Speech Pathology
Our Speech Pathology Services
We are interested in supporting the following areas:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder and Social-Communication Difficulties: Enhancing communication skills and social interactions.
- Speech and Language Difficulties: Improving articulation, fluency, and expressive/receptive language abilities.
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Providing tools and strategies for effective communication.
- Literacy: Addressing reading, spelling, and writing challenges.
- Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) Management: Offering strategies and interventions to manage CAPD.
- Swallowing and Communication Management: Supporting patients with swallowing and communication issues due to stroke, dementia, and Parkinson’s Disease.
At Alpaca Speech pathology, we offer comprehensive speech pathology services to address a variety of communication and swallowing challenges. Our dedicated team of certified speech pathologists is committed to helping individuals improve their quality of life through personalised therapy plans.
Our multidisciplinary approach also includes occupational therapy and music therapy to ensure holistic support for our clients.
Contact us today to learn how our speech pathology services can help you or your loved one achieve better communication and swallowing health.
We provide face-to-face consultation at the clinic and clients’ homes and schools.
Telehealth is also available.
Meet the Speech Pathology Team:
Joyleen Armer
Joyleen is the founder of Alpaca Allied Health and a certified practising speech pathologist.
As a former linguistics lecturer and English teacher, Joyleen is keen on helping clients struggling with both language and communication skills. She enjoys the challenges that every client brings and uses a multidisciplinary method in treating her clients, whereby she works with teachers, psychologists and other health professionals to achieve the best outcomes for her clients.
Collaborating with her colleagues, Joyleen also provides support to clients with swallowing and communication difficulties at aged care and supported residential services. Joyleen also treats adolescents and adults who have stuttering issues.
Joyleen can speak Mandarin, Japanese, English and Shanghai Dialect.
Joyleen’s areas of interest:
- Adult and Adolescent Stuttering and Communication
- Language (Higher Order Language)
- Literacy (Sounds-Write Certified Practitioner)
- Social Skills (Adolescents and Young Adults)
- Parents Education and Information Counselling
Joyleen’s Qualifications:
- Bachelor of English Language and Education
- Graduate Certificate of Education
- Master of Speech Pathology
- Master of Applied Linguistics
Nan Shiels
Nan is a speech pathologist and teacher who has over 30 years’ experience working with primary and secondary school students who have speech, language and literacy difficulties.
For the majority of this time she worked at Rossbourne School where she developed specialised programs to assist older students with diverse learning needs, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, dyslexia and language disorder.
Nan is also a registered teacher and highly values her capacity to work collaboratively with colleagues, families and teachers to achieve the best outcomes for all.
Nan’s areas of interest:
- Literacy and reading difficulty
- Development of writing using ‘Talk for Writing’ program
- Social skills development
Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Applied Science- Speech Science
- Diploma of Education- VIT registration
Kay Fung
Kay is a speech pathologist dedicated to building meaningful connections with clients and their families. With a strong focus on nurturing intention and interest in communication, Kay creates a supportive and engaging environment where clients feel empowered to express themselves.
Experienced in working with children and teenagers, Kay uses a fun and holistic approach tailored to each client’s unique needs. Therapy is designed to be collaborative, working closely with families and support networks to ensure progress that lasts beyond the clinic.
Kay can speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Kay’s areas of interest:
- Early childhood intervention (1-5 years old)
- Social-communication difficulties
- Neurodiversity affirming practice
- Gestalt language processing
- Augmentative and alternative communication / multimodal communication
- Trauma-informed practice
Kay’s qualifications:
- Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Language Technology
- Master of Speech Pathology
Lachlan Andrews
Lachlan is a certified practising speech pathologist, who has experience working with clients across the lifespan.
Lachlan has had recent experience working within residential aged care facilities, supporting adult clients with their communication and swallowing needs. Lachlan enjoys implementing a multidisciplinary approach with clients and enjoys working closely with families and other health professionals to achieve person centred goals. Additionally, Lachlan is passionate about providing education and advocating for the speech pathology profession through quality improvement tasks.
Lachlan also has experience and enjoys working with children, supporting language, speech and social communication goals.
Apart from speech pathology, Lachlan holds a degree in linguistics and has been involved with research related to linguistics and speech pathology throughout his studies.
Lachlan’s areas of interest:
- Communication and swallowing needs for adults with acquired conditions (stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia).
- Speech, language and social communication support for children
- Literacy (Sounds-Write Certified Practitioner)
Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Arts majoring in Linguistics
- Master of Speech Pathology
Tzippy Blecher
Tzippy is a certified practising speech pathologist with prior experience working with primary school children as a literacy support teacher. She is passionate about collaborating in multidisciplinary teams to holistically support children and their families in achieving the best functional outcomes.
Tzippy’s areas of interest:
- Literacy support for school-aged children
- Speech, Language, and social communication supports
- Stuttering
Qualifications:
- Master of Speech Pathology
- Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology
- Diploma of Graphic Design
Jessica Hsu
Jessica is a certified practising speech pathologist who is dedicated to supporting individuals in enhancing their communication skills and achieving their full potential.
Jessica values a client-centred approach, engaging closely with clients and their families to create therapy plans that align with each individual’s specific needs and goals.
Alongside her speech pathology qualifications, Jessica’s background in linguistics strengthens her ability to assess and treat communication challenges with a comprehensive understanding of language development.
Appointments are available in English and Mandarin.
Jessica’s areas of interest:
- Communication and swallowing support for adults
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Bilingualism
- Speech, language and social communication support for children
Qualifications:
- Master of Speech Pathology
- Bachelor of Arts majoring in Linguistics
