About Authentic Connections Speech Pathology
My Story - Growing up with Undiagnosed Neurodiversity
Growing up, I always felt different but didn’t know why. I spent so much energy trying to keep up with my peers, navigating friendships, managing overwhelm, and masking my differences to fit in.
For years, my only friends at school were the receptionists in the office, and I couldn’t figure out why adults liked me, but my peers didn’t. Over time, I lost sight of who I was and felt like a fraud—constantly trying to be someone I thought others wanted me to be.
After lots of trial—and even more error—I finally carved out a place where I felt like I belonged.
It wasn’t until 2023, after years working in the neurodiversity space as a speech pathologist, that I realised my struggles had a name. I saw so much of myself in the neurodivergent kids I was supporting that I started connecting the dots.
My own experiences now help me create a safe, affirming space where children and young people can be themselves—without pressure to change who they are.
To me, neurodiversity-affirming speech therapy means helping kids and adults understand who they are, how they communicate, and how they fit into the world—without pressure to mask or “fix” their differences. It’s about reducing anxiety, building confidence, and giving people the tools to have their needs met and their voices heard.
Some families prefer working with a male speech pathologist, and I believe it’s important for clients to have the choice of working with therapists of any gender. For some children and adults, having a male clinician can feel more comfortable or familiar. My focus is on creating a safe, respectful environment where everyone feels supported, regardless of who they connect with best.
If you’re looking for speech therapy in Sunshine VIC that is compassionate, client-led, and truly neurodiversity-affirming, I’d love to connect.
Why I Became a Speech Pathologist
I’ve always been drawn to helping people thrive. Before becoming a Speech Pathologist, I earned a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, but my ADHD brain wasn’t getting the dopamine it needed—I wanted to see faster, more meaningful change. When I was younger, I went through Speech Pathology myself for intervention to support my stutter which I continue to manage to this day.
Working with kids who have so much to say but don’t have the tools to say it is what lights me up. Helping them build the skills to connect, share their ideas, and feel heard is the most rewarding part of what I do. Plus, I get to be the gigantic kid I am inside every day!
My Passions
I started my career in private practice in Redcliffe, Queensland, supporting clients of all ages with speech, language, social skills, literacy, executive functioning, and fluency. I’ve always focused on making therapy meaningful, fun, and engaging.
I’m especially passionate about:
Early Intervention – Helping kids connect with their families, understand their world, and build strong foundations for development.
Neurodiversity-Affirming Care – Supporting ASD and ADHD kids with social skills, executive functioning, and emotional regulation in ways that work for them.
Speech Development and Orofacial Myology – Working on speech sounds and exploring how facial muscles impact breathing, swallowing, and articulation.
My Training:
- DIR Floortime – Play-based therapy to support social-emotional, and language development.
- Derbyshire Language Scheme – Language intervention for children with delays.
- Social Communication and Sensory Regulation – Strategies for understanding and interacting with the world, and noticing and managing how our emotions impact our communication and engagement.
- PROMPT – A hands-on approach for speech sound production.
- Eat, Breathe, Feed, Sleep – Foundations of Orofacial Myology (Below)
- Oro-Facial Myology (Stage 1) – Muscle-based approaches for speech and feeding.
- Get Permission Institue For Anxious Eaters – Techniques for supporting mealtime peace, picky eaters, and kids with feeding challenges.
- Executive Functioning – working with the differences in how we process and think about information to achieve goals, rather than working against them.
I’m committed to staying up-to-date with the latest research and evidence-based practices to make sure therapy is engaging, effective, and tailored to each child’s needs.