(206) 486-2906 (voice/text/fax)
MISSION & VALUES
Supporting Authentic Communication for Everyone
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Evidence-Based Practice: We follow the 3-part model of evidence-based practice (EBP), which requires that our practice be informed by: 1) external scientific evidence (i.e. academic research), 2) clinical experience (i.e. the individual therapist's knowledge and skills), and 3) client perspective and values (including the lived experiences of individuals experiencing similar challenges).
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A Note About Language: Out of respect for the expressed preference of a large portion of the autistic community, we use identity-first language (i.e. "autistic person" instead of "person with autism") as a default. When an individual expresses a different preference (e.g. person-first language like "person with autism"), we will of course honor that preference.
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Professional Collaboration: We maintain strong ethical boundaries regarding what we do clinically, and that may result in professional disagreements from time to time. We believe it is our responsibility to be transparent about those disagreements. We do not recommend therapy approaches based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) due to concerns about the quality of its theoretical foundations and research base as well as the expressed concerns of the autistic community (please see the Resources page for links to additional information on this topic). However, many of our clients have received or currently receive ABA services, and we make our best effort to collaborate for the well-being of the client.
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Neurodiversity: We strive to operate from a balanced approach using both the social model of disability as well as the medical model of disability, depending on the client's values and priorities. We work to honor individual strengths and differences while also acknowledging challenges and trying to alleviate their negative impacts when possible. We are always open to feedback about how we're doing on this front. We continually pursue professional development and education from neurodivergent voices to grow our knowledge about neurodiversity-affirming services and supports.
Sarah McKim Thomas, MA, CCC-SLP
Owner, Speech-Language Pathologist, AAC Specialist
Sarah McKim Thomas has been a language nerd for as long as she can remember. As a child, she loved spelling bees, learning to count in Japanese and German, and attempting to write novels (if you want to embarrass her, ask her about the epic fantasy novel "Wolf Song" that she penned at the age of 11).
In college, she studied Linguistic Anthropology because purely theoretical Linguistics struck her as too dry and detached from the everyday, real-life use that brings language to life. From these studies she learned to value both cultural and linguistic diversity, especially in relation to the Deaf community and American Sign Language (ASL).
After earning her BA in Linguistic Anthropology from Brown University, she planned to become an ASL interpreter and possibly pursue academics as a linguistics researcher. However, a job as a tutor for a girl with Kleefstra Syndrome introduced her to the world of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and her fate was sealed.
She returned to grad school and earned her MA in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Kansas, participating in a fellowship grant that required intensive and specialized training in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) intervention for autistic children and young adults. Through her varied work experiences – including providing services in homes, schools, tutoring centers, and private practice clinics – she has developed a particular passion for working with teenagers and young adults as well as individuals of all ages with complex communication needs.
Sarah is an enthusiastic lifelong learner and continuously seeks out professional development opportunities, earning the ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE) multiple times. She has applied her passion for learning about cultural and linguistic diversity into learning from the autistic community and developing her ability to provide neurodiversity-affirming services.
In her spare time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her cat and horse as well as playing story-driven tabletop and computer games.
Hannah "HP" Phelps, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist, AAC Specialist
HP grew up in the Seattle area and, when asked as a child what color the sky was, reportedly responded "grey," as is usually accurate around here. As a kid, she loved reading, asking too many questions, finding patterns, and pretending to be lost in the woods. She still does.
After heading to the east coast to study linguistics at Yale University, HP was drawn back to Seattle's grey skies, where she worked as a paraeducator and first encountered augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Her experiences in both self-contained and inclusive classrooms revealed the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of how students with communication-related disabilities are treated. Along the way, she acquired nonspeaking mentors and friends whose lived experiences changed the way she thought about and interacted with students. This motivated her to learn about disability justice, ableism, trauma, and communication, with the hope of being part of “the good” however she could.
She ended up at Penn State, where she got her master’s degree in speech-language pathology with a focus on AAC and literacy. She developed a clinical approach based on the importance of relational safety, empowering self-determination and self-advocacy, looking for what intrinsically motivates communication, and relying on the “least dangerous assumption” when making decisions. This approach is a constant work-in-progress. She makes mistakes daily and aims to grow by listening to and learning from her clients, their families, and the people whose experiences most closely match those of her clients.
HP identifies as neurodivergent and hopes that her experiences and those of her autistic and otherwise neurodivergent friends help her connect with clients and their families. It also means that she appreciates directness in communication, puzzles to solve, opportunities for sensory regulation, and plenty of alone time. These days, along with her enduring childhood passions, HP loves dogs (especially her own dogs, Charlotte and Wilbur), learning languages, foraging for plants and mushrooms, and watching too much YouTube. Also lists!