Michelle J. Lee, M.S., CCC-SLP

It depends on many factors, including but not limited to: severity of treatment area, commitment to do work outside of sessions, utilizing support systems to help with accountability, and whether or not you or your child want to continue. Some clients only want to focus on a single speech sound or single communicative area and do not care to work on others, which I respect.

Neuroplasticity is one of the coolest things about our bodies. Our brains adapt and keep making new connections -- even after a stroke or other neurological event that results in neurological injury. Even years after the medical event, our bodies still heal and learn how to do life a new way. It's always worth it to work on what we can.

For my younger clients, it's about building trust and having fun! I love to be silly and meet your child where they are at: play-led therapy is what will get us the most progress because it is motivating and makes the challenge less daunting for children. I believe it was the great Mary Poppins who said "In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and—snap!—the job's a game!"

For children: preschool, elementary school, outpatient clinic that mainly worked with the regional centers, a private clinic that had various caseloads.

For adults: Aphasia Center of California, San Jose Aphasia Research Clinic (as graduate researcher and clinician), at a skilled-nursing facility, outpatient retirement community, private clinic