Amanda Klopper Speech Therapy

11/08/2025

29/07/2025

My favourite kind of therapy is speech therapy that just looks like play! So much can happen when you have fun and meet the tamariki where they are

08/05/2025

I've been busy behind the scenes, working with lots of young people. The demand for sessions has continued to grow, and I've found an additional amazing space to use. From this afternoon, I'll be using the Studio at Epic Physio, 1 Worker Road, Wellsford, on Friday afternoons. I'm excited to spend time closer to home and support more gorgeous children and young people.

07/08/2024

Getting ready to head to the Playroom this morning - I am currently supporting so many amazing families, it is such a privilege!

I love these resources from Speech Language Illustrated

27/02/2024

Sometimes my professional and personal lives collide. One of my kiddos is needing an allergy test - so today I have been writing a social story for him to help him understand what to expect and what will happen. It has helped him feel more comfortable and prepared

18/02/2024

School's back! We are already half way through February and this year is flying by. This term I am focusing my work on Thursdays - sessions are starting to book up.

If you would like to have sessions this term, please reach out and we can organise suitable times. As always, happy to work with you and your family however works best for you.

21/11/2023

I have been MIA recently. I have been away in South Africa with my family for an amazing adventure. I am still getting over the jet lag, but will be looking at the diary this week and booking appointments from next week. If you want to book in reach out
amandaklopper.speechtherapy@gmail.com

13/08/2023

I am back using the Mangawhai Osteopathy Playroom every other Thursday. Such a great space to stretch out and move around in

10/08/2023

We have been talking a lot about optimal levels of arousal in my house this week. I have been feeling a bit overstimulated by all the noise, while as one of my Littles has needed noise to get engaged. It has resulted in lots of talking about respecting each other's needs.

This explanation of regulation is another great way to think about energy levels appropriate to the activity.

Wonderful clarification from NeuroWild !

Also, thanks to The Occuplaytional Therapist for adding this explanation—so helpful:

"People often use the word “regulated” as if it is the “intellectual-sounding” synonym for the word “calm”. People also often use the word “dysregulated” as if it is the intellectual-sounding synonym for the word “angry” or “crying” or “tantruming” or whatever else word they might want to use.

Regulated means your energy levels match the task.
Dysregulated means your energy levels do not match the task.

A child laughing hysterically and kicking and squealing and playfighting is not regulated to go to sleep.
A child laughing hysterically and running enthusiastically through an open field outside is perfectly regulated to play outside in a big open field.

Sometimes helping a child regulate means putting them into an environment where their level of energy matches the environment. Sometimes helping a child regulate means helping their body get its needs met so that their energy can match the task that’s up next.

[Image description:
A cartoon drawing of a child running through a field with a yellow kite. Handwritten text next to them reads: REGULATED means your energy levels match the task. It does not mean ‘calm’."

20/07/2023

MEDIA RELEASE: THIS WAS SENT OUT TODAY TO MEDIA OUTLETS

LOOKING FOR A SPEECH-LANGUAGE THERAPIST?
GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!

Speech-language therapists are the next health workforce ‘cab off the rank’ to be struck by growing staff shortages, a problem compounded by the likely closure of Massey University’s Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy programme.

Massey is one of only three universities in New Zealand offering a specific speech-language therapy degree entry programme.

The course trains, on average, 25 speech-language therapists annually, making it a valuable contributor to workforce development.

The university announced recently it may have to close the programme due to financial pressure.

Executive director of the NZ Speech-language Therapists’ Association, Siobhan Molloy, says the possible closure will heap further pressure on an already struggling speech-therapy workforce.

“We are 10 per cent down now on staff across the profession. This will only make things worse.”

Molloy says New Zealand has a tiny speech-language workforce compared to other countries.

New Zealand has almost two-thirds fewer speech-language therapists than the USA on a per-head-of-population basis and less than half that of Australia.

The Kiwi workforce comprises just 20 speech-language therapists for every 100,000 head of the population.

“Our workforce is scrambling now, just like other health professions,” Molloy said.

“And cutting home-grown training places when demand for speech-language therapy services is so high – and climbing quickly - is very difficult to understand.”

The Association has written to the Health Minister urging her to do more to support allied health workforces.

It also plans conversations with Massey to explore options for maintaining the threatened training programme.

“Doctors and nurses may be the most visible sectors under pressure, but that doesn’t mean many other health professions aren’t under just as much if not more strain,” Molloy said.

Contact Daniel Paul at (021) 400-993 for further information.

The New Zealand Speech-language Therapists’ Association (NZSTA) (speechtherapy.org.nz) is the national body representing speech-language therapists, the experts who work with and advocate for people with communication and swallowing impairments.

16/06/2023

Great explanation about AAC from TalkLink Trust

25/05/2023

It has been a few weeks since I have popped up on this page! Don't worry, I am still around!

It has been a busy April and May, supporting some amazing families. It is such a privilege to be welcomed into people's families and be trusted to work with their precious children. I love celebrating the progress and small wins that your children make.

I love the work I do!