Let’s Talk Speech with Cassie and Chloe

When it comes to supporting children with communication challenges, the journey can feel overwhelming. But for two passionate speech pathologists, Cassie and Chloe - it’s a journey they’re proud of. With a shared vision of delivering fun, family-focused, evidence-based therapy, they’ve created a clinic where no two days look the same - and that’s exactly the way they like it. In this interview, they share what inspired them to pursue speech pathology, the conditions they most commonly see, and why early intervention can make all the difference.

Thanks for chatting today! Tell us - how did you and Chloe meet?

We met while studying speech pathology and found we were both passionate about the same things when it came to providing speech pathology intervention – family centred, evidence-based practice in a fun environment!

What inspired you both to become speech pathologists?

We were both drawn to the large scope of practice and varied, play-based nature of paediatric speech pathology. No two work days are the same for us - every client’s goals are different, the therapy approaches used to treat every presenting case differs, and there are numerous ways to make therapy fun. Who would choose to sit behind a desk all day staring at a computer when you could be interacting with young people and their families in a fun way instead?! The relationships we get to build with our clients and their families is an added bonus.

Sounds fun! What conditions do you most commonly see at your clinic?

We support a lot of children with Autism and are often asked by parents to help with navigating an NDIS application. Many of the children we work with have speech sound difficulties, stuttering, or a language delay, with literacy clients also common. Speech pathologists can help with so many things! It is amazing how often a language difficulty can impact a child’s behaviour or academic progress.

What’s a common misconception about speech pathology?

People often think that speech pathologists only help those with a lisp or a stutter but we do so much more! We love supporting families to achieve their goals, no matter what they may be. We love supporting families through a wide range of speech and communication challenges, including language delays, learning support, enhancing social communication, empowering non-speaking individuals to express themselves, and guiding parents and caregivers

What would you say to any parent who is worried about their child’s speech and language development?

Seek out support, as early intervention is key. A speech pathologist can help you understand how your child should be communicating and can provide strategies or a plan of where to go if difficulties are identified. Sometimes children just need a little bit of help to catch up. Speech Pathology Australia have wonderful communication milestones on their website which can help parents identify things they can expect to see in children from 12 months – 5 years of age.

Are there ways to make therapy engaging and fun, especially for kids?

Definitely! Our team works hard to ensure therapy sessions are fun and engaging so that children leave our clinic feeling excited to come back again. We use play-based therapy to ensure children get the most out of each session, and we always try to incorporate children’s interests into therapy wherever possible. We have many tea parties and are constantly learning the names of new Pokémon.

How do you stay updated with best practices in your field?

Our team are constantly reviewing current evidence and participating in training sessions and professional development to ensure we are using the most up to date evidence-based practices.

Reach out to Cassie and Chloe on Inner North Speech Pathology’s website, they are currently running Art Therapy and School Readines sessions.