TESTIMONIALS
Success Stories from Our Community
At Speak to Connect, our community’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of dedicated speech therapy. These success stories reflect the commitment we make to each individual who walks through our doors. From children discovering their voices to adults overcoming communication barriers, our clients’ achievements speak volumes about the possibilities that our therapies can unlock.
Sarah is phenomenal! Her structured approach and creative methods helped our 11-year-old son master his articulation. Her constant encouragement and practical exercises were pivotal to his success. We wholeheartedly recommend her!
When a friend referred me to Jessica (Salas) Vario to help me with my stuttering, I was skeptical. Three other speech therapists had failed me. But I trusted this friend and thus I put my trust in Jessica. What I soon realized was that this was not going to be traditional therapy, where the therapist is in that classic metaphorical position of sitting “above” the patient. This was going to be two people on a journey together. I knew nearly instantly this is exactly what I needed. I now have the tools to manage my stutter and have been able to advance myself in my personal and professional life. Jessica is one of the kindest, most compassionate, and understanding people I know.
-Jeremy
Between applying for Early Intervention and preschool special education, we were no strangers to the process of having our son assessed for language/speech issues. From the initial evaluation meeting at Speak to Connect, it was clear we were dealing with next-level professionals. Jessie related so well to our son and immediately honed in on his most salient strengths and weaknesses. The evaluation writeup we received was more precise and illuminating than any of the many others we’d gotten over the previous year, and demonstrated a keen, deeply perceptive and empathetic understanding of what he needed most. Over the last year and a half, our son has gone from barely stringing two words together to speaking in full sentences, cracking jokes, and clearly expressing his “big feelings.” I know this is in large part due to the insight and attention from his speech therapists, Rachel and Sarah, who have adapted lessons to meet him where he’s at and build his abilities, one atop another. After each session, Sarah has taken time to discuss his progress and we even travel from the east side to West Village to continue ongoing care with Rachel. Therapy has ranged from articulation practice to help him pronounce and enunciate properly to role-playing, working with a peer and engaging in abstract thinking. What’s more, sessions have led to a marked improvement in his behavior. With patience and thoughtfulness, Rachel has taught him — and us — useful, lasting strategies for handling emotional dysregulation. We could not be happier with the progress and results we’ve seen. And we know our son is happier, too.
-Amanda
Solamente tengo agradecimiento hacia Jessie, gracias a ella mi hijo empezó a hablar tanto en inglés como en español de manera fluida, pudo expresarse más y mejor, tener más seguridad para integrarse de mejor manera con sus amigos. Tuvimos el apoyo de Jessie de manera integral, con ejercicios para reforzar fuera de la terapia en conjunto con la escuela para estar en el mismo canal y poder apoyar en las áreas que hacían falta. Semana a semana veíamos un cambio gigante en la evolución de su habla, Mi hijo sigue queriendo ir a jugar con Jessie, todos la extrañamos.
-Claudia
Sarah is amazing! She began working with our son at about 18 months when he had minimal words and was using mostly gestures to communicate. She was very organized, creative, and patient with him… he’s a very active toddler and she was calm even when he had tantrums. Moreover, she engages the parents and gives them insight on methods that can be used at home to augment her sessions. Our son is now almost 4 years and he’s able to speak in sentences and have a simple conversation with us! The only reason we’re not continuing with her is that we’ve now moved out of state and need to seek services that are more local. My husband and I highly recommend Sarah to anyone in search of speech therapy for their child.
-Reid Family
Not only is my son thrilled to see Rachel, but we get a step-by-step insight into what goes on in their session. He enjoys sharing the work they are doing and is excited about his progress. Rachel is Marvelous and keeps my sons interested and current.
My only regret is that I did not get Richie involved sooner. Speech to connect is a life-changing experience for us.
-Richard
Sarah’s expertise shone brightly, even during remote sessions amid Covid. She skillfully kept our 5-year-old engaged and provided clear takeaways after each session. Her approach not only improved our son’s skills but prepared him for subsequent lessons. We are grateful for her dedication!
Jessica (Salas) Vario is hands down the best! She makes speech therapy fun and playful and something that my kids actually look forward to. My son was showing delays as a baby, and in just a couple sessions, Jessica brought him from one word to 10. I was blown away, especially since our visits were done virtually. The results achieved via telehealth far exceeded my expectations. And not only is she incredible with kids, she is also a joy to work with, which is a huge plus for me and my husband. Speak to Connect provides a stellar experience, from A to Z, and I highly recommend Jessica to anyone in need of a speech pathologist for their child or children!
-Taylor
Jessie worked with my son for two years, and although their work together was largely remote, Jessie displayed an unparalleled warmth, patience and kindness in every interaction. She established rapport with my son easily, and was an enthusiastic collaborator with me and with his teachers. Jessie is a responsive and attuned provider, and a gifted language therapist – my son looked forward to sessions with Jessie every week, and even through the virtual format, she was able to engage him easily through her creativity and energy. Jessie is an extremely skilled clinician – in their two years together, my son’s skills and confidence blossomed. My husband and I are truly grateful to have crossed paths with Jessie, and we offer our highest recommendation of her to any family who is in need of speech services for their child.
-Monica
I worked with Sarah for dialect work for an upcoming performance and she was FANTASTIC. She’s knowledgeable and so gracious in her approach. I definitely recommend Sarah!
-Psacoya
Sarah is great! I sing in a band and I found myself losing my voice a lot after performing. We worked on my technique and I’m already seeing improvement after only one session. Highly recommend!
-Aaron
Zoe is our first so we had no idea what to expect when the toddler years arrived, my husband and I work full-time and also have Zoe’s younger sibling to care for so we felt overwhelmed with how best to create habits that enable positive language and behavioral development. Thankfully Jessica offered us practical and effective coaching giving my husband and I the tools we needed to support (and continue to support) Zoe in her early childhood development. Being a parent is not easy and Jessica’s empathetic style made us feel comfortable and empowered. Our family is lucky to have had Jessica in our corner and what we have learned from her we will be able to build on with our second who is now approaching this challenging and important stage of her early childhood!
-The Moore Family
Jessica is god sent. She’s worked with all three of my kids from Early Intervention through the school years. She’s been so accommodating and adaptable to each of my children’s individual delays/ challenges. She’s accommodated sensory input, extended response time, ASD, and also worked very closely with the other therapists/ providers ranging from Occupational therapists to ABA therapists. She cares and is invested in our children’s growth and development. Jessica has also participated in and helped advocate for my children’s Annual IEP and Turning 5 meetings. She’s a powerhouse of a therapist, team player in the support system my kids have, and just a great person to know. Jessica is also super organized and is flexible when possible. She really does try the make it as easy and workable as possible for the families and clients. I can’t say enough good things about Jessica and her work. We need more people like Jessica to work with our kids and families.
-Teuta
I can’t express enough how grateful I am for the help I received from Sarah Van Auken. She’s not just a speech pathologist, she’s a vocal superhero! Right from the start, it was clear that Sarah knew her stuff. She explained everything in a way that made sense to me, and her knowledge of how the voice works was very impressive. But what really blew me away was her patience. Dealing with vocal issues can be frustrating and debilitating. She stuck with me through every question, every doubt, and every small win. Sarah always had a positive vibe that made me believe in myself. It’s one thing to get professional help, but it’s another to have someone cheering you on every step of the way. She truly made the journey way less scary. What sets Sarah apart is that she genuinely cares. You’re not just another client; you’re someone she’s committed to helping. Thanks to Sarah, my major vocal issues are history. I never thought I’d say this, but I actually enjoyed the process. The learnings are helping me in my career as well. If you’re dealing with vocal problems and want someone who is not just smart but also patient and reassuring, Sarah is the real deal. I can’t recommend her enough!
-Stephanie
Your experiences inspire and drive us. If Speak to Connect has played a role in your speech and communication journey, we would be honored to share your story.
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