Tailored therapy empowers Wendy 

In the heart of Toowoomba, speech pathologist Maddie is taking a unique approach to therapy, one that is not just improving communication skills but is also helping Wendy, a local business owner, expand her horizons. Wendy, who runs a crochet business called “Wendy’s Wonderful Works,” has been working with Maddie to overcome challenges with speech clarity and literacy. Through this collaboration, Wendy is not only finding her voice but is also growing her business. 

Providing tailored supports 

Maddie has tailored her sessions with Wendy, focusing on practical solutions to support her in achieving her goals. Wendy’s speech difficulties initially made it hard for her to communicate effectively, especially in business interactions. But with Maddie’s help, Wendy has made significant progress. “When I first started working with Wendy, she spoke really quickly, and it was challenging to understand her,” Maddie recalls. “We’ve worked on speech clarity and strategies to slow down her speech, and now, she’s able to be understood more clearly in the community.” 

One of the standout aspects of Maddie’s therapy is the personal connection she forms with her clients. Discovering that Wendy had an interest in crochet, Maddie decided to incorporate it into their sessions. “I also crochet,” Maddie says, “so we started working on crochet patterns together. It wasn’t just about speech; it was about understanding and using the assistive technology we provided to help her read the patterns.” 

Using innovative technology to achieve goals 

Wendy, who struggles with literacy, was introduced to a reader pen that helps her read crochet patterns and other texts. However, the pen reads abbreviations as they appear, which can be confusing. To overcome this, Maddie and Wendy created a booklet that explains the abbreviations in the patterns. This way, Wendy could better understand the instructions, and together, they worked through new stitches. 

The sessions became a collaborative effort. “To test Wendy’s comprehension, I had her explain the steps to me while we both worked on the crochet. It was a lot of fun, and it really helped Wendy grasp the concepts,” Maddie explains. This hands-on approach not only improved Wendy’s literacy and speech but also boosted her confidence. 

Wendy’s progress is evident. She’s now able to communicate more effectively in her business dealings, which has allowed her to participate in markets and festivals, such as the “Jumpers and Jazz” festival in Warwick. Her products are selling well, and she’s even experimenting with new colour schemes based on market research. 

Maddie’s approach shows how personalised therapy can make a difference. By understanding Wendy’s interests and challenges, she has been able to provide support that goes beyond traditional speech therapy. Wendy’s newfound confidence and independence are a testament to the success of this support. 

As Wendy continues to grow her business, Maddie continues to tailor each session to support Wendy with her creativity and business skills through improved reading comprehension and speech clarity techniques. Together, they are knitting a future where Wendy’s voice—and her business—can shine.