Hello, I’m Jenny, I have over 20 years’ experience working as a Speech & Language Therapist for the NHS in Essex. Recently I’ve started working in the independent sector while continuing to work part time in the NHS to give me more flexibility across my working day. This means I can take my dog for a walk on a sunny afternoon and offer teletherapy appointments in the evening while he sleeps and dreams of tennis balls!
I enjoy working within the stammering community with people of all ages – I love that working with children gives me an excuse to play games and have fun as part of my work, while working with teens and adults lets me enjoy the interesting and diverse conversation topics that come up within sessions.
Qualifications
I have an undergraduate degree in Speech & Language Therapy from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (giving me my basic clinical qualification as a Speech & Language Therapist) and a Masters degree in Clinical Speech & Language Studies from Trinity College Dublin which was completed with stammering as my area of specialism. I have completed many other relevant courses throughout my career, including the European Clinical Specialisation in Fluency (ECSF) and multiple short courses including Working with Adults who Stammer (City Lit, London); Counselling Skills for Speech & Language Therapists; Parent Child Interaction Therapy; plus Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy workshops.
I have an enhanced DBS check and hold membership of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT); Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Association of Speech & Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP). Membership of the RCSLT and HCPC registration is necessary to practice as a Speech & Language Therapist in the UK.
Professional Links
As my career has progressed, I have specialised in working with children and adults who stammer. I have built strong links with other Speech & Language Therapists who work with the stammering population, including taking on committee roles (including Chair) for the South East and London Stammering CEN (CEN stands for Clinical Excellence Network). This included organising and attending training and workshops for SLT members working with people who stammer in the region as well as providing networking opportunities to discuss best practice with other therapists. I have also built links within the international stammering community, volunteering on organising committees for conferences held in Portugal, Japan and the UK, ensuring I keep up to date with changes in practice across the stammering world.
I work closely with STAMMA, and was part of the organising committee for STAMMAFest (the STAMMA conference for people who stammer and allies in the stammering community) in 2022 and 2024. I enjoy running online workshops for Parents of Primary-School Children Who Stammer for STAMMA at intervals across the year. I led the parent workshop section of Family Day at STAMMAFest 2024.