Who we are
At Northridge Speech Centre, speech therapy is focused on you and your family. As no two people are the same, I strive to provide individualized therapy that addresses your goals and concerns in ways that are interesting and respect your time. Family and team members are welcome and encouraged to come to sessions and learn with you so you can continue to build communication confidence in your everyday life.
A doctor’s referral is not required. If you are concerned about your speech, language skills or swallowing, or if you are concerned that your child is hard to understand, isn’t developing language skills as you expect or there is another speech and language concern, you are probably right. Please contact Northridge Speech Centre and speak to Heather.
Meet the Therapist
Heather MacNeill graduated with a Masters of Science degree from the University of British Columbia Speech and Audiology Program in 1994. She received a Bachelor in Science and a Diploma in Applied Linguistics UBC before doing her Masters degree. She is a member of Speech and Audiology Canada (SAC), Speech and Hearing BC, is registered with the College of Health Care Providers of BC (CHCPBC) and is a Registered Autism Service Provider (RASP).
Heather has specialized in therapy for children and youth for most of her career starting with working at the Public Health Units in Surrey and Delta before joining Northridge Speech Centre in 2005. She became the owner of Northridge Speech Therapy a few years later.
Heather currently specializes in therapy for neurodivergent children and youth including children who are on the autism spectrum and children who have attention deficit disorder, therapy for young children with language delay, articulation difficulties and fluency concerns. She also specializes in myofunctional therapy including tongue thrust swallowing and mouth resting posture concerns that may impact speech or orthodontic treatment.
When not in the office Heather enjoys being outside in her garden, or in the mountains around the lower mainland. She enjoys skiing, camping, hiking and paddling with her family and friends.
Our Services
Comprehensive speech and language support is offered at Northridge Speech Centre.
I work with children from infants to high school ages and provide screenings and assessments to address your concerns, guide therapy and provide information for other team members such as schools.
- Children
Assessment
Screenings and assessments
Comprehensive, functional or focused assessment is available depending on the concerns of the family and the needs of the client.
- Articulation
- Autism
- Understanding of language and expressive language
- Fluency (stuttering)
- Myofunctional concerns (e.g. tongue thrust)
- Oral motor skills
- Voice
- Children
Therapy
Play-based and family-focused
Individualized and family focused therapy. Families are always involved in therapy for younger children and are welcome to participate in therapy with their older children. Family members are vital partners in their child’s speech therapy intervention so I strive to have family members be involved in developing goals for their children’s therapy and provide ideas of how to make therapy part of many daily activities. Therapy for young children is play based and centred on their interests.
- Therapy for articulation
- Autism therapy that is as individual as each child
- Language skills therapy
- Myofunctional therapy for tongue thrust
- Oral motor skills therapy
- Fluency therapy to help people who stutter
- Voice therapy
- Children
Family & Team Support
Parent education and coordination
Parent education
- Information about speech and language development
- Strategies for incorporating speech and language stimulation techniques into everyday activities
- Strategies for managing behaviours
Coordination with other team members
- School based team meetings
- Consultation with behaviour consultants and behaviour interventionists
- Co-therapy with other team members
- Adults
Adult Speech Therapy
Assessment and therapy for adults
- Myofunctional Assessment and Therapy for Tongue Thrust and Mouth Resting Posture Concerns (you may be referred by your Orthodontist)
- Fluency Assessment and Therapy for stuttering
- Voice Therapy including LSVT Loud for people with Parkinson’s
- Articulation Assessment and Therapy
- Accent Reduction Therapy