I thought I'd pop on to give a little update about how services are looking this fall and winter!  

After a full summer of doing mostly backyard speech therapy, the snow and cold are here, so I've moved inside.  I am primarily doing sessions through telehealth, and this is mostly working really well.  I'm developing some new tricks and a toolbox of digital materials; we're keeping things short, focused, and fun.  I"m learning lots alongside the SLP students I supervise at the University of Alberta, as they are also doing clinical placements on telehealth, and they are seemingly endlessly creative when it comes to activity design.  There are some challenges, for sure—lots of my physical games don't translate well, and it can sometimes be hard to see and hear what a client is doing.  When we're working on developing and practicing clear sounds, this can be especially challenging.  Lots of the strategies I use for sound placement require me to use my ears and eyes as well as a variety of cues to help the client find the right things to do.  In some cases I've found that this work simply has to be in person.  So I am also seeing some clients in my home office, with plenty of precautions and a variety of PPE.  

I've updated my 'Services and Fees' section to fully reflect what's happening here right now.  There will be no Music Together Within Therapy groups until I can have a group of families singing together without masks, since it's so important in that program that we can sing, move freely, and also see each other's mouths.  

I hope that, whatever this winter looks like for you, you are well, healthy, and finding moments of joy.

​- Tegan

I have been thoughtfully considering resuming in-person services, planning, and making preparations, and I now have everything ready to go. Here's how sessions will look at Unison in the next little bit.

In-person services will be at my home office only—no home visits yet. I will also continue doing telehealth/video sessions either for all your sessions or as needed in case anyone is sick or isolating.

For in-person sessions, the following precautions will be in place:

• You will complete a COVID-19 screening before each session. If anyone in your family has symptoms, you will be asked to cancel or move to a video session. There will be no cancelation fee.
• Sessions will be outside in the backyard when client/weather allows.
• Time will be scheduled between sessions to allow for cleaning and so families don't overlap in the waiting area.
• For older clients, a distance of 2 meters will be maintained during treatment. I will be wearing a mask as a general rule. In situations where I need my mouth to be visible, I will maintain a distance of 2 meters. I also have a face shield which could be used in these situations.
• All equipment, toys, and materials will be cleaned and sanitized between clients. Most toys and books have been removed from my office to facilitate cleaning.
• A maximum of one adult will attend with each child. No siblings at this time, please. Parents will be asked to wear a mask for the duration of their visit.
• Hand sanitizer will be available at the door, and the client bathroom is ready with soap and individual towels. Please clean your hands and your child's hands before and after each session.

I'm so looking forward to getting out from behind my computer screen and seeing some of you in person! 

Due to COVID-19, no in-person services are being offered at this time.  I am seeing existing clients via teletherapy, and I'm happy to schedule video consultations for new clients, schedule permitting. Feel free to get in touch.

I am also starting to get inquiries about fall services, and I know that recent funding changes to the PUF program are putting many families in uncertain situations.  I will be trying to see as many families as I can in the fall, and I'm hoping to offer a couple of groups: my Music Together Within Therapy groups for kids birth to 6, but also groups specific to kindergarten students focusing on speech and language goals.  

Feel free to contact me by email any time over the spring and summer to discuss treatment options.

Stay well!

- Tegan

There are puddles on the ground and, although it seems unlikely that we're done with winter, it does seem like a good time to think about spring activities!  I'll be running a Music Together Within Therapy group staring the beginning of April to the end of June.  

Click here for class details!

As always, MTWT groups feature small class sizes, personalized coaching, and a focus on specific speech and language goals appropriate to your child.  All this wrapped up in a background of music and movement activities perfect for young ones!

Click here to read more about the program.

Saturday, August 24
9:30–10:30 a.m.
PINE Integrated Health Centre

​This is a great opportunity to try out a Music Together Within Therapy class to see if it might be a good fit for your family!  Space is limited, so please register by emailing tegan@unisonSLP.com.  

I'm excited to announce that starting in September 2019, Music Together Within Therapy groups will be held at the beautiful PINE Integrated Health Centre studio!  PINE is centrally located, with free parking,  and lots of features that make life easier for families. 

If you haven't yet heard of PINE Integrated Health Centre, they are a "hub of skilled health professionals working in maternal and family physical and mental health."  They offer a huge range of services for moms, families, and their littles, and if you are looking for support in any of these areas, they are definitely worth checking out!   

There will be two class times offered for the fall semester:  9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.  As of right now, there are two spots remaining, so if you're thinking of registering, now is the time!

I will be offering three semesters in the 2019–2020 academic year:
Fall (starting September 2019)
Winter (starting January 2020)
Spring (starting April 2020)

Classes will be Saturday mornings, 9:30–10:30 a.m.

As always, each semester includes one home visit (45 minutes), 10 hour-long group classes, home materials (music book, digital download code, CD), weekly session notes, and a treatment summary at the end of the semester. 

• This program is appropriate for children birth–6 years who are working on speech, language, and communication skills. 
• Siblings (up to 5 years) are always welcome! 
• I will also be accepting registrations from "peer models" (i.e., children with age-appropriate speech and language skills up to 5 years) at the sibling rate.  

If you have any questions or if you want to chat about your family's particular situation, I'm always happy to chat.  You can reach me most easily by email: tegan@unisonSLP.com.  

I've made some changes to schedule and location for next year, based on feedback from families that a morning time was important, since so many little ones nap in the afternoon.  And of course, the last thing I want is to disrupt nap schedules!  Napping for all!  

So next year's groups will be Saturday mornings, 9:30–10:30 a.m. at Meadowlark Professional Building.  If there is sufficient interest, I will also have the option of running an 11 a.m. class.  

This new studio space is warm and welcoming, with plenty of space to move.  It is accessible by elevator, and there is free parking available.  

After nearly six years of providing individual services exclusively in clients' homes, (and, consequently, lots and lots of driving...) I am excited that starting this summer, I will have the option of doing sessions in my home office!  We are in the midst of a basement renovation that will mean, among other things, a bathroom that will be available downstairs for clients and families to use, and a bit or a more organized work space for me.  

I do enjoy working in kids' most comfortable and familiar environments, and I have no intention of giving up home visits entirely.  I know that for some kids and for some families, having someone come to you is the best option.  So starting in July, I'll be offering tiered pricing, to reflect the different costs associated with my traveling to clients.  

Home visits (where I travel to you) will remain at $100 for a 45 minute session.
Office visits (at my home, near Bonnie Doon in Edmonton) will be $90 for a 45 minute session.

I am hopeful that this will give families the ability to choose the best option for them, while also allowing me to see more families and cutting down my driving time.

In July and August this year, I will be working Tuesdays and Wednesdays, afternoon to early evening.  I have a number of families who have been waiting for services, but I'm hopeful that I will be able to accommodate everyone, and I may have some additional room as well.  So if you're looking for speech-language services over the summer, do send me an email, and I'll see what I can do!

I still have space for kids working on speech/language/communication goals (0–6 years, at the "client rate"), or for peer models (0-5 years, typically developing speech and language, charged at the "sibling rate").

More details here:  ​http://www.unisonslp.com/about-mtwt.html

Dates for Music Together Within Therapy (MTWT) groups running in 2019 are now available!  You can find the schedule here:

​MTWT Schedule

​I'll be running one group starting in January, and another in April.