Iowa Speech Solutions, PLLC

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United States
Johnston, IA
Iowa Speech Solutions, PLLC

Adult medical/neuro speech, language, swallow and cognitive services. Based in Des Moines, Iowa. Our visits are by appointment only.

Please give us a call and we will be as flexible as possible. We can offer in home options, depending on the case and location. We are currently accepting Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Midlands Choice. Pending enrollment with Medicaid and Humana. We are adult focused, personalized, specialized and flexible. Our clinicians have additional training in adult dysphagia (swallowing), Parkinson's Vo

ice (SPEAK OUT! and LSVT LOUD), short program for ARK J Trismus, McNeill Dysphagia (swallowing) Program and Intensive Dysphagia treatment, AAC, and Dementia Practitioner.

05/04/2026

🌱 Spring is here, and your garden might be doing more for your brain than you think!

At Iowa Speech Solutions, we work on skills that matter to YOU and your daily life. One area we love to target? Sequencing.

Sequencing is the ability to organize steps in a logical, correct order. It sounds simple, but it is actually a powerful cognitive AND language skill that works together at the same time.
When a client walks us through how to plant a garden, step by step, they are not just chatting about a hobby.

They are exercising:
🧠 Cognitive skills like planning, organization, working memory, attention and logical reasoning
🗣️ Language skills like word retrieval, sentence formulation, and structured discourse

This is the heart of what we call cognitive communication (sometimes called cognitive linguistics) in speech pathology. The brain and language system do not work in separate silos. They are deeply connected, and when one is affected by stroke, brain injury, or another condition, we see it show up in tasks exactly like this one.

Asking a client to describe how to plant tomatoes from start to finish is a functional, and meaningful therapy task. It gives us a real window into how someone is organizing their thoughts AND expressing them clearly.

We love meeting people where their interests are. Gardening, cooking, building, baking. Your passions become our therapy tools.

Alt description: [An outdoor garden scene featuring a decorative owl statue perched beside a raised garden bed, next to a terracotta pot with a small, freshly budding herb plant.]

04/25/2026

Our therapy isn’t only about practicing speech sounds.

Most times, it’s about someone who hasn’t felt heard in months, maybe years, and watching them finding confidence in their communication again.

After a stroke, a neurological diagnosis, or a surgery, so much can feel taken from you.

My role isn’t just to help you speak more clearly. It’s to help you enter a conversation, a doctor’s appointment, or a meeting at work, and feel that confidence again.

04/18/2026

Just had my biannual dentist appointment! It’s a good reminder of something I always come back to as a medical SLP: oral care is health care.

Oral hygiene plays a direct role in swallowing health and dysphagia management. For all folks, but especially patients with dysphagia; bacteria in the mouth can travel to the lungs during aspiration, increasing the possibility of aspiration pneumonia.

Good oral care also supports saliva production, essential for patients with chronic dry mouth.

Oral hygiene matters more than we often give it credit for. This post is just one example as it relates to swallowing care.

Alt Text: A speech-language pathologist’s hand holding a toothbrush, floss, and travel-size toothpaste received at a dentist visit.

04/09/2026

A small peek at Iowa Speech Solutions. This space is dedicated to specialized, neuro-focused speech therapy for adults.

As the SLP and owner of Iowa Speech Solutions, I get to spend my days helping adults find their voice again after stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s and more.

Our office is located inside of Breathe Physical Therapy in North Liberty.

IowaSLP SmallBusinessOwner

04/02/2026

Friendly reminder: recovery is not linear. 💙

There will be good weeks and really hard weeks. Sometimes you’ll feel like you’re back at square one when you’re actually not. Progress is happening even when you can’t see it.

Keep showing up. That’s what matters the most.
Alt text: [A drawing of a up and down line that trends upwards. Text box that says “recovery is not linear”]

03/27/2026

Did you know a concussion or brain injury can alter your sensory perception — including your sense of smell and taste?

After a head injury, the olfactory nerve or brain pathways can become disrupted, leading to a reduced, distorted, or complete loss of smell (anosmia). Since smell and taste are closely linked, this often affects how food tastes as well. While not everyone experiences this, it is a valid and recognized symptom of brain injury that is more common than many people realize.

If you’ve noticed these changes after a head injury — you’re not imagining it. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) can identify these sensory changes and connect you with ENT specialists and neurologists for further evaluation and care.
💙

Alt Text: [baked pie in a tin on a plate, gray caption reads “Brain injury changes more than we think”]

03/18/2026

Maybe you ask yourself “Did I feed the cat?!”
Or
“Wait, did I actually lock the door?”

You walked to your car 30 seconds ago and suddenly you can’t remember.

This isn’t solely a memory problem — it’s what happens when we move through tasks on autopilot.

One of my favorite strategies: slow down and narrate your actions out loud as you do them.

“I am locking the door.”
“I am turning off the stove.”
“I am feeding the cat.”
“I am turning off the flat iron.”
“I am closing the garage door.”

It feels unnecessary or even silly at first; but speaking a task aloud forces you to slow down and be present in the moment — engaging language and motor centers of the brain together for stronger encoding and recall.

What tasks do you always second-guess?

Comment below. 👇

Alt Text: [black and white cat laying on floor, text box stating “Did we feed the cat?!”]

03/12/2026

As a speech-language pathologist (SLP) working in cognitive communication, one of the most effective strategies I teach clients is task breakdown — and most people don’t break tasks down nearly small enough.

When executive function is compromised, whether from concussion, TBI, stroke, MS, or other conditions, even “simple” tasks can feel paralyzing. The solution isn’t motivation. It’s granularity.

We’re not talking about breaking a task into three or four steps. We’re talking about making each step so small that it requires almost no decision-making to begin.
Take checking email. Most people think of it as one task.

Try this instead:
Sit down at the device. Pick up the device or open the laptop. Press the power button. Wait for the screen. Open the email app. Look at only the first email. Decide one thing: does it need a response today? If no, leave it. If yes, type one sentence. Press send. Close the app.

That’s it for now. You’re done.

Now laundry. Not “do the laundry.” Instead:
Walk to the bedroom. Look at the floor. Pick up one item. Carry it to the hamper. Put it in. Walk away.
Later: Carry the hamper to the machine. Open the lid. Put clothes in. Add detergent. Close the lid. Press start. Walk away.

The goal is to eliminate the gap between intention and action. Each micro-step is its own completion. Each one signals the brain: you did something, which is motivating.

When clients tell me a task feels impossible, my first question is always: how small did you make the steps? Usually, we can go smaller.

03/06/2026

Your phone, laptop, and tablet already have a tool that more people need to know about: text-to-speech and voice-to-text accessibility features.

Most people associate these tools with low vision or blindness, and that is absolutely a valid and important use. But as an SLP working in medical settings, I want to highlight another population that can benefit significantly: individuals recovering from concussion or acquired brain injury.

Screen sensitivity, light sensitivity, and visual processing difficulties are common after a brain injury. Reading can feel effortful, painful, or simply impossible for stretches of the recovery period. Text-to-speech allows someone to access information, communicate, and stay connected without placing that demand on a recovering brain. 🧠

Text to Speech removes the need to look at a screen to type or respond.
These are not workarounds. They are legitimate accommodations that support cognitive rest and functional independence at the same time.

If you are supporting someone in recovery, or if you are navigating this yourself, explore the accessibility settings on your device. They are built in, free, and often underused.

Alternative Text:
A close-up of a hand holding an iPhone. The screen displays a home screen with an accessibility icon representing the text-to-speech or Speak Screen feature, shown as an opaque symbol against the phone display.

03/05/2026

Your phone, laptop, and tablet already have a tool that more people need to know about: text-to-speech and voice-to-text accessibility features.
Most people associate these tools with low vision or blindness, and that is absolutely a valid and important use. But as an SLP working in medical settings, I want to highlight another population that can benefit significantly: individuals recovering from concussion or acquired brain injury.
Screen sensitivity, light sensitivity, and visual processing difficulties are common after a brain injury. Reading can feel effortful, painful, or simply impossible for stretches of the recovery period. Text-to-speech allows someone to access information, communicate, and stay connected without placing that demand on a recovering brain. Voice-to-text removes the need to look at a screen to type or respond.
These are not workarounds. They are legitimate accommodations that support cognitive rest and functional independence at the same time.
If you are supporting someone in recovery, or if you are navigating this yourself, explore the accessibility settings on your device. They are built in, free, and often underused.

02/26/2026

This is a bit of a delayed post, but exciting to announce that we had the pleasure of joining Sydney Marshman on The Balance Broadcast.

We talked about the role of Speech-Language Pathologists in adult neuro care — especially concussion — and why this work is often misunderstood. It’s not just speech; it’s cognitive-communication, executive function, fatigue management, and real-life participation.

In this episode, January 30, 2026, we cover Cognition and Fall Prevention, including:
• Why post-concussion cognitive symptoms are often invisible
• The SLP’s role in adult neuro telehealth and concussion/brain injury care
• Coordinating referrals (mental health, OT, and more)
• Expanding access through telehealth, especially in rural communities

SLPs are a critical part of concussion care. The more we talk about it, the more we reduce stigma and support whole-person recovery.

Tune in to The Balance Broadcast episode from January 30, 2026, “Cognition and Fall Prevention” to learn more.

OT Telehealth InterdisciplinaryCare MedicalSLP

02/18/2026

Ever feel exhausted after doing “just a little multitasking”? Your brain is working double time. Talking while cooking, planning your day, or checking emails can drain your mental battery faster than you realize. ⚡

Cognitive fatigue isn’t laziness—it’s real.
Even everyday tasks like planning meals while on a call or juggling paperwork and conversation can wear your brain down faster. One task at a time can save your mental energy.

Address

6165 NW 86th Street Suite 238
Johnston, IA
50131

Telephone

+15152197254

Website

http://www.iowaspeechsolutions.com/

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