Harbor Speech Pathology

03/06/2026

The core word of the week is "stop"! 🛑
"Core words" are a small set of words that make up most of what we actually say on a daily basis. These vocabulary words are very important for early language development. Parents and therapists can support their children's core vocabulary by modeling core words in different contexts and creating opportunities for the child to use the word.

Opportunities to model "stop" include:
-Playing with racecars
-Finishing an obstacle course
-Playing a variation of the game Red Light, Green light, instead using "stop" and "go".

This word is relevant all throughout our day, in ways we might not even think about. There are many simple ways to expose your child to the word and facilitate saying it on their own -- easily 50-100 times in a day!

Ask your child's therapist for more ideas on modeling core words to support your child's language development.

02/23/2026

02/22/2026

Meet Andrew!
Andrew Sullivan is a graduate student completing his SLP master's degree at Calvin University. He has joined the team at Harbor Speech this semester to gain clinical experience evaluating and treating diverse populations. We asked Andrew to share a bit about himself; here is what he had to say:

1. Sum up your role at Harbor Speech with emojis:
🗺🌱🎯💡🗝🔎😁🏋🏻‍♂️🧠👂🏻🗣

2. What is something surprising that many people don't know about you?
I started taking piano lessons at age 5 through undergrad at college. I plan to get back to it after finishing graduate school.

3. What would your perfect weekend look like?
A late morning trip to a cafe with my girlfriend, taking a walk by the waterfront, and then watching the Sounders win at Lumen Field in the evening!

4. Give us a good book or movie recommendation!
I am a big fan of the Knives Out movies. They are murder mysteries but are not scary or sad, and have some funny scenes.

5. What is one of the most important things you've learned throughout your career so far?
One of the most important things I have learned so far is that a little therapy goes a long way, and sometimes the biggest life impacts come from seemingly simple adjustments.

We're glad to have you on board, Andrew!

Come meet the rest of our team: ✨ harborspeech.com/

02/11/2026

Reminder: Harbor Speech will be closed on Presidents Day (February 16th). Enjoy the holiday!

01/09/2026

Here is a list of holidays Harbor Speech will be closed during 2026:

01/02/2026

Please join us in celebrating our magnificent employee of the quarter: Tarah Guynn!

Tarah is the front desk manager in Silverdale. She grew up right here in Kitsap and joined Harbor Speech two years ago. In her free time, Tarah loves reading, watching her favorite shows, and — most of all — cuddling her cats. Tarah is a truly indispensable part of our team, greeting everyone with a smile and helping to ensure each patient gets the care they need. Thank you, Tarah!

12/26/2025

Reminder: Harbor Speech will be closed today, 12/26. Happy Holidays ❄️☃️

12/20/2025

Reminder: We will be closed on 12/24, 12/25, and 1/1. We will be open on 12/31. Happy Holidays!

12/05/2025

We are officially in the festive spirit! Thanks admin for cheering up the offices with all the decor 🎄
We have Giving Trees in the Gig Harbor and Silverdale offices again this year courtesy of the Gig Harbor Lions Club. If you would like to participate, please choose a tag and return the gifts unwrapped to the office by December 13th

12/05/2025

Reminder: Harbor Speech will be closed tomorrow, Friday, December 5th, for an all-staff meeting. Have a wonderful weekend!

11/21/2025

Reminder: Harbor Speech will be closed for the holiday on Thursday, November 27th and Friday, November 28th.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🌽✨

11/13/2025

SLP Aviana is attending the SOS Approach to Feeding training in Charleston this week! The SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) approach to feeding is a holistic and transdisciplinary therapy approach for children with feeding difficulties. This approach emphasizes 7 major areas of human development involved in learning how to eat. It uses play with a purpose to empower children to broaden their feeding abilities and prioritizes use of food as a therapy tool.

Feeding problems affect up to 30% of children. The earlier intervention begins, the more efficient treatment can be. If you are concerned about your child’s feeding skills, talk to your therapist or doctor ASAP!