Welcome to Our Clinic
Located in the heart of downtown Alliston, the homelike atmosphere allows client’s the comforts of home with all the clinic needs, to make assessment and treatment professional.
Meet the Team
C. Amy Van Leeuwen, C.D.A, B.A.,M.A., Reg. CASLPO – Speech Language Pathologist
Amy Van Leeuwen, is the owner of Simcoe Speech Clinic and a registered member of the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO). Amy completed her undergraduate work in Psychology at Trent University, continued into the Post Graduate Communicative Disorders Assistant (CDA) program at Georgian College, and worked as a CDA before returning to complete her Master’s degree in Speech Pathology at Central Michigan University, in 2000. She has worked in the public sector with the Simcoe and York preschool speech programs, Adult rehabilitation programs at RVH and SLRHCC, and also the Autism behavioural team within the York School board, after combining both public and private practice for many years she made the jump to provide more effective, intensive private service to clients, serving the York and Simcoe areas. The Simcoe Speech Clinic is located downtown Alliston, which has been Amy’s hometown since childhood. Amy has been certified in Hanen early language programs, PROMPT, LOUD, ABA and most recently completing PRT certification. She studied in Michigan to be qualified in Fibroendoscopic evaluation of Swallowing (FEEs) as well as additional training in Mental Health First Aid and other crisis prevention training. Amy has strong, positive ties to the community and enjoys working in combination with local daycares, Early ON centres, school staff and Sick Kids hospital. Amy supports the CDA programs at Durham and Georgian College and was a previous faculty member at Georgian College. She is a proud supporter of the local high schools supporting volunteers and coop placements.
Laura Cooper, M.Cl.Sc., SLP(C), Reg. CASLPO – Speech Language Pathologist
Laura Cooper is a registered member of the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO) and Speech Audiology Canada (SAC). Laura completed her undergraduate work in Health Sciences with a Minor in Linguistics at Western University in 2011. She then continued into Speech-Language Pathology, completing her Master’s degree at Western University in 2013. Laura worked in the public sector as a preschool and school-based Speech-Language Pathologist in Northwestern Alberta for seven years, before returning to Alliston where she was born and raised. Laura’s passion for Speech-Language Pathology began by volunteering at Chatterbox Speech Camp with Amy Van Leeuwen, Speech-Language Pathologist, over ten years ago. She has a passion for working with toddlers, preschool-aged and school-aged children, as well as their families. She enjoys helping clients reach their communication potential. Laura is excited to join the Simcoe Speech Clinic team.
Stephanie Parker, BA (Hons), CDA
Stephanie Parker completed her Bachelor of Arts specializing in Kinesiology at Western University in 2019 and her post-graduate diploma in Communicative Assistant Disorders at Georgian College in 2020. She is continuing her studies through Western University in hopes to work towards a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She has experience working with pre-school and adult populations in various settings. Stephanie is interested in continuing her work with pre-school and school aged children with articulation, language and developmental delays.
Taylor Sommer, BA (Hons), CDA
Volunteers
Simcoe Speech Clinic is happy to support high school volunteers as well as college and university students looking for additional experience. We provide references and character letters for all your future endeavors and always welcome hands on support with office duties, creating therapy materials, media support and more! If you would like to see first hand how our clinic operates and you are interested in working with children with speech needs, please email our clinic to get additional information – a vulnerable screen will be requested before contact can be made with clients.
What is Speech Pathology?
Also known as Speech therapy, the ability to provide focus on prevention, identification, assessment, and treatment of speech, language, voice, feeding and swallowing disorders, as well as therapy to improve social communication skills, breath support, cognitive communication skills and more.
Ability to understand spoken and written language, convey ideas verbally and in writing, and communicate in social situations
Articulation (pronunciation) and/or motor speech disorders (coordination and motor control for speech)
Ability to use language and social interaction skills appropriately
Reasoning, problem solving, memory, and organization skills required to communicate effectively
Low and high tech devices to communicate when verbal means is ineffective
To improve stuttering and cluttering
To improve vocal quality (e.g. reduce hoarseness), and breath support
Speech pathologists, are needed when students do not acquire reading and writing skills at the same time as their peers. Research has shown that students must have adequate phonological awareness skills if they are to progress with reading and spelling. They must be able to discriminate among sounds, hear the similarity among sounds, identify the first and final sounds in a word, identify short and long vowels, be able to blend sounds to make a word and break words into individual sounds and syllables for spelling and reading. Research indicates that children with a history of speech and or language problems are “at risk” for literacy difficulties.
What is the difference between SLP and CDA?
Both Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) and Communicative Disorders Assistant (CDA) can help you and your family meet their goals, but their roles and responsibilities are different.
Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) |
Communicative Disorders Assistant (CDA) |
|---|---|
| Masters Degree | Graduate Certificate / Diploma |
| Regulated by College of Audiologist and Speech Language Pathologist (CASLPO) | Not regulated – works under an SLP or Audiologist. SLP will supervise CDA and their therapy with clients (both directly and indirectly) |
| Does assessments, screeners, and consultations | Do screener without interpretation of results, but not assessments |
| Creates therapy goals based on assessments and screener results | Facilitate intervention and treatment goals under supervision of SLP |
| Prepare materials and collect data | Prepare materials and collect data |
| Write formal and informal documentation for client/guardian and others in the circle of care | Assist with written communication to the circle of care including the client/guardian |
| Participating in interdisciplinary teams | Participating in interdisciplinary teams |