0402 829 290   infospeechify.net.au   Level 1, 8-10 Palmer St, Parramatta (Street parking available)     
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How can we help?


If you or your child have problems communicating with other people, then we may be able to help you. Speech pathology could improve your quality of life by helping you to communicate better with friends, family and others. At Speechify we see children and adults with communication difficulties associated with:

  • Orofacial myofunctional disorder (ODMs)
  • autism spectrum disorder
  • developmental delays
  • learning difficulties
  • brain injury
  • intellectual disability
  • hearing loss
  • cerebral palsy
  • other conditions that affect speech and language
  • Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

Why us?


Our Speechify team consists of six vibrant, fun, creative and passionate speech pathologists, a therapy assistant, mentor & group leader, admin support personnel, Chief Happiness Officer and a volunteer.

Our philosophy is based on learning while having fun and connecting with others. At Speechify we work with a person’s interests and strengths in order to help them do the best they can. We believe that it is very important for us to make the process of learning as fun and easy to absorb as possible. Nothing motivates learners as much as fun does because it comes from genuine interest from within instead of pressure from others. Students are much more likely to invest extra time in the learning process if they enjoy it.

Our Speech pathologists have training in the areas of:

  • Orofacial myology
  • DIRFloortime®
  • Key Word Signing
  • LAMP Words For Life Language System
  • Westmead Feelings Program
  • Social Thinking (Michelle Garcia Winner)
  • Hanen (It Takes Two To Talk)
  • Hanen (More Than Words)
  • SOS feeding program
  • Sounds-Write
  • Talk for Writing
  • Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2)

Together we aim to:

  • Use a family-centered approach. We recognise that families are the experts on their child and work with in partnership with you to help your child reach their goals.
  • Give you the resources and knowledge so that you can help your child build skills and become more independent. We don’t want you to be coming to therapy forever! We aim to give you the tools so that you know exactly what to do, where to go for support, what you can be doing at home, school or out in the community.
  • Develop communication for those clients who are non-verbal or have limited verbal language. We believe in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and the doors it can unlock for those clients who are non-verbal or unintelligible in their speech.
  • Look at the whole picture. “Kids do well if they can” (Ross Greene, Clinical Psychologist). We aim to help children build on skills they are lacking in order to reduce the challenging behaviours they are experiences at home, school and in the community.
  • Support school-leavers in transitioning into life after school. We work closely with job-support. Therapy is provided so that clients can cope with the social, emotional and communication demands of paid employment.
  • Help children interact with their peers through play. We can offer therapy during recess and lunch times at school.
  • Provide evidence based therapy using the latest tools and resources.
  • Our therapists can speak Hindi, Urdu, Nepalese and Cantonese. We have an understanding of bilingualism and language development. Therapy can be conducted in languages mentioned above.
  • When working with children with complex needs, we adopt a transdisciplinary approach at Speechify. We work closely with occupational therapists, psychologists, teachers, tutors, music therapists etc. to gain a complete picture of a child. Collaborative information sharing across disciplines helps us to set functional goals that can be generalised across people, activities and settings.

If you feel we will make a good team, please get in touch via phone or email.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Our Services Get In Touch

Our Mission


Giving children and adults the skills to be the best that they can.


Our Values


When we know better we do better. Our practice is guided by the following values:

PASSION
We are passionate about we do and what you can achieve so that we can all be the best that we can be.
PROFESSIONALISM
We are honest and do what we say we will do. We have the skills and ability to get the best possible results. We are continually developing our own skills.
PRACTICAL
We work with you to develop real-life, achievable goals.
EMPOWER
We aim to give you the tools so that you know exactly what to do. We want you to be in control.
ENJOYMENT
We believe that therapy should be fun. We are creative and take the time to get to know what you enjoy. When you are having fun, are engaged and motivated, real learning will occur.
FAMILY-CENTRED
We recognise that your family knows you best and we will work with them to help you achieve your goals.
COMMUNICATION
We communicate with you in a way that is meaningful and relevant. Communication on every level is essential.
COLLABORATION
We work closely with other professionals in order to achieve the best outcomes.
COMMITMENT
We are committed in finding solutions. We never say never.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT
We all do well if we can. We start from a place of strength, possibility, and openness. We see behaviour as a means of communication. We help you to learn the necessary skills to overcome difficulties and to meet society’s expectations.

Where do we work?


  • Our office is at Level 1, 8-10 Palmer St, Parramatta. We are open Tuesday - Saturday 8am-6pm. We also offer tele-sessions.
  • We also offer therapy at daycare/preschools, work place or out in the community (within 10km of Parramatta), Tuesday-Friday (travel fee applies).

Kids


At Speechify we will try our best to deliver therapy in a setting that best suits the needs of your child.

  • We now offer orofacial myology. This is where we work on correcting and improving the function and coordination of the muscles in the mouth and face. We address issues like speech difficulties, swallowing problems, and improper dental alignment by working on muscle strength, positioning and movement.
  • A range of formal and informal Speech, Language, Communication, Play assessments are provided.
  • We provide individual and small group therapy in our clinic, daycare/preschools (within 10km of Parramatta).
  • We help late talkers build their language skills to express what they want and minimise frustration.
  • We provide teacher support through meetings and emails.
  • We screen students at risk of learning difficulties at school.
  • We provide social skills training for schools and preschools.
  • We provide feeding therapy for problem eaters.
  • We give children the communication skills to support emotional regulation and behaviour challenges.
  • We help children who are non-verbal access AAC systems so that they can have a voice. We teach families and teachers how to make these communication aids and use it as home and school.
  • We teach children how to play with their peers.
  • We help children are having difficulty with reading and writing.
  • We provide training in key word sign to clients and their family members.
  • We offer tele-sessions for families who are unable to attend the clinic.
  • We provide Autism diagnostic assessments.
  • Most importantly we have fun in therapy!
  • We understand that what works one day might not work the next. We are prepared to mix it up and have a Plan B ready.
  • We work with highly reputable psychologists, occupational therapists, music and art therapists. In instances where this might be of benefit, we can invite them in for joint consultations as part of your overall plan.
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Adults


  • We work closely with employers and Job Support agencies, we provide support for school leavers, and those already in the work force.
  • We assist in identifying communication barriers at work and provide therapy to overcome challenges.
  • We help clients identify functional life goals based on their interests, strengths, family, social and employment situation.
  • We aim to empower clients and help with lacking skills so they can experience success in whatever they choose to do.
  • We help clients cope with the social demands of being out in the community. We learn about ‘hidden’ rules and ‘expected’ behaviours. This can be done at the café, shopping, recreational day trips or anywhere the client chooses.
  • We teach adults to use technology available to help them become as independent as possible. For example, learning to use the internet, send text messages and emails, learning to use a diary and reminders to help plan and organise day.
  • We teach adults how to apply what they have learnt at school and in therapy to ‘real life’.
  • Our goal in therapy is for our clients to become as independent as possible, reach their full potential, do what they enjoy as well as have some fun along the way.
  • We work with highly reputable psychologists, occupational therapists, music and art therapists. In instances where this might be of benefit, we can invite them in for joint consultations as part of your overall plan.

Groups


The Explorers

We run a fun group where young primary school kids get to play, make friendships and learn to participate and succeed in day-to-day social situations.

The group offers the following:

  • Small group to ensure each child gets their own personalised support and goals by a certified Speech Pathologist
  • Incorporation of Programs such as Lego Therapy and Social Thinking to improve language and social skills
  • Play based activities to encourage and practise social communication skills
  • Opportunity to share new toys and games to group members
  • Group members are encouraged to reflect on their skills individually
  • Opportunity for group members to feel valued and express their thoughts and opinions for group each week.
  • Weekly verbal and written feedback given to parents to help generalise skills in all environments
  

The group aims to help with the following skills:

  • Taking turns and sharing
  • Waiting
  • Problem Solving (individually and as a group)
  • Emotional regulation
  • Gain confidence
  • Form relationships
  • Shared attention and enjoyment
  • Collaboration
  • Compromise
  • Perspective Taking
  • Communication

All skills are aimed to be generalised to classroom and all other social settings.

When & Where:
Fortnightly Saturdays 1 pm to 2.30 pm (1.5 hrs in clinic) $160 or
Saturdays Fortnightly Saturdays 4 pm to 5 pm (1 hr in clinic) $110

Teens Taco ‘Bout It

Two fun weekend groups where our younger teens, older teens and soon-to-be adults come to learn functional social and life skills. Our members receive one-on-one mentoring to work through their own individual goals, and have the opportunity to put these skills into practise in fun social settings.

Our members are grouped with a small number of peers in their age range to hone their social and conversational skills, and then all come together for big social outings to practise generalising these skills across typical teenage settings.

Our team members are encouraged to discuss feedback with our Speech Pathologists and self-reflect after each session.

Our members learn to use social thinking to:

  • initiate and maintain meaningful social interactions
  • think flexibly
  • consider the perspectives of others
  • work as part of a team
  • read social cues
  • build friendships

From outings at local cafes, trips to arcades and bowling allies, to group games and clinic parties - we aim to give our group members the opportunity to learn skills, generalise them to typical teenage settings and build meaningful relationships.

When: Saturdays 11.30 am to 1 pm
Cost: $150

YA (Young Adults) Social Group

We’re only joking

No seriously,
ADULTING CAN BE HARD!

Here at YA Social Group, we aim to provide an authentic and engaging space for our young adult members to interact and learn functional social communication and life skills.

Each week, we provide opportunities for our members to meet in the community and engage in activities that are fun and relevant to young adult settings and interests. We also provide one-on-one support for any social or life skill challenge that may pop up along the way.

Whether it be trying out local cafes or (more recently) catching up over zoom, every meet-up is an opportunity to link-up, have fun and learn new skills!

Our members learn practical and social thinking skills to:

  • Think flexibly
  • Problem solve in various social situations
  • Communicate more effectively in a variety of social contexts
  • Initiate and maintain meaningful social interactions
  • Work collaboratory as part of a team
  • Read social cues
  • Build friendships

Interested? It’s never too late to join the party

THE DEETS

Where:
Online (currently on Zoom!)
When:
Fridays @ 10.30 am to 12 pm
Cost: $150

CHEERS! (Peer Support Group)

At CHEERS!, we create a safe and friendly atmosphere for our adult members who may lack the confidence to socialise and make meaningful connections with others. We love to see our members grow in their social and life skills by providing them with opportunities to meet in the community as well as and learn online skills.

The group aims to support each member with:

  • Gaining confidence
  • Effective communication (face to face and online!)
  • Initiating and maintaining meaningful social interactions
  • Thinking flexibly
  • Learning how to compromise
  • Reading social cues
  • Considering the perspectives of others
  • Working as part of a team
  • Building friendships

Interested in joining CHEERS peer support?

Details:

Where:
In the clinic
When:
Fortnightly Saturdays 9.30 am to 11 am
Cost: $160

Girl Tribe

At Girl Tribe, we empower and provide support for older teen and young adult women needing help with stepping out of their comfort zone when it comes to social and communication skills. At Girl tribe we embrace our weaknesses together and work as a team to achieve our individual and group social goals.

Girl Tribe 1
Girl Tribe 2
Girl Tribe 3

Every fortnight, we aim to meet up at a location (chosen by the group!) and work on practising our social skills. So far, we have met up at local:

  • Fast Food Restaurants (e.g., McDonald’s & KFC)
  • Recreation places (e.g., Bowling)
  • Cafes
  • Restaurants (We love trying new food!)
  • Parks (We also love a picnic on a warm sunny day)

Ideas for future outings:

  • Escape Room
  • Learn how to apply makeup and skincare
  • You let us know!

Here at girl tribe, it is a safe environment where you get the opportunity to work on everyday life skills and building confidence with:

  • Planning a social outing
  • Ordering meals
  • Paying for a meals
  • Thinking on the spot
  • Making decisions
  • Budgeting
  • Utilising technology
  • Posting on social media

The list goes on!

Funding


NDIS Providers
Medicare Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) and Better Start
FaHCSIA Autism Services
Better Start Funded Programs
Medicare Chronic Disease Management (Formerly Enhanced Care Plan - EPC)
Private Health Insurance

Speechify is NOT a registered NDIS provider for Early Intervention. This means that if your child is under 7yrs old, they will need to be self-managed or plan managed to access our services. We are registered NDIS providers for over 7yrs of age. This means you can be NDIS agency-managed to access our services.

Our Team


Carol Burliegh

Carol Burleigh

Principal, Director
Speech Pathologist

Carol is a speech pathologist, mum to 3 boys and a chocolate Lab. Carol graduated from Sydney University in 2000 and has a special interest in ASD and ADHD. Being neurodivergent herself, Carol understands some of the challenges faced by clients and their families. She wanted to set up a clinic that had down-to-earth therapists that worked with clients and their families to feel understood, empowered and accepted for who they are.

Carol also understands that we all learn differently. Speechify is a place that offers creative ways for people to learn. We will try to make it happen!

Speechify consists of a team of 6 passionate speech pathologists, each with their own specialties. We want to help you find the right therapist for your child- someone that you trust and click with. This is needed for good therapy outcomes and integrating therapy strategies into your life.

Carol is also passionate about learning and provides regular mentoring to her staff. Your child’s therapy goals and progress may be discussed during mentoring. If there are any concerns, Carol will join the session if needed.

Carol has many interests (some even lasting up to 3 weeks). Carol dreams of one day being on Play School or being a YouTuber.

Carol's Story: https://kwsa.org.au/carols-story-key-word-sign-to-help-with-sudden-loss-of-speech/
Antonia Marinovic

Antonia Marinovic

Speech Pathologist

Antonia completed a degree in Speech Pathology at the University of Sydney.

Antonia has a passion for working collaboratively with clients and families to reach their goals in any way that works. She strives to find ways to make therapy as fun and intrinsically motivating for her clients as possible. Antonia has a love of performing and has been singing and dancing since the age of 3.

In her spare time Antonia enjoys going on bike rides, playing with her cats, reading and listening to music.

Linda Drake

Linda Drake

Clinical Psychologist, MAPS

Linda is an experienced and empathetic Clinical Psychologist with years of experience helping individuals and families to achieve their goals. She has previously worked as a member of multidisciplinary teams providing early intervention to children (and their families) with atypical development. Linda provides therapy to people of all ages and can assist with skill development, behaviours of concern, and treatment for mental health issues. She has her own practice on the Central Coast and currently provides services at Speechify one day each fortnight.

In her spare time, Linda enjoys being on or in the ocean, spending time with her family and friends, and living life to the fullest.

Vita

Vita Talmont

Art Therapist

Color Your World - Art Lessons

Art can calm your child’s anxiety, improve their self esteem and confidence.

Studies have shown that creating art stimulates the release of dopamine. This chemical is released when we do something pleasurable, and it basically makes us feel happier.

Learn various fun, relaxing art techniques with Vita.

Vita has a Bachelor of Visual Arts (B VA Sydney University) and a Diploma of Art Therapy.

Louise Ohk

Louise Ohk

Speech Pathologist

Louise completed her degree in Speech Pathology at the University of Sydney. Louise enjoys forming engaging therapy activities and interacting with clients of all ages. She is passionate about achieving therapy goals and enjoys seeing clients build their self-confidence throughout the sessions.

She is dedicated to working on a wide range of clients to broaden her skills. Louise also strives to reflect and refine her delivery of sessions to ensure clients receive effective yet entertaining sessions. Louise speaks Korean.

Outside of work, Louise enjoys taking her dog to the park, napping with her cat and finding the best croissant bakeries in Sydney.

Jessie Dam

Jessie Dam

Speech Pathologist

Jessie has completed her degree at the University of Sydney. Jessie is a dedicated and organised individual who is always eager to learn and challenge herself. She is passionate about creating an engaging and motivating learning environment for clients. Jessie enjoys working with families and clients of all ages to prioritise a holistic and collaborative approach to therapy. Jessie speaks Cantonese.

In her spare time, Jessie enjoys listening to music, watching TV shows and is always looking to try out new activities (that don’t involve heights).

Maribelle Hourani

Maribelle Hourani

Speech Pathologist

Maribelle completed her degree in Speech Pathology at the University of Sydney.

Her prior role as a support worker sparked her passion for connecting with and supporting families in achieving their goals. Maribelle is dedicated to working with children of all abilities. She has a specific interest in AAC, but also enjoys working in all other range of practice areas. She is a perpetual learner, always eager to explore new topics. Maribelle holds the belief that everyone is unique, and she is dedicated to going above and beyond to ensure that therapy sessions are not only effective but also filled with fun, humour, and intrinsic motivation. Maribelle speaks Arabic.

In her spare time, she unwinds by going on spontaneous drives, going to the gym and cherishing moments with her family and friends.

Sophia Lee

Sophia Lee

Therapy Assistant

Sophia is currently completing a degree in Speech Pathology at the University of Sydney. She finds immense joy in fostering connections with a diverse clientele. Her therapeutic approach revolves around creating interactive and enjoyable sessions, tailored to each client's unique needs. She is passionate about delivering not just assistance, but tangible and practical support to both clients and their families, ensuring that every session is perceived as both meaningful and functional.

In Sophia’s spare time, she tends to do baking, go on runs around the Parramatta park and river, and go on drives with her friends.

Jamie Merhi

Jamie Merhi

Therapy Assistant

I am currently completing my final year of Speech Pathology at the University of Sydney. I am passionate about building strong connections with clients and their families, working together to create and achieve goals that are highly functional and meaningful to them. I firmly believe that everyone has their own unique strengths, and I strive to help others recognise and develop these qualities. I also love to be fun and goofy and do my best to bring this energy into my interactions with clients.

In my spare time, I like to exercise and hang out with my friends. When I'm feeling a bit lazy, you might also find me at home playing video games or reading a good fantasy book.

Matt Burliegh - Director

Matt Burleigh

Director

Amanda Dunham - Office Manager

Amanda Dunham

Office Manager

Louise McGoogan - Accountant

Louise McGoogan

Accountant

Robbie

Robbie

CHO (Chief Happiness Officer)

Robert (Robbie) was born in September 2018. He attended 6 weeks of puppy preschool then completed a year of obedience school at Brush Farm Dog Training Club. In 2020 Robbie went on to further study at K9 Support Therapy Dog training. Robbie understands some basic key words signs and also commands on L.A.M.P. When not working, Robbie enjoys doing nothing. He is a champion shedder and sleeper.

Rosie

Rosie

Happiness Specialist

Rosie is a mini-lop (DOB 28/12/22) who is currently training to be a therapy bunny. Rosie likes to eat hay, grass, green veggies, cucumber and herbs from the garden. You are welcome to bring in some green leafy vegetables or herbs to feed Rosie in the clinic. Rosie’s special talent is eating and pooping at the same time!

Speechify Team

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Feedback and Complaints


Speechify is committed to providing clients and their families a high standard of service and ensuring customer satisfaction. We recoginse that complaints and feedback play an essential role in identifying areas of improvement in our service delivery. Your feedback is important to us and we will respond within 48 hours.