'Smooth Is My Middle Name': How Speech Therapy Gave TJ Back His Voice–and His Confidence
Alexis Irazoque, M.S., CCC-SLP
Ashley still remembers the day it all changed. Her 5-year-old son TJ, a talkative, outgoing little boy who loved dinosaurs and Sonic the Hedgehog, suddenly began to stutter.
“It seemed like it happened overnight,” Ashley shared. “It was like his thoughts and words got stuck, and he couldn’t proceed with his sentence. It was scary.”
Before the stuttering began, TJ had always spoken clearly. He had no trouble expressing himself or sharing his big thoughts. So when Ashley noticed his sudden disfluency in January 2025, she worried something was truly wrong…maybe even a neurological problem.
As any parent would, Ashley started searching for answers. That’s when she found Expressable’s free online speech screener. It helped her understand what was going on and gave her the confidence to reach out for support. “The whole signup process was so fast,” she said. “He was stuttering one day and with Ms. April the next.”
That’s how TJ met April Jackson, a phenomenal speech-language pathologist who would quickly become part of the family.
The foundation for success with stuttering therapy
“If we could bring her into the family and have her stay with us full time, I would have no complaints,” Ashley said with a laugh. “She really knows TJ–his quirks, how to motivate him, and how to support me, too.”
TJ and his speech therapist, April, began meeting twice a week for online speech therapy. From the beginning, April made it a priority to build trust and connection, not just with TJ, but with Ashley as well. She took time to learn about TJ’s personality, his strengths, and his communication profile. While TJ had an expansive vocabulary and a strong desire to express himself, his thoughts often raced ahead of his speech, leading to moments of disfluency, or stuttering.
April gives me so much encouragement and feedback, not just about speech, but about how to help TJ through tough moments.
Rather than diving right into fluency techniques for smoother speech, April began working with Ashley to lay the foundation. She introduced TJ’s treatment plan step by step, beginning with education: what stuttering is, how the body and brain work together for speech, and what affects a person’s fluency. Once TJ had that foundation, they gradually introduced speech strategies like cancellations and pull-outs in a supportive, pressure-free way.
April’s approach focused on more than just “fixing” the stutter. It was about helping TJ understand that what he has to say matters. At Expressable, speech therapy for stuttering is about confidence, communication autonomy, and empowerment. “It’s truly a partnership,” Ashley said. “April gives me so much encouragement and feedback, not just about speech, but about parenting and how to help TJ through tough moments.”
Support for children who stutter
Speech therapy helps kids who stutter boost their confidence and speak more freely. Find the right therapist for your child at Expressable.
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One day, TJ didn’t want to talk during his session. Ashley urged him to power through, but April gently paused and showed him emotion cards to help him identify how he felt. TJ identified that he was feeling sad because he wanted gummy bears. April validated his feelings, helped him find the words, and got him back on track.
That moment stuck with Ashley. “Now I use those same strategies at home. That kind of support has been so helpful, not just for TJ, but for me as a parent.”
April made sure speech therapy didn’t feel like work. She used TJ’s favorite characters, action figures, and interactive games and videos to teach important strategies for stuttering, like slow rate, pausing, and breathing. TJ caught on quickly, even using visuals and symbols to explain the techniques to others. “He could name the strategies and when to use them,” April said proudly. “It empowered him.”
The approach was always playful, positive, and personalized. “TJ is a little comedian,” Ashley said. “April totally gets that and uses it to help him learn.”
Facing challenges, celebrating wins
Throughout TJ’s six months of therapy, the whole family changed, starting with how they communicated. “Speech therapy didn’t just help TJ,” Ashley said. “It made us closer as a family. It made me and TJ closer, and even brought him and his sister closer.”
April celebrated all of TJ’s wins with the family. When TJ started calling out his own “bumpy speech” (or even correcting others!), April was right there cheering him on. When he practiced talking with a friend who was coming over, April helped him prepare. And when TJ faced bullying at school, she gave him (and his mom) the tools to handle it with strength and confidence.
“She let him know he was good enough and that he’s OK,” Ashley shared. “He really listens to her. He even says things like, ‘Smooth is my middle name.’ That confidence? That’s from her.”
Graduation day: ‘I have my child back’
On June 24, 2025, TJ graduated from speech therapy. In just a matter of months, he had made huge strides. Not only had he learned strategies for smoother, more confident speech, he’d also regained the easy, outgoing nature that made him who he was.
“I have my child back,” Ashley said. “To see your kid go from super confident to defeated was tough. But trained professionals have proven to me that with the right care, he will be OK. And he is.”
Now, Ashley encourages other parents and caregivers to trust their instincts and seek support when something feels off. “How we exist in the world depends on communication,” she said. “It’s easy to take that for granted until it becomes a struggle. This experience changed our lives.”
Curious or concerned?
Our free screener is tailored by age and covers all areas of speech, language, and feeding. Find out if your child might need speech therapy.
Screener for childrenThanks to TJ’s hard work, his family’s support, and April’s guidance, speech therapy became more than a treatment plan–it became a foundation for connection, confidence, and growth.
“It’s been life-changing,” Ashley said. “There are great people in this world who will do the right thing. April is one of them. Any child who gets to work with her will be better for it.”
Are you concerned about your child’s speech? Take our free online screener or connect with us today to get started, just like Ashley did. You’re not alone, and we’re here to help.
How Expressable Can Help
Concerned your child isn't reaching age-expected milestones? Looking for communication support from a professional? Expressable is a national online speech therapy practice serving children and adults. We treat all major areas of communication and feeding, offer flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and accept most major health insurance plans. We’re proud to have earned more than 3,000 5-star reviews from our clients (4.9/5 average).
Our therapy model is centered on parent and caregiver involvement. Research proves that empowering caregivers to participate in their loved one’s therapy leads to better outcomes. That’s why we combine live, 1-on-1 speech therapy with personalized education and home practice activities for faster progress.
Communication is more than words. It’s how we share how we feel and show who we are. We’re here to help you or your child do just that.
