Speech therapy supports Wendy to find her voice

Wendy, a talented crocheter from Toowoomba, is growing her business, Wendy’s Wonderful Works, with the help of speech therapy. Working with Northcott speech pathologist Maddie, Wendy has gained confidence in her communication and improved her reading skills—both of which are helping her business thrive.

Support tailored to Wendy’s needs

When Wendy first started therapy, speaking clearly was a challenge. She often spoke very quickly, making it hard for people to understand her. Maddie helped Wendy slow down her speech and use strategies to improve clarity. Ordering coffee was one of the first times Wendy practised her new speech strategies, and it gave her the confidence to keep going, now talking to customers and taking part in markets on her own.

I used to feel nervous talking to people, but now I don’t need a support person with me at markets. I can speak for myself.

Wendy, Northcott customer.

Combining therapy with Wendy’s passion

Knowing Wendy loves crochet, Maddie made it part of their therapy sessions. Maddie also crochets, so they worked on patterns together while practising speech and reading skills. This helped Wendy not only with communication but also with using new assistive technology, like a reader pen, to improve her literacy.

The reader pen helps Wendy read crochet patterns, but it doesn’t always explain abbreviations correctly. To fix this, Wendy and Maddie created a guide that makes it easier to understand the patterns. Wendy also practises explaining the steps of new stitches out loud, reinforcing her learning in a fun and hands-on way.

Reaching new goals

With therapy and the right support, Wendy’s business is growing. She has already taken part in big events like the Jumpers and Jazz festival in Warwick. Now, she has her sights set on attending even bigger markets.

“I’d love to try selling at the Diamond Markets, where all the posh people go,” Wendy says.

She is also working on improving her writing skills so she can reply to customer emails independently.

“I want to learn how to write emails properly. Maddie and Sam, who helped me with the reader pen, have been so lovely and supportive.”

A bright future ahead

With Maddie’s ongoing support, Wendy is developing her communication and business skills. She is more confident, independent, and ready to take on new challenges.

Follow Wendy’s journey and check out her crochet work on Facebook: Wendy’s Wonderful Works.

Speech Therapy