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OUR STORY
Your Story Speech & Language Services is a private speech-language pathology company based in Calgary, Alberta. We are a team of dedicated Speech-Language Pathologists who are able to connect with agencies, schools and families in the greater Calgary area, supporting children in person from the Bow Valley to Strathmore and from Okotoks to Crossfield. We are also able to support individuals across Alberta through teletherapy sessions! Our team brings a breadth of clinical experience. We may be part of a sentence, a paragraph or a chapter; no matter the extent of our involvement, we look forward to being a part of your story.
OUR TEAM
Meet the passionate individuals who drive our mission forward:
Debbie Thirnbeck
ADMIN MANAGER
Debbie received her BA from the University of Calgary and has worked in management, administration, and banking for the past 25 + years including more than 10 years in a speech-language pathology setting. Working from home gives her the flexibility she appreciates and the opportunity to connect with the team online.
Debbie has two older children and spent many years volunteering for their various sports teams as treasurer. Debbie enjoys camping with her family and friends, travelling to the mountains, practicing yoga, and walking in the community with her husband and dog. Debbie enjoys word games and crossword puzzles, especially beating Hannah at the NYT mini games.
Erin Kent
MS., R.SLP
Hi! I am Erin, a registered speech-language pathologist who graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia. I have over fifteen years of experience supporting children and adults in homes, preschools, schools, clinics and hospitals. I have special interests in speech disorders, language delays, autism spectrum disorders and Alternative and Augmentative Communication. I value a collaborative, family-centred approach to providing therapy services. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, travel, cooking and skiing!
Hannah Sysak
MSc., R.SLP
Hi there! I'm Hannah, and I'm a registered speech-language pathologist. I received both a Bachelor's of Science in Biological Sciences in 2016, and a Master's of Science in Speech Language Pathology in 2020 from the University of Alberta. Firsthand experience with speech therapy sparked my interest in the field. Since graduating, I've spent my career working primarily with preschool-aged children from Calgary to Banff, and everywhere in between.
I have special interest in fluency, speech sound disorders, and language delays. I believe in the importance of empowering clients to feel confident in themselves as learners and their ability to try hard things and succeed. I believe in a client-centred, strengths-based approach to therapy to achieve functional and meaningful goals.
In my spare time, I enjoying cycling and skiing up hills, indoor climbing, and losing at the New York Times mini games.
Kathryn Van Patten
M.Sc., R.SLP, CCC-SLP
Hi, I’m Kathryn, the owner of Your Story Speech & Language Services. I wear multiple hats as owner, clinical director and an SLP actively seeing clients. I received my Master’s of Science in Communication Disorders from Eastern Washington University. I continue to maintain both my Canadian and American certifications. I have been a speech-language pathologist for 10+ years and have spent most of that time working with children aged 2 – 16 years in a variety of settings including: private practice, partnerships with ECS providers and in the public and catholic education systems. My primary areas of interest lie in speech sound development, motor speech disorders, language development and supporting the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my husband and 2 kids, being outdoors and disappearing into a good book!
Stephanie Bertrand-Nicoll
M.Sc., R.SLP, SLP(C)
Stephanie received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Sciences in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of British Columbia. Over the past 10+ years, she has worked with children in a variety of settings, including public schools, public health clinics, private clinics, and even virtual video conferencing.
Her areas of interest include articulation and phonological disorders, language disorders and motor speech difficulties. In 2023, Stephanie relocated to the Calgary area along with her husband and three children. Outside of work, she enjoys jewelry-making, hiking in the nearby Rockies, and traveling with her family.
OUR CERTIFICATIONS
Additional certifications held by our team:
PROMPT
PROMPT Therapy is a unique philosophy and approach to assessment and treatment of speech delays or disorders.
Hanen Programming
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It Takes Two to Talk
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Learning Language and Loving it
Lidcombe Program
The fundamental premise of the Lidcombe Program is that parent verbal contingencies are the active treatment agent for eliminating or greatly reducing stuttering.
SCERTS
A Comprehensive Educational Approach for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders