Speech & Language Therapy

Neurodiversity-Affirming | Michigan-based | SErving all ages

At Mala Child & Family Institute, we are proud to introduce Speech & Language Therapy as part of our growing multidisciplinary care model in our Ann Arbor and Farmington Hills offices.

We are the first outpatient clinic in Michigan to intentionally integrate mental health, occupational therapy, and speech & language therapy under one roof, united by a shared mission: to end intergenerational cycles of trauma.

Our approach is not just about helping individuals communicate. It is about helping them be understood, feel safe in their voice, and exist authentically in the world.

Like all services at Mala, our speech therapy is:

  • Trauma-informed

  • Neurodiversity-affirming

  • Culturally responsive

  • Deeply individualized

Because communication is never just about words—it is about connection, identity, and belonging.

Enroll in speech therapy
Enroll in speech therapy

What is Speech & Language Therapy?

Speech & language therapy supports individuals in developing, restoring, or strengthening the skills needed to communicate effectively and confidently across environments.

At Mala, this goes beyond articulation or vocabulary.

We support:

  • Expressive and receptive language

  • Social communication and connection

  • Emotional expression and self-advocacy

  • Feeding and oral-motor development

  • Executive functioning as it relates to communication

  • Regulation as it impacts communication and engagement

We understand that communication challenges are often misunderstood as behavioral issues, when in reality, they are a reflection of unmet needs, nervous system dysregulation, or lack of support.

Our role is to decode, support, and empower, not to pathologize.

Who Can Benefit from Speech Therapy?

Our speech therapy services support individuals across the lifespan, including:

  • Children with speech or language delays

  • Neurodivergent individuals (Autism, ADHD, PDA, etc.)

  • Individuals with social communication differences

  • Children who are “not talking yet” or minimally speaking

  • Individuals who struggle to express emotions or needs

  • Children with feeding or oral-motor challenges

  • Teens navigating social relationships and identity

  • Adults with communication, cognitive, or neurological differences

We also work closely with families who feel:

  • “Something is off, but we don’t know what”

  • “They understand more than they can say”

  • “They shut down or act out instead of communicating”

You do not need a perfect label to receive support.
You just need a place that knows how to listen deeply.

Our Approach: Communication Through a Whole-Person Lens

At Mala, speech therapy does not exist in isolation.

As highlighted throughout our other program models, our care is deeply collaborative and multidisciplinary, and speech therapy is woven into that same ecosystem.

This means:

  • A child’s sensory system (occupational therapy) is understood alongside their communication, recognizing how regulation and sensory processing shape expression and engagement

  • Their emotional world (mental health) is integrated into treatment, supporting not just what they say—but what they feel, avoid, or struggle to express

  • Their cognitive and developmental profile (psychological evaluation) helps us understand how they process, learn, and communicate, allowing for truly individualized care

  • Their biological and neurological needs (psychiatry) are considered when appropriate, ensuring that attention, mood, sleep, and regulation are fully supported

  • Their environment (home, school, relationships) is part of the plan, so communication is supported everywhere—not just in the therapy room

We ask not just:

“Can they communicate?”

But:

“Do they feel safe enough to communicate?”
“Are they being understood?”
“Is their environment meeting them where they are?”

Because communication thrives in safety.

Our Speech Therapy Services

We offer comprehensive, individualized services including:

    • Expressive and receptive language development

    • Early language support

    • Pragmatic (social) communication

    • Conversational skills and perspective-taking

    • Articulation and phonological support

    • Motor speech (apraxia, coordination challenges)

    • Gestalt language processing support

    • Alternative and augmentative communication (AAC)

    • Strength-based communication development

    • Feeding therapy (in collaboration with OT)

    • Oral-motor coordination

    • Sensory-based feeding challenges

    • Supporting communication during dysregulation

    • Emotional expression and self-advocacy

    • Executive functioning and communication

    • Coaching for real-life implementation

    • Understanding your child’s communication style

    • Reducing frustration and increasing connection at home

Why Choose Mala for Speech Therapy?

  • We are a team that works together. Speech therapists collaborate with psychologists, occupational therapists, and medical providers to create cohesive, whole-person care.

  • We do not aim to “fix” communication differences.
    We aim to understand them, support them, and build on them.

    Your voice—however it shows up—is valid.

  • We recognize that trauma impacts:

    • Language development

    • Expression

    • Social connection

    • Nervous system regulation

    We create spaces where communication can emerge without fear, pressure, or shame.

  • Like our OT model emphasizes , we prioritize:

    • Engagement through interests

    • Connection before correction

    • Safety before skill-building

    Because progress happens through relationship, not compliance.

  • Everything we do is rooted in one goal:

    Ending cycles of trauma, through early, affirming, and integrated care.

    Speech therapy at Mala is not just about clearer words.
    It’s about helping individuals:

    • Be heard

    • Be understood

    • Feel like they belong

Enroll in Speech & Language Therapy

ANN ARBOR & FARMINGTON HILLS | VIRTUAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE | ALL AGES

If you are wondering whether speech therapy could help—that curiosity is enough to start.

You do not need to wait until things get harder. You deserve support now.

start here
start here