Why I became a speech therapist

As a child I experienced the negative effects of an articulation disorder (in my case a lisp). Fortunately, in the care of a caring, nurturing speech therapist, not only was my condition corrected but the intervention changed my life in other ways too. Boosting my confidence, it allowed me to easily communicate and interact with my friends and peers. First hand experience of the overwhelmingly positive benefits of speech therapy inspired me to become a speech therapist myself.

Education and training

After obtaining my 4-year Bachelor of Speech, Language and Hearing Therapy Degree from the University of Stellenbosch, I completed my community service year in the Free State Province. During that time I was the only speech therapist providing speech, language and hearing services to three hospitals and a local clinic.

I have worked in private practice in Cape Town since 2015 and opened the Cape Town Therapy Hub in Green Point in 2017. The centre offers psychological services, speech therapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, psychiatric services, diagnostic educational assessments, neuropsychological assessments, parent support as well as autism and special needs support. At the Cape Town Therapy Hub we are fortunate to have a multidisciplinary team of passionate therapists who have extensive experience working with children, families and adolescent/adult clients.

In 2021, I completed a 2-year Masters Degree in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (Cum Laude) through the University of Pretoria. My name was also published on the Dean’s merit list (Faculty of Humanities) as a result of my academic performance during the course of my studies. I am a qualified DIRFloortime® Practitioner and a registered member of the HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa) and SASLHA (South African Speech-Language-Hearing Association). I am fully bilingual in Afrikaans and English and regularly attend courses/workshops to stay in touch with all the latest trends and developments in the field of speech therapy.

Courses, workshops and seminars attended and completed include:

  • 4-Day Autism Symposium
  • Makaton Foundation level 1 course
  • Makaton Beginners 1 and 2 training at Vera School
  • DIR 101: An Introduction to DIR & DIRFloortime
  • DIR 201: Promoting Basic Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (3-month course)
  • Learn how to apply Principles of the DIR: Floortime model in everyday life workshop
  • Let’s Talk Autism Course
  • Understanding and Managing Fussy Eaters and Problem Feeders
  • Multilingualism for Speech-Language Therapists - Webinar
  • Using DIR® Floortime to support social emotional development workshop
  • Parent ASD workshop presented by Naomi Botha
  • Understanding ASD: The World Through My Eyes Workshop
  • 3-Day Intensive Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped Children (TEACCH) Training presented by Margaret M. Golding
  • 3-Day Intensive PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) training presented by Karin Brinkmann (Netherlands)
  • Dyslexia and ADHD talk presented by Axel Gudmundsson (Impact Learning)
  • Assessment and treatment of apraxia of speech and other motor speech disorders: Why we need the guiding principles (and theory) of the four-level model of speech sensorimotor control (seminar)
  • Written Language Challenges: Practical Ideas for Grades 2 to 7 Workshop presented by Elizabeth Nadler-Nir
  • Sensory Processing Disorders: What Speech-Language Therapists Should Know Workshop
  • Assessing and working with young autistic children (2-Day Workshop) presented by Julia Travis
  • Understanding PDA Workshop presented by Naomi Botha
  • Standardised Assessment in South Africa workshop presented by Heather Wilkinson
  • Management of Children and Adults who stutter workshop presented by Heather Wilkinson
  • Understanding PDA: Pathological Demand Avoidance Workshop presented by Naomi Botha
  • Understanding PDA – Support Strategies Workshop presented by Naomi Botha
  • Cracking The Code (Recognising, adapting and embracing Neurodiversity with integrity) Conference
  • Basic sign language course (Tiny Handz)
  • Intermediate sign language course (Tiny Handz)
  • Public Health Planning for Hearing Impairment 5 day Course
  • Ethic workshop (Informed consent, Confidentiality, Record keeping, Popi Act)
  • Carel du Toit Information Day: The ABC’s of Acquired Hearing Loss in Children
  • Motor Neuron Disease (MND): What health professionals should know – with a focus on communication and the use of technology
  • Ethic Workshop presented by Ethics Simplified (HPCSA, Malpractice and Ethical Decision making)
  • Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) presented by Prof Mershen Pillay
  • Dysphagia Diets presented by Prof Mershen Pillay
  • VitalStim® Plus: Electrical Stimulation and sEMG Biofeedback in the Treatment of Dysphagia
  • Ethics Workshop presented by Ethics Simplified (Employment: Legal & Ethic requirements)
  • Ethics Workshop presented by Ethics Simplified (HPCSA Rules of Conduct & Social Media)
  • POPI Act Compliance for Health Care Professionals presented by Ethics Simplified
  • POPI Act Compliance for the Health Care Professional presented by Ethics Simplified
  • Practical implications of POPI in your practice presented by SASLHA


“First hand experience of the overwhelmingly positive benefits of speech therapy inspired me to become a speech therapist”