Small Talk Speech Language Therapy P.C.
Small Talk Speech Language Therapy provides private speech, language, and feeding therapy for infants, toddlers, and children with speech, language, and swallowing disorders. We are centrally located in Westchester County and offer treatment at our office in Thornwood, NY and in home services. We are equip at providing treatment across a wide range of disorders and severity.
Small Talk Speech Language therapy was founded and is led by Rita M. Ricciardella an ASHA certified speech and language pathologist. At Small Talk, our goal is successful functional outcomes. We will build a custom plan that combines specific therapy approaches and techniques tailored to each clients needs and goals. We specialize in speech and language disorders, swallowing and feeding disorders, AAC, and language based learning disabilities for children of all ages.
ASHA
Certified
New York State Licensed
Connecticut
Licensed
About Your Therapist
Rita M. Ricciardella
M.A. CCC-SLP
PECS Trained
Talk Tools Level 2 Trained
PODD Advanced Training
LAMP Trained
PROMPT Trained
ASHA Leadership Development Alumni 2018
Advance Certification in Pediatric Dysphagia from New York Medical College – In Progress
Rita M. Ricciardella is a nationally certified Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) with the American Speech & Hearing Association. She is licensed in both New York and Connecticut state. She obtained her undergraduate and graduate degree with St. John’s University. Her career has focused on evaluation and treatment in the pediatric population. She has experience in treating children with development delays, mild language and speech delays, language-based learning disabilities, childhood of Apraxia, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), chromosomal disorders, genetic disorders, and dysphagia. Her work experience has given her an opportunity to work with the most severe of cases leading her to be a critical thinker in her approach to treatment and therapy.
Rita takes pride in her efforts to be a life-long learner, staying up to date with cutting edge evidence-based therapy. She was an ACE award recipient from the American Speech and Hearing Association in 2017. Some areas of continued study include PECS, PODD, TalkTools, Oral Placement Therapy (OPT), PROMPT, and LAMP. She was accepted into the ASHA Leadership Development Program in 2018, where she completed a year long leadership project on Assistive Technology implementation in the school setting. Rita is currently obtaining an advanced certification in pediatric dysphagia with New York Medical College.
What set’s Rita apart is her compassion and empathy for children and their families as they develop into independent adults. Maintaining relationships with each family she works with is of up most priority and critical to the success of each child.