Growing Kids Therapy Center

09/30/2025

Nonspeaking Awareness Day!

✨ Today is Nonspeaking Awareness Day ✨

At I-ASC, we believe communication is a fundamental right. For nonspeakers, that means ensuring Access, Agency, and Autonomy every step of the way.

Huan, a speller from Virginia, US shares:
"I identify with autonomy because I was trapped in stigma and diagnosis. Now that my voice is being heard I can create the life I want, just like everyone else."

Access means removing barriers so nonspeakers can communicate fully.
Agency means honoring their right to make decisions about their own lives.
Autonomy means recognizing their power to define their own path.

Nonspeakers are not defined by what they cannot say — they are defined by what they can create, inspire, and lead. We invite you to join us in amplifying what they have to say.

[image: A graphic highlighting nonspeaking awareness day. On a blue and green background is an image of a speller with dark hair, brown eyes, and a white t-shirt. Text: Nonspeaking Awareness day Sept. 30. In the bottom right corner is a letterboard and a white heart]

09/29/2025

Part 2 of Christie's Growth Mindset Blog series "Where did the idea of a Growth Mindset originate and what are its Effects?

Read it here: https://growingkidstherapy.com/2025/09/16/part-2-of-3-where-did-the-idea-of-a-growth-mindset-originate-and-what-are-its-effects/

09/25/2025

Check out this chance for a custom song from this amazing group of guys! Support the goal of communication access for all nonspeakers!

Croquet Soiree | This auction item offers a one-of-a-kind, custom-written song, crafted just for you by the Band of Brothers, a vibrant community of nonspeaking, highly fluent spellers, who meet weekly at Growing Kids Therapy Center to collaborate, inspire, and express themselves through Spelling to...

09/24/2025

It is this Friday! Get your submissions in today if you want to share a song or poem. If you just want to enjoy some music, poetry, and Spellerverse community, sign up to attend on Friday!

"You can find poetry in your everyday life, your memory, in what people say on the bus, in the news, or just whats in your heart" - Carol Anna Duffy

Haven’t experienced an I-ASC Neurolyrical Café yet? Here’s your invitation! ✨

Each month, nonspeakers from across the globe gather online with Unrestricted Interest to share original writing, craft group poems, and celebrate one another’s voices.

Every Café ends with a powerful collaborative poem created together in real time.
Don’t miss the next one—sign up here: https://i-asc.org/events/neurolyrical-cafe/

To present at the Cafe:
- Use the registration link to register as a presenter.

- Email your piece (poem, song, art, etc.) to communications@i-asc.org.
In your email, include the presenter's name, the presentation, if you need a reader or if you have a reader, and any special information such as birthdays or if it is your first time presenting.
If you send a song, make sure to include the lyrics for accessibility.

- All presentations must be submitted the Wednesday directly before the event

09/23/2025

It's only a week away! Click here to find out more and support a great cause: https://event.gives/iasccs2025

09/23/2025

It is this weekend! Sign up now to support this awesome cause!

Join us for an afternoon of croquet, live and silent auctions, and locally curated food and drinks—all in support of I-ASC’s mission.

📆 Save the date—Sunday, September 28 from 3–6 PM in Fairfax, VA—for the Croquet Soirée!

Every ticket purchased, every bid placed, and every moment shared brings us closer to a world where nonspeakers have equitable access to communication.

A huge thank you to our generous sponsor, Growing Kids Therapy Center 🙌

🎟️ Get your tickets, start bidding, and be part of this unforgettable evening: https://event.gives/iasccs2025/items

09/22/2025

Check out Part 1 of 3 of our new blog post "What's the big deal about a Growth Mindset", written by our very own Christie Phillips.

Read it here:
https://growingkidstherapy.com/2025/09/16/part-1-of-3-whats-the-big-deal-about-a-growth-mindset/

09/19/2025

09/18/2025

Don't forget, the deadline has been extended! 2 more weeks to get your amazing work in!

We have had some amazing submissions come in but it would be great to have even more on such a wonderful and inspiring topic! Get them in by September 30th... don't BEE late!

Topic:
Kindness matters - in fact, it changes the world. Please write or show us what kindness means to you, and if possible, give an example. This could be an example of how you shared kindness or how it was shared with you.
Submissions of poetry, prose, or artwork can be sent to gktc.tribe@gmail.com by September 30th. Please include a photo of yourself and a short bio.

09/17/2025

Mark your calendars!

From I-ASC:
Upcoming Webinar: The Sensory System - Impacts & Solutions 🌟

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is often misunderstood or folded into other diagnoses like autism or ADHD. But for many nonspeaking individuals, sensory differences profoundly shape regulation and access to communication.

In this session, a practitioner-parent shares her journey with her son Elijah (Autism, ADHD, SPD), weaving together research, lived experience, and the voices of spellers.

✨ You’ll learn:
- How sensory systems beyond the “five senses” affect tricky bodies
- The impact of trauma on regulation and learning
- Why speller wisdom and collaboration matter mostccommodations
🔹 Why speller wisdom and collaboration matter most
This talk is about more than strategies—it’s about honoring lived experience and supporting bodies with compassion.
👉 Grab your free spot: https://i-asc.org/.../the-sensory-system-impacts-solutions/

09/16/2025

We want to see your creativity - Consider writing a song or poem for Neurolyrical cafe!

From I-ASC:

TO PRESENT IN THE CAFE:

Use the registration link to register as a presenter. https://intlassnspellingascomms.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/intlassnspellingascomms/eventRegistration.jsp?event=2991&

Email your piece to communications@i-asc.org.

We welcome all creative submissions: Art work, poetry, songs, performance videos, etc. If you submit a song, please include the lyrics for increased accessibility.
To make sure we have enough time for this in every Cafe, we are limiting each person to ONE piece each. If you participate in a group piece, it is still okay to submit an individual piece.

In your email, include your (the presenter's) name, the presentation, if you need a reader or if you have a reader, and any special information such as an upcoming birthday or if it is your first time presenting.

***Optional: Include a headshot & short bio (3 sentences or less) so Cafe goers can know a bit more about you!

If you submit a song, please make sure to include the lyrics for accessibility.

All presentations must be submitted the Wednesday directly before the event: Wednesday, September 24, 2025