WHAT ARE MY CLIENTS SAYING?
Christine B., Parent of twins
"Shea is a gem of a person and a pleasure to work with. Her kind and flexible approach has made all the difference for my sons. She tailored her approach to fit the needs and personalities of two very different boys. She was patient and kind with me as she taught me the Lidcombe method. By helping my sons express themselves more fluently, she has helped them connect with others confidently. I had no idea when we started the program, she would also help me slow down and listen with more intention and purpose. This process has definitely brought me closer to my boys. Shea has a gift for connection. I'm grateful we had the opportunity to work with her."
Claire B., Parent
“My family has had a wonderful experience with Shea Westcott as an SLP for my 4-year-old son in the Lidcombe Program for stuttering. We had our in-person assessment with Shea just prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and we were relieved when we found out that she would still be able to provide services via video conferencing for my son. We did not want to miss out on this critical time to influence his speech. Video conferencing has worked out extremely well for our family. Shea is engaging and energetic and my son looks forward to seeing her on our computer. The flexibility of video conferencing also works out very well for our family as I can be present for my 4-year-old’s speech therapy while not needing to find a babysitter for my other children.
Stuttering can be frustrating for my son and myself and we have had some hard days. However, Shea has been available on our most challenging days to provide a quick suggestion and the support we need to overcome any setbacks. Her vast experience allows her to easily problem solve any issues that have come up. Shea’s guidance has allowed my son to be confident and continue to be the little chatterbox we love to hear.”
Jeff K., Adult Client
"I have been working with Shea for 3 years. During this time she has helped me tremendously with her knowledge, caring and positive feedback. Her knowledge about speech systems and therapy techniques, in my opinion, are the best out there. She is very quick and insightful to diagnose and has great new and fresh ideas. I would not be where I am today! Thanks Shea!"
Lana B., Parent
"After struggling to find local assistance for our son who was unable to get his words out, we found Shea Westcott and I could not be more grateful. Her heart is as big as her knowledge base and she has changed our son's life forever. She not only could diagnose his struggles but was immediately able to define the steps needed to get him speaking smoothly and confidently. We were given support via online sessions (as it was not possible to see her in person) in which I was taught how to apply the strategies necessary for Lucas to succeed.
She has the most natural way of teaching and connecting her knowledge and techniques then applying them in an individual specific plan. His interests were incorporated so it was not a struggle to do the work as it was fun with play-based activities. We adapted the plan as necessary when Lucas was not responding in a positive way. She is sensitive to this and will problem solve with the parents to ensure your child succeeds. Shea reached Lucas on a level where others failed, and we cannot imagine what our life would be like without her help!"
David and Liz G., Teen Client and his Parent
Teen client perspective:
“I’d been a very fluent kid throughout my childhood, but right before my 13th birthday, I began to stutter. It wasn’t a problem at first, but as the months progressed, it worsened, and really interfered with my speech. I was unable to produce the first sounds at beginnings of sentences, and always stuttered on “wh” and “th” sounds. It got to the point where I would avoid saying things because I was worried I would stutter and embarrass myself. All I wanted was to be able to speak fluently and freely again. My mom contacted Shea soon after my stuttering began to be a problem. Shea set up an appointment for me that week and assessed me. I had sessions with Shea every two weeks from that point on. Shea taught me various techniques to adjust and control my speech. They worked wonders! I practiced those techniques with my family and friends. My speech improved dramatically soon after.
It’s been two years since I began seeing Shea, and I rarely have disfluencies anymore. My sessions with her and everything she taught me turned my speech back onto a fluent course. If you or someone else you know needs help with stuttering, Shea is the person to go to.”
-David G.
Parent perspective:
“My son David had been a fluent speaker for many years, but right before his 13th birthday, he started stuttering noticeably. I contacted Shea and within a very short time she assessed him and recommended the Camperdown program, a modified fluency-shaping approach. By slowing his speech and learning to imitate a recorded model, David’s brain re-programmed onto a fluent track. Today at 15, he speaks at a normal rate, has few disfluencies, and communicates easily in the classroom and with his friends. Shea’s skilled, compassionate support made all the difference.
Shea is exceptionally knowledgeable and her professional demeanor inspires confidence. She got my quiet, reserved teenage boy to talk at length – a marvel. I’ve met many speech-language pathologists over the years, and Shea is one of the very best. If you have a child who stutters – or if you stutter yourself – you’re in good hands with Shea.”
- Liz G.
Happy Parents
"When my kid was around 3 years old we noticed that she had bumps while talking. We met Shea and started treatment. Shea was able to ease our stress and told us strategies to follow. Then after couple of months we started the Palin Parent-Child Interaction Therapy.
The results were amazing. It helped our kid to be more confident and talk smoothly.
We definitely recommend Shea. She was patient and prompt to hear our concerns and support us by providing tips and strategies. Also, we found that having a supportive speech language pathologist, gave us confidence and reassurance that we are doing the right thing for our kid."