Breakthrough Speech & Language Therapy
Agency Description
At Breakthrough Speech & Language Therapy, we believe that communication is a gift that allows us to express our true and unique selves. Being able to communicate also means having the ability to build connections with those in ours lives and the world around us. We also believe in the importance of empowering family members and caregivers to play a key part in the treatment of speech and language delays and disorders. This is why are dedicated to working together with families as a team in order to make a difference in the lives of the ones they love. We are here to help create breakthroughs in communication, one word at a time.
Breakthrough Speech & Language is devoted to serving children with various needs in the areas of speech, language, stuttering, auditory-verbal therapy and developmental disorders. We are also passionate in providing services to teenagers and adults who stutter.
We are a bilingual (French and English) team based in Northern Ontario. Our speech and language services are offered in-person at our clinic locations in Sudbury and North Bay, as well as in the community within these surrounding areas. Virtual (online) services are also made available to anyone in Ontario. Near or far, we can help!
Therapist Description
Christine Demers, Speech – Language Pathologist
My name is Christine Demers, and I’m the founder of Breakthrough Speech & Language Therapy. I am a registered Speech-Language Pathologist in good standing with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario, and also a member of Speech-Language & Audiology Canada.
I am a bilingual SLP and offer assessment and treatment to families in both English and French. I have over 10 years of experience working in the Sudbury area to help children overcome a wide range of speech and language challenges, having previously worked at Wordplay Preschool Speech & Language Services. I also believe in the power of involving families in the treatment process, and am committed to making sure everyone feels empowered to make a difference in their child’s lives. I have extensive experience working with children in the areas of stuttering, autism spectrum disorder, motor speech, speech sound development, language, late to talk, other developmental delays and hearing impairments. I am also passionate in offering therapy to teenagers and adults who stutter. I am a strong believer in collaborating with other community partners, and work alongside other agencies in order to help a child in multiple aspects of their development. I am also a member of a diagnostic team for Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Sudbury area. My passion is to help individuals break through communication barriers, and allow everyone to show the world who they are, become who they aspire to be, and build connections with those around them through communication.
Born and raised in Greater Sudbury, I love spending time outdoors and at camp with my family and friends. I also love to travel, read a good book, play cards, and of course do a little bit of shopping! I also have a loving husband and two wonderful young boys who constantly brighten my days.
Melanie Blais, Speech – Language Pathologist
Hi, my name is Mélanie Blais, and I am a bilingual (French-English) Speech Language Pathologist. A graduate from Laurentian University, I have been providing speech and language services to pre-school and school-aged children in the Sudbury area for over 6 years. With a genuine interest in growing young minds, my goal is to help my clients attain their next developmental milestone; one step at a time.
Over the years, I have gained extensive knowledge in working with children in the areas of social communication development/autism spectrum disorder, speech sound development and language development. I am also certified in The Hanen Centre’s It Takes Two to Talk, Target Word and More Than Words programs. I also have training in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and the Fluency Plus Program. Being committed to my clients and their families is something that is very important to me. I love working together with caregivers to ensure that their child reaches their full potential.
Easily enchanted by nature, I spend the majority of my spare time outdoors with my sidekick Myles, the Finnish Lapphund.
Jessica Vincent, Speech – Language Pathologist
Hi! My name is Jessica Vincent, and I am a bilingual (French-English) Speech-Language Pathologist and a graduate from Laurentian University. From a young age, helping people has been a great passion of mine. When I was introduced to the field of speech-language pathology, I knew it was the right career for me!
My areas of interest include motor speech, child language development, speech/phonology, and autism. I also have experience in working with
aphasia and dysphagia clients. My passion is to encourage and motivate clients to reach their communication goals in an open, friendly, and
supportive atmosphere. I love creating fun therapy activities that keep our sessions interesting and engaging!
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, watching movies and going to the beach.
Natalie Lemay, Speech – Language Pathologist
My name is Natalie Lemay, and I am a bilingual SLP providing assessment and treatment to children in English and French.
I have over 12 years of experience working in helping children with a variety of needs including receptive (understanding) and expressive language, articulation and phonology, motor speech, stuttering, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental delays. I am a strong believer in early intervention and in empowering caregivers to help children develop the skills they need to become the best communicators they can be. I am also a certified therapist in the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), a naturalistic play-based early intervention program based on the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).
During my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends playing board games, and walking or snow-shoeing in the beautiful trails in our community. I also enjoy reading a good book and love tap dancing.