What I Do

As a registered and certified speech-language pathologist with over 30 years of experience working with children, I provide direct and consultative services in the areas of social communication and executive function skill development.

 

My Mission

Executive function skills have been shown to be better predictors of social competence than language skills for elementary school age children (Hugerford, et al, 2009). I believe that helping children and teens understand the effect their behaviors have on others is the key to their social success. My mission is to help children and teens gain independence and social competency through improved executive function skills: inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility.

 

“Ultimately, learning strategies to understand hidden social expectations and problem-solve to self-regulate involves being socially aware of the situation and what is known about the people in that context. It also depends on developing our own behavior and how it impacts others.” — Michelle Garcia-Winner

 

My Achievements

  • Supported complex learners at home, school and in the community for over 30 years.

  • Taught summer school programs for elementary school students with learning differences and EF challenges.

  • Taught Educational Assistants (EAs) language and social skills strategies at Capilano University.

  • Presented executive function and ASD professional development workshops to lower mainland school districts.

  • Developed, taught, and provided family intervention to Southern Okanagan Early Intervention Autism Program.

  • Developed popular and successful Chill & Chat intervention progrm for neuro-diverse teens.

  • Supervised numerous SLP graduate students in my role as UBC clinical faculty member.

  • Developed and run numerous social skills/EF children’s summer camps, employing trained teens.

  • Developed and run engaging individual and group teletherapy sessions for children and teens.