Practical Speech Therapy

🌟 Building Experience with Mild–Moderate TBI 🌟

At Practical Speech Therapy, we’ve been expanding our work with individuals recovering from mild–moderate traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — and it’s been incredibly rewarding. Supporting clients as they regain communication, memory, and cognitive-communication skills is one of the most meaningful parts of what we do. 💬🧠

✨ Surprising TBI Fact:
Even a mild TBI can affect skills like word-finding, processing speed, organization, and social communication — areas you might not expect until they start impacting everyday life. Speech therapy plays a HUGE role in helping rebuild these abilities.
If you or someone you know is navigating life after a TBI, you’re not alone — and speech therapy can make a real difference. 💜

Looking for the best speech therapy options near you in Atlanta? Our newest blog has all the tips you need! Link in Bio

Why Choose Practical Speech Therapy in Atlanta, Georgia

If you’re looking for speech therapy near me in Atlanta, Practical Speech Therapy offers the personal, individualized care that sets it apart. Unlike larger clinics, Practical Speech Therapy is a solo practitioner office, meaning you’ll work directly with the same therapist from start to finish.

Here’s what makes Practical Speech Therapy unique:
    •    Personalized Attention – From the very first phone consultation through your last session, your care is never rushed or cookie-cutter.
    •    Compassionate Support – Your concerns are heard, respected, and woven into every step of the therapy process.
    •    Tailored Therapy Plans – Sessions are designed around your goals, not a standard program.

Practical Speech Therapy provides services for both children and adults in Atlanta, including:
    •    Speech therapy for autism
    •    Strategies and support for ADHD
    •    Rehabilitation for brain injury
    •    Speech sound, language, and communication therapy across all ages

At Practical Speech Therapy, therapy isn’t just about reaching milestones—it’s about building confidence, connection, and communication skills that last a lifetime. With responsive communication, caring support, and a focus on your unique goals, therapy becomes a true partnership.

I’m excited to share that I’ve opened up an additional day in my schedule to welcome new speech-language therapy clients!

I offer in-person services at two convenient locations:

📍 Atlanta, GA at The Battery (near Smyrna/Marietta)

📍 Alpharetta, GA near Halycon

💻 Teletherapy is also available for clients throughout Georgia.

My practice is grounded in a neurodivergent-affirming approach, specializing in support for both children AND adults in the following areas:

Gestalt Language Processing

Executive Functioning

Language Processing Disorders

Social Communication Challenges/Differences

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy

Communication Skill Development

Sessions are highly individualized to support each client’s unique needs, strengths, and communication style.

If you know a client or family who could benefit from this type of therapy, I’d love to connect. Referrals can be sent directly, or feel free to share my contact information below.

Brittany Avera, M.A., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
📍 Alpharetta, GA | Atlanta, GA (near Smyrna)
💻 Teletherapy Available
📧 [email protected]
📞 678-813-8751
🌐 www.practicalspeech.com

Practical Speech Therapy recently took Kelly Mahler's Interoception Course. Check out the blog post on www.practicalspeech.com.

Ways to Incorporate Interoception into Speech Therapy
1. Introduce Body-Sensation Check-Ins
What to do: Start sessions with a brief body check-in. Ask questions like, “How does your stomach feel right now?” or “Is your heart beating fast or slow?”
Why it works: This primes clients to tune into their internal signals and connect them to descriptive language.
Example: Use visuals like body maps or diagrams for younger clients to identify where they feel sensations.

2. Use Emotion-Sensory Charts
What to do: Create charts linking emotions (e.g., happy, nervous, angry) to physical sensations (e.g., butterflies in the stomach, tense shoulders).
Why it works: Builds vocabulary and strengthens the ability to describe feelings using sensory-based language.
Example: Pair emotion cards with descriptions like “My cheeks feel hot when I’m embarrassed” to solidify understanding.

3. Incorporate Interoception into Narrative Language
What to do: During storytelling activities, encourage clients to describe what a character might feel in their body during specific events.
Why it works: Develops perspective-taking and emotional reasoning, key for social communication.
Example: “If the character is scared, what might they feel in their chest or stomach?”

4. Develop Coping Plans Using Interoceptive Cues
What to do: Teach clients to identify a sensation, name it, and develop a response.
Why it works: Supports self-regulation and problem-solving skills.
Example: “If you notice your stomach feels tight, what could you do? Take a deep breath, get a drink of water, or ask for a break.”

5. Use Movement Activities to Reinforce Awareness
What to do: Incorporate yoga poses, breathing exercises, or mindfulness activities that promote connection with internal signals.
Why it works: Physical activities often enhance awareness of the body’s sensations.
Example: Have clients notice their breathing before and after a calming exercise and describe the difference.

Focus on Function, LLC, my amazing office partners are hiring an OT! Please reach out to them if you are interested in working part or full-time. They are kind, compassionate, and supportive! You would be LUCKY to join this team!

Reminder - we are hiring! Full time and part time position available for immediate start. Will work at both Cu***ng and Alpharetta locations. Please spread the word! Our waitlist is growing and there are so many kids in need that we are trying to serve.

Cooking Up Communication: The Benefits of Using Cooking in Adult Speech Therapy https://wix.to/Xt1JpbV

New Blog Post Cooking Up Communication: The Benefits of Using Cooking in Speech Therapy

Practical Speech Therapy sees adults! We have immediate openings at our Marietta location. Learn more here: New Blog Post

New Blog Post Speech Therapy for Adults: How do Speech-Language Pathologists help adults?

New Blog Post: Job Interview Skills

Check it out at www.practicalspeech.com

New Blog Post Let's Work on Job Interview Skills!

Interview with a Gestalt Language Processor Adult

Graciela is a 20-year-old client who uses a variety of ways to communicate including speech, a communication device with speech output, typing, and spelling on a letterboard. She is a Gestalt Language Processor (GLP).

She was given the interview questions to complete at home in hopes of gaining a better understanding of the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) approach. She answered the below interview questions using a letterboard to spell out the words and sentences. For more information and background on the NLA approach.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this interview is to gain an understanding of the client's and parent’s perspectives on the NLA approach. It is not to discredit other speech therapy approaches. Traditional speech therapy is appropriate for analytic language processors and others alike.

Read the full interview on Practical Speech Therapy's Blog at www.practicalspeech.com or https://www.practicalspeech.com/post/interview-with-an-adult-client-inside-scoop-of-the-natural-language-acquisition-nla-approach

New Blog Post Interview with an Adult Speech Therapy Client about the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) Approach

Online Shopping During Speech Therapy!

This week we used online shopping to target ALL sorts of speech/language skills! We used Doordash for grocery shopping and ordering food and Amazon for ordering household items and clothes. It was so fun and practical!

-Categorizing - Identify items in a category, and label items in a category.

-Expressive Language - State what we want for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, state our likes and dislikes, and describe the food.

-Problem-solving - We only have $50 to spend on groceries and we are up to $75 in the cart. What do we do? The delivery driver cannot find your house. What do you do?

-Executive Functioning - Plan out the weekly meals, budget, and list out the steps to making dinner and ordering food.

Check out my blog on my website for more ideas! www.practicalspeech.com

New Blog Post Online Shopping During Speech Therapy!

Gestalt Language Processing: It's Never Too Late!

New Blog Post

Check out my blog on my website www.practicalspeech.com to learn some practical ways how to use Amazon Echo in Speech Therapy!

New Blog Post Let's Use Amazon Echo in Speech Therapy!