Karol Owens
Based in Milton Keynes
Senior Speech & Language Therapist
I first became interested in speech and language therapy due to my mom's dyslexia. When she was in school, she was always singled out as being "dumb" and not capable enough to do well or get good marks. Her teachers were not trained to address learning disabilities or differences and she had limited access to therapy, so she was not given appropriate support to succeed at school. As I grew older and saw the harsh impact that the lack of access to intervention had on her life (even post-school), I decided that I wanted to help other children so they could have a better experience, avoiding the hardships my mom had to endure.
Over the years, I have also learned that speech therapy is more than just helping kids communicate: it is about connecting and building a relationship with children and their families, a child-centered approach that puts their wants and needs first and fosters an environment where they feel safe, comfortable, and heard.
My favourite word is 'Sonder. Meaning: "The realization and understanding that all other people have lives as complex as one's own" (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
Why: We see ourselves as the main characters in our story and it is easy to forget that this is the case for everybody.
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Literacy
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Dysphagia and feeding disorders/difficulties
Virtual therapy
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Ascend Smarter Intervention (literacy)
“I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.”
