124 East Main Street, Suite 101B, Denville, New Jersey 07834, United States
Meet the team
Jamie grasso ma ccc-slp, pC, lsls cert avt - director
Jamie Grasso, MA, CCC-SLP, PLSLS Cert AVT is a speech-language pathologist with 23 years of experience and expertise. A strong believer in personal growth, she continued to better her abilities to serve her clients by becoming certified in the P.R.O.M.P.T. system, a tactile-kinesthetic approach extremely effective in improving speech intelligibility. Additionally, she went on to become a Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist, a philosophy and approach that serves the deaf and hard-of-hearing community enhancing their listening abilities in order to use spoken language. She holds a position on the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Chapter of AG Bell. Pairing these two methodologies together has greatly enhanced the lives of her clients, both the hearing and hearing-impaired. For the majority of her career, Jamie has provided services and consultation for Bergen County Special Services. Recently, she began focusing on better serving her own community by opening a private practice, Help Is At Hand, located in the center of Denville, NJ of Morris County, evaluating the students within that school district and running social skills groups. In order for families to have access to her unique dual methodology worldwide, her team launched an online coaching program, the Sound and Speech Solution.
Emily Arena Ma Cf-SLP - Speech Language Pathologist
Emily is a dedicated and passionate Clinical Fellow Speech-Language Pathologist. Emily received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware and furthered her education with a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Kean University. Through her academic and clinical experience, Emily has had the privilege of working with both children and adults of varying ages, abilities, and backgrounds. She has amassed experience in serving diverse pediatric populations, including individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), hearing impairment, expressive/receptive language delays, articulation and feeding disorders, as well as various genetic syndromes. Emily has facilitated dynamic social participation groups for adults with aphasia, as well as non-verbal students utilizing Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) methods such as TouchChat, Proloquo2Go, and GoTalk NOW. Emily is passionate about employing client-led, inclusive therapy approaches and integrating play-based strategies to increase client engagement and subsequently optimize therapeutic outcomes.
Barbra Mehringer MA,LSLS Cert. AVEd - Family Support Coach
Barbra has been working in the field of education for over 22 years, with a strong passion for and commitment to teaching students, families, and educators about hearing loss, communication skills, and advocacy. Her inspiration to work with parents of children with disabilities comes not only from the potential she sees in all children but also from her own experience as a mother of a child with disabilities. She believes that coaching children and parents to problem solve and stay positive through tough situations can lead them to success and, at their own pace, reach their own personal best. Barbra brings both personal and professional experience to the families she works with. She works as a Teacher of the Deaf, Educational Consultant, and Early Intervention Specialist, and holds degrees in Speech and Hearing Science, and a Master's Degree in Special Education; Learning Disabilities. Her certifications include Deaf Education, Special Education, and General Education, as well as LSLS Certification in Auditory Verbal Education and training in Childhood Mental Health. She looks forward to helping coach the parents in the Sound and Speech Solution program toward the results they want for their children.
Jennifer Mele- B.A. Special Education Teacher
Jennifer Mele is a Special Education teacher with experience teaching in multiple special education classrooms. She is currently working on completing her Master's in Social Emotional Learning & Reading Disabilities at Saint Joseph's University. Jennifer believes that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. She believes it takes a team uniting teachers, schools, communities & families to foster and create a successful learning experience for each child. With dedication, hard work, and perseverance all children can succeed.
Afra Ekiz- social skills coordinator
Afra Ekiz is a dedicated early childhood educator with a profound passion for nurturing young minds. With a certification in early childhood education, she has honed a deep understanding of child development and learning techniques. Driven by a desire to make a difference in every child's life, Afra Ekiz is planning to earn a Master's degree in Special Education, aiming to expand her expertise and support children with diverse needs. Known for her compassionate approach and innovative teaching methods, Afra Ekiz fosters inclusive learning environments where every child thrives. Through hands-on experience and continuous professional development, she is committed to being a part of the social skills groups.