About
I'm Laura Geissert, owner of Springboard Speech Therapy. I have extensive experience working with children of all ages in both clinical and school settings with a variety of speech and language disorders, including autism, speech-sound disorders, developmental delay, stuttering, childhood apraxia of speech, down syndrome, hearing impairment, and cleft palate. I am trained in the Lidcombe Program for Early Intervention for Children Who Stutter.
I opened Springboard Speech Therapy in an effort to provide fun, effective, and evidence-based speech therapy to preschool children who stutter. I am passionate about working closely with the parents of children who stutter to develop a program that aligns with their family values and provides maximum benefit. I work hard to ensure that communication skills improve in the least amount of time possible and are carried over to the home, school, and community.
My treatment plan is flexible and can be adapted to fit the needs of my clients and their families. I use an integrated approach to treating preschool stuttering, combining indirect and direct treatment methods that are supported by the most up-to-date research.
What I Do
I offer convenient in-home and telehealth appointments for children who stutter and their families. In the comfort of your own home, I am able to observe your child and you in your natural environment, which is vital for providing effective treatment.
Treatment for preschool stuttering includes assessment, treatment planning, goal setting, parent coaching, observation, and direct treatment time with your child. Parents are given extensive training in how to provide treatment on a daily basis, and are empowered to make decisions confidently when changes in fluency are observed. Throughout the duration of treatment, I am available via phone or email to troubleshoot any difficulties that arise.
Once fluent speech has been achieved, the treatment program is adjusted to allow for maintenance. Treatment sessions decrease gradually in order to ensure that your child is successfully maintaining fluent speech over time.
The Lidcombe Program
The Lidcombe Program is a direct behavioral therapy used in the treatment of children aged 3-6 who stutter. In clinical trials, the Lidcombe Program has been shown to be an effective early intervention program for stuttering.
The Lidcombe Program consists of two stages. In Stage One, parents are trained in providing treatment in the home environment during daily practice sessions and natural conversation. During Stage One, there are weekly sessions with a clinician, who provides support to the family and works directly with the child. Stage One continues until fluent speech has been achieved and maintained for a few weeks. In Stage Two, the focus of treatment is on maintaining fluent speech over time. Sessions with the clinician are gradually faded, given that fluent speech is maintained. Stage Two ensures that any relapses in stuttering can be addressed immediately and effectively, with support from the clinician.
