What is speech therapy?

Lightning Bug uses techniques and exercises to help your child:

• Express their wants, needs, and ideas

• Understand a broader range of vocabulary and follow directions

• Say their sounds with greater clarity and be better understood by others

• Build engagement with others during play

• Understand and express their emotions and intentions

• Navigate social situations through a neurodiversity-affirming lens

• Build and apply skills necessary for reading

• Develop self-advocacy skills

• And more

The needs of your child always come first, so we’ll cover all of your questions and concerns during your initial free consultation.

Will my child grow out of this?

This depends on a lot of factors, but the earlier your child can get evaluated, the sooner we can create a roadmap to achievable goals. It never hurts to reach out if you have any concerns about your child's speech and language development. We can talk through your observations in greater detail and determine if speech therapy would be beneficial for your family.

What areas of Portland do you serve?

Currently, Lightning Bug conducts telehealth and in-home visits to most of Northeast, Southeast, and East Portland, OR. Feel free to ask if you are unsure if you are in our service range.

How does an in-home visit work?

It means I’ll come to you!

Many children have a stronger response to speech-language services when they are in a space that feels comfortable and familiar to them. This can also help families simplify the logistics for receiving services.

What payment options do I have? Do you take insurance?

Lightning Bug is out-of-network with all insurance providers.

Fortunately, by operating as an out-of-network service, we have much more flexibility to individualize services specifically to your child’s needs—without the rigid and complicated guidelines that insurance companies often adhere to.

We can provide you with a monthly Superbill that can be submitted to your insurance company, as some insurance companies will provide partial or full reimbursement for out-of-network service providers.

It is highly recommended that you contact your insurance prior to beginning services.

Where will we have our evaluation and individual sessions?

Lightning Bug currently provides two options for services—telehealth visits (online via Zoom) and in-home visits (where I travel to you).

Evaluations are typically conducted in-person, but subsequent sessions can be done via either option. During the consultation, we’ll work together to determine what schedule and medium works best for your individual family’s schedule and language service needs.

Does my child need to have an evaluation? Can we just start therapy right away?

To best serve the current needs of your child, an evaluation is required prior to starting therapy.

An exception can be made if your child has received a speech and language evaluation in the past six months, the report is available for review, and it contains enough information on your child’s relevant services.

What is play-based therapy?

Some of the skills we work on in speech therapy can be challenging. But we can still keep things fun and light. Research has shown that providing intervention through play is an effective way to keep children engaged, and an important way to make what the child is learning meaningful to them. I will learn about your child’s favorites and interests, so that the work we do is personalized and fun.

What does a strength-based approach mean?

When we take a strength-based approach to care, we highlight a child’s amazing strengths, passions, and interests, rather than just focusing on deficits, difficulties and challenges. When we embrace and celebrate a child’s differences, this allows that child to grow confidence, which is essential for their development.

What does a neurodiversity affirming approach mean?

Neurodiversity is a term that means that brain differences are naturally occurring in humans. Someone who is neurodivergent (such as someone that is Autistic or has ADHD) has a brain that works differently from that of an “average” or neurotypical person. Neurodiversity affirming care means that these brain differences are to be celebrated! We work on highlighting an individual's strengths, while finding ways to navigate this world that has been created for the neurotypical population.

How long will my child be in speech therapy?

Every child is has different goals and needs. Once an evaluation is complete, we’ll discuss the results and create goals together, and these goals will help us determine an estimated timeline.

How long are sessions?

Initial evaluations typically run 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Individual sessions are 25 minutes or 50 minutes.

What are your hourly rates? Do you offer reduced rates?

Please contact me for more information on rates at lightningbugpdx@gmail.com.

We do offer a limited number of reduced rate time slots available—based on financial need. Please check with your insurance provider about out-of-network insurance reimbursement before requesting a reduced rate slot.