Quick Overview Of How To Implement Those Early Hanen Speech And Language Strategies

ByLondon Speech and Feeding December 18, 2021January 31, 2023

First up try and get down at eye level or Face-to-Face with your child

Try to sit so that your child can see you easily, i. e. your child does not have to look up to make eye contact with you. We call that Face to Face: try and sit opposite your child. This makes it easier for you to see facial expressions and therefore pick up nonverbal /pre-verbal communication. Now you can connect and share the moment with your child.

OWL (Observe, Wait and Listen)

Never skip this step as it prepares us for what happens next !

Observe

First, try and simply watch your child quietly and listen and observe what he/she says or does; you need to know what your little one is interested in. For example with this toy (pictured below) we could observe that your child loves the actual spinning of the marble, perhaps more than that noisy click-clacking down the run. Or perhaps he loves collecting the marble at the end and feeling it in his hand.

You could start off with showing once how the marble goes down and say:“ look it goes round and round !” Then hold back and observe, without speaking, so that your child has time to explore the toy.

Wait

Just sit and avoid telling or showing your child what he or she could do with the toy. This gives your child an opportunity to explore and experiment.

Listen

Listen to what your child says, or look at your child’s non-verbal communication without interrupting. Your child will now feel and know that you are really present and that what they have to say is important. It’s best to avoid questions like, “What are you doing or “What’s this?” as that might be a lot of pressure when they don’t know what to say about that yet.

Respond immediately by showing interest

Once you have all the information from OWLing you can respond in the right way, for example: if she catches the marble at the end of the run and looks up with a smile or a sound you could respond with: you’ve got it! One marble in your hand! Nice playing!

Now how to join in the play:

First you can copy what your child is doing

If your child puts the first marble at the top of the run you can take a turn and do exactly the same once his marble is done. Ideally you might have another marble run, perhaps a similar one, it does not have to be exactly the same! Once your child has put the first marble in you can do the exact same with your own marble on your run. Your child is likely to look at what you are doing and you might well see a smile on their face or perhaps she might say: look at mine!

Next you can build on that

You can respond with simple comments like: “Wow! Yes I am looking at yours now! It’s spinning on the red one lots! I love the noise!” Now wait once more to see what your child says or does.

To summarise

We are signalling to our child that we are really interested in what they are doing and saying so we can “collect” our child, i.e. bring him/her back into a joint interaction.

Important

We want to try and not direct our child but respond with interest and fun! This creates a lovely stage for interaction and joint play! And this leads in turn to practising conversation and ever more opportunities for great speech and language skills to emerge.

Great activities we use in Speech and Language Therapy:

Any cause and effect toys like this Marble Run
Creative activities, such as mark making with crayons
Train tracks (building and running the trains)

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

Autism Therapy · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Why pointing matters: Unpacking the power of this simple gesture
ByLondon Speech and Feeding March 26, 2025March 26, 2025
As a speech and language therapist, I’m often asked about the significance of seemingly simple gestures in child development. One question that comes up frequently is, ‘Why is pointing so important?’ It might seem like a trivial action, but pointing is a powerful communication tool and a critical milestone in a child’s development.

Why is pointing so important?

Let’s delve into the theory behind why pointing matters:

1. Pointing as pre verbal communication:

Before children can use words, they use gestures to communicate their needs and interests. Pointing is one of the earliest and most important gestures. It allows children to:
- Request: ‘I want that!’
- Protest: ‘No, not that!’
- Direct attention: ‘Look at that!’
- Share interest: ‘Wow, cool!’
2. Pointing and language development:

Pointing is not just about communicating in the here and now; it also plays a crucial role in language development. Research shows that:
- Early pointing predicts later language skills: Children who point more often tend to have larger vocabularies and better grammar later on.
- Pointing helps children learn new words: When children point at something, adults tend to label it, providing valuable language input.
- Pointing supports joint attention: Joint attention, or the shared focus of two individuals on an object or event, is essential for language learning. Pointing helps establish joint attention, creating opportunities for communication and learning.
3. Pointing and social-emotional development:

Pointing is not just about language; it’s also about social interaction. It allows children to:
- Engage with others: Pointing invites others to share their focus and participate in their world.
- Express emotions: Pointing can convey excitement, curiosity, or concern.
- Develop social understanding: By observing how others respond to their pointing, children learn about social cues and communication.
4. Pointing and cognitive development:

Pointing is linked to cognitive skills, such as:
- Understanding object permanence: The ability to know that objects exist even when they are out of sight.
- Categorisation: The ability to group similar objects together.
- Problem-solving: Pointing can be used to ask for help or to indicate a problem.
5. Types of Pointing:

It’s important to note that there are different types of pointing, each with its own significance:
- Imperative pointing: To request something.
- Declarative pointing: To share interest or direct attention.
- Informative pointing: To provide information.
If you have concerns about your child’s pointing or overall communication development, don’t hesitate to seek professional guidance from a speech-language therapist. Early intervention can make a significant difference in supporting your child’s communication journey.

How can we create opportunities for pointing?
- ‘Where’s the…?’ games:
  
  Play games like ‘Where’s the doggy?’ or ‘Where’s the ball?’ and encourage your toddler to point to the object.
  
  Start with familiar objects and gradually introduce new ones.
- Reading together:
  
  When reading picture books, ask your toddler to point to specific objects or characters on the page.
  
  Use phrases like, ‘Can you point to the puppy?’
- Everyday activities:
  
  During daily routines, ask your toddler to point to things they want or need.
  
  For example, ‘Do you want the apple or the banana?’
  
  When walking outside say ‘LOOK’ and encourage pointing.
- Use of toys:
  
  Use toys that have buttons or points of interest that when pressed make a noise. Encourage your toddler to point to the area that makes the noise.
  
  Use toys that have many different parts, and ask the toddler to point to a specific part.
Model pointing:
- Point yourself:
  
  When you see something interesting, point to it and say the name of the object.
  
  For example, ‘Look! A bird!’
- Point to show choices:
  
  When offering choices, point to each item as you name it.
  
  For example, ‘Do you want the blue cup or the red cup?’ (Point to each cup).
- Point to indicate direction:
  
  When giving directions, point in the direction you want your toddler to go.
  
  For example, ‘Let’s go that way!’ (Point).
Make it rewarding:
- Respond to pointing:
  
  When your toddler points, immediately respond to their communication.
  
  Give them the object they want, or acknowledge what they are pointing at.
- Use positive reinforcement:
  
  Praise and encourage your toddler when they point.
  
  Say things like, ‘Good pointing!’ or ‘You showed me the car!’
- Show excitement:
  
  When they point to something, show excitement, this will encourage them to point again.
Use specific techniques:
- Use gestures and verbal cues:
  
  Combine pointing with verbal cues and other gestures.
  
  For example, say ‘Look!’ while pointing and nodding your head.
- Simplify the environment:
  
  Reduce distractions to help your toddler focus on the object you want them to point to.
- Use exaggerated movements:
  
  Use large, exaggerated pointing movements to draw your toddler’s attention.
Consider developmental factors:
- Age-appropriate expectations:
  
  Remember that pointing develops at different rates for different children.
  
  Be patient and supportive.
- Underlying issues:
  
  If your toddler is not pointing by 18 months, or if you have any concerns about their development, consult with a speech and language therapist.
  
  There may be underlying sensory or motor issues.
Key points:
- Consistency is key. Practise these strategies regularly.
- Make it fun and engaging for your toddler.
- Celebrate every success, no matter how small.
- If you have any concerns about your child’s development, contact your local health services.
Great toys and items for pointing

1. Interactive books:
- Touch-and-feel books: Books with different textures, flaps to lift, and sounds encourage interaction and pointing. ‘Where’s the…?’ questions prompt pointing to specific features.
- Books with simple pictures: Clear, uncluttered pictures make it easier for toddlers to focus and point to objects or characters.
2. Cause-and-effect toys:
- Activity cubes: These often have buttons, dials, and levers that produce sounds or actions when manipulated, prompting pointing and exploration.
- Pop-up toys: Toys where figures pop up or things happen when a button is pressed encourage anticipation and pointing to the action.
- Simple musical instruments: A toy piano, drum, or xylophone encourages pointing to the keys/surfaces to make sounds.
3. Toys with parts to manipulate:
- Shape sorters: Encourage pointing to the shapes and the matching holes.
- Stacking cups or rings: Nesting cups or stacking rings invite pointing to select the correct size or order.
- Puzzles with knobs: Simple puzzles with large knobs are easier for toddlers to grasp and point to the pieces.
4. Toys that encourage joint attention:
- Bubbles: Blowing bubbles and following them with your eyes and pointing encourages joint attention (shared focus).
- Balls: Rolling a ball back and forth and pointing to where it’s going can promote joint attention and turn-taking.
- Wind-Up Toys: Wind-up toys that move across the floor can be exciting to follow with pointing.
5. Pretend play toys:
- Toy telephones: Encourage pointing to the buttons and pretending to dial.
- Dolls and stuffed animals: Pointing to the doll’s eyes, nose, mouth, etc., or asking the child to point to these features on themselves.
- Toy food and dishes: Pretend play with food and dishes can involve pointing to request items or indicate actions (e.g., ‘Can I have the apple?’).
Tips for using toys to encourage pointing:
- Get involved: Play alongside your toddler, modelling pointing and using language to describe what you’re doing.
- Follow their lead: Observe what your child is interested in and use that to encourage pointing.
- Limit distractions: Reduce background noise and visual clutter to help your child focus.
- Use gestures and words: Combine pointing with words and other gestures (e.g., ‘Look!’ while pointing).
- Be patient and positive: Celebrate all attempts at pointing and provide lots of encouragement.
Remember, the most important factor is the interaction you have with your child while playing. Use these toys as tools to create opportunities for communication and joint attention, and your toddler will be well on their way to mastering pointing!

Get in touch with me via my contact form if you need support

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Printables · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Let’s ditch the ‘Fix-It’ approach to autistic play and stimming
ByLondon Speech and Feeding December 8, 2025December 8, 2025
December is often presented as a time of perfect, reciprocal play. Children are supposed to be unwrapping toys, sharing, and engaging in imaginative scenarios with family. But for parents of young autistic children, this high-pressure, socially demanding period can often feel like a battleground.

If you’ve been told to interrupt your child’s stimming, push for eye contact, or force them to play ‘functionally’ with toys, it’s time to take a deep breath. Those traditional approaches are not only stressful—they often miss the point of your child’s communication.

As a neurodiversity-affirming Speech and Language Therapist, I want to encourage you this December: You are allowed to follow your child’s lead, validate his or her unique interests, and trust that his or her play and movement are profoundly meaningful.

1. Stimming: not a distraction, but a regulator 💡

Stimming is short for self-stimulatory behaviour and includes repetitive movements or sounds like hand flapping, humming, rocking, finger flicking, or repeating phrases (called echolalia).

For years, parents were incorrectly advised to block or eliminate these behaviours. The neurodiversity-affirming view tells us the exact opposite: Stimming is a vital and essential tool for your child’s self-regulation.

Think of stimming as an internal volume dial:
- Too loud/overwhelmed: Your child may stim to reduce incoming sensory input (e.g., rocking to ground himself or herself in a busy room).
- Too quiet/under-stimulated: Your child may stim to increase sensory input and focus (e.g., running back and forth to maintain alertness).
The shift: validate, don’t block

Instead of saying, ‘Stop flapping your hands’, try to understand the message behind the movement.
- Observe: When does the stimming happen? Is it before a meltdown? When your child excited? When your child is bored?
- Validate: Name the need, not just the behaviour. You might say, ‘I see your body needs to move fast right now. That helps you calm down!’
- Co-regulate: If the stim is unsafe (e.g., head-banging), help your child find a safer, alternative stim that meets the same sensory need (e.g., pushing hard against a wall, squeezing a stress ball).
By validating your child’s need to regulate, you are building trust, reducing anxiety, and teaching him or her critical self-awareness.

2. Autistic play: Meaningful, even if it’s monologue

The traditional idea of ‘good play’ often involves turn-taking, pretending, and specific toy functions (e.g., pushing a train around a track). When an autistic child spends 30 minutes lining up cars, spinning their wheels, or scripting whole scenes from a favourite movie, it can often be dismissed as non-functional or repetitive.

In neurodiversity-affirming practice, we recognise that autistic play is authentic play. These activities are crucial for learning, deep focus, and imaginative development.
- Lining up toys may be an exploration of patterns, visual organisation, and order.
- Spinning wheels may be a deep interest in cause-and-effect and visual sensory input.
- Scripting is often a way to process language, regulate emotions, and practise complex social situations in a safe, controlled way.
Make a change: Join your child’s world, don’t drag them to yours.

Stop trying to force the ‘right’ way to play. Instead, try these neuro-affirming strategies:
1. Be a co-regulator, not a director: If your child is lining up cars, sit down next to him or her. Instead of moving a car, try handing him or her another car to line up. Focus on the shared interest rather than forcing interaction.
2. Narrate (don’t question): Avoid constantly asking, ‘What are you doing?’ or ‘What does this car say?’ This puts pressure on your child to perform. Instead, narrate your observations using his or her interest: ‘I see you made a long, straight line of red cars. Look at all the wheels spinning!’
3. Validate the interest: Show genuine appreciation for your child’s focus. ‘Wow, you know so much about how magnets stick together! That’s incredible.’
3. The communication revolution: Honouring gestalt language processing

Many young autistic children communicate in ways that don’t fit the traditional model of building language word-by-word. Many use Gestalt Language Processing (GLP).

A gestalt language processor learns language in chunks or scripts (e.g., ‘what’s-in-there?’ or ‘ready-go!’). These chunks (or gestalts) are not random; they are often tied to an emotional memory or meaning. Over time, the child breaks down these big chunks into individual words then learns to recombine those words creatively.

If your child repeats movie phrases or whole sentences that seem unrelated, he or she is likely a gestalt language processor!

Affirm the script, then model something useful.
1. Affirm the script: When your child says a script, respond to the meaning or emotion behind it, not the literal words. If he or she says, ‘We’re going to need a bigger boat’, and he or she is looking at a messy toy pile, he or she may be trying to express overwhelm or a need for help. You can affirm: ‘That pile is too big! I can help you move it.’
2. Model new ‘mix and match’ scripts: To help your child move from whole scripts to single words, you can model shorter, slightly changed versions of the script, also called ‘mitigated gestalts’. If they say, ‘I want to go home now’, you might model, ‘Let’s go home, now’ or ‘I wanna go home’.
By honouring your child’s communication style, you validate his or her experience and naturally support his or her path to language development—a core part of neurodiversity-affirming SLT.

Your December gift to your little one:

This December, stop trying to make your child fit into a neurotypical box. Instead, make your home a safe space where he or she can be his or her authentic selves.

Prioritise regulation and connection over compliance.

Trust that when your child is regulated, his or her communication, learning, and engagement will flourish naturally. This is the true gift of neurodiversity-affirming practice.

Download and print my neuro-affirming quick reference guide and keep this guide handy on your fridge and/or in your child’s play area for a quick reminder to prioritise connection over conformity.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Five ways to increase confidence and reduce frustration in children with speech and language and communication difficulties
ByLondon Speech and Feeding February 27, 2023February 10, 2023

Your child’s speech, language and communication difficulties may impact their self-esteem. And they may show signs of increased frustration. You want them to be full of confidence, increasing their participation in school and fully engaging with their peers.

1. Practise active listening

Speech difficulties can mean that it’s more challenging to understand what your child says. It’s important to show that you’re paying attention, giving them time to express themselves. Focus on what your child says rather than how they are speaking. Remember to maintain eye contact, and actively listen. Active listening and giving time can be trickier than it sounds. I can provide strategies to support your active listening skills.

2. Give other means and forms of communication

Allowing children to express themselves in a variety of ways (e.g., gesture, signs, written, use descriptions to describe a word (e.g., sand – you find it out the beach, it can have pebbles on it, it’s not the sea), use of symbols or high-tech augmentative communication methods such as a computer). Using different ways is vital in reducing frustration and communicating their message. If you’re unsure of what other forms of communication you can use, please contact me for some top tips.

3. Praise efforts

Providing specific praise allows your child to understand what they’ve achieved. E.g., you could praise the way your child listens, or how they take turns, or their resilience (e.g., “I like the way you listened” or “good listening”). Think of different ways you could praise you child during different activities, so you are prepared with phrases that you can use.

4. Have clear start and end points in activities

Some children with speech, language and communication needs have difficulties with transitioning from one activity to another. They also have difficulties with changes in routine. This can add to their frustration and changes in behaviour. So, how do you show a clear start and end to an activity? You can have a visual timetable, or you could have ‘start’ and ‘finish’ boxes where you place all the materials in the box labelled ‘start’. And once the activity has finished, you put the items in the box labelled ’finished’. If you need support with transitions, please contact me.

5. Use visuals

Visuals can support your child to understand routine and spoken language. Visuals can range from symbols to online images, to photographs, or a combination. Explore which type of visuals work well for your children. Using visuals can be powerful if used correctly. Make the most of the opportunities that visuals can provide for your family.

Increase confidence and reduce frustration in children with speech and language and communication difficulties today. Please feel free to contact me if you need any support or tips on maximising these opportunities.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Top tips

Six ways to prepare your child for the Christmas festivities
ByLondon Speech and Feeding December 14, 2022January 31, 2023

It feels like the Christmas festivities start earlier and earlier every year. This makes it harder for your child with communication difficulties to process what is happening. Whilst you can’t do anything about the events that happen around your child, you can start to put into practice strategies which may support them and allow them to regulate their emotions.

Six ways to prepare your child for the Christmas festivities

Explore six ideas here:

1. Print off or buy a blank calendar to use at home

You can start to write in activities out of the usual routine and add a picture to allow your child to understand what it’s about. You can also use it as a countdown to Christmas Day to try to prevent ‘how long’ questions.

2. Make use of visual timetables

These are useful in everyday settings and activities but also when change occurs.

3. Be aware of any non-uniform days

Days like ‘Christmas Jumper Day’ can make your child feel uncomfortable and may affect their behaviour. By giving yourself time, you can have conversations with your child’s teacher to find a more suitable alternative. For example, they can wear a Christmas t-shirt that they find more comfortable.

4. Think about what will benefit your child

Do they like being surrounded by people or do they prefer a quiet space on a 1:1 basis? Christmas activities often involve lots of group work in school (e.g., rehearsing for carol concerts or plays). They might prefer to pre-record their part in the Christmas play or create pieces of art which can be used. At home, they may prefer one guest visiting at a time, rather than all at once.

5. Explore how your child is feeling

It’s important to find out how your young person is feeling and how these impact on the activities of that day. It might be that your child doesn’t like surprises and the intensity of opening gifts is too much for them. They may prefer gifts to be left unwrapped and given throughout the day, rather than all at once.

6. Consider sensory needs

Ensure your young person has everything they need to meet their sensory needs. This can be e.g. noise cancelling headphones, fidget toys, or comforting items. These will particularly be helpful with routines changing, often with little notice. If at home, you may wish to not put lights on the Christmas tree if visual stimuli become too much.

Remember clear communication between home, school and other family members is vital during this time. By having clear communication and expectations, your young person will feel more secure. And you can have a Christmas that is right for you and your family.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

READ MORE Six ways to prepare your child for the Christmas festivities
Speech and Language Therapy

Empty Set and Phonology approaches
ByLondon Speech and Feeding June 26, 2024June 26, 2024
I have been avoiding the use of the Empty Set approach for the longest time as I was not sure if it would work seeing that I am challenging two sounds my student struggles with at the same time. But I decided to give it a go and it works a treat!

With this approach, we use two sounds that our student is struggling with. For example, in my video this student cannot produce /sh/ and /r/. Both sounds have different rules, so I decided to contrast them with each other.
- The rules of /sh/ are: no voice, air is pushed out through teeth, produced at the front.
- The rules for /r/ are: use your voice, produce the sound in the middle of the mouth by shaping your tongue in a particular way.
So I chose the words ‘shoes’ and ‘ruse’ as their rules are quite different. Contrasting two sounds the student does not know has been shown to lead to greater change in the child’s articulation. And I can certainly vouch for this as my student is making the best progress with this approach.

Phonology Therapy – what is it, why and how?

Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language. It’s distinct from articulation therapy which focuses on the physical production of sounds.

Phonology therapy focuses on rules. For example, sounds that are produced at the front of the mouth, in contrast to sounds that are produced at the back of the mouth, or sounds that are produced with a long air stream: /s/ or /f/ versus short sounds like /p/ or /t/; sounds are produced with voice or without voice.

Many children, and sometimes adults, are unaware of some of the speech rules and confuse and replace individual sounds. They might say TAT instead of CAT or SIP instead of SHIP.

A quick overview of phonology approaches I use:

Minimal Pairs:

This approach is good for single sound substitutions. We offer word pairs that differ by only one sound, like ‘ship’ and ‘sip.’ One of our first goal in therapy is to highlight the difference between the target sound (e.g., /sh/) and the sound the child uses (e.g., /s/). This helps discriminate and eventually produce the correct sound.

Multiple Oppositions:

A child might replace lots of sounds with a single sound like a /d/. So instead of ‘four’, ‘chore’ and ‘store’ our child says ‘door’, making speech very unintelligible.

The approach is typically geared towards shaking up the phonological system. Our goal is to choose two to four targets that are different from each other, and different from the substituted sound. If our child’s favourite sound is /d/ they can use their voice and make a short sound by stopping their airflow. So I will choose a different target sound to change up the speech system. For example I might choose an /f/, a /m/ and a /k/ sound. So I would contrast: ‘door’ with ‘four’, ‘more’ and ‘core’.

Maximal Oppositions:

In the Maximal Oppositions approach the treatment sets consists of words that are minimally contrasted and that have maximal or near maximal feature differences between each word pair. One word in a pair represents a sound the child ‘knows’ (can say at word level) and the other represents a sound the child does not know (cannot say).

For example, a child may ‘know’ /m/ and be able to say words like ‘man’, ‘mat’ and ‘mine’. However, the same child may be unable to say /f/ as in ‘fan’, ‘fat’ and ‘fine’. The consonants /f/ and /m/ are maximally opposed as follows.

I am always delighted to work on speech sound disorders, I love the challenge and the successes we can celebrate together. Get in touch with me!

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Speech and Language Therapy

The art of selective care: My journey as a semi-retired private therapist
ByLondon Speech and Feeding September 3, 2025November 6, 2025

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome. I’m writing this today to share a bit about my professional journey, a journey that has evolved over many years from a bustling, full-schedule practice to a more intentional, deeply fulfilling semi-retired life. This shift wasn’t born out of a desire to slow down, but rather an understanding of what truly matters: my time, your time, and the quality of the work we do together.

For decades, I poured my energy into a full calendar, helping as many families as I possibly could. It was a wonderful, demanding, and rewarding time. I learned so much, grew immensely as a professional, and had the privilege of witnessing countless moments of breakthrough and success. But over recent months, I began to realise that the most impactful work wasn’t about quantity; it was about quality. It was about giving my whole, undivided attention to a select few, creating an environment where true progress could flourish.

Change

This realisation led to a significant change in my practice. I am now at a point in my career where my time is both valuable and precious. It is no longer a commodity to be filled, but a resource to be invested wisely. This doesn’t just apply to my personal life, but to my professional life as well. I’ve chosen to be more selective about the clients I see, and this selectivity is rooted in a single, powerful question: ‘Who can I truly, profoundly help?’

I believe that successful therapy is a partnership. It requires commitment, trust, and a genuine connection between therapist and client. When I take on a new family, I am not just filling a slot in my schedule; I am making a deep commitment to them. I am dedicating a part of my precious time and decades of expertise to their child’s success. This is why I am now focusing on who I can really work with: families who are equally invested in the process, who understand that progress is a team effort, and who are ready to engage fully in the journey.

My fees reflect this deep investment. You will find that my rates are higher than those of many other therapists, and I want to be transparent about why. It’s a reflection of the extensive experience I bring to the table. I have spent years honing my skills, navigating complex cases, and developing a unique, effective approach to speech, language and feeding challenges. This is not just a job for me. It is my life’s work, and I honour the value of that expertise and the time I dedicate to each family.

I want to ensure that every minute you spend with me is productive, focused, and truly transformative. Therefore, I provide a ‘boutique style’ of care. Think of it as an exclusive, personalised experience where every detail is considered and your needs are at the forefront. You won’t feel like you’re just another appointment on a long list. You will feel that you have my full, undivided attention, as if you were my only client.

This means less time spent on administrative tasks and more time dedicated to preparing for your sessions, reflecting on our progress, and providing you with the most thoughtful, tailored support possible. It means an environment of calm and focused expertise, where we can truly dive deep into the specific challenges and build a clear, effective path forward.

New perspective

For parents reading this, I hope this provides a new perspective. Choosing a therapist for your child is one of the most important decisions you can make. It’s about finding not just a professional, but a partner. I want you to feel that, if we choose to work together, you are entering into a unique partnership where your child’s growth is my singular focus.

In this next chapter of my career, I am prioritising passion over pace, depth over breadth, and meaningful connections over a packed schedule. I am here to work with families who are ready for a truly collaborative and transformative experience. If you are seeking a level of care that goes beyond the standard, an approach that is both highly experienced and deeply personal, I would be honoured to speak with you.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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READ MORE The art of selective care: My journey as a semi-retired private therapist