Lauren Veenstra Speech-Language Therapist

Lauren Veenstra Speech-Language Therapist I am a Speech-Language Therapist based at Merchiston Preparatory School, Ridge Junior Primary School and Hands On Education Centre in Pietermaritzburg.

Okay, I lied when I said my next post would be about the benefits of exposing children to nursery rhymes!But I have some...
23/02/2022

Okay, I lied when I said my next post would be about the benefits of exposing children to nursery rhymes!

But I have some very exciting news to announce🥳 Lauren Veenstra Speech-Language Therapy is expanding!

Sarah Mingay will be joining me at the beginning of Term 2 to take over the provision of speech therapy services to my individual children at Merchiston Prepartory School so that I can focus on the Mastery children. She will also be seeing children at New Hope Academy, as it has moved locations and has expanded dramatically (which is incredibly exciting) so I cannot cover the caseload alone. In addition, Sarah will be available to see clients at the practice in Hayfields in the afternoons and we are hoping to get her into another pre-primary school.

This is what Sarah has to say about herself: "I am originally from Swartberg, a small farming community outside of Kokstad. In my free time I enjoy running, reading and spending time with family. I love working with children of all ages with language and speech difficulties. My area of interest is specific learning difficulties related to reading and writing."

I am confident that Sarah is going to be a great addition to the practice and I look forward to working alongside her!

I love making my own therapy resources as it allows me to bring out the limited creative/artistic side that I have!I use...
22/02/2022

I love making my own therapy resources as it allows me to bring out the limited creative/artistic side that I have!

I used this for the nursery rhyme: "Five Little Speckled Frogs". I know there are six frogs, but the child was expected to put the correct number on the log as indicated in the song. I even had a bowl of water to act as the pool that the frogs jumped into as they are laminated.

We had such fun🥳

This just shows that toys and resources do not have to be expensive if we use what is available to us (e.g. frogs printed in colour, laminated, cut out and stuck on skewers, a bark pattern printed in colour, stuck around a roller towel roll and covered in contact (to waterproof it and give it an interesting "bumpy" texture); and a bowl filled with water).

My next post will be on the benefits of exposing children to nursery rhymes!

14/05/2021

Love what I do at this little school with these beautiful people💕

Raising awareness of/for disabilities should be something we do every day, not just one day of the year!I love these fac...
02/04/2021

Raising awareness of/for disabilities should be something we do every day, not just one day of the year!

I love these facts that Autistic Not Weird published! I have just posted 10 of them here, but there are 40 more on their website.

Once again I am apologising for being so quiet on this page!I found this info graphic that explains the role of Speech T...
20/03/2021

Once again I am apologising for being so quiet on this page!

I found this info graphic that explains the role of Speech Therapy in schools perfectly. I cannot tell you how many times I have recommended that a child be assessed and the parents have responded with: "But my child speaks perfectly" or "There are no issues with my child's speech".

Although the general public is becoming more aware of the multiple roles of Speech Therapists, we have a long way to go in promoting our profession.

17/11/2020

3 more days to get your CV in! Only CVs sent via email will be considered🌸

The best part of my day was receiving my personalised laptop skin from Hey Casey😁 Unfortunately (and ironically), my lap...
09/11/2020

The best part of my day was receiving my personalised laptop skin from Hey Casey😁 Unfortunately (and ironically), my laptop crashed this morning so I won't be able to put it on just yet!

28/10/2020

LAUREN VEENSTRA SPEECH-LANGUAGE THERAPY IS HIRING (JANUARY 2021)!

Unfortunately, Ntombi is no longer able to join my practice. This is very sad, but it means that there is a space for someone else to join me.

Job description: providing Speech Therapy services to children attending primary schools in Pietermaritzburg. At the moment, these include Ridge Junior Primary School and Merchiston Preparatory School. This is a part-time job with the potential to become full-time, and the salary will be commission-based.

Requirements: passionate about working with children and within a team, RELEVANT DEGREE IN SPEECH THERAPY, completed/currently completing community service year, and a valid driver's licence and own transport.

If interested, please send your CV to laveenstra8@gmail.com before 20 November 2020.

12/10/2020

Next up is Generalised Anxiety Disorder.

FACTS:
1. An estimated 6.8 million adults per year in the US are affected by GAD.
2. Women are twice as likely to be affected by it.
3. The risk of GAD is highest between childhood and middle age.
4. GAD is characterised by persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things (for example: anticipating disaster and being overly concerned about money, health, family and work).
5. People with GAD may worry about actual events or expect the worst when there is no apparent reason for concern. They may, therefore, try to plan or control situations or completely avoid them.
6. Physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches may be experienced.
7. Other anxiety disorders, depression and/or substance abuse often accompany GAD.
8. The exact cause of GAD is unknown, but biological factors, family background and life experiences play a role.
9. Treatment of GAD includes supportive and interpersonal therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, medication (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and relaxation techniques.

Anxiety and Depression Society of America

First up is DEPRESSION.Depression is probably the disorder that is most commonly associated with mental health disorders...
11/10/2020

First up is DEPRESSION.

Depression is probably the disorder that is most commonly associated with mental health disorders.

FACTS:
1. An estimated 264 million people worldwide are affected by depression.
2. More women are affected by it than men.
3. Characteristics of depression include sadness, feelings of low self-worth, disturbed sleep patterns and/or appetite, tiredness and poor concentration.
4. People with depression may complain about physical ailments without apparent causes.
5. Depression can be caused by a combination of factors including a genetic predisposition and environmental factors that act as triggers.
6. Substance use is associated with higher rates of depression.
7. Depression can be long-lasting or recurrent.
8. Treatment of depression includes lifestyle changes, cognitive behaviour therapy, psychotherapy and antidepressants, which should not be used for treating children and are not the first line of treatment for adolescents and adults.

WHO, 2019; Verywell Mind, 2020

Today is World Mental Health Day. As mental health disorders are becoming increasingly common in this chaotic world of o...
10/10/2020

Today is World Mental Health Day. As mental health disorders are becoming increasingly common in this chaotic world of ours, it is so important to raise awareness about mental health and decrease the stigmatisation that is associated with it.

I will be doing my part by sharing some interesting facts on a specific mental health disorder each day this week!

I would also like to encourage everyone reading this post to make a point of asking someone how they are really doing today. It may sound insignificant, but could mean the world to someone you know!

And once again I am apologising for being so quiet. Like every other small business, Lauren Veenstra Speech-Language The...
04/10/2020

And once again I am apologising for being so quiet. Like every other small business, Lauren Veenstra Speech-Language Therapy was hit hard by COVID-19. I am happy to say that we are slowly getting back on our feet!

I am trying to make up for the silence by sharing this useful resource💬

I am so excited to announce some positive news for Lauren Veenstra Speech-Language Therapy among all this negativity. WE...
28/03/2020

I am so excited to announce some positive news for Lauren Veenstra Speech-Language Therapy among all this negativity.

WE ARE EXPANDING!

Ntombi will be joining my practice when the chaos is over. She will be seeing the excess clients that I have at the schools. She will also be starting her own private practice on the side. A huge bonus is that Ntombi is going to be able to assess and provide therapy in isiZulu, which is such a necessity in Pietermaritzburg and its surrounding towns.

Ntombi is married and has a little girl of her own. She, therefore, has such an incredible understanding of children. She also studied at The University of Pretoria and graduated one year after me in 2018. Ntombi completed her community service year in Bloemfontein last year. She has moved around a bit and is now settling down in Pietermaritzburg as her husband has got a job here.

I cannot wait for Ntombi to join me. It is going to allow us to see a larger number of clients who require Speech Therapy services😁

12/03/2020

Lauren Veenstra Speech-Language Therapy has some very exciting news!

Keep your eyes peeled on my page towards the end of March to find out what it is🎉

World Hearing Day 2020 - let's raise awareness on how to prevent hearing loss and promote ear care👂Everyone, not just he...
28/02/2020

World Hearing Day 2020 - let's raise awareness on how to prevent hearing loss and promote ear care👂

Everyone, not just health professionals and teachers, can take something from this information!

13/02/2020

I saw this quote at Merchiston today and thought it was worth sharing:

"Your children will become who you are; so be who you want them to be."

It is World Read Aloud Day today.I cannot highlight the importance of exposing children (of any age) to books enough!Rea...
05/02/2020

It is World Read Aloud Day today.

I cannot highlight the importance of exposing children (of any age) to books enough!

Reading to your child helps to:
1. Create a bond between you and your child.
2. Develop listening skills, vocabulary and literacy skills.
3. Enhance language skills, concentration and memory.
4. Increase general knowledge.
5. Encourage imagination and empathy.

I have posted 3 of my favourite children's books (actually from my childhood that I use in therapy now)📚

Address

Pietermaritzburg

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 16:00
Thursday 08:00 - 16:00
Friday 08:00 - 14:30
Saturday 09:00 - 12:00

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