Frequently Asked Questions about Speech Therapy with Mindful Speech

What are the costs of speech therapy, group speech therapy, and a speech-language evaluation?

Group session prices differ based on the number of people in the group from $75 a person for a one-hour session in a 4-person group to $60 a person for a 5-6 person group. 

Individual sessions are $150 for a 45-minute session.  

Comprehensive language and literacy evaluations are $500 total. 

For more information on the price of speech therapy and how you can get reimbursed by your insurance company, check out the payment and insurance page.

I’m not sure I can afford speech therapy. 

I understand that private speech therapy can be expensive. For those that can swing the cost, it is an investment into future work, school, and life success, as well as helping individuals enjoy their lives to the fullest. 

Some might find that individual sessions are too much of a financial stretch for them at this time which is why I offer groups in order to make therapy more accessible. I hope you find a group that fits your needs! If not, schedule a consultation with me anyways! I’m always coming up with new ideas for groups. 

I don’t have the time for speech-language therapy. 

Speech therapy is definitely an investment of your time. I understand that families and professionals are very busy so we work together to make sure that therapy is relevant to your day-to-day life. 

This investment of time will most likely save you or your child many hours down the road by building the language, reading, writing, and executive functioning skills that make life flow more smoothly. 

Will speech-language therapy really help me or my child?

During our initial (free) consultation, we make sure that we are a great fit for each other. We will talk about what your goals are, what my specialties are, and if we are a good fit. 

I only take on clients that I’m confident will benefit from the speech-language therapy that I provide. If we don’t think we are a good fit, I will send you to one of my amazing referrals to make sure you and your family get the care you need. 

So the short of it is, though I cannot promise therapy will help you or your family, I will use the same methods and skills that I’ve developed that have helped so many before you. 

How do I get started with therapy?

1. Consultation

The first step is the schedule a free consultation call with me. In this call we will talk about your goals, what you are hoping to achieve with speech-language therapy, and how I might help. This is when we decide if we are a good fit or not.

2. Complete the Paperwork

If we both agree that we would be a good fit, I send out my paperwork which you will need to complete before your first appointment (evaluation or therapy). 

3. Comprehensive Language and Literacy Evaluation (if needed)

During the initial consultation, we will decide if a comprehensive language and literacy evaluation would be appropriate. My students who are in middle school, high school, and college typically benefit from a comprehensive evaluation to get to the root of the issue with reading and/or writing before starting with speech-language therapy. Most of my adult clients with ADHD forgo this step and start with individual or group therapy after completing questionnaires. 

4. Start Therapy and Meet Your Goals!

Now the best part, we start working on your goals in individual or group therapy so life can be easier, more fulfilling, and joyful.

Is the initial consultation in person or online?

The initial consultation is typically conducted via GoogleMeet. We can also have our consultation over the phone if you prefer. Because consultations are usually very brief, 15 minutes or less, consultations are not conducted in person. 

Do you offer group therapy?

Yes! I currently have three groups for people with ADHD: the ladies with ADHD group, my all genders adults group, and a group for college students with ADHD. Want to learn more about these groups? Check out the page for my adult ADHD groups.

Groups that I am currently filling: 

• An essay writing group for high school students who struggle with writing, 

• A reading and writing group for students starting high school next year, 
  

Please set up a consultation with me for any of the above groups! I’d love to have you join us. 

Do you offer sessions in the summer?

Yes! I actually love summer sessions because it is a wonderful time for students to make great gains in their reading and writing skills. I also find that many adults with ADHD feel less overwhelmed with work during the summer so it is a great time for them to practice new skills as well. 

Check out my blog all about summer speech therapy for high school students in Chicago.

Do you take insurance?

I am an out-of-network provider which means that you pay Mindful Speech directly at the time of the appointment and then submit paperwork called a “Superbill” to your insurance in order to be reimbursed. For more on that topic, check out the Payment and Insurance page. 

Do you offer teletherapy sessions?

Yes! I’ve found that teletherapy is a great fit for almost everyone and adds lots of flexibility for scheduling appointments, especially group therapy appointments. 

Those who might not be a great fit for speech therapy sessions online are those who are very young (children under the age of 4 or 5) or those who are very sensitive to screens, such as individuals who have recently experienced a brain injury.

Do you offer in-person sessions?

Yes!

I am currently seeing clients at my office at 5100 N Ravenswood, Chicago IL 60640. I see clients in person for sessions between 11am-6:30 pm Mondays-Thursdays. I would love to see you here!

Can you help my child with ADHD learn to read and write?

Yes! In fact, this is my specialty. I love working with children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD who struggle with reading and writing. I love helping them organize their thoughts in order to share their awesome opinions and perspectives with the world. 

I’m building more and more groups for children and adults with ADHD so be on the lookout for a group that works for you!!

Is it too late for my child (or me?!?!) to learn how to read and write?

Nope!! Research studies show that teenagers (and beyond) can benefit from the type of clear, research-based instruction like is provided through speech-language therapy at Mindful Speech. We can talk all about this in our free initial consultation.

What happens during the speech-language evaluation?

In order to make the most of our time together, I evaluate all of the top areas that lead to difficulty with reading and writing, focusing on the areas of difficulty you list in the initial paperwork. For more information on the top areas that lead to difficulty with reading, check out my blog post on why individuals struggle with reading. 

What happens during a speech-language therapy session?

In individual sessions, we work directly on the skills needed to make reading, writing, speaking, listening, and planning easier in your day-to-day life. I don’t follow a strict curriculum so we can focus on your or your child’s specific goals, strengths, and challenges. 

How long will I/my child need to be in therapy?

The short answer is: I don’t know! Every person is different and there are many factors that can influence progress in therapy. I specialize in functional therapy that has a positive impact on the client’s life (school, play, work, etc) which can take some time to be “finished.” We decide together when it feels like you or your child is ready to use skills without my support.

That said, positive impacts and growth should be experienced throughout therapy, starting in our first couple of sessions.

What makes Mindful Speech special?

At Mindful Speech, we work on speech, language, literacy, and executive functioning goals while in conversation and play so that progress is made in a way that is relevant to the client’s life.

• I provide services that are fun, functional, founded in research, and relationship-based.

• I find that clients work harder when they trust me and I build that trust by developing meaningful therapeutic relationships with clients.

• I utilize my research background, experience in speech-language pathology, and mindfulness lens to help clients reach their goals to improve their lives and relationships.

• Unlike other larger organizations, when you work with Mindful Speech, you know that you or your child will be seen by me.

Finding the right clinician for you or your child is about finding the right fit for your needs. Do you get a good feeling from reading about my services and reading my blogs? If so, chances are that we would be a good fit. Contact me to discuss if I am the right for your needs.