Folsom Advanced Speech Therapy

08/29/2025

Owning a private practice can feel lonely.

So often, the advice we hear is:
❌ “Don’t be friends with your employees.”
❌ “Profit first.”
❌ “Don’t accept insurance.”
But here’s my truth:
1️⃣ On friendships with my team
I see my team as friends and family. When someone moves on, I don’t feel resentment—I feel gratitude for the time we shared and excitement for their next chapter.
2️⃣ On profit
I run a business that’s barely profitable. My wage is just above my employees’. I pay them as much as I can, cover the majority of their benefits, and even double paid maternity leave to ~16 weeks with supplemental disability coverage. At the end of the year, when there’s profit, my team shares in it.
3️⃣ On insurance
Yes, it’s frustrating and messy. But instead of walking away, I hired an incredible billing specialist. It allows us to keep serving families who rely on insurance.
✨ I may not run the most “profitable” practice.
But I do run one that’s safe, fun, supportive, generous, and full of trust.
And honestly? That feels like success to me. ❤️

07/19/2025

It is important to work with other professionals to get the best outcomes for our kids. The practitioners at FAST have spent years developing a vast professional network of appropriate referral sources. That might mean making referrals to ENT, allergists, dentists, orthodontics, neurology, PT, OT and others. Using a root cause approach is backed by science and yields best outcomes for our patients. Win - win! ❤️

I am well aware of companies promoting therapies to parents that are making claims about avoiding surgery by using their product. This is all about expanding the palate. But can Expanding the Palate Shrink the Tonsils and Adenoids?

There’s a growing interest in airway-focused orthodontics—and that’s a good thing. We all want children to breathe, sleep, and grow better.

But some claims deserve a closer look.
You may have heard: “Expand the palate, and the tonsils and adenoids will shrink.”

🧠 Here’s the truth:
Maxillary expansion can improve nasal airflow, tongue posture, and oral volume—and these are important for overall airway health. But it does not directly treat enlarged tonsils or adenoids.

👉 Enlarged lymphoid tissue in children is usually due to immune response or genetic growth patterns—not lack of space in the palate.

✅ What does help?
• Identifying true obstruction (often via ENT assessment)
• Understanding the cause of tissue enlargement (allergies? infections?)
• Addressing airway issues with a collaborative team—ENTs, sleep doctors, and airway-aware dentists

🙌 Let’s keep working together to deliver whole-child care—grounded in science, and focused on outcomes.

06/29/2025

Please join me in welcoming Madison Smith to the FAST team! 👏🎉

We are thrilled to have Madison “Madi” join us as a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist. Madi joined us in April after completing her Master’s Degree at Baylor University.

From day one, Madi’s warm and kind demeanor has helped her young patients feel safe, seen, and supported. Her thoughtful, thorough approach to evaluations and treatment planning reflects both her clinical insight and genuine care.

Madi is also a fantastic collaborator—she brings fresh perspectives to patient rounds and works seamlessly with the team to support each child’s goals.

We are incredibly lucky to have her, and we can’t wait for more families to get to know her. Welcome to FAST, Madi! 💖

06/19/2025

This morning I was inspired by reading the journey of a fellow speech pathologist in her 25 years of practice. I find I am often moved by the work of professionals in my field.

✨Speech pathologists help all people from all backgrounds from infancy through final moments in geriatric settings.

✨We work on building critical communication skills. Social language. Functional communication. We help babies learn to latch and swallow, toddlers to accept food and safely manage it in their mouths. Non-speaking children to access multi-modal communication. We teach people how to breathe and achieve a more patent (open) airway function. We coordinate care with teachers, pediatricians, audiologists, dentists, naturopaths, neurologists, pulmonologists, sleep physicians, ENTs, orthodontists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, osteopathic practitioners, etc., in order to optimize our patient outcomes. We counsel families. Provide a safe and FUN environment to build skills. Skills that EVERY human being has the right to develop to the best of their ability.

While I feel deep gratitude to get to practice as a speech pathologist (SLP), I also stand tall in my 20th year of clinical practice. I am an expert. I lead a team of experts. As experts, we can ask new questions, collaborate with the brightest minds across disciplines (both medical and educational) and question what we have learned.

At Folsom Advanced Speech Therapy, we are not stuck in old research. We will not become complacent. Our work is complex and dynamic. Each case has unique variables. Our job is to do the best work with every single child we serve. Day in and day out, I am dedicated to this effort ❤️.

04/06/2025

What is communication therapy? Answer: It looks a little different for each child. We honor every child that walks through our doors. We meet them where they are, and from there, learn and grow together. Empowering kids to “speak” using any modalities that work for them. Sometimes it means turning all the lights off in the clinic and melting into the floor for a few minutes to regulate and feel safe. My job is my happy place. 🫠❤️

04/02/2025

I can’t stop smiling! ♥️

03/17/2025

Eek! 😆 Coming soon to Folsom Advanced Speech Therapy… Pediatric Occupational Therapy!! 🎉More to come!

09/07/2024

What does it mean to be a neurodivergent affirming SLP? It means we get the happiest greetings from our patients. We get to be a safe place for them. Our kids can choose not to use mouth words. They are free to communicate in any way that suits them each day (or moment to moment) and it is “heard” and accepted. We can support communication development and social connection in MANY different ways with open arms and open hearts.

08/13/2024

08/09/2024

Woohoo 🎉 !!!

Chrisyl Jaison has completed her clinical fellowship at Folsom Advanced Speech Therapy (FAST). ❤️

It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside Chrisyl this year. Chrisyl is kind, patient, engaged and thoughtful during her therapy sessions. She possesses excellent clinical thought processes and a genuine regard for all patients she serves. She engineers her speech therapy sessions to highlight her clients’ strengths and help them feel confident as they learn and grow. I am proud to have Chrisyl on our team and look forward to her contributions to our field!

07/24/2024

I am proud to own a company that does such wonderful and empowering work with children and families in the community!

ND affirming = neurodiversity affirming. All brains are beautiful. ❤️

03/05/2024

THIS!!! ❤️🙌🏼 Thank you Dr. Zaghi!

The importance of tongue positioning! 👅✨

Did you know it plays a crucial role in various aspects of your health and well-being? From facial development to teeth alignment, breathing patterns to quality of sleep, and even neck tension to swallowing mechanics, the position of your tongue matters more than you might think 👅