During her early years, Lauren Ouellette, MA, CCC-SLP, attended a Montessori School and had the opportunity to work with a girl who had Down syndrome. This experience ignited her passion for a career in education, focusing on children with special needs.
After taking a career assessment her freshman year of college, Ouellette discovered the field of speech-language pathology. She shadowed a family friend in the field, then decided to switch her major to communication sciences and disorders. Following her master’s degree and a fellowship, she joined a local provider, but her entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish Spoken Word Children’s Therapy in 2013.
Over time, she expanded her team of speech language pathologists and a few years ago introduced occupational therapy to their services. She now has her sights set on potentially incorporating physical therapy.
“We’ve got an amazing team,” she said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see patients and also to mentor newer therapists, helping them extend their impact to more children in need of therapy services.”
Looking back on her own childhood, Ouellette recalls dealing with petit mal seizures and learning disabilities. “I’ve always had this deep urge to help kids,” she explained. “It stems not just from my time with that little girl with Down syndrome but also from my own challenges growing up. I truly get how these obstacles shape kids, their development and their future and how speech and occupational therapy enable them to live their best lives.”
Speech-language pathology and occupational therapy are fields traditionally dominated by female practitioners. Ouellette’s all-female practice cultivates a culture of positivity and teamwork.
“Women bring a unique compassion and empathy to the table, especially when it comes to understanding what families with children with disabilities go through,” she noted. “But I think our practice would thrive regardless of gender – our team is just that driven.”
Ultimately, Ouellette’s passion is service: “I want my legacy to be that I loved helping children and families, mentoring therapists and being a servant leader to those in need.”
Lauren Ouellette, M.A., CCC-SLP
Spoken Word Children’s Therapy
P.O. Box 2467, Mount Pleasant
843-605-8779
spokenwordchildrenstherapy.com
