Willow Tree Therapy Services provides independent speech and language therapy intervention and support for children, their families and education staff, online throughout the UK, and face to face across the Humber and Yorkshire region.
Every child has the right to the best quality of life, and to have a means of functional communication that enables them to be happy and achieve their full potential. I am dedicated to making this an achievable goal for every child and young person that I support. I also understand how Speech, Language and Communication difficulties can affect a child’s entire support network. I aim to advise and support parents and educators to be active partners in their child’s therapy, arming them with knowledge and skills, and providing them with a flexible approach to intervention to ensure that everyone’s needs are met with care and compassion.
I assess and treat children and young people aged 0-18 years, who have a range of communication difficulties, covering the following clinical areas:
- Attention and Listening difficulties
- Augmentative and alternative communication
- Autism
- Developmental Language Disorder (previously known as Specific Language Impairment, Language Disorder, Developmental language impairment)
- Expressive language delay
- Learning Disabilities
- Receptive language delay
- Selective mutism
- Social communication disorder
- Speech sound delays and disorders
I can receive referrals from parents and carers, and also any other professionals including school staff, General Practitioners, Social Workers, Psychologists, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists with the consent of the parent/carers.
Helping children to be heard, one word at a time is my aim and my flexible working approach allows me to deliver a fun and effective tailor-made service, to the children I work with, their families, schools, nurseries and SEN settings.
About Rachel Galvez
I graduated from the University of Lancaster with a BA (Hons) degree in Linguistics. In 1999, I then gained a MSc in Speech and Language Pathology and Therapy from University College London and have been working as a Speech and Language Therapist since that time.
When I qualified I worked for Loddon NHS Trust, providing services across a range of settings including community clinics, client’s homes, mainstream primary and secondary schools, and Special Educational needs schools.
I began to work as an independent Speech and Language Therapist in 2005 and currently provide face to face services to children and young people across Yorkshire and the Humber regions and via teletherapy across the UK.
As well as my formal qualifications I have completed additional training in the following:
- British Sign Language (Level 1)
- Specialised training course for Speech and Language Therapists working with people with Down’s syndrome (Down’s Syndrome Association)
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) – advanced level
- Yoga for Autism Foundation Training (YOTISM)
- Inside Out Sensory certificate course for SLP’s
- Intensive Interaction
- SCERTS (Social Communication Emotional Regulation Transactional Support) – The SCERTS Model Introduction, Application and Assessment
- Phonological Interventions – choosing the best approach
- A Crash Course in Literacy-Based Therapy for Teletherapists
- Engaging Children with Autism: A parent Coaching model for Teletherapy
- Representation Matters: The Importance of Using Diverse Picture Books in Therapy
- Writing Goals to Foster Autistic Identity
- Various teletherapy courses covering set up, creating materials, evidence-based practice and keeping children engaged.
- Inference Training – A Reading Comprehension Intervention
I am a registered member of The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (MRCSLT), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP). I hold an enhanced DBS certificate, I am the Data protection Officer and am compliant with The General Data Protection Regulation 2018.
I am a passionate, highly experienced, and dedicated Speech and Language Therapist, committed to my profession and to providing the best evidence-based practice. I use my knowledge and skills creatively to enhance the services I provide, using the best techniques, to give a completely individual programme to meet the varying needs of the children and young people I work with, whilst working with other professionals to provide a holistic approach.
I strive to make therapy sessions fun and engaging for everyone involved and enjoy working as part of a team with parents, carers and support staff to help every child progress and achieve their potential. Helping children to be heard, one word at a time.