Sprouted Roots Therapy & Wellness

We're bursting with gratitude! 🌟

Registration for our Winter 2026 Cozy Connections series has FILLED, and we couldn't be more honored by the trust you've placed in us to hold space for your little ones.

To every family joining us: thank you for choosing to explore language, social connection, body awareness, and sensory discovery with us. We can't wait to wonder alongside your children as they learn to listen to what their bodies are telling them and find ways to share their experiences with others.

To those who didn't get a spot this time: we see you, and we're already dreaming up our Spring series! We're hoping to host a handful of different groups starting in April—for ages 3-6 and 5-8. Dates and locations TBD.

Sign up at www.sproutedrootswellness.com/cozy-connections to be the first to know when registration for our spring groups open. We'd love to have you join our community soon.

Here's to cozy winter connections, curious little minds, and honoring every body's unique experience in the world. 💙✨

Part 3 is live! 📣

How Do I Teach My Child Self-Advocacy Skills?
Self-advocacy isn't just for teens and adults — neurodivergent children can start learning these crucial skills as early as toddlerhood. When parents also grow in their own advocacy confidence, it creates transformation for the whole family. 💪

In this final post of our parent coaching series, we share:
💬 Simple, powerful phrases your child can use right now (like "not now," "it's too loud," "I need a break")
👀 How to model self-advocacy in your own daily life
🎯 Practical strategies for common advocacy situations (IEPs, preschool, medical appointments, playdates)
📝 Tips for building your confidence as an advocate
🌊 The ripple effects of teaching self-advocacy early

Your child's voice matters. Your advocacy matters. And the impact of both will extend far beyond what you can imagine. 🌱
Read Part 3: https://www.sproutedrootswellness.com/blog/teaching-self-advocacy-autistic-preschoolers

Catch up on the series:
Part 1 - What Is Speech Therapy Parent Coaching And Does My Child Need It? https://www.sproutedrootswellness.com/blog/speech-therapy-parent-coaching
Part 2 - How Does My Child's Sensory Environment Affect Their Communication?
https://www.sproutedrootswellness.com/blog/sensory-friendly-home-asd-communication

How Do I Teach My Autistic Preschooler Self-Advocacy Skills? — Sprouted Roots Sitting overwhelmed in school assemblies, I had no words for 'this is too much.' Self-advocacy starts young. Learn simple phrases that give autistic children autonomy ('not now,' 'too loud,' 'I need help') plus strategies for parents navigating IEP meetings, medical appointments & school systems

Part 2 of our parent coaching series is here! 🏡
How Does My Child's Sensory Environment Affect Their Communication?

When your child's sensory needs are met and they feel safe in their environment, they naturally have more resources available for communication. ✨

In Part 2 of our parent coaching series, we share:

💡 How regulation and communication are deeply connected
🌈 Practical sensory environment modifications (lighting, sound, safe spaces, and more)
🎉 Why building communication around moments of joy works better than structured "teaching"
🤸 The power of following your child's lead through reciprocal imitation
💙 How to identify when your child feels most regulated—and create more of those moments

This isn't about adding more tasks to your day. It's about recognizing the beautiful moments of connection that are already happening and expanding on them.

Read Part 2: https://www.sproutedrootswellness.com/blog/sensory-friendly-home-asd-communication
Coming Friday: Part 3 on building advocacy skills for both you and your child 📣

Creating a Sensory-Friendly Home to Support Autistic Communication — Sprouted Roots Struggling to help your autistic preschooler communicate at home? Sensory environment matters. Learn how to honor sensory needs, support regulation, and build communication through moments of genuine joy instead of constant instruction. Practical tips for lighting, sound, retreat spaces & play-b

New blog series alert! 📢
Part 1 is up: Understanding Your Child's Communication - Why Parent Coaching Makes All the Difference ✨

Your child is already communicating beautifully. The challenge isn't that they need to communicate differently—it's that we need to get better at understanding them.
In this first post of our 3-part series, we share:

💬 Why your child's communication is already perfect (yes, really)
🤝 How parent coaching offers individualized support focused entirely on your family's unique needs
⭐ The power of building on your existing strengths as a parent
🧠 The connection between your regulation and your child's communication growth

As caregivers, you're the most powerful agents of change in your child's communication development. This series is designed to support your journey with practical strategies, honest insights, and neurodiversity-affirming approaches. 🌱

Coming Wednesday: Part 2 on creating communication-rich environments that honor sensory needs 🏡

Coming Friday: Part 3 on building advocacy skills for both you and your child 📣

Speech Therapy Parent Coaching: How to Support Your Child's Communication at Home — Sprouted Roots Empower yourself as your child's communication champion. Neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed virtual parent coaching for parents of autistic preschoolers including gestalt language processors and PDA profiles. Sessions facilitated by autistic SLP. Available in OR, WA, CO.

Portland families - we still have a few spots available!

Join us for our 6-week play-based speech-language group, designed specifically with neurodivergent children ages 3-6 in mind. Led by two neurodivergent SLPs/certified children's yoga instructors, we focus on:
✨ Body-based language & interoception
✨ Authentic communication (not masking!)
✨ Self-advocacy skill building
✨ Connection without conformity
✨ Child-led play & mindful movement

Saturday mornings starting January 31st at Raising Brave Kids - Child & Family Therapy in NW Portland. Max 6 kids, so each child gets individualized attention.

Mention this ad to save $90! https://www.sproutedrootswellness.com/cozy-connections

Guess what, Portland families? We're back with our group classes! 🎉 We've spent the past few years attuning our nervous systems to the constantly shifting landscape of this post-2020 world and reimagining what harmony in our professional lives and for the families we support could look like—and through that dreaming, Cozy Connections emerged! 🌱 We're SO excited to share it with you.

This is a 6-week play-based speech-language group for kids ages 3-6—designed specifically with neurodivergent children in mind.

What makes it different from other social groups?
🧠 Body-based language & interoception focus
💬 Authentic communication (not masking!)
🤝 Self-advocacy skill building
💗 Connection without conformity
🎨 Child-led play & mindful movement

Led by two neurodivergent SLPs/certified children's yoga instructors with a max of 6 kids, so each child gets individualized attention. Perfect for: Kids who need communication support in a low-pressure, neurodiversity-affirming space.

📍 Saturday mornings at Raising Brave Kids in NW Portland 📅 Starts January 31st (6 weeks) 💰 Early bird pricing of $360 for 6 week series ends January 9!

Cozy Connections: Speech Therapy Group Portland | Ages 3-6 — Sprouted Roots Is your child on the autism spectrum and looking for genuine connection? Sprouted Roots is offering a new social group for kids ages 3-6, Cozy Connections on Saturday mornings. 6 Saturday mornings of child-led play and communication support in NW Portland. Low-demand, neuro-affirming, AAC-welcome. L

A question we've been exploring a lot lately is "How can we better respect and support children's autonomy in our daily interactions?"

Our conversation led to our latest blog post and free resource - Nurturing Autonomy: A Caregiver's Guide & Checklist. Watch the YouTube video and check out our website to download all of our free resources.

Nuturing Safety and Bodily Autonomy in Education 🔍 Discover the crucial balance between safety and autonomy in education!As therapists, parents, educators, and childcare providers, we often overlook a fund...

New blog post!

Check out this informative blog post about supporting language development in Autistic children who communicate using echolalia. The article provides valuable insights and practical tips for speech therapists working with Autistic children who rely on echolalia as their primary mode of communication.

It's important to tailor speech therapy sessions to the unique needs and preferences of Autistic children, particularly those who are Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs). Here are five tips for designing successful and supportive sessions:

1. Make it play-based
2. Incorporate their specific interests into the session
3. Use multi-sensory activities
4. Provide experiences and activities that support regulation
5. Use visual aids to help them see the big picture

Remember, every child is different, so it's crucial to be flexible and adjust each session to a child's individual needs and communication style. Let's support Autistic children in developing their language skills in a way that is engaging and enjoyable!

Tailoring Speech Therapy for Autistic Children: Insights and Practical Tips for Supporting GLPs — Sprouted Roots Learn valuable insights and practical tips for providing speech therapy to Autistic children who rely on echolalia as their primary mode of communication. Discover how play-based therapy, incorporating interests and passions, multi-sensory activities, and visual aids can support language development

Check out our latest blog and vlog for evidence-based reasons we don't use PECS®. Free core board flip book designed with young gestalt language processors in mind linked in the blog post!

https://www.sproutedrootswellness.com/blog/5-reasons-we-dont-use-pecs?fbclid=IwAR0KnrJA0CIITRJCDBIox8nxrWIA9VBbhFwtyLNRSuTwYXhgJNXdjZo9hto

5 Reasons We Don’t Use PECS® in Our Evidence-Based Practice — Sprouted Roots Discover the evidence-based reasons we don't use PECS as a tool in our speech therapy intervention. Download our FREE AAC core board flipbook, geared towards natural language acquisition and gestalt language processing. This paper-based AAC tool is a great first step towards robust language and aut

It is crucial to recognize the potential impact of trauma on a child's development and behavior, particularly when working with children with disabilities, who are statistically more likely to experience violence and neglect.

To ensure a safe and supportive environment for our clients, it is imperative to adopt a trauma-informed or trauma-sensitive approach. This means prioritizing the creation of a predictable and secure environment, building positive relationships through play-based therapy, being attuned to the child's needs and boundaries, providing unconditional acceptance, and promoting autonomy.

These practices are essential in preventing further trauma and facilitating healing, growth, and effective communication. For more information on implementing these trauma-sensitive practices in speech therapy, please refer to our latest blog post.

5 Trauma-Informed Tips for Speech Therapists — Sprouted Roots Speech therapists often work with children who have experienced trauma in their lives. In fact, studies show that disabled students are more likely to experience trauma, including violence and neglect, than students without disabilities. In addition, certain disabilities can impact an individual's a