Eats + Speaks, a therapist-owned and operated a private practice in downtown Byron, Illinois, is excited to announce it has hired three new therapists and is officially accepting new patients. Founded by Speech-Language & Feeding Therapist Emily Hussey in 2019, Eats + Speaks was established to bring a much-needed patient-centered service to rural Ogle County due to long waitlists and lack of diverse support for the pediatric population.
Eats + Speaks provides traditional speech therapy and language therapy for the pediatric population in addition to wellness-centered therapies in the areas of feeding, pre and post-operative care for tethered oral tissues, and myofunctional therapy. The unique wellness-based approach is certain to help empower the whole child. The practice serves Byron and many surrounding areas including Rockford, Rockton, Roscoe, Oregon, Stillman Valley, Winnebago, and beyond.
“Here in northern Illinois, it is extremely challenging to get your child into pediatric therapy. The waitlists are long and the need is critical for most patients,” said Eats + Speaks Founder Emily Hussey. “I worked as a therapist in the traditional school setting and after the birth of my first daughter, I knew I had to put my best foot forward and make wellness a priority for not only my family but the community as a whole. I dedicated myself to learning more about holistic wellness, the gut-brain connection, airway and myofunctional disorders, and the impact on developmental disabilities and beyond. Then in 2019, I decided to take a leap of faith and start my own practice, allowing children throughout our area to have access to great therapists with no waitlist.”
Recently, Eats + Speaks hired, three new therapists:
Maggie Wilmarth is from Davis Junction, IL, and completed her graduate studies at Western Illinois University. She’s been a therapist for 8 years, primarily working in the school-based setting. Maggie is a strong leader and visionary. She has a great ability to build rapport with patient families and is a lifelong learner.
Megan Howard is from Oregon, IL. She is beginning her career with Eats + Speaks after serving as a graduate student clinician this past winter. Megan studied at Northern Illinois University. Megan’s desire to learn and serve others is tremendous. She cares about the families she interacts with and is an out-of-the-box thinker.
Erica Armstrong is from Sterling, IL, and is also beginning her career after completion of her graduate studies at Western Illinois University. Erica’s outgoing passion for serving pediatrics is apparent. She has a strong desire to learn and doesn’t shy away from a challenge.
“Our goal at East + Speaks is to provide a collaborative approach to meeting our patient’s needs. We understand the need for a team approach which includes connecting with other professionals such as doctors, chiropractors, occupational therapists, physical therapists, IBCLCs, craniosacral therapists, dentists, and orthodontists,” said Hussey. “Creating a positive work environment for our therapists to grow and thrive is also a goal here at Eats + Speaks. And we’re always trying to figure out ways to add other disciplines into our practice in the future.”
Eats + Speaks is located in downtown Byron, Illinois at 124 W. 2nd Street, Suite A. Their space was recently renovated and updated to ensure it brings families joy and comfort during the sometimes uncertain parts of their journey.
Eats + Speaks is accepting new patients and currently, there is no waitlist. For more information and to find free support, visit www.eatsandspeaks.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.