Debbie has been working with our son for about 4 months, since a little after he turned two, when…read morehe was saying only a handful of consonants and one vowel. He learns something new almost every session (he said a new word after just their first session, after not saying any new words for 6 months!), and now his speech is really taking off. Debbie is PROMPT-certified, and this type of therapy seems to be very efficient in treating our son's speech motor planning difficulties. During their sessions, she can now cue him to say complete words, component by component. I am blown away listening to it. She has built an amazing rapport with our son so that he somehow sits still, completely engaged, for half-hour long sessions, tries to make sounds on command, and has fun the whole time. She is so positive, and encourages him to try without ever making him feel pressured. She also quickly got to know him and what would hold his interest. We are constantly impressed with her skill, professionalism, patience, and resourcefulness, and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a speech therapist! I should also add that she has been very helpful providing me with all the necessary information to try and get speech therapy covered by insurance. And she is consistently on time or early to sessions. We feel so lucky to have found her, through the recommendation of the dentist that did our son's tongue tie surgery.

We highly recommend Debbie Shiwbalak for speech therapy. Debbie worked with our 2-year-old son (LP)…read moreon his speech delay, and she was amazing. LP's language comprehension was excellent, but he was saying very few words, but because he had no other delays, we didn't qualify for city-sponsored Early Intervention. We hired Debbie (reimbursed by our health insurance) and are glad we did. We loved the way Debbie immediately and directly engaged with LP, without any bureaucratic BS or adult-to-adult evaluations that might have made our kiddo uneasy. Instead, she went right to play time and language training, and LP, who can sometimes be reserved around new people, quickly and completely connected with her. Their playtime together was energetic, fun and most of all productive for his spoken language development. Debbie's manner of encouraging the flow of speech the course of natural interactions was very comforting. Her structured play time let LP have fun while it was also making it clear to him that he was there to learn. Her method of touching his face and mouth to encourage speech was gentle and natural, and LP clearly took to it. Meeting once or twice a week for about less than two months, Debbie taught us a lot about how to help LP talk more, and pretty soon he "graduated," as he's now repeating our words and excited to talk. All in all, we couldn't recommend Debbie more, so if your child is having any kind of speech issues, definitely contact Debbie.

Lisa did an amazing job with our daughter. She was always well prepared, provided detailed session…read moresummaries after every visit, and communicated exceptionally well with us. Our daughter absolutely adored her. Lisa was always available whenever I had questions, responded quickly, and collaborated closely with our daughter's other therapists to ensure she received the best possible support. From the very beginning, they formed a wonderful connection, and over time, Lisa became much more than a therapist--she became a true friend to our daughter. Even now that we've moved away, Lisa still takes the time to chat with her from time to time, which means so much to all of us. We truly cannot recommend Lisa highly enough. We are incredibly grateful for everything she has done for our family, and we are all very sad not to have her by our side anymore. Thank you as well for always checking in and making sure everything was going well. We really appreciated your support throughout the process. - Peggy, mom of Upper West Side 4th grader

I was happy with Theo's services. He was flexible on timing and on time. He made the lessons fun…read morefor Matthew - playing a variety of games, etc. Theo taught him rules/ techniques that Matthew uses today to strengthen his R's. I would recommend Theo to others. ~ Rachael, parent of Park Slope 9 year old

I highly recommend Diana, she goes far and beyond making a difference in my grandson's life. She is…read moreproviding excellent services for my grandson, we consider her part of our family. Her private sessions has enlightened us on the procedures to use which is providing structure in our household enhancing his learning process. The educational tools Diana provides and her expertise has made me realize she will always be in my grandson's life.

There is no one better than Diana; she's changed our lives. Since beginning sessions with her three…read moremonths ago, my almost two-year-old son has undergone a complete transformation. From having zero words to over 80, the progress is beyond remarkable. Not only has his speech flourished, but his behavior has also improved significantly now that he can communicate effectively. Diana goes above and beyond. In addition to working with my son, she also provides invaluable guidance for supporting his progress at home. Her patience, kindness, and genuine care for my child make her an exceptional therapist. I wholeheartedly recommend Diana to any parent seeking expert support for their child's speech development. She truly is phenomenal!

While insurance isn't accepted here, it's worth every penny out of pocket. Marina is amazing with…read moremy son! He looks forward to going every week and even talks about her at home. As a therapist, she's highly knowledgeable, in addition to being warm and accommodating to our needs. I can't recommend Marina and her staff enough. Whether you have feeding issues, tongue / lip ties or other speech issues, you cannot go wrong.

Marina at Therapy Matters is the REAL DEAL! When my son with Down Syndrome was two weeks old, he…read morewas not gaining weight as needed. I began to triple feed, which was effective, but not ultimately sustainable for me. I wanted to give breastfeeding a good solid try but I didn't know what to do next, and I was tired and discouraged. Per our pediatrician's recommendation, I pursued speech offices for help. I contacted nine, seven of which either did not get back to me or said they were unable to help. Thankfully, one office directed me to Marina. When I first spoke with Marina, she assured me that she had worked with babies with Down Syndrome before, that my goals were completely doable, and that together we would find a plan that worked for my son and for our family. Her confidence and professionalism gave me such reassurance and hope! I felt like she cared about my situation as much as I did. Before our first meeting, I filled out a questionnaire with questions so specific that I could tell Marina would be able to get to the bottom of things. When we met in person, Marina approached things calmly, professionally, confidently, and kindly. Together we clarified my goals multiple times to make sure that everything we were doing would work towards that end. Marina didn't give us simple textbook answers; she listened carefully and thoughtfully and spoke to our unique needs and desires. Because of her training in lactation consulting, speech-language pathology, AND feeding therapy, Marina is a one-stop-shop and is able to think about issues from all angles and get to the heart of matters! (This is why we refer to her as the Queen in our home). After I met with Marina, I came home armed with a specific plan and resources to help move me towards my goal of exclusive breastfeeding. Through various supplies, exercises, and changes to my technique and routine, my son gradually got better and better, and I am thrilled that he now exclusively breastfeeds and is growing right on track! Marina was there every step of the way in the weeks following our meeting to answer my questions, cheerlead me, and guide me through the process. Thank you, Marina, for believing in me and my son, and for giving my son a running start into his future through the gift of breastfeeding, giving him not only the standard benefits, but providing him with a solid foundation so important for babies with Down Syndrome. We will always feel indebted to Marina! Thank you thank you thank you!

Had a session with Ilana Shydlo, who is very unprofessional. No consultation session, no…read moreevaluations, asked me to pay $100 upfront. then the whole session was reading words, and she couldn't point out anything. no advice either. easy money for a scammer.

This was a really easy way to find a local therapist. The first meeting was discounted and the…read moretherapist was obviously highly skilled. Wpuld recommend this service.

Diane is so helpful in setting everything up and all the staff are welcoming & understanding! My…read moreson never wants to leave when he goes. They have convenient hours too!

The staff is friendly and welcoming. All of the therapists are very knowledgeable and truly care…read moreabout the kids. Excellent place for volunteering and working too. The therapists serve as great mentors as they offer tons of insight from all of their experiences. The groups such as the social & after-school programs offered are helpful and the kids enjoy it. The sensory gym is clean, and there are tons of games and activities kept. Also, they can help with reviewing IEPs/504 school plans for your child. Highly recommend JA for their OT and Speech services. Once you start taking your child here for services, there is no looking back!

It's amazing and perfect and it's the best for your child it's safe and comfortable and give you…read morehappiness in your life

Christine is an excellent therapist. She worked with my son for +2 yrs. My son was 10.5 yr old when…read morehe started with Christine. He did not like to read. He has a language d/o, auditory processing d/o, ADD, social pragmatic communication d/o, and a reading d/o. Christine helped my son improved in every area. She worked on his executive function, pragmatics, and reading issues. In the 5th grade, my son had a grade level of 1.8 in reading comprehension and a grade level of 3.4 in Math problem solving on WISC-V. After working with Christine for 1.5 yr, his reading score was in low average decoding and fluency range, and average Math problem solving on the Woodcock-Johnson achievement test. BOE considers low average as average. On Terra Nova test, his Reading was in the 73%, and in Language 66% from 18% (low average 25% to high average 75%). My son is a now a social butterfly!! Christine is professional, kind and has empathy.

Our son worked with both Rosanna and Natalie for PT and Speech, and they were absolutely fantastic…read more They are warm and engaging with the kids and experts at getting them to learn things while thinking they were just playing games. My son had PT as a baby and speech at age 3, and we went back at age 12 for a little speech tune-up. Natalie excels at adapting to all ages of children to address their specific needs. Natalie and Rosanna are also excellent at communicating with parents and listening to our concerns. 100 percent recommend Small Steps Big Leaps!

Rosanna is an incredible PT. She helped my daughter immensely. My daughter always looked forward to…read moreher sessions. I could tell that she felt great about the work and progress she was making, a testament to the thoughtful way Rosanna guided her to learn about herself and take ownership of her body. I especially appreciated how she kept her feeling positive about herself and her abilities. She clearly felt seen and cared for, AND she made huge strides. And Rosanna was always kind and very communicative. We could not have found a better PT.

We had a wonderful experience with Natasha. I brought my 4 year old son for a speech evaluation…read more Natasha was incredibly sweet and kind. My son bonded with her immediately. She made the entire session a game, which was fun and engaging. Afterwards, Natasha gave me a comprehensive explanation about speech development, my son's issues, what to expect at his age, and what our options are for corrective action. I would highly recommend seeing Natasha of you have any doubts about your child's speech development.

Very knowledgeable, sweet, and caring staff. My child made…read moregreat progress in a matter of just a few sessions in terms of speech. Individualized attention, and child's needs are the main priority and focus of every staff member. All questions and concerns that I addressed were and are always taken into considerations. HIGHLY recommend!!!!!!!!!! The owner herself is beyond SWEET, and the most caring person I have even met! My 2 year old child runs with such joy to every single lesson!