I’m so excited to introduce you to a friend of mine, Mags Kirk. Mags has been a speech and language therapist in the United Kingdom since 2003 and is now also a board-certified behavior analyst. This combination makes her a well-qualified speaker and I know you are going to hear some really great information. In this week’s episode we’re talking about Talk Tools and speech therapy for autism.
Mags knew at the age of fourteen that she wanted to be a speech therapist. She earned her degree in 2003 and began working at her local clinics; that’s where she really became interested in helping children with autism. She discovered ABA through one of her clients, and from that point on she became fascinated with that whole world.
Along with being a speech and language therapist and a BCBA, Mags is also a certified expert Level 3 on TalkTools, an oral motor program to help kids with talking, feeding, drooling and other oral motor concerns. Essentially, TalkTools is a very structured approach that looks at how the muscles function in order to move to the correct postures for speech. If functioning correctly, these muscles may help solve feeding problems. If not functioning correctly, they can get in the way of high functioning language skills. Many parents believe that the TalkTools procedures make a great difference in their child’s speech.
Mags is also the owner of Two Can Talk Speech and Language Therapy, which offers private language and speech therapy in the United Kingdom.
Mags leads a very busy life and yet finds the time to manage her family, including three children. Self-care is important to her, and she believes it’s vital for parents and professionals to take time out of their lives to focus on themselves. She teaches that self-care may come in the form of turning off social media for a few hours, going to see a movie, or taking the dog for a walk, even if it’s just once a week. Listen to hear more practical tips on how to successfully navigate life with an autistic loved one.
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