Westchester Speech Language Therapy

Mary Bell graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Communicative Disorders. She received her Master’s of Science degree in Speech Pathology from Boston University. She is certified by the state of New York and is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Associate (ASHA). She is also a level one PROMPT-trained therapist.

Mary has spent the majority of her eleven years in the field working with the pediatric population in private practices or in-home as a private speech and language pathologist. Her career has afforded her previous opportunities to work with children and adults of all ages and disabilities in Boston, Los Angeles, and abroad in Kuwait. Her therapy emphasis has been in the areas of articulation, processing disorders, language development, social-pragmatic skills, and fluency. She also has experience developing and running toddler/parent groups, social skills groups, and giving parent workshops. She believes strongly in educating parents to become facilitators of their children’s skills at home and using a playful, child-centered approach to reach children.

Mary is an energetic and enthusiastic professional who enjoys helping people and improving others’ lives. She forms relationships easily and always has the patients’ and families’ needs foremost in her mind.

LOCATION: Rye, Port Chester, Harrison and Mamaroneck
TYPE OF SERVICES: Individual therapy, speech-language evaluations, parent consultations, parent training
EXPERTISE: Early language development, articulation and phonology, Speech-language delays, Receptive/Expressive language delays, auditory processing, language processing, and social-pragmatic language skills.
AGES: Infants through 21 years of age

Kathryn is a New York State licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She is also certified as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD). She received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Sciences in Speech-Language Pathology from Loyola University. Kathryn is level one PROMPT trained and has received extensive training in multi-sensory reading instruction.

Kathryn serves as a speech-language pathologist for public schools. She works with a diverse population of students from Pre-K through Eighth grade. Kathryn has worked in a range of settings, including private practice, early intervention, and home care. She has extensive experience in the treatment and evaluation of children with Developmental Delays, Autism, Central Auditory Processing Disorder, Apraxia, Language-Based Literacy Disorders, Fluency Disorders, ADHD, and Speech Sound Disorders-Articulation/Phonology.

Kathryn is level one trained in PROMPT therapy which is a treatment approach for speech sound disorders. Kathryn has a literacy background and has taken courses from the Institute for Multisensory Education and Reading with TLC. She believes in providing students with Multisensory experiences based on Orton Gillingham to effectively teach reading skills and meet each student’s individual learning needs. Kathryn has a strong interest in helping students develop phonological and phonemic awareness skills to build foundational skills for reading. Kathryn aims to support struggling readers and build their confidence and comprehension skills. When working with students with receptive/expressive language disorders, Kathryn believes in collaborating with parents/caregivers and teachers to incorporate spoken language that a child needs through activities and play. She uses a variety of age-appropriate treatment methods to help children with language and communication.

Kathryn prides herself on creating individualized plans for each child to ensure success at home, school, and in the community. Kathryn believes in working as part of an interdisciplinary team to help each child reach his or her full potential. She strives to create a rewarding and engaging environment by incorporating your child’s preferred activities and interests into his or her sessions.

LOCATION: Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Eastchester, Ardsley, Scarsdale (lower Westchester)
TYPE OF SERVICES: Individual therapy, group (2-3 children), speech-language evaluations, parent consultations
EXPERTISE: early/school-age language development, developmental delays, speech sound disorders, receptive/expressive language disorders, phonological awareness, dyslexia, reading instruction, reading comprehension, and literacy
AGES: All ages

Diahann is a New York State licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Diahann currently works as an acute care speech-language pathologist in a New York City hospital where she specializes in evaluating and treating neonates and young children with feeding and swallowing disorders in addition to speech and language delays within the pediatric population. She also works collaboratively in interdisciplinary outpatient clinics and performs hospital-based videofluoroscopic swallow evaluations.

Throughout her career, Diahann has worked in a variety of settings ranging from children’s hospitals to outpatient, private home care, elementary schools, and even long-term rehabilitation centers for adults.

Areas of experience include pediatric/school-aged children with speech/language and articulation disorders, developmental delays, feeding and communication-based difficulties in the setting of medically complex diagnoses including craniofacial anomalies (cleft lip and palate), aerodigestive diseases, neuromuscular and cardiopulmonary involvement.

Diahann has a strong interest in providing speech and feeding interventions that address the whole child. She utilizes child-led approaches to minimize patient and family-related stress and offers strategies that can be incorporated into everyday activities. Close collaboration with family and interdisciplinary team members including doctors, dietitians, teachers, and other therapists is implemented to ensure success across all domains of development.

When not working, Diahann loves to go on outdoor adventures with her dog Luna, read and travel!

LOCATION: Westchester County, NY
TYPE OF SERVICES: Evaluation and treatment of infant and pediatric feeding/swallowing disorders; evaluation and treatment of speech/language/articulation and communication disorders. Individual therapy, group (2-3 children) therapy, evaluations, parent consultations, and communication with other important members of your child’s team.
EXPERTISE: Infant, newborn, and pediatric feeding/swallowing disorders. Speech and expressive/receptive language delays, articulation disorders in the toddler and school-aged population.

Ashley is a New York State licensed Speech Language Pathologist and certified Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD). She holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech Language-Hearing Association. Ashley received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from Iona College, New York. In 2017, she received her Master of Arts Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Long Island University Post, New York. During her professional career, Ashley has gained therapeutic and diagnostic experiences in a range of diagnoses and disorders. She considers it a privilege to have such a dynamic career that allows children to help find their voice through various modalities of language.

Ashley has worked with children from early intervention to young adulthood (birth-21 years of age). She has serviced these children in a range of settings which include schools, specialized clinics, and private homes. Ashley takes pride in conducting differentiated speech-language therapy based on a child’s needs and interests. The diverse diagnosis that Ashley addresses includes expressive and receptive language delays, executive functioning skills, reading comprehension, articulation delays, fluency, phonological awareness, auditory processing, language processing, and social/pragmatic communication. Ashley has experience working with children without learning differences in addition to children with Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

She also has promoted communication to non-verbal and minimally verbal populations through the use of augmentative communication systems which include Proloquo2go and Touch Chat. For children who are verbal but have trouble generating and using language appropriately, Ashley utilizes a multidisciplinary approach (ie: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile) to facilitate successful communication. Ashley is experienced with the reading and phonemic initiative Fundations and trained in Lively Letters.

Currently, Ashley is employed by the New York City Department of Education working with students in preschool up to 5th grade. Ashley has the privilege of working closely with students on the Autism Spectrum Disorder Horizon program. She works vigorously to enhance pragmatic language with this population and provides therapy promoting conversational skills, expressing emotions, role playing scenarios, and flexible thinking. Ashley has developed and implemented functional life skills therapy which aids individuals in everyday tasks such as cooking, folding clothing, categorizing kitchen items and applying for jobs. Ashley believes in collaboration with other specialists and open communication with parents to promote success. She strives for an engaging and fun environment that allows a child to thrive.

LOCATION: WESTCHESTER: Bronxsville, Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Pelham, Rye
TYPE OF SERVICES: Individual therapy, group therapy(2-4 children), speech-language evaluations, parent consultation, parent training
EXPERTISE: Early Language Development, Speech-Language Delays, Articulation and Phonology, Receptive/Expressive Language Delays, Auditory Processing, Language Processing, Social/Pragmatic Language Skills, Executive Functioning Skills, Reading Comprehension, Fluency, Autism Spectrum Disorder
AGES: Birth through 21 years of age

Jennifer obtained her BA in Psychology from Emory University and her MA in Speech-Language Pathology from George Washington University. She is licensed in the state of New York and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competency (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Jennifer has received training in Level 1 PROMPT (PROMPTS for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) and DTTC (Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing).

With over 18 years of experience in the field, Jennifer has practiced speech-language pathology in a variety of settings, including preschools, elementary/middle/high schools, and clinics across Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Colorado, and London, UK. Her expertise spans a range of areas, including articulation/phonology, expressive and receptive language delay/difficulties, ADHD, executive function challenges, language-based learning disabilities, autism, stuttering, apraxia, pre-literacy and literacy skills, accent modification, and social (pragmatic language) skills.

Jennifer’s personal connection to speech-language pathology is deeply rooted in her upbringing with a sister with Down Syndrome. This experience has fueled her passion for helping children communicate more successfully. Additionally, navigating the special education system and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) with her own child has given her unique insights into the challenges faced by the families she supports.

In her therapeutic approach, Jennifer aims to address each client’s needs using evidence-based activities that are both enjoyable and interactive. She firmly believes in the importance of collaboration with parents, seeing it as a key factor in achieving skill carryover and genuine progress. Jennifer is driven by the joy of making a positive impact on the communication abilities of the children she works with.

TYPE OF SERVICES: Individual therapy, small group (2-3 children), speech-language evaluations, parent consultations
EXPERTISE: Articulation/ phonological disorders, receptive/ expressive/ pragmatic language impairment, autism spectrum disorders, language-based learning disabilities, apraxia, literacy, accent modification
AGES: two through adolescence

Paige is a New York State licensed Speech and Language Pathologist who is certified as a Teacher of Children with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) and has a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Paige attended Columbia University s Teachers College where she received her Master of Science in Speech and Language Pathology. She also attended University of Rochester where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Studio Arts.

Paige has gained experience providing speech and language services within a variety of settings. She completed her field work at SUNY Downstate s Infant and Child Learning Center working with pre-school aged children, at the Edward D. Mysak Clinic for Communication Disorders at Columbia University treating school aged children, at The Shield Institute working with developmentally disabled adults, and at the Ryken Program at Xavarian High School in Bayridge Brooklyn treating male adolescents with learning disabilities.

In addition to providing private homebased treatment, Paige currently provides center based services at an EI (early intervention) program in East Harlem and at a Head Start school on the Lower East Side within an integrated classroom. She specializes in treating children with autism, specific language impairments, apraxia, feeding difficulties (e.g. picky eating), selective mutism, and other developmental delays and disabilities. Paige takes an interdisciplinary approach by collaborating with other specialists working with children on her caseload (e.g. Occupational Therapists, ABA Therapists, Developmental Psychologists, and Physical Therapists). Additionally, she is an active member of a quality assurance team with NYCIT (New York Center for Infants and Toddlers), making sure that the quality of paperwork of other SLPs is aligned with New York State standards.

Paige ensures evidence based practice when treating all of her clients. She individualizes therapy goals and techniques to address the unique needs of the children she works. Paige provides speech therapy with a play-based approach by providing fun and motivating activities which keep children engaged and eager to learn. She values collaborating with families by providing speech and language strategies that can be carried over during day-to-day activities. She is passionate about fostering speech and language development so that children are better able to communicate and socialize with their parents, siblings, and peers.

LOCATION: Brooklyn Park Slope, South Slope, Gowanus, Carrol Gardens, Cobble Hill, Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn Heights, Clinton Hill, Fort Green, Boerum Hill, Flatbush, and Crown Heights. Other Brooklyn and Manhattan locations on a case-by-case basis.
TYPE OF SERVICES: Individual therapy, group (2-3 children), parent consultations
EXPERTISE: Late talkers, Prelinguistic Development, Receptive Language, Expressive Language, Articulation, Pragmatics, Phonological Awareness, Fluency, Mutism, Picky Eating
AGES: Toddler through early adolescence

Francine is an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist and is licensed in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. She is a certified Teacher of the Speech and Hearing Handicapped and holds supervisory certification. She received her masters degree at Herbert H. Lehman College and her undergraduate degree at SUNY New Paltz. Francine has over four decades of experience working in public schools, out-patient clinics, and teletherapy. She is a consultant to area preschools and presents workshops on Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) and Early Language Development.

Over the years, Francine has kept abreast of current trends and completed multiple advanced training courses which enables her to incorporate new, evidenced-based therapies into each session. She is recognized by Apraxia Kids as an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of CAS. Francine has received extensive training in techniques proven effective for treating CAS including Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC) and Rapid Syllable Transition Training (ReST). She has also received training in PROMPT and the Cycles Approach for the treatment of phonological disorders. With a large array of methods at her disposal, Francine is able to design personalized therapy plans to meet the individual needs of each child. A comprehensive speech and language evaluation is often the first step in the therapy process. It helps identify the challenges, highlight strengths, and set the parameters for intervention. Francine’s dynamic assessments focus less on standardized test scores and more on what the child is able to do as a communicator. Local school districts have used her services to conduct evaluations for some of their most complex cases. Francine is child-centered and family-focused. As the preschool team leader for New Canaan, Connecticut, she stressed the importance of parents as collaborative partners. Caretakers are given regular home practice to maximize the child’s progress. Therapy is hard work for little ones and demanding for their caregivers but Francine makes it playful with high interest, motivational activities.

Francine has devoted her life to giving others a voice. She is driven to provide outstanding services to children and adolescents and compassionate support to their caregivers. She specializes in motor-based speech disorders (CAS), moderate-severe speech sound disorders, early speech and language development, auditory and language processing disorders, expressive language delays, and cluttering. She has extensive experience with autism related speech disorders and the assessment and treatment of children with comorbidities.

LOCATIONS: In New York: Westchester County: Bedford, Bedford Hills, Chappaqua, Cross River, Croton Falls, Golden’s Bridge, Katonah, Mt. Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Purdys, Somers, South Salem, Waccabuc Putnam County: Brewster, Carmel
In Connecticut: Fairfield County: Danbury, New Canaan, North Stamford, Ridgefield, Wilton
In New Jersey: Teletherapy only
TYPES OF SERVICE: Evaluations, individual therapy, teletherapy
EXPERTISE: Motor-based speech disorders (CAS), mild-severe speech sound disorders, early speech and language development, auditory and language processing disorders, expressive language delays, cluttering, autism, and children with comorbidities.
AGES: Toddlers-adolescents (2-16)