk more and realize the importance of verbal communication.
I understand my child well, but others don’t. Does he need therapy?
As a general guideline, children at the age of two should be understood 50% of the time by non-clinical strangers, at three she should be understood 75% of the time, and by age 4 she should be understood 100% of the time.
My child is stuttering. Should I be concerned?
Children who stutter should be seen ideally within three to six months of the onset of stuttering for best results. Though 80% of children will outgrow a stutter by adolescence, we never know which ones will or won’t, and the longer you let the stutter persist, the harder it will be to treat in therapy.
Adult Specific
How can you help me with my accent?
Most people with a foreign accent have difficulties pronouncing the vowel sounds of English, though sometimes a few consonants also require instruction. We will instruct you how to properly produce the sounds, training you to both feel and listen for the accurate production. We will use mirrors, voice recorders, and even video recorders if needed. The end goal is to train you to produce the sounds in conversation with no aids other than your own ears, but it is a step by step process to get to that goal.
What is involved in voice therapy?
I teach you specific step-by-step exercises to relax the vocal cords, as well as relearn to speak (or sing) in a way that is not harmful to the cords.