Everyone deserves to be understood.....
Comprehensive Speech and Language Therapy Services
Throughout New Jersey
Mindy Kirschner, MA, CCC-SLP
Director/Owner
"Everyone deserves to be understood." That’s the passion behind Speak Your Mind, LLC Speech and Language Pathology Services. As the mother of a language delayed child and daughter of a Parkinson’s afflicted parent; Mindy understands the frustration and pain of watching a loved one struggle to have their needs met. She also understands the importance of a warm and family-friendly environment for a child or adult receiving speech and language therapy. It is her philosophy that parents and extended family are an important part of the therapy process. Most importantly, a child or adult should enjoy the remediation process.
Mindy is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the ASHA special interest group on Fluency Disorders, the ASHA special interest group on Language Disorders, the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and Morris County Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is PROMPT trained. She has received training from the Palin Center Program for Preschool Stuttering, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Short Term Therapy from the Stuttering Foundation. Mindy has developed the workshops “Teaching Verbally Successful Kids,” and “Raising Verbally Successful Kids.” She has presented numerous teacher and parent workshops on language development, as well as, the oral and written language connection. She is available for speaking engagements on these topics.
Christina Cianci, MA, CCC-SLP
Christina discovered that she enjoyed working with the special needs population through a volunteer experience in high school. She also needed to assist in the care of her ailing grandparents. Through these experiences she discovered a career that allowed her to apply both her mind and her heart. Her formalized training began at Marywood University where she received both a Bachelor and Master Degrees of Science in Communication Disorders. Christina has been working as a speech language specialist since 2014. Christina has work experience with both adults and children. She has worked in a variety of settings including a skilled nursing facility. In addition to treating patients through Speak Your Mind, Christina is also employed at a school for children with disabilities ages 5-21. Through the experiences of both her personal and professional lives, she understands the importance of every individual having a voice and the variety of forms it can come in. For the teenager with autism who is nonverbal, the toddler with a language delay, the child with apraxia, or the adult with aphasia, communication is an essential part of human life. Christina combines her compassion, education and experience to provide a tailored treatment and therapy process to meet the needs of her patients
Samantha Ecker, MS, CCC-SLP
Samantha believes that communication is powerful and should be accessible to everybody. Samantha has experience supporting clients across the lifespan in diverse settings. Her expertise ranges from early intervention with toddlers, to stroke and brain injury rehabilitation with adults.
As a mom of three, Samantha understands that every family is unique. She sees speech therapy as a partnership between provider and client. Samantha uses research-backed techniques to build on your strengths, so that we can help you achieve your goals together.
Samantha earned her bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Sciences from Cornell University and her master’s degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed by the state of New Jersey as a speech pathologist. Samantha’s original research was published in the American Journal of Speech Language Pathology.
In addition to working with clients locally, Samantha educates parents and caregivers all over the world with her online courses and resources from www.letstalktoddler.com. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook at LetsTalkToddler.
Holly Pralgever, MS, CCC-SLP
Holly values the notion that every child deserves to express his or her wants, needs, and ideas. She recognizes the struggle that families endure when a child is having trouble meeting these fundamental needs. Holly believes that parent and caregiver education is paramount in the therapy process. As a speech-language pathologist, she believes that an inviting and engaging environment is critical for a child or adult receiving speech and language therapy.
Prior to receiving her Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Columbia University in 2014, Holly obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from New York University with minors in “American Sign Language” and “Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies”. In addition to her formal education, Holly is PROMPT trained and Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD) certified. She is board certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), as well as a Speech Language Specialist Endorsement (SLS) from the Department of Education. She is a member of the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association. In 2022, Holly was presented the ASHA ACE Award by the Continuing Education Board, a formal recognition of professionals who have demonstrated their exceptional commitment to lifelong learning.
Holly has had the pleasure of working as a speech-language pathologist in various settings including urban and suburban school districts, early intervention, and private practice. This experience has helped her develop and implement treatment approaches that are tailored to fit the needs of each child she treats. She enjoys and takes pride in creating individualized therapy materials that will motivate every child to have the most positive therapeutic experience possible.
Nicole Scalice, MS, CCC-SLP
Nicole is a NJ licensed Speech Language Pathologist who is board certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), as well as a Speech Language Specialist Endorsement (SLS) from the DOE. She earned her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology at Mercy College in New York and holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders from the University of Rhode Island. Nicole is certified in Autism Spectrum Disorders and has experience in the use of Alternative and Augmentative Communication Devices (AAC), as well as training in the methods of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and DIR Floortime. Nicole has extensive experience in working with children that have a wide variety of needs, as well as a wide age range. In addition to private practice, Nicole has worked in Early Intervention and school settings. She is devoted to providing effective and individualized treatment.