Words Like Honey

10/09/2025

10/03/2025

📚 October is Dyslexia Awareness Month!
Dyslexia doesn’t just affect reading—it impacts spelling, writing, and overall confidence with written language. ✏️💡

Early support from speech and language therapy can make a huge difference. By building strong language foundations and using evidence-based strategies, we empower children and adults with dyslexia to thrive. 🌟

Let’s work together to break down barriers and celebrate the strengths of dyslexic thinkers!

10/01/2025

🗣️ October is AAC Awareness Month!
AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) gives individuals a voice when speaking is difficult. From picture symbols to high-tech devices, AAC opens doors to connection, independence, and confidence. 💬✨

As a speech and language therapy practice, we’re proud to support children and adults using AAC and to raise awareness about the importance of communication access for everyone.

🔑 Communication is a human right.💜

09/12/2025

DID YOU KNOW... language development can happen 2 different ways?

You may be familiar with one (Analytic Language Development), but not as familiar with the other (Gestalt Language Development).

Gestalt Language Development is often (but not ALWAYS) seen in children with autism.
Likewise, Analytic Language Development is often (not ALWAYS) seen in those without autism.

If you want to learn more about how your child is developing language, more about a certain type of language development or feel your child my need some support in one stage of language development - we'd love to answer your questions!

www.wordslikehoneyslt.com
615-219-0094 (call/text)

09/12/2025

You are doing amazing out there, Moms and Dads!

To the mom buckling her child into the car for ABA therapy while everyone else is heading to soccer practice—you’re doing an amazing job.

To the dad carrying an AAC device everywhere he goes—you’re giving your child a voice, and that’s powerful.

To the mom who quietly leaves birthday parties early because it’s just too overwhelming—I see you.

To the dad who skips the sports conversations about goals and trophies—your child’s progress matters just as much.

To the mom who takes deep breaths in the waiting room of yet another specialist—you are stronger than you know.

To the dad avoiding going out in public because he fears the stares—you’re not alone in that.

To the mom mourning the dream of dance recitals or sleepovers—it may not happen in the way you pictured, but there will be moments worth celebrating.

To the dad who lit up when his son said “buh” for “bubbles”—yes, that’s huge. Hold on to it.

To the mom sitting with another evaluation report that feels discouraging—don’t give up hope.

To the dad wishing his son would call him “Daddy”—so many of us are waiting right there with you.

On the days when it feels like too much, when you wonder how you’ll keep going, remember this: you are not alone. Your love, your patience, your fight…it all matters. Even if your child can’t say the words, they know. They feel it.

It’s okay to cry, to feel tired, to wish things were easier. None of that makes you less of a parent, it makes you human. To every mom and dad giving their child the best life possible in a world that doesn’t always understand, you are amazing ❤️

09/05/2025

08/31/2025

We don't JUST offer standard comprehensive speech and language evaluations and treatment sessions - but have other options too!

We'd love to hear from you!

615-219-0094 (call or text)
whitney@wordslikehoneyslt.com
www.wordslikehoneyslt.com

07/09/2025

We have immediate openings to serve children 2-18 struggling with:

🩷 speech production
🩷 language skills
🩷 general communication skills

Reach out for a free consult or to learn more about our services!

NO WAITLIST at this time! Get the support your child needs FAST!

Website: www.wordslikehoneyslt.com
Phone: 615-219-0094 (call/text)

05/30/2025

05/22/2025

We're offering summer services for students that have a speech-language IEP!

These speech therapy sessions through our Summer Speech Focus program:

💚 do not require an evaluation as we'll work off of your child's IEP goals from school (but we do require a copy of your child's IEP goals before starting)
💚 will be geared towards helping your child not lose the traction they gained during the school year on their communication goals
💚 will be provided by a licensed speech-language pathologist who has valuable experience in supporting speech-language goals of student's in the school settings
💚 will place a focus on being FUN! It IS summer after all!

Scan the QR code below or follow the link
( https://forms.gle/FaLupV9UfPn5etLZ8 ) to read more about the information regarding our summer program and sign up!

Reach out to us for any more information and for answers to your questions regarding the program.

whitney@wordslikehoneyslt.com
Phone: 615-219-0094 (call/text)

05/21/2025

OPTIONS FOR EARLY INTERVENTION

"Wait and See" is often suggested to parents for children with communication difficulties at a young age, but it can be a risky approach, because if they don’t catch up they can be even further behind at a later age.

Usually, the earlier the intervention, the better!

It's difficult to know all of the options available to you as parents, though, however, there are a few!

1. Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS)
This is the state’s early intervention program and is available for children with delays from birth - 3 years old.
To learn more about these programs see their contact info below:
Website: https://www.kidcentraltn.com/development/special-needs/tennessees-early-intervention-system-teis.html
Referral Form to the Program: https://stateoftennessee-cvlyz.formstack.com/forms/teis_referral
Phone Number for Referrals: 1 (800) 852-7157
Email: DD.TEIS_Referrals@tn.gov
*Per TN.GOV’s website and TEIS’ website
https://www.tn.gov/disability-and-aging/disability-aging-programs/teis.html

2. Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)
This is the school-based program for children ages 3-5.
To learn more about this program - find the contact info below:

Dickson County Schools - Special Education Department
Phone: 615-446-2085

See a brochure for their Child Find process to see how the process to find services with ECSE can work.
https://filecabinet9.eschoolview.com/5EFD2D16-5D53-4D1E-B632-12A2D035999D/ChildFindBrochure.pdf

Private Speech & Language Therapy
Private speech and language therapy is therapy provided by clinicians not affiliated with state/federal programs and is directly organized with the provider and family versus organized government funded programs. You can often find a list of private therapy providers by internet searching “speech therapy in my area”.

There are pros and cons to each option. Typically the main factors are eligibility criteria, cost, and speediness of getting therapy.

Words Like Honey, LLC is a private therapy clinic, so, we fall under option number 3. See the chart provided to see some key components of the programs and contact us with any questions. We can provide the benefits and drawbacks of private therapy and also do our best to point you in the right direction to explore other options such as TEIS and ECSE.

www.wordslikehoneyslt.com
Email: whitney@wordslikehoneyslt.com
Phone: 615-219-0094

05/21/2025

This is our last post in our "Helping Your Child Say More" series.

These last 2 are my personal favorites in general language stimulation strategies, but also probably the ones that take the most self-control and thought as the adult language partner.

1) Comment vs Asking Questions

Making communication fun and less stressful is good for your child's developing communication. Asking questions makes communicating feel more like a test for your child - it puts lots of pressure on them to communicate. Whereas, commenting gives them lots of language and the words to say, and removes the pressure. This is essentially parallel talk/narrating, but the focus on this strategy is to LIMIT THE QUESTIONS
So, instead of asking "What are you doing?" "What color are you using?" "What are you coloring?", say, "You are coloring." "You are using red." "You color the dog brown" and so on...

2) Wait Time (my favorite personal challenge when providing language therapy)

While it is important to give your child the words - it's also important to give them opportunity to use their words.
As said above, we do want to limit pressure in the form of "testing" pressure, but not all communicative pressure is a bad thing. It shows them it takes participation to communicate too.
Wait time is the coolest tool to use, in my opinion, to create subtle pressure for your child to say a word. Wait time is what it sounds like - you are literally going to give your child an extended time period to say a word before you give the the word.
Doing this in repetitive play is a great way to promote them using a word. For example, maybe you've modeled how to say the word "go!"
You are playing with a car and pushing it across the floor. You've pushed it a few times and said "Ready, Set, Go!". After modeling it, you give them an opportunity to use it - you say, "Ready, Set.....[then pause]" wait max of ten seconds staring at them expectantly before you push the car. If they say, "go!" you've seen the beauty of wait time. If they don't, no worries, give them the word and keep trying!
You can keep using wait time for each word of that phrase, until they are saying it all by themselves!

There are a few more strategies that are helpful - but, the ones we've covered in this post series are good ones to start with!

If you have any questions on how to use these strategies or have any questions regarding speech and language therapy - reach out for a free consultation or for more information.

www.wordslikehoneyslt.com
Phone: 615-219-0094
Email: whitney@wordslikehoneyslt.com