Evaluation & Therapy Services

Stellar Speech & Myo provides one-on-one therapy for clients of all ages in our Alexandria and Vienna clinics. We also offer virtual therapy sessions to residents anywhere in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.

treating the whole person

Our unique Approach to Therapy

speech, feeding, & myofunctional therapy in ALEXANDRIA, VA

At Stellar Speech & Myo, we’re committed to seeing the big picture— not just individual symptoms. We work to uncover the underlying cause of oral dysfunction and tailor our therapy sessions to your specific needs. Whether we're focusing on speech, feeding, or airway health, our overall goal is to improve your quality of life.

Home practice is a key part of our therapy approach. We provide easy-to-follow homework sheets and, when possible, record videos to make practice at home simple and effective. We’ll give you everything you need to continue making progress between sessions!

Finding the Root of the Issue

Evaluations

Child participating in a speech therapy evaluation in Alexandria, VA

Evaluations help us determine each client’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas that may need to be addressed in therapy. Depending on your needs, the evaluation process may include:

  • Case history forms and interviews

  • Speech sound assessment

  • Examination and photos of posture, face, and mouth structures

  • Observation while chewing and swallowing a small snack (a crunchy food, a soft food on a spoon, and a drink)

Once the evaluation is complete, you will receive a detailed report with our findings, recommendations, and referrals to other professionals if necessary. We will also schedule a 30-minute video call to talk about the report and answer any questions you may have.

SpeECH THERAPY

At Stellar Speech & Myo, we specialize in treating language delays, speech sound disorders, and stuttering. Our play-based sessions engage even the youngest learners! For older children and adults, we approach speech sound errors and stuttering from an orofacial myofunctional perspective— using repetitive practice activities to make quick and lasting progress. Speech therapy will focus on helping you or your child:

  • Speak more clearly

  • Use new words and learn language concepts

  • Communicate with confidence

Toddler working on trying new foods during feeding therapy in Alexandria, VA

FEEDING ThERAPY

At Stellar Speech & Myo, feeding therapy is focused on helping your child eat safely, enjoy a greater variety of foods, and feel more comfortable at the table. We break new skills down into manageable steps and provide parents with strategies to make mealtimes more successful at home. Depending on your child’s goals, feeding therapy will help them:

  • Chew and swallow safely

  • Expand the number and type of foods they eat

  • Improve comfort with sensory experiences related to eating

  • Reduce mealtime stress and support overall health and nutrition

We also provide feeding therapy for breast-fed and bottle-fed babies. Your baby may benefit from feeding therapy if they have been diagnosed with a lip- or tongue-tie, gag, cough, or choke while feeding, have reflux, have difficulty gaining weight, take longer than 30 minutes to feed, or experience clicking or leaking while feeding. You don’t have to do this alone!

MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY for children, teens, & adults

What is myofunctional therapy?

Orofacial myofunctional therapy involves retraining the muscles of the tongue, lips, and cheeks. You can think of it as physical therapy for the muscles of your mouth and face!

We will walk you through specific and personalized exercises to improve the strength, range of motion, and coordination of these muscles— which will lead to better breathing, sleep, speech, and swallowing.

Myofunctional Therapy Can Help Children, Teens, & Adults

We offer traditional myofunctional therapy starting around age 5 and oral motor feeding therapy beginning from birth. Myofunctional therapy can provide benefits across all aspects of life, including:

  • Improved swallowing and digestion

  • Better speech clarity

  • Improved facial growth, development, and symmetry

  • Dental health and teeth alignment

  • Improved breathing

  • Less fatigue and more energy

  • Higher quality sleep

We treat signs and symptoms of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, including:

  • Tethered oral tissues (tongue and lip ties)

  • Speech sound errors and persistent articulation problems

  • Open mouth posture and mouth breathing

  • TMJD (clenching, grinding, headaches)

  • Dental issues (open bite, crowding, misalignment)

  • Orthodontic relapse

  • Sleep disordered breathing or sleep apnea

  • Difficulty with nasal breathing and fatigue

  • Tongue thrust

  • Picky eating

  • Postural concerns (forward head posture, asymmetry)

  • Poor facial growth and development

  • ADD/ADHD

  • Depression and anxiety

A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

Myofunctional therapy works best with a team. We’ve built strong relationships with local providers— airway dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, IBCLCs, PTs, chiropractors, and craniosacral therapists— to ensure you receive comprehensive, coordinated care.

Professional Consulting and Trainings

We offer one-on-one mentorship and trainings in our specialty areas of orofacial myofunctional and feeding therapy.

Mentorship is perfect for SLPs interested in learning more about myofunctional therapy and private practice. Sessions are scheduled virtually, and you'll complete a form ahead of time to share what you'd like to focus on.

Trainings are ideal for professionals in related fields—like dental offices, schools, daycares, and parent groups. These can be held virtually or in person at your location.

You'll walk away with:

  • A better understanding of myofunctional disorders

  • Confidence in identifying when to refer

  • Tools to support more comprehensive care for your patients or clients