Rachel DeSando
M.S. Ed., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist
Executive Director
Owner of Speech For Life Therapy
Why I Started Speech For Life
When I founded Speech For Life Therapy, I knew three things:
1. I wanted to share my passion for helping children as a Speech-Language Pathologist while staying home with my daughter.
2. With the gift of motherhood, I gained a new perspective that transformed how I connected with my young clients and their families.
3. All the parents I knew needed a break, especially those managing therapy sessions alongside school, dance, karate, and everything else.
I created Speech For Life Therapy to bring these pieces together in our community, offering virtual speech therapy and literacy support. I work with a heart of gratitude, listening to your concerns as a parent, and providing guidance and therapy to help your children grow and develop their skills for life.
From my early days in undergrad school, I was struck by how profoundly my work could impact an individual’s entire lifespan. I quickly realized that by starting treatment as early as possible, I could transform life skills, experiences, and open doors to opportunities that might otherwise remain closed. Over the course of my career, three pivotal factors have consistently stood out as keys to my clients’ success, regardless of their age.
1. Early Intervention: Why Wait?
As an SLP, I thought, "Why wait to change lives when I can start now?" The earlier we begin treatment, the greater the impact we can have on your child’s quality of life. Starting today means reducing worry and frustration, and setting the stage for long-term success. We are here to support you in making that transformative change!
2. Motivation Through Familiarity
After working in various settings, I found that my clients thrived the most when they were in environments they loved—surrounded by their favorite people, toys, and activities. Virtual sessions in the comfort of their natural environment allow children to fully engage, resulting in faster progress. By integrating the things they love, we create a space where they feel safe and motivated to grow.
3. Family Involvement for Maximum Success
In the best clinics, I still felt constrained—rushing between sessions and spending valuable time transitioning between rooms. When I launched my online portal, everything changed. Virtual therapy allowed me to maximize every minute of our time together and truly involve families in the process.
The real magic happens when I witness the concept of “carryover” in action. Kids start doing the things we worked on during therapy—like making polite requests, pronouncing sounds correctly, or effortlessly beginning to sound out words—on their own, without prompting. And by involving parents directly in each session, we give them the gift of being a catalyst in their child’s growth, contributing to their success every step of the way.
Success Stories
Discover the breakthroughs other families have experienced through speech for life therapy.
The Speech For Life Difference
Our clients enjoy effective and personalized therapy services from the comfort and convenience of their own homes.
Virtual Therapy Approach
Many parents, like you, are living very busy lives driving all around town for work, errands, and other extracurricular activities. We’re committed to offering you and your children a more convenient method of care to help get your child get back on track without you all having to sacrifice more family time.
Truly Customized Therapy
We believe your child is unique and special, and we work to tailor our services so therapy is fun for them each and every session. The more they enjoy therapy sessions, the greater potential for engagement and quicker growth.
Our Mission
SpeechForLife's mission is to deliver highest quality personalized therapy services to patients of all ages who desire improved quality of life and academic achievement for a lifetime.
Licensed, Credentialed & Experienced
Our therapists are ASHA Certified Speech-Language Pathologists who have experience working in schools, hospitals, outpatient clinics, skills nursing facilities and of course, teletherapy settings with clients of all ages and abilities.
Frequently asked questions
You're not alone, many clients come to us with a lot of questions. See the most common questions and answers here to guide you on your journey to find the best therapy partner for your child.
Should I "Wait and See?"
No, trust your instincts. You can stop the rising risk of your child being held back and instead enjoy seeing your child’s full potential, while hitting their growth milestones and restoring their confidence! So, schedule a complimentary video consultation with us today.
How would virtual therapy work for my toddler?
Every child is different, and that is the beauty of our approach to embrace each child’s interests and strengths to engage them in life changing interventions. Sometimes the calls are from the kitchen table high chair with snacks, others are on the floor with us “riding” on your phone virtually on a toy train track.
What should I expect in my consultation?
Your consultation is to help us learn about your concerns for your child, allow us to get to know each other, and explore your service options. Your video consultation will be approximately 10-15 minutes in length, so we can meet you and your child. We usually start with introductions, show and tell, and brief overview of concerns and treatment recommendations if indicated.
Once scheduled, you should promptly receive a confirmation email and an invitation to our client portal with several important consent documents to be completed.
You will recieve a link to your video consult a few minutes before your appointment time. You can download from the app or open the link in the browser on your device.
What technology do we need for teletherapy?
Our teletherapy platform is compatable with any updated computer with a mic and speakers, ipad or smartphone that is connected to stable Wifi. Our platform works best with a Google Chrome browser.
How does scheduling work?
After your consultation, our Client Care Coordinator will assist you in scheduling your evaluation. Once your child completes their evaluation and we agree on a plan of service, we work together to schedule a consistent therapy schedule for you and your child.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept private pay via credit card, Flex Savings Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, and we are providers of the Florida Empowerment Scholarship so our services are eligible for reimbursement via SUFS. All payments are due in full at time of service.
Do you take insurance?
We do not bill private insurance companies. SpeechForLife will be happy to provide a Superbill for you to track towards a deductible for your insurance company after services have been completed and paid in full, at your request.
What is the Florida Empowerment Scholarship, and how can I see if I qualify?
For more information please check out https://www.stepupforstudents.org/for-parents/special-needs/how-the-scholarship-works/.
Request a Consultation
Request a no-obligation consultation so you can ask the questions and discern if speech for life therapy makes sense for your child.
Schedule Your Consultation
Meet us, get your questions answered and experience how your child interacts in teletherapy.
Receive the Proposed Plan
If you are seriously considering therapy for your child, we will conduct a detailed evaluation and present you a unique treatment plan for your child.
Feel Empowered & At Ease
Feel empowered knowing your child has the additional support they need to thrive.
