Are you looking for a therapist, coach, or consultant who can help you to feel more confident while speaking and interacting?
About Us
Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy is a boutique practice of duly qualified and experienced registered speech-language pathologists (AKA speech therapists) who focus on working with adults. Our practices incorporate the latest thinking in psychology, speech-language pathology, adult learning and behavioural therapy and provide therapy by the current theory and research.
Our dedicated speech-language pathologists are trained in different therapeutic approaches and work in a collaborative manner to help you to improve your speech, social or communication skills.
Our work focuses on practical and real-world outcomes. From a lisp to social skills, our ultimate goal is to help you to develop the skills and confidence that you need to succeed in real life. Consider that more than 800,000 Canadians have communication concerns. You are not the only one.
Our Story
Our clinic was created in 2012, when one speech-language pathologist, Melissa James, wanted to make confident communication accessible to everyone, not just adults needing rehabilitation. Inspired by the positive psychology movement, which uses psychology principles to optimize the mental health of well individuals, James noticed that 'average' adults were underserved in the Toronto speech therapy market.
Many speech-language pathologists focus on working with children, leaving struggling adults without a safe space to consult with age-appropriate specialists. Noticing a void, James opened our clinic to serve as a specialized hub for seemingly 'average' adults.
“The idea and execution behind Well Said landed at a time and place where adults were not being addressed appropriately within the field. We’ve spurred a new type of accessibility via adult-focused, age-appropriate, and ethical, speech and communication services. We’re proud to say we are Toronto’s original adult speech clinic.”
Today, our agile team, comprised of four specialists, has helped over 1000 adults improve their communication. We have acquired a reputation for quality and evidence-based assessment, treatment, and consultative services for adult speech, social, and communication services.
Our Original Perspective
Prior to 2012, if you were an adult in Toronto who wanted to improve your communication, you would have had a hard time finding a professional who took you seriously. Speech therapists tend to focus on rehabilitating those who are in the lowest 5% with the goal of getting them to the 'within normal limits' range. But what about someone who started 'within normal limits' and wanted to be an above-average communicator? We thought, there has to be a place for that. And, so here we are.
We believe that our speech, social and communication expertise should not be reserved for the lowest 5%. We believe that high-functioning adults deserve a contemporary clinic that is age-appropriate with experienced clinicians who bridge research, evidence-based practice, and practice-based knowledge from adult learning, business, social, and communication psychology, and speech-language pathology into real life actionables. After all, communication is a spectrum and we all can be better communicators. Why not?
Our Approach
Foremost, we advocate for adult learning. We know that adults (and teens) learn differently than children do and require a dedicated approach rooted within empirically-based adult learning principles:
Adults learn best in an informal situation
Adults want guidance, not instruction
Adult learning focuses on problems and the problems must be realistic
Adults must want to learn
Adults will learn only what they feel they need to learn
Adults learn by doing
Experience affects adult learning
Have you...
• participated in speech therapy for voice, lisps, stuttering before?
• worked with a different type of clinician (i.e., social worker or psychologist) on communication or social skills?
• worked with a speech therapist who usually works with children and it didn't go well?
• worked with a speech therapist who doesn't have enough experience?
• lived in an area that did not have school speech therapy as a child?
• had limited social practice causing a delay in social skill development?
• learned English later with instructors with heavy accents?
• struggled with medical issues affecting communication?
• embarked on a gender (M2F, F2M, non-binary) transition?
• felt nervous speaking in front of a group?
• been promoted to a leadership role despite having stage fright?
• been diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger syndrome, high-functioning ASD, Social Communication Disorder, anxiety or a mental health concern?
• been injured in an accident?
• received constructive feedback about your communication?
• decided that you want to be a better speaker?
Second, we consider that adults come with a spectrum of abilities and we pride ourselves on being able to work with below-average, average and above-average communicators. In this vein, we also understand that adults have idiosyncratic histories and experiences that substantially shape their outlook and preferences for support.
Adults also have imminent goals for which our work has to be applicable and actionable yet also broadly generalizable. We prioritize communication for real life and understand the unique communication challenges of being a professional or soon-to-be professional, in a competitive, modern occupational environment.
Lastly, adults need the right conditions to learn. It's patronizing to sit in a colourfully wallpapered lobby, filled with plastic educational toys, while waiting for your speech therapist. And it's just as patronizing when the therapist asks you to drill with cartoonish flashcards with 'ages: 5-12' written on the box. And, it may be equally as destabilizing to have a speech therapist come to your home where you might not have a safe space to work, one that's distraction-free or clutter-free. Our 1200 sq ft dedicated professional space is designed for you (and adult speech, social, and communication work, of course). It's a maturely-furnished, confidential space with three therapy rooms where you can concentrate on your development. Plus, we are TTC accessible (steps from Bathurst subway station) and parking-friendly (steps from a Green P lot).
Using our insightful philosophy and contemporary approach within our thoughtfully crafted space, we carefully assess your individual situation and work with you to formulate an evidence-based treatment approach that is as individual as you are.
From a university student to a CEO, adults can and do effectively change their speech, social, and communication styles with the right speech-language pathologist team and a modern, adult-centric approach.
Our Clients
So you value communication skills, and recognize that you could speak and interact in a better way? An array of different types of adults in Toronto come to us for help:
Teachers and professors
Consultants
Managers and executives
College/university students
Sales directors
Lawyers and litigators
Public service professionals
Programmers
Actors and singers
Real estate agents
“All of the brilliant people we have the privilege of working with have one common denominator: they recognize the importance of expressing themselves, clearly and effectively. ”
We've been there too
Like you, we believe that good ideas need an equally strong presentation. We've also been there, sitting with the feeling that we could be better at speaking, using our voice, interacting with others, and representing who we are. From this place of lived experience, we know how frustrating, disconcerting and anxiety-provoking it feels to sense that your communication isn't working for you.
Whether you are thinking about our clinic for a specific reason:
A promotion
A role
An interview
A presentation or speech
Or, for a general one:
Self-development
Improved social relationships
Improved confidence
Improved self-advocacy
Improved conflict resolution
We can certainly help you to perform better, feel more confident, and achieve your goals.