I am happy to offer a free 15-min initial call to discuss whether speech therapy with me would be a good fit! This can be scheduled by emailing slp@vivianche.com or calling/texting 647-800-9332.

Every new client starts with an assessment session (usually 50 minutes of direct time). An intake form will be sent, and asks questions for billing purposes (i.e., for insurance) and to capture background information. The assessment session includes discussion of main concerns, several targeted exercises to get a language sample, and collaborative goal setting. I will usually provide some initial home-practice exercises for you to get started. Follow-up sessions can then be booked to work on these goals. 

An assessment report is a one-page summary of the findings from your assessment. It includes information such as examples of observations and recommended goals. As adults (who do not have complex health conditions) usually don't require an assessment report, it is an optional add-on for an additional fee. A sample report is available; please send an email to inquire (slp@vivianche.com). 

Ontario residents are eligible for private insurance coverage for speech therapy sessions with a registered speech-language pathologist (registered with CASLPO). Insurance may cover all fees, up to a certain amount, or a certain percentage of fees. Please consult your insurance company for details (see insurance coverage for resources). Direct billing is unavailable. Receipts to submit to insurance are provided upon payment completion. Note that speech therapy in Ontario does not charge additional taxes. If you do not have insurance or have run out for the year, many companies may offer incentives for improving your communication skills. 

All sessions are offered virtually through Google Meets and are PHIPA compliant. Virtual work is effective at working on speech goals and is efficient as no travel time is needed. You do not need to download any additional software. A working microphone and speakers/headphones are necessary and a camera is recommended (external or laptop camera). If you prefer in-person sessions, please email slp@vivianche.com for options.

TLDR; these terms view accent work as "taking away" from your natural skills but instead I like to focus on the valuable learning aspects that makes it worthwhile! I like to call it "accent acquisition" to incorporate the additive nature of this work.

There is a misconception that only non-North American speakers have "accents", but in reality everyone has an accent. Canadians can sound different from Americans, and can even vary depending on province/state. These accents tend to be the most "acceptable" and understandable for those who live in North America. While it is deeply problematic, the burden tends to go to the non-native speakers to adapt their accent in order to get jobs, promotions, or just to be understood in daily life. Listener training is an area of research that is new and hopefully training can be developed someday, but improving someone else's understanding is usually out of our control. For accent work, I frame it as acquiring (learning) a new way of speaking, but it can easily be adapted to focus only on the necessary sounds for better enunciation or clearer speech. Many folks are able to retain the sound of their accent by tweaking certain features to be better heard. Many characteristics of a "thick" accent may be associated with common problems such as mumbling, speaking too quickly, rhythm, etc., which may be the real target goals rather than "getting rid of an accent". Think about how actors are able to do different accents depending on their role (e.g., putting on a British accent when they typically speak in an American accent) -- it can be taught and used at will!

The frequency of sessions varies based on several factors such as your self-motivation, goals, and current skill set. Typically clients who require more support book weekly sessions, while clients who are able to do more practice outside of sessions book biweekly or even monthly. We can discuss this more after your assessment and figure out what works best for you and your schedule

There is a huge range of applications for speech therapy ranging from stuttering to voice disorders and even swallowing disorders! (Think: encompassing the neck region up). I'm happy to chat about your concerns regardless of if it's something I usually work on. If I believe someone else may be better suited to your needs I can potentially refer you to other speech-language pathologists.

There is no need for a referral to begin speech therapy and most insurance providers also do not require a prescription. Please clarify with your provider.