NewCastle Speech Services

04/01/2026

🐰 Hey friends, Niko here from NewCastle Speech Services! 🐰

I’ve got something egg-stra fun for everyone this Easter season! 🥚✨

Some of our amazing kids at NewCastle Speech Services PLLC have created awesome bunny masks, and now it’s YOUR turn to help us pick a winner! 🐇🎨

👇 Here’s how to join the fun:
👍 Look through the bunny masks posted below
💙 Click LIKE on your favorite one
🏆 The mask with the most likes WINS!

🎁 The winner will receive an Easter Basket filled with goodies!

⏰ Contest runs now through Friday at 8:00 AM, so be sure to get your votes in before time runs out!

I am SO proud of all the hard work and creativity our kids put into these masks—you really can’t go wrong picking a favorite! 💚

Let’s show them some love and celebrate their creativity!

💙 Empowering Communication, Transforming Lives 💙

03/28/2026

Meet our NewCastle Speech Services mascot, NIKO!

03/25/2026

03/23/2026

03/17/2026

🍀 Happy St. Patrick’s Day from NewCastle Speech Services! 🍀
Today we’re feeling extra lucky to work with such incredible patients, families, and our amazing team of therapists. Every day we have the privilege of helping individuals find their voice, build confidence, and strengthen communication skills.

03/15/2026

****EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT****

Martha Martinat earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She has served as a speech-language pathologist for 47 years, working across a wide range of settings and treating individuals with diverse communication needs throughout the lifespan.

Martha began her career in 1978 at a residential facility in Morganton, North Carolina, serving children and adults with severe and multiple disabilities. In 1980, she pursued a more medically based path and established the Speech Pathology Department at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, North Carolina. There, she worked with inpatients, outpatients, neurological patients, and home health patients of all ages and communication abilities. During this time, she developed a strong interest in voice disorders and collaborated closely with several ear, nose, and throat offices in Hickory.

In 1985, after starting her family, Martha transitioned into private practice. She provided contracted speech-language services in daycare settings, skilled nursing facilities, ENT clinics, and home health. In 1996, she joined Burke County Public Schools as a speech-language pathologist, where she served students from Pre-K through high school.

Martha has a special interest in articulation therapy, particularly in the treatment of /r/ sound errors and lateral lisps. Throughout her career, she has also supervised new graduates in communication disorders as well as speech-language pathology assistants. In recent years, she has continued her work through teletherapy, evaluating and treating children virtually while also supervising speech-language pathology assistants through online platforms.

When asked why she has not retired, Martha says that helping people who have difficulty communicating was her first love, and she is not ready to give that up. She considers it a blessing to have spent her life helping others communicate more effectively and more functionally, and finds great joy in watching her patients grow and succeed.

03/15/2026

At NewCastle Speech Services, we believe that every person deserves a way to communicate. For some individuals, spoken language may not yet be their primary way of expressing themselves. That’s where Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can make a life-changing difference.

One AAC approach we often use is the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). PECS is a structured, evidence-based method that teaches individuals to communicate by exchanging pictures to express wants, needs, ideas, and feelings.

Through PECS, individuals learn to:
✔️ Initiate communication independently
✔️ Request preferred items or activities
✔️ Build vocabulary and sentence structure
✔️ Increase social interaction
✔️ Reduce frustration related to communication difficulties

Our therapist, Chastity, carefully guides her patient, Ian, through each phase of PECS, helping him move from simple picture exchanges to building meaningful communication. For many children, especially those with autism or developmental language delays, PECS can be an important stepping stone toward stronger communication skills.

03/15/2026

****EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT****

Makenzie has been working as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant since 2020, supporting children as they develop their communication and language skills. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Western Carolina University and later completed her Associate’s degree as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant at CCC&TI.

Makenzie is passionate about helping children find their voices and build confidence in their ability to communicate. She especially enjoys working with younger children in the daycare setting, where early language development can make a meaningful difference. She also has a strong interest in supporting autistic children and creating engaging, supportive environments that help each child communicate in ways that work best for them.

Her goal is to make therapy fun, individualized, and encouraging so that every child feels supported and successful as they grow their communication skills.

03/07/2026

⏰🌷 Daylight Saving Time Reminder from NewCastle Speech Services 🌷⏰

Tonight we spring forward! Before heading to bed, remember to set your clocks ahead one hour for Daylight Saving Time.

While losing an hour of sleep may be tough, the longer daylight in the evenings reminds us that spring is a season of growth, progress, and new opportunities—the same things we celebrate every day with our patients and families.

At NewCastle Speech Services, our mission is Empowering Communication, Transforming Lives. Just like the change in seasons, progress often happens step by step. Every new word spoken, every improved voice, and every communication milestone is something worth celebrating.

As you adjust your clocks tonight, take a moment to:
✨ Reset and prepare for a new day
✨ Enjoy the extra daylight with family and friends
✨ Celebrate the small steps that lead to big progress

We are grateful to serve such an incredible community and to walk alongside our patients and families as they grow and succeed every day.

🌟 Empowering Communication. Transforming Lives. 🌟

03/03/2026

We are so proud of Mara W, a patient receiving Voice Therapy services at NewCastle Speech Services, PLLC.

Amanda Olive, one of our SLPAs, is doing an amazing job working to improve her vocal quality, strength, and overall communication effectiveness.

Voice disorders can impact confidence, social interaction, professional performance, and daily communication — but with targeted, evidence-based intervention, meaningful progress is possible.