Speech Therapy, Counselling, Psychology Services for Adults in Edmonton & St. Albert
Strength & Growth at Every Stage of Life.
Life brings unexpected changes—career shifts, health challenges, relationship transitions, or major life adjustments. Whether you're working to improve communication, regain independence in daily tasks, or process difficult emotions, support is available.
How We Support Adults & Couples
We understand that adults and couples need therapy that values their perspectives, addresses their real-life goals, and fits within their schedules.
Our therapists and counsellors provide a safe, confidential space with evidence-based, personalized support designed specifically for the complexities of adult life and relationships.
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Navigate life’s complexities, strengthen relationships, and foster emotional resilience during times of change or stress.
Service Overview:
Our Canadian Certified Counsellors provide compassionate, evidence-based support for individuals and couples facing:
Mood & Anxiety: Depression, generalized anxiety, panic, and stress management
Relationship Dynamics: Couples counselling, communication breakdowns, and conflict resolution
Trauma & Grief: Processing past trauma (PTSD), loss, and bereavement
Life Transitions: Career changes, divorce/separation, and retirement adjustments
Parenting Support: Navigating family challenges and co-parenting strategies
Self-Growth: Identity exploration, self-esteem, and emotional regulation
Delivered By:
Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCC)
Coverage:
Many extended health benefit plans recognize and cover CCCs. We recommend checking your specific policy to confirm that "Canadian Certified Counsellor" is listed under your mental health benefits.
Service Options:
In-person at our St. Albert location or virtual therapy from the comfort of your home
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Regain your voice, rebuild communication skills, and reclaim confidence after stroke, injury, or illness.
Service Overview:
Our Speech-Language Pathologists provide comprehensive assessment and treatment for adults experiencing:
Post-Stroke Communication Challenges (aphasia, apraxia, dysarthria)
Brain Injury Recovery (traumatic brain injury, concussion)
Progressive Neurological Conditions (Parkinson's disease, ALS, MS, dementia)
Voice Disorders (vocal cord dysfunction, hoarseness, professional voice concerns)
Fluency Disorders (stuttering in adults)
Cognitive-Communication Disorders (memory, attention, problem-solving)
Delivered By:
Registered Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)
Therapy Assistants (TAs)
Coverage:
Typically covered by extended health insurance plans, for sessions with an SLP
Service Options:
In-person at our St. Albert location or virtual therapy from your home
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Psychology Assessments for Adults
Gain clarity, access support, and understand your unique cognitive and developmental profile.
Service Overview
Our Registered Psychologists provide comprehensive assessments for adults seeking:
Psychoeducational Assessments (learning disabilities, ADHD, cognitive processing, academic accommodations). Learn more here!
Autism Spectrum Assessments (ASD diagnosis, understanding social communication differences, accessing services). Learn more here!
Delivered By
Registered Psychologists
Coverage
Typically covered by extended health insurance plan
Why Adults Choose Ruby Therapy Services
What We Work On Together
Individual & Couples Counselling
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Are you experiencing persistent worry, anxiety, or fear that's impacting your daily life, work, relationships, or wellbeing?
What It Looks Like:
Excessive worry about everyday things that's hard to control
Physical symptoms: rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, muscle tension, stomach issues
Panic attacks or intense waves of fear
Social anxiety: fear of judgment, avoidance of social situations
Constant "what if" thinking or catastrophizing
Difficulty sleeping due to racing thoughts
Avoidance of situations that trigger anxiety
Health anxiety or worry about physical symptoms
Perfectionism or fear of making mistakes
Feeling on edge, restless, or unable to relax
How We Help:
Our counselors use evidence-based approaches including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness strategies, and exposure-based techniques to help you understand and manage anxiety. You'll learn to identify anxious thought patterns, challenge unhelpful beliefs, develop effective coping strategies, and gradually face fears in a supportive environment. Therapy provides tools you can use for life.
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Are you experiencing persistent sadness, loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, or feeling stuck in a low mood?
What It Looks Like:
Persistent sadness, emptiness, or
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
Changes in sleep (sleeping too much or too little)
Changes in appetite or weight
Fatigue or low energy most days
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
Withdrawal from relationships and social activities
Thoughts that life isn't worth living (please seek immediate help if you're experiencing suicidal thoughts)
Irritability or anger alongside sadness
How We Help:
Our counselors use evidence-based approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral activation, and emotion-focused therapy to help you work through depression. We'll explore contributing factors, challenge negative thought patterns, rebuild engagement with meaningful activities, and develop sustainable strategies for managing mood. If appropriate, we can also collaborate with your physician regarding comprehensive treatment, which may include medication.
Important: If you're in crisis or experiencing thoughts of suicide, please contact a crisis line immediately or visit your nearest emergency department. Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (24/7)
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Are you feeling chronically stressed, overwhelmed, or burned out by work, life demands, or caregiving responsibilities?
What It Looks Like:
Feeling constantly overwhelmed by responsibilities
Physical symptoms of stress: headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, digestive issues
Emotional exhaustion or feeling "running on empty"
Difficulty disconnecting from work or relaxing
Cynicism, detachment, or loss of motivation
Decreased productivity despite working harder
Sleep difficulties related to stress
Irritability, impatience, or emotional reactivity
Neglecting self-care or relationships due to demands
Feeling like you can't keep up or can't do enough
How We Help:
We help you identify sources of stress, examine patterns contributing to burnout, and develop practical strategies for managing demands. You'll learn stress-reduction techniques, boundary-setting skills, work-life balance strategies, and ways to rebuild resilience. Therapy focuses on sustainable change, not just coping with an unsustainable situation.
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Are you navigating a major life change—career transition, divorce, move, retirement, empty nest, or other significant shift?
What It Looks Like:
Uncertainty or anxiety about the future
Grief over what you're leaving behind
Identity questions ("Who am I now?")
Feeling lost, stuck, or overwhelmed by change
Difficulty making decisions about next steps
Loss of purpose or direction
Stress in relationships due to transition
Mixed emotions (relief and sadness, excitement and fear)
How We Help:
Life transitions—even positive ones—can be destabilizing. Our counselors help you process the emotions that come with change, explore your values and priorities, make meaning of the transition, and move forward with clarity and confidence. We provide support as you navigate the practical and emotional aspects of major life changes.
Common Transitions We Support:
- Career changes, job loss, or retirement
Divorce, separation, or relationship endings
Relocation or moving to a new city
Empty nest or children leaving home
Becoming a parent or adjusting to parenthood
Caring for aging parents
Health diagnoses or disability
Loss of identity or role changes
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Are you and your partner experiencing communication breakdowns, conflict, disconnection, or challenges in your relationship?
What It Looks Like:
Frequent arguments or conflict that goes unresolved
Communication breakdowns ("We just can't talk anymore")
Feeling disconnected, lonely, or like roommates rather than partners
Trust issues or difficulty rebuilding trust after betrayal
Differences in parenting, finances, or life goals
Navigating major transitions together (new baby, job loss, relocation, illness)
Intimacy challenges or emotional distance
Considering separation but uncertain about the decision
Patterns that keep repeating despite efforts to change
How We Help:
Our couples counselors create a safe, non-judgmental space for both partners to be heard. We help you improve communication, resolve conflicts constructively, understand each other's perspectives, rebuild trust and connection, and strengthen your relationship. Whether you're working to save your relationship or making a difficult decision about your future, we provide support and guidance.
Therapeutic Approaches:
Emotionally-focused therapy for couples (EFT), Gottman Method principles, communication skills training, conflict resolution strategies
Note:
We provide general relationship and marriage counseling. For specialized concerns like sex therapy, we can provide referrals to appropriate specialists.
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Are you grieving the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or another significant loss?
What It Looks Like:
Intense sadness, yearning, or emotional pain
Numbness or feeling disconnected from emotions
Anger, guilt, or regret related to the loss
Difficulty accepting the reality of the loss
Intrusive thoughts or memories
Avoidance of reminders or difficulty engaging with life
Changes in sleep, appetite, or energy
Feeling like you should be "over it" by now
Wondering if your grief is "normal"
Struggling to find meaning after loss
How We Help:
Grief is a natural response to loss, but it can feel overwhelming and isolating. Our counselors provide compassionate support as you navigate grief, honor your loss, process complex emotions, and gradually adjust to life after loss. There's no timeline for grief—we meet you wherever you are in the process.
Types of Loss We Support:
Death of a loved one (spouse, parent, child, friend, pet)
Relationship endings (divorce, breakup)
Job loss or career changes
Health-related losses (mobility, independence, abilities)
Miscarriage or pregnancy loss
Loss of identity or life role
Ambiguous loss (estrangement, dementia)
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Are you experiencing significant stress related to work, career transitions, workplace conflict, or burnout?
What It Looks Like:
Job dissatisfaction or feeling stuck in your career
Workplace conflict with colleagues or supervisors
Imposter syndrome or fear of being "found out"
Difficulty setting boundaries with work demands
Anxiety about job performance or evaluations
Stress from toxic work environments
Uncertainty about career direction or next steps
Work-life balance struggles
Difficulty coping with job loss or career transition
How We Help:
We help you navigate work-related challenges, manage workplace stress, build confidence, set healthy boundaries, and make career decisions aligned with your values and goals. Therapy provides a space to process work stress, develop effective coping strategies, and gain clarity about your professional path.
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Are you struggling with low self-esteem, negative self-beliefs, people-pleasing patterns, or questions about identity?
What It Looks Like:
Negative self-talk or harsh inner critic
Difficulty believing you're good enough or worthy
Constant comparison to others
People-pleasing: saying yes when you want to say no
Difficulty setting boundaries or advocating for yourself
Perfectionism or fear of failure
Feeling like you don't know who you are
Identity questions related to life transitions, culture, sexuality, or gender
Difficulty accepting compliments or recognizing your strengths
Seeking external validation to feel worthy
How We Help:
We help you explore and challenge negative self-beliefs, develop self-compassion, build genuine confidence, set healthy boundaries, and clarify your values and identity. Therapy focuses on developing a healthier relationship with yourself and living authentically.
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Have you experienced trauma—abuse, assault, accidents, violence, or other deeply distressing events—that continues to impact your life?
What It Looks Like:
Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares about the trauma
Avoidance of reminders, places, or people related to the trauma
Hypervigilance or feeling constantly on edge
Difficulty trusting others or feeling safe
Emotional numbing or disconnection
Sleep disturbances
Irritability, anger, or emotional outbursts
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Feeling like the trauma is still happening
Shame, guilt, or self-blame related to the trauma
How We Help:
Our counselors use trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches to help you heal from traumatic experiences. We create a safe therapeutic relationship, help you process trauma at your own pace, develop coping strategies, and work toward integration and healing. Trauma therapy is collaborative, gentle, and focused on restoring your sense of safety and control.
Therapeutic Approaches:
Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), EMDR (when appropriate), emotion-focused therapy, somatic approaches, narrative therapy
Important:
If you're currently in an unsafe situation, please contact appropriate authorities or crisis services immediately.
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Are you struggling with anger, irritability, or difficulty managing intense emotions in healthy ways?
What It Looks Like:
Frequent angry outbursts or "losing your temper"
Saying or doing things you regret when angry
Relationship or work consequences due to anger
Feeling like emotions go from 0 to 100 very quickly
Difficulty calming down once upset
Irritability or impatience most of the time
Physical symptoms: muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, feeling "hot"
Guilt or shame after emotional outbursts
Feeling like emotions control you, not the other way around
How We Help:
We help you understand the roots of anger, identify triggers, develop healthier ways to express and manage emotions, and build emotional regulation skills. You'll learn to recognize early warning signs, use coping strategies, communicate assertively rather than aggressively, and respond to situations more effectively.
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Are you having difficulty adjusting to a stressful life event or change, with emotional or behavioral responses that feel out of proportion or are impacting your functioning?
What It Looks Like:
Overwhelming emotional response to a specific stressor or change
Anxiety, depression, or behavioral changes following a life event
Difficulty functioning at work, home, or in relationships
Symptoms that began within three months of a specific stressor
Feeling like you can't cope or adjust to the change
Emotional responses that feel excessive given the situation
How We Help:
Adjustment disorders are time-limited responses to stress that benefit from short-term counseling. We help you process the stressor, develop effective coping strategies, build resilience, and adjust to the new reality. Many people find significant relief with focused, supportive therapy.
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Are you adjusting to a chronic illness diagnosis, disability, or significant health changes?
What It Looks Like:
Grief over health losses or changes in abilities
Anxiety about health, future, or prognosis
Depression related to illness or limitations
Difficulty accepting diagnosis or new reality
Identity changes ("I'm not the same person I was")
Relationship strain related to illness
Difficulty managing the emotional aspects of medical care
Feeling misunderstood or isolated
Navigating lifestyle changes required by illness
How We Help:
Living with chronic illness involves ongoing emotional challenges alongside physical ones. We provide support for the grief, anxiety, identity changes, and life adjustments that come with health challenges. Therapy helps you process emotions, develop effective coping strategies, maintain quality of life, and find meaning despite illness.
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Are you caring for an aging parent, ill partner, or child with complex needs, and feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or burned out?
What It Looks Like:
Emotional and physical exhaustion
Feeling alone in caregiving responsibilities
Guilt about feeling overwhelmed or resentful
Neglecting your own health and self-care
Difficulty setting boundaries with care recipient or other family members
Grief over losses (your loved one's decline, your own life changes)
Relationship strain with partner or family
Feeling like there's no time for yourself
Anxiety or depression related to caregiving demands
Difficulty asking for or accepting help
How We Help:
Caregiving is demanding and often isolating. We provide a supportive space to process the complex emotions of caregiving, develop strategies for self-care and boundary-setting, navigate family dynamics, manage guilt and grief, and prevent or address burnout. You can't pour from an empty cup—therapy helps you sustain yourself while caring for others.
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Are you feeling isolated, lonely, or disconnected from others, even if you're around people?
What It Looks Like:
Feeling alone even when surrounded by others
Lack of meaningful connections or close relationships
Difficulty making or maintaining friendships
Social anxiety or discomfort in social situations
Withdrawal from social activities or relationships
Feeling like no one understands you
Loneliness after major life changes (move, retirement, divorce)
Difficulty reaching out or connecting with others
Sense that something is missing in your life
How We Help:
We help you explore barriers to connection, develop social confidence, challenge beliefs that keep you isolated, and create strategies for building meaningful relationships. Therapy itself provides connection while you work on expanding your social world.
speech &
Language
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Stroke is a leading cause of communication difficulties in adults. Our SLPs specialize in post-stroke rehabilitation to help you regain language, speech, and communication abilities.
Common Post-Stroke Communication Challenges:
Aphasia (Language Disorder):
Difficulty finding words or forming sentences
Trouble understanding spoken or written language
Challenges with reading or writing
Frustration with communication despite intact thinking
Apraxia of Speech (Motor Planning Disorder):
Difficulty coordinating the movements needed for speech
Inconsistent speech errors
Effortful, slow speech
Better automatic speech than intentional speech
Dysarthria (Motor Speech Disorder):
Slurred or unclear speech
Weak or imprecise articulation
Changes in voice quality (hoarse, breathy, strained)
Difficulty controlling volume or rate of speech
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Stuttering can persist into adulthood or re-emerge due to neurological conditions or psychological factors. It can impact professional and social communication.
What It Looks Like:
Repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words
Prolongations of sounds
Blocks (getting stuck, unable to produce sound)
Physical tension during speech
Avoidance of speaking situations
Anxiety about speaking, especially in professional or social settings
How We Help:
Our SLPs use evidence-based fluency therapy tailored to adults. We teach fluency strategies, address the cognitive and emotional aspects of stuttering, and work on reducing avoidance behaviors. You define your goals—whether that's speaking more fluently, stuttering more comfortably, or building confidence in professional communication.
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Progressive conditions like ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and dementia can gradually affect communication and swallowing.
Common Challenges:
ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis):
Progressive speech and voice changes (dysarthria)
Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)
Need for alternative communication methods as speech declines
Multiple Sclerosis (MS):
Slurred speech (dysarthria)
Cognitive-communication challenges
Voice changes
Dementia:
Word-finding difficulties
Difficulty following or participating in conversations
Memory and cognitive-communication challenges
Swallowing difficulties in later stages
How We Help:
We provide ongoing support throughout disease progression, including speech therapy to maintain intelligibility as long as possible, training in alternative communication methods (AAC devices, communication boards), as well as caregiver education and support.
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Cognitive-communication disorders affect the thinking skills that underlie communication, such as memory, attention, organization, and problem-solving. These can result from brain injury, stroke, dementia, or other neurological conditions.
What It Looks Like:
Difficulty following conversations or remembering what was said
Trouble organizing thoughts or staying on topic
Challenges with problem-solving or decision-making
Attention difficulties affecting communication
Difficulty understanding complex information
Struggles with multi-tasking or managing multiple pieces of information
How We Help:
We provide cognitive-communication therapy to improve underlying cognitive skills and teach compensatory strategies. We work on attention, memory, executive functioning, and functional communication in real-life contexts. We also provide training in the use of memory aids, organizational tools, and communication strategies.
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Brain injuries can affect communication, thinking, memory, and social interaction. Our SLPs provide cognitive-communication therapy to address these challenges.
What It Looks Like:
Difficulty with memory or attention
Trouble organizing thoughts or following conversations
Word-finding difficulties
Slower processing speed
Challenges with problem-solving or decision-making
Social communication difficulties (reading social cues, taking turns in conversation)
Frustration or personality changes affecting communication
How We Help:
We provide cognitive-communication therapy targeting attention, memory, executive functioning, language, and social communication. We teach compensatory strategies, provide training in the use of memory aids and organizational tools, and work on functional communication in real-life contexts.
Therapy that fits
your life & focuses on
what matters to you.
Starting therapy can feel uncertain.
Here's what the process looks like.
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You, a family member, or a healthcare provider can submit a referral through our website. No doctor's referral is required to access our services, though some insurance plans may require one for coverage.
What Happens:
Submit a brief online form with contact information and a description of communication or swallowing concerns
Our team contacts you within 1-2 business days to discuss your needs and schedule an assessment
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Your first appointment is a comprehensive assessment (typically 60-90 minutes) where your Speech-Language Pathologist evaluates your communication, and learns about your goals for therapy.
What the Assessment Includes:
Case history and discussion of your concerns, medical background, and goals
Standardized assessments of speech, language, voice, cognition, and/or swallowing (as appropriate)
Functional communication observation
Discussion of findings and preliminary recommendations
Family Involvement:
Family members or caregivers are welcome and encouraged to attend (with your consent).
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Following the assessment, your SLP will discuss the results with you, provide a diagnosis (if applicable), and develop a personalized treatment plan.
You'll Receive:
Clear explanation of assessment findings
Diagnosis and clinical impressions
Recommended frequency and duration of therapy
Individualized therapy goals aligned with your priorities
Written report for your records, physicians, and insurance
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Therapy sessions are typically 45-60 minutes and occur weekly or more frequently, depending on your needs and the nature of your condition.
What Sessions Look Like:
Targeted exercises and activities designed to improve speech, language, voice, cognition, or swallowing
Practice using functional, real-life communication scenarios
Education about your condition and strategies for success
Home practice activities to accelerate progress
Progress monitoring and data collection
Flexibility:
In-person at our St. Albert location or virtual sessions from your home
We also have options to work with a Therapy Assistant
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Your SLP continuously monitors your progress, adjusts therapy goals and approaches as needed, and keeps you informed every step of the way.
Ongoing Support:
Regular progress updates
Adjustments to therapy based on your response and changing needs
Collaboration with physicians and other healthcare providers (with consent)
Family education and caregiver training as appropriate
Youth & Adult
Stuttering Workshop
Does stuttering hold you back from speaking up at work or in social settings? Are you ready to develop practical techniques that give you more control over your communication?
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This group program, led by speech-language pathologists, is designed to help teens and adults who stutter gain practical skills and confidence in their communication. The group creates a supportive environment where participants learn evidence-based techniques while connecting with others who share similar experiences.
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Speech strategies: Learn fluency shaping techniques (like gentle onset, breath management) and stuttering modification methods (such as pull-outs, voluntary stuttering) to gain better control over your speech. Practice these strategies in progressively challenging speaking situations from reading aloud to spontaneous conversation.
Emotional and cognitive work: Address the thoughts, feelings, and anxiety that often accompany stuttering through discussion activities and cognitive-behavioral approaches. Build awareness of physical tension patterns and learn relaxation techniques to manage speaking anxiety.
Group practice activities: Participate in structured speaking exercises including role-playing, video analysis, and conversational practice where you can apply strategies in a safe, supportive setting. Group discussions allow you to share experiences and learn from others who stutter.
Education: Understand the nature of stuttering, the normal speech process, and how your specific stuttering pattern works. Learn to identify your individual triggers and develop personalized strategies.
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Starting on Jan. 5, 2025, group runs on Monday evenings, 5:45-6:45pm.
Session structure: Each session typically will include welcome and introductions, individual check-ins about speech goals, 2-3 structured activities alternating between speech practice and discussion, and wrap-up with feedback and self-evaluation. Sessions balance direct instruction, independent practice, and group interaction.
The cost is $50 per session.
Receipts can be submitted to your extended health benefits plan where applicable. Check your coverage for “Speech Therapy” To see if this may be covered under your plan.
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The group is appropriate for teens 16+ and adults who have age-appropriate language skills and are motivated to work on their communication.
A complimentary pre-workshop screening is offered to ensure the program matches your needs and goals. This will be conducted on the phone or as a video call.
Teens are welcome to have a parent join them if they'd like.
Certain sessions are targeted towards parents or partners also attending for education around stuttering and to learn how they can best support their partner. We will let you know ahead of time if this week is a Parent & Partner week!
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Active participation: You'll be expected to speak in front of the group, practice techniques in real-time, and complete homework assignments between sessions. The group environment is intentionally more challenging than one-on-one therapy to accelerate progress.
Individualized goals: While working in a group, you'll set personal speech targets and receive feedback on your specific performance. The workshop format allows you to learn from others' experiences while addressing your unique stuttering pattern.
Long-term strategies: Beyond immediate techniques, you'll develop skills for ongoing management including how to handle different speaking situations and reduce avoidance behaviors.
Building relationships: We're here to connect and support one another. Take it at your own pace and just know that you are in a group of people who understand your challenges and effort you have already put forward to take these steps and work on your communication!
Adult aphasia group
Communication is essential to connection, independence, and quality of life. Whether you're recovering from stroke, living with aphasia, or working on your communication skills, you don't have to navigate this journey alone.