The 5 Best Speech Therapists in Vancouver
Speech therapy aims to promote and improve an individual’s communication abilities. It can be used to correct disorders such as stuttering, lisps, stammering, and the overuse of certain words.
This therapy is usually carried out by a professional speech pathologist or voice therapist. They ho will help individuals improve their vocal capability by practicing techniques involved in phonetic exercises and repetition training.
If you want to learn more, keep reading to learn about some of the best speech therapists in Vancouver!
How Much Do Speech Therapists Charge in Vancouver
The amount of money you’ll need for speech therapy depends on the type of treatment you need. Some individuals may only need speech and language treatment, while others require lisp treatment.
In general, you won’t be spending more than CAD 250 on speech therapies. However, lisp treatments can cost up to CAD 1,400.
The table below lists the most common types of speech therapy services and their average estimated cost.
The Best Speech Therapists in Vancouver
When finding the right speech therapist, you should do your due diligence and research before deciding. The number of options can be overwhelming — and solutions are within reach.
Fortunately, we’ve done the hard work for you. By gathering data from multiple locations throughout the city, we’ve put together this list of handy resources to help make your search easier.
We’ve assessed the following companies based on the criteria below:
1. Jessica Sproat of VanSpeech
CRITERIA | RATING |
Range of Services | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Expertise | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Years of Experience | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Reputation | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Availability | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Operating Hours | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Patient Capacity | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Customer Feedback | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
VanSpeech was founded in 2017 by Jessica Sproat, who has a diverse background and experience as a registered Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) for over ten years.
We believe that, despite being new to the industry, Jessica’s strong background and intensive training in dealing with children of all ages in various areas strengthens her business’ credibility.
This includes assessment and therapy for early communication skills, speech sounds, language, feeding and swallowing, and developmental delays such as autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, and cerebral palsy.
What we liked best about VanSpeech is that its services are geared toward families. They accomplish this by involving children and families to work as a team throughout the process.
We also liked that, in addition to speech therapy, they offer education and advocate for preventing these disorders.
Moreover, many of the customers we’ve spoken with have expressed how impressed they were with her services because she uses creative methods tailored to each patient.
Overall, we believe that Jessica Sproat of VanSpeech is one of the best speech therapists in Vancouver, as she offers a wide range of speech therapy services that are suitable for children of all ages.
Pros
- Registered Speech-Language Pathologist
- Wide scope of services
- Family-oriented services
- Offers education and advocate for disorder prevention
Cons
- Only opened five years ago
- No in-person consultations
Customer Reviews
Very kind and knowledgeable in many areas
“We were feeling extremely stressed about our son’s eating and swallowing before we found Van Speech. Jessica helped us tackle small things at a time, and taught us a lot. We feel more confident is using strategies and problem solving at home and our son has made a lot of progress since we started working with Jessica. She has been extremely kind and is very knowledgeable in the areas of feeding and swallowing and language development.” -Anne R.
Creative methods of speech and language
“Jessica was kind and sensitive and gave us great strategies for working with our son. She helped us navigate an otherwise stressful situation with empathy and professionalism. She is really great with kids and we love working with her.” ~Kristen J.
2. Andrea Lau of Speech Vancouver
CRITERIA | RATING |
Range of Services | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Expertise | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Reputation | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Availability | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Operating Hours | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Patient Capacity | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Customer Feedback | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Andrea Lau of Speech Vancouver is a skilled and registered speech pathologist in Vancouver.
We were immediately impressed with her extensive specialized training and clinical skills that enable her to cover a wide range of disorders from oral-motor speech sound disorders to accent modification.
That said, we would like to give customers a heads up that they have relatively higher rates. However, we think it’s reasonable because of Andrea’s comprehensive service coverage.
She also provides her clients with personalized treatment options as she understands that each individual has different needs.
What we liked best about her services is that she provides home-based speech therapies in multiple cities in Canada such as Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Surrey, and Langley.
Teletherapy assessments are also offered for customers not residing in the locations above.
We found this service especially useful now that clients can choose teletherapy for assessments, observations, and therapy sessions with Andrea.
This service, in our opinion, eliminates location restrictions and allows clients to access her services whenever and wherever it is most convenient for them.
Additionally, many of the customers we’ve spoken with have commented on Andrea’s friendliness, which allows patients to feel at ease during their sessions with her.
If you’re looking to get speech therapy in Vancouver, we highly recommend Andrea Lau of Speech Vancouver.
Pros
- Multilingual speech therapist
- Offers speech therapy for children and adults
- Personalize treatment options
- Home-based speech therapy available
Cons
- Relatively higher rates
- Slower response to inquiries
Customer Reviews
Positive and welcoming environment
“We had a wonderful experience with Andrea. She came with so much care and positive energy to every session. My son is very shy and doesn’t talk to new people. Andrea let his big sister come into our first appointment and treated them equally until he was comfortable on his own. My son loved going to his appointments Andrea made them a session of fun games he had no idea he was learning!.” -Lorna J.
Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic
“Andrea is the best speech therapist that my family has worked with. She is incredibly knowledgable and enthusiastic. My daughter loved her. I highly recommend Andrea.” -Olga L.
3. Vinni Panikkar of Granville Island Speech and Language Therapy Clinic
CRITERIA | RATING |
Range of Services | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Expertise | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Reputation | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Availability | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Operating Hours | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Patient Capacity | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Customer Feedback | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Vinni Panikkar of Granville Island Speech and Language Therapy Clinic has been a registered speech-language pathologist in Vancouver for over 35 years.
Vinni specializes in group therapy, which we think makes her ideal for families and large groups.
This clinic offers a full range of speech therapy services for all age groups. They also provide a complimentary 15-minute consultation where they evaluate clients and recommend a personalized treatment plan.
We thought it was worth noting that this clinic provides teletherapy services, allowing clients to receive counseling from the comfort of their own homes.
In our opinion, this option is a convenient way to receive speech therapy services for patients who cannot go to their office.
Another feature that drew our attention was the fact that they provide flexible counseling services, such as 30-minute and one-hour therapy sessions.
A complete assessment with Vinni Panikkar costs CAD 700, while 30-minute therapy costs CAD 90, and one-hour sessions cost CAD 160.
The Granville Island Speech and Language Therapy Clinic also offers a social speech application program where clients can practice their skills in individual sessions by conversing with peers.
We also found it adorable that they have two dedicated therapy animals upon request. They have a dog named Luna, and for those who prefer smaller animals, they have Gracie, the gray bunny.
All in all, we believe that Vinni Panikkar is one of the best speech therapists in Vancouver, as her clinic provides a full-service speech therapy service for children and adults.
Pros
- Full range of services for all age groups
- Specializes in group therapy
- Complimentary 15-minute consultation
- Offers online telehealth services
Cons
- Only has one office location
- Complete assessment service is a bit pricey
Customer Reviews
Timely and efficient
“Tess was a dream to work with. My son can be a bit of a handful; she identified his issues, set realistic timelines and corrected his speech perfectly in the timeline she estimated.” -Martin T.
Professional and fast results
“My 3 year old son was assessed for being behind in his speech development and needing speech therapy. He went to Tess Partland for almost a year and it was a wonderful experience. She was kind, warm, and professional. He always enjoyed going and looked forward to his sessions which made it easier to take him. We saw improvement immediately and continually throughout our time going to Tess. I would recommend her to anyone looking for speech therapy, and especially any parent taking young children. If we need support in the future we will go back to her and Granville Island Speech.” -Sydney H.
4. Shira Meltzer of True North Speech
CRITERIA | RATING |
Range of Services | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Expertise | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Reputation | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Availability | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Operating Hours | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Patient Capacity | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Customer Feedback | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Shira Meltzer of True North Speech is a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experience working with children in British Columbia.
She specializes in speech sound therapy, tongue/lip/jaw strengthening, and language therapy for children with autism and other disabilities.
We found it impressive that True North Speech has a wide range of specializations for children aged 4 to 19. They can accommodate those with motor planning difficulties, learning disabilities, language delays, and many more.
Moreover, we found it very accessible that all you’ll need is a computer, a webcam, and a stable internet connection to receive therapy from them.
It’s also worth mentioning that True North Speech has expanded its services to cater to adults. They offer over 16 speech therapy services which we found impressive.
Now, unfortunately, they only offer online sessions, and they are closed on weekends which we think limits their availability.
Nevertheless, many of the customers we’ve spoken to commented on how patient and professional Shira was as she was very accommodating with their schedules and made online sessions fun by providing engaging activities to patients.
On a whole, we felt that Shira Meltzer of True North Speech deserved a spot on our list as she provides personalized and accessible speech therapy.
Pros
- Years of Experience
- Complimentary Phone Consultation
- Individualized Therapy Sessions
- Wide range of specializations
- Over 16 therapy services for adults
Cons
- Only offers online sessions
- Closed on weekends
Customer Reviews
Patient and kind
“Shira is amazing! She is so patient and kind with my son. He actually looks forward to his weekly sessions, and has made great progress with his speech. Shira is very accommodating with our schedule, provides worksheets for us to do at home, and makes the online sessions fun. I highly recommend True North Speech.” -Margie P.
Excellent communicator
“My son has worked with Shira over the years to correct his speech impediment. It started with him working to correct his “R’s” and “TH’s” and, most recently, his “S’s”. The experience has always been phenomenal and Shira has always been excellent at communicating with me his progress. After every session, Shira would assign exercises for the week — suggesting only 10 minutes of practice a day. Her support plus the exercises has resulted in my son successfully achieving his/our goals and he is now proud to be free of his lisp. I couldn’t recommend a better SLP to work with your child. The overall experience has been phenomenal and I’m so glad I invested the time and money. You will be too!.” -Nathalie D.
5. Aruna Sudarshan of Ambleside Speech and Language Therapy Clinic
CRITERIA | RATING |
Range of Services | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Expertise | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Years of Experience | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Reputation | ★★★★☆ 4/5 |
Availability | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Operating Hours | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Patient Capacity | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Customer Feedback | ★★★★★ 5/5 |
Aruna Sudarshan of Ambleside Speech and Language Therapy Clinic is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist who provides diagnostic evaluations and treatments to adults and children.
Aruna has significant experience with a wide range of impairments from receptive, expressive, and social language needs, which we think makes her more reliable.
Some of the services this clinic provides include individualized assessment and treatment services for speech and language development.
We were particularly impressed that this company can accommodate adolescents and adults with communication difficulties such as social anxiety, stuttering, voice disorders, and many more.
This service, in our opinion, is especially beneficial to individuals struggling to achieve their goals and live fulfilling lives.
Now, despite their small team of speech therapists, we appreciate that they are open seven days a week to accommodate more clients.
In addition, they also offer telehealth services to provide accessible speech therapies via videoconferencing, which we found convenient.
Moreover, many of the customers we’ve spoken with have commented on how accommodating and personable their services were, as they make their sessions fun and informative.
In sum, we believe Aruna Sudarshan of Ambleside Speech and Language Therapy Clinic is one of the best speech therapists in Vancouver if you’re seeking effective and engaging speech therapy sessions.
Pros
- Open seven days a week
- Experience with a wide range of impairments
- Dedicated services for adolescents and adults
- Individualized assessments and treatments
Cons
- Small team of speech therapists
- No parking on premises
Customer Reviews
Makes learning fun
“Tess is the best! After searching for the right SLP for our son- we are so happy to have chosen Ambleside Speech. Tess is flexible, accomodating and very personable. My son has been seeing her for a year and has shown huge improvement in his speech. Tess makes learning fun. Highly recommend!.” -Stephanie S.
Patient and professional
“Tara was very patient and professional in leading me through various exercises to strengthen my vocal cords and reduce my coughing. Her gentle encouragement and suggestions enabled me to achieve my goal. This was one of the few services in the city able to provide the help I was looking for. I would highly recommend them.” -Correne C.
FAQs about Speech Therapists in Vancouver
Finding the best speech therapists in Vancouver is important for anyone who has a speech, language, and communication disorder (SLD).
We hope this list has helped you decide on where to seek speech therapy. Now, just in case you’re in need of purchasing medicine, check out our list of the best pharmacies in Vancouver.