M.S., CCC-SLP
San Francisco, California
To get started, schedule a free, 15-minute consultation with one of our speech therapists. We'll use this time to discuss your communication needs and treatment goals.
Schedule a free consultationHi! I'm Allison. I became a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP) in 2016. I trained originally in field linguistics (documenting the speech sounds of languages in remote location) in my undergraduate courses. I intended to spend time with the final remaining speakers of dying languages to capture the beauty of linguistic diversity with the hope of inspiring young indigenous peoples to learn the language of their ancestors. When circumstance necessitated that I remain in the US, I wanted to find a career that allowed me to support individuals who may be impacted by language loss here in the States, which lead me to speech therapy. I enjoy working with those who may have difficulty accessing language and connection secondary to cognitive-linguistic deficits, both developmental and acquired. I am certified in SPEAK OUT and LSVT LOUD for voice therapy for individuals with Parkinson's disease. I am BLS certified. I am Safety Care certified. I also have a seated yoga certification through Rx Relax and the Christopher Reeve foundation. I have completed Lingraphica's AAC certification. I have been an invited speaker at a local community college for SLP's role in AAC for 2 years. I completed a week long seminar on the SLP's role in long COVID. I have given a talk on speechpathology.com re: the SLP's role in Mild Cognitive Impairment; I also gave a shorter version of this talk to the community in a local senior center. I co-created and emceed an event in 3 consecutive years called "Life After Stroke" for stroke survivors and their families. I've worked in long-term acute care, skilled nursing facilities, and have graduate training in middle school/high school age students. I would describe my clinical style as functional.
Connecticut
California
English
M.S., Southern Connecticut State University
B.S., University of California, Berkeley
Accent Modification
Acquired Apraxia
Adult Articulation
Adult Dysphagia
Adult Fluency/Stuttering
Adult Social-Pragmatics
Aphasia
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Down syndrome
Dysarthria
Executive Functioning
Literacy
Parkinson's
Pediatric Articulation/Phonological Disorder
Pediatric Fluency/Stuttering
Pediatric Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder
Pediatric/Adolescent Social-Pragmatics
Traumatic Brain Injury
Voice
In my free time, I enjoy reading for my book club, birding, trail/ultramarathon running, biking, cuddling with my nieces and nephews, learning Japanese, listening to Spanish music and trying new Mediterranean recipes from a cooking club.
At Expressable, all individuals and families are matched with a licensed speech therapist that's experienced to their specific area of need. You'll receive expert help from a talented, caring, and compassionate speech therapist invested in you or your child's communication success.
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Private payHSA/FSA Major insurance plansCommunication is one of our most vital, life-long skills. Speech therapy can help children reach communication milestones appropriate for their age; clearly articulate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas; comprehend the language of others; and develop socially. It also contributes to their academic success and emotional well-being. Plus so much more!
The first step is to schedule an evaluation with a speech therapist. They’ll assess your child’s communication development and make a professional recommendation as to whether your child could benefit from speech therapy.
There is no minimum age. Communication skills begin developing in infancy. Building strong language skills in very young children can set the foundation for strong communication and literacy skills later on. Speech therapy is particularly important for children who aren’t reaching age-appropriate communication milestones, or who are experiencing difficulties such as stuttering or a lisp. Because speech and language patterns become more ingrained over time, the earlier speech errors can be corrected, the better the outcomes are likely to be.
The duration of speech therapy is different for everyone, and it depends on several factors. This includes the type of speech disorder or communication challenge, the frequency of speech therapy sessions, how often you and your child practice the skills taught in speech therapy at home, your child’s age, any underlying medical conditions, and more.
Most children love online speech therapy! Many become more attentive with online learning, and they prefer the interactivity of online exercises and communication. Plus, there are many effective strategies that speech therapists use to engage children online. Expressable’s model of care also focuses on the most important component of improving children’s speech and language skills: the involvement of their parent or caregiver. When parents are actively involved in their child’s care, that leads to faster progress. Our therapists work directly with caregivers to teach them techniques and strategies they can use in their child’s everyday life.
Speech therapy sessions are focused on each client’s care plan, and the activities done during sessions always relate to those goals. So, if a person is in speech therapy to better pronounce the /s/ sound, they’ll begin by learning how to make the sound by itself and work up to practicing it in conversation. Or if someone wants to improve the quality of their voice, their speech therapist will teach them appropriate breathing and vocal exercises. The therapist will aim to do as many trials of each exercise as possible, in order to make the most of each session.
Your speech therapist will constantly be measuring and assessing your response to these exercises. When needed, they’ll make changes to your treatment plan to help you make progress as quickly as possible. Regardless of your goals, your speech therapist will always provide practice activities to complete at home between sessions.
Expressable currently accepts many of the largest insurance companies, and we’re actively working on contracting with new plans across the country. We also offer affordable private pay options and accept HSAs/FSAs for those who do not have insurance coverage or prefer to pay out-of-pocket.
Therapy from the comfort of your home
