Owen masters the monkey bars
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services
Our licensed therapists offer a variety of services for children and adolescents. In addition to individual speech/language therapy, play-based psychotherapy, tutoring, and occupational therapy, we also offer social skills groups, camps, and special workshops/classes. Read on to learn more:
Speech and language therapy focuses on the evaluation and treatment of children who have difficulty listening, speaking, reading and/or writing. Our speech language pathologists have experience treating disorders that can effect these areas of communication. Our speech language pathologists are also learning specialists and have extensive experience in working with children with learning differences.
In child therapy, the therapist works to create a non-judgmental atmosphere with clear boundaries in which a child can feel safe to express feelings, identities, and struggles. This environment also facilitates children's development of mastery, coping, and problem-solving skills. Amy uses an eclectic model - drawing on methods and techniques from psychodynamic therapy, child-centered therapy, cognitive/behavioral therapy, and family therapy - adapted to meet the needs of children's presenting problems.
We offer a variety of tutoring services to children in grades K-12. Our speech language pathologists, psychologists and special educators provide support in the areas of reading, writing, skill building, organization and executive functioning. Referrals to specific providers are based on each child's individual learning needs.
Occupational therapy helps children gain independence and promotes development of fine motor skills, sensory motor skills, and visual motor skills that children need to function and socialize in their home, school, play, and community environments. Children may benefit from occupational therapy for: self-care skills including feeding, dressing, and grooming; hand strengthening and coordination skills required for activities such as cutting with scissors, coloring, and writing, buttoning, using feeding utensils, etc.; sensory-motor processing and integration; and visual motor and handwriting skills.
summer camp
Intensive Social, Communication, and Sensory Motor Therapeutic Intensive Camp, for children ages 5 - 10 years old.
| Summer 1 | August 3 - 7, 2020 | 8:30am - 1:30pm |
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| Summer 2 | August 10 - 14, 2020 | 8:30am - 1:30pm |
| Summer 3 | August 17 - 21, 2020 | 8:30am - 1:30pm |
The tuition for the Summer one week sessions is $750.
In these week-long programs, children will work in small groups, according to age,with licensed therapists (Clinical Social Worker, Speech/ Language Pathologist and/ or Occupational Therapist) to promote skills in a fun, playful atmosphere.
about
Speak, Learn, & Play, LLC was founded in 2013 by Jennifer Volpe, CCC-SLP and Amy Weber, LCSW. Started initially to meet the communication, learning, and social/emotional needs of children and families, Speak, Learn, & Play has quickly grown to offer myriad services including speech/language therapy, tutoring, social skills groups, child psychotherapy/play therapy, occupational therapy, and therapeutic camps. Using a collaborative model and state-of-the-art techniques, we strive to treat the whole child. Please read on to learn more about the talented therapists that make up Speak, Learn, and Play:
Amy
Amy Weber is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families, both as an administrator and a clinician. Amy has completed the Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy training program at William Alanson White, and is also trained in DIR/Floortime. She is co-founder of Speak, Learn, and Play. Amy sees children for play therapy, and conducts social skills groups.
Jennifer
Jennifer Volpe is a New York State licensed speech pathologist with over 10 years of experience and the founder of Manner of Speaking. She holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCCs) from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) and is certified as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD). She is also a certified learning specialist through the American Academy of Learning Specialists. Jennifer provides speech and language therapy in all areas with a focus on language based learning disabilities. Jennifer works with children ages birth to adolescents. Trainings include certification in Wilson Reading System, Additional trainings include PROMPT, Visualizing and Verbalizing, Therapeutic Listening and Basic Writing Skills.
Cristina
Cristina Septien, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist. She graduated from Amherst College (Theater and English), and earned her master's degree in Occupational Therapy from NYU. With specialties in sensory integration, handwriting, and reflex integration, she has worked in preschools, elementary schools, and sensory gyms, as well as in private settings. She has trained in programs such as Handwriting Without Tears and The Alert Program, and has helped to establish enrichment camps for special needs students. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two kids.
Kristin
Kristin Short, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), provides individual therapy and group counseling, as well as play therapy to children and adolescents in Manhattan & Brooklyn. In addition to facilitating after school social skills groups, she is an independent provider in both public and private schools, working as a school counselor. She earned a Master’s degree in Counseling from The Johns Hopkins University. Kristin has been practicing for over 12 years, specializing in working with children who struggle with emotional/mood regulation, ADHD, behavioral issues, aggression, depression and anxiety. She strongly believes that effective communication and collaboration among the parents / caregivers, other providers and school staff gives children a greater chance to gain confidence and become more self-aware, making behavior modification possible. Kristin is a mom of 2 children, aged 6 and 8.
Alyssa
Alyssa Fagan has worked as an occupational therapist with children and their families, ages birth through 21, since 1999. She utilizes a holistic approach to target challenges in occupational performance in a variety of environmental and temporal contexts. Specifically, she addresses sensory processing skills, motor development and acquisition, visual perception, executive functioning, and adaptive functions. Alyssa has delivered services in public and private school settings, homes, outpatient clinics, and day care centers. She has also served as a consultant to schools, providing recommendations for program development, student-specific services, and inservices to staff. Alyssa has a passion for working with teams and promoting interprofessional collaboration in various contexts. She earned her post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy in 2016. More recently in 2019, she wrote a chapter regarding best practices for occupational therapy in non-public schools and homeschooling published through the American Occupational Therapy Association Press. In addition to her work at Speak Learn and Play, Alyssa works at Cooke School & Institute, a private school for students with special needs, as the Grammar School Department Chair of Occupational Therapy. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, hiking, biking, reading, cooking, crafting, traveling, petting her cat, and spending time with her husband.
Becky
Becky Thomas attended SUNY Cortland where she achieved her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. After working as a first grade ICT teacher in a Brooklyn Public School she began her master’s in Infancy and Family Development with Early Childhood Special Education from Bank Street College. Since graduating she has worked with Head Start and as a SEIT throughout the city. She helped found the Meeting House Jr’s social skills program and worked at the Bank Street Buddies social skills program. Becky also provides professional development to other SEITs and teachers while always expanding her repertoire of teaching tools.
Krista
Krista Wilbur has over 10 years of experience working with children with special needs through Bank Street College of Education. Krista has a range of experience including as a classroom teacher, a SEIT, and SEIT supervisor. She has also led social groups for children 2-5 years old for over three years. She received her Masters in Education from Bank Street College where she studied Infant and Parent Development Early Childhood and Special Education. She also has her certification in DIR/Floortime. One of Krista’s main objectives is to create meaningful experiences for each individual child. Krista’s interest in yoga and mindful practices inform her work and these practices are used to connect children with their inner strengths. She enjoys finding these foundational elements and working with them to aid personal growth. She is a parent of two young children and lives in Brooklyn NY.
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contact
Speak, Learn, & Play
540 President Street, Ste. 2D
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Tel: (347) 457-5900
Fax: (347) 457-5653
social skills groups
Social Skills Groups
This is an opportunity to provide your child with a set of skills to navigate social situations in their everyday life. The group will be selected specifically to meet your child’s needs. Each group will be planned and focused on skills such as flexibility, frustration tolerance, perspective taking, stress coping, anxiety/anger management, self regulation, assertiveness, conflict resolution skills, confidence and more.
Facilitated Play Dates
You bring a friend, we'll provide the fun! This is a wonderful way to help your child navigate play dates with the guidance of a special educator. The therapist plans and guides the sessions and the focus of the session may be on building tools for flexibility, frustration tolerance, perspective taking, stress coping, anxiety/anger management, self regulation, assertiveness, conflict resolution skills, confidence and more. Each session includes your child and a friend you choose to bring. This assists students through guides and models of pro-social skills in a playful and relaxed setting. The more natural the context is, the better. This is ideal for kids who might not be quite ready for a larger social skills group.
Apply for Social Skills Group