is a mobile practice that works with you to meet your communication and swallowing goals.
To see the full range of speech pathology services we offer, click here
Speech Pathologist Cairns
Located in Cairns, Opal Speech Pathology is a mobile practice that provides adult Speech Pathology services.
Our therapist travels to the person’s preferred setting to provide assessment and therapy services. This can be in a variety of places, including the person’s home, nursing home, supported accommodation or day program.
Opal Speech Pathology takes a holistic approach and works with adults and the key people in their life to meet their individual goals and needs. We can service all suburbs and surrounding areas in Cairns (including Atherton, Mareeba, Port Douglas and Innisfail).
Depending on your location there may be a travel fee, discussed prior to commencing services. Please contact us if you would like to check that we travel to your area.
As a mobile service, we travel to you! The services we provide include:
Speech Pathology services for Adults (18+ years) experiencing communication and/or swallowing difficulties
Services to participants under the NDIS who are self-managed or plan managed.
Private services to Adults requiring Speech Pathology assessment, management, or therapy.
Services to residents in Residential Aged Care Facilities
Your local Speech Pathologist
Jamie graduated with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology in 2009 from La Trobe University in Melbourne, Victoria. She believes it is a true privilege to work with people who are experiencing communication and/or swallowing problems and that everyone deserves access to quality and holistic healthcare. Jamie has experience working across a variety of settings, including: metropolitan tertiary and regional hospitals, Residential Aged Care Facilities and working with participants under the NDIS.
In early 2021, along with her husband and two young children, Jamie took some time off to travel around Australia. During these travels her family fell in love with FNQ and made the decision to relocate to Cairns which they now call home.
Jamie is a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist and a member of Speech Pathology Australia. She is also fluent in Greek.
Speech Therapist Services we offer in Cairns
Opal Speech Pathology are experienced in assessment, management, and therapy for communication and/or swallowing problems that adults may experience.
Some common areas we can help with include:
Swallowing
> Assessment and recommendations
> Referrals for further investigation
> Mealtime Management Plans
> Education for staff and/or carers regarding individual recommendations or general safe swallowing / IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) information
SPeech
> Dysarthria (changes with the muscles used to speak so it might sound slurry)
> Dyspraxia or Apraxia of Speech (difficulty with the brain’s motor plan for speech)
Language
> Aphasia (difficulty finding words and/or understanding words that others say. Can also include acquired difficulty reading or writing)
> Communication partner training (teaching the key people in a person with aphasia’s life how to best support conversation and interactions with them)
Voice
> Dysphonia (changes to how the voice sounds)
> Changes might include the voice sounding hoarse or too soft
AAC
(Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
> Assessment, support and training for people who may not be able to communicate by talking or their speech is deteriorating / needs extra support
> Trialling different personalised low-technology AAC (eg. picture boards, communication book) and high-technology AAC (eg. iPad, speech specific generating device or eye gaze)
Fluency
> Stuttering assessment
> Therapy for stuttering using speech restructuring treatments (eg. The Camperdown Program)
Speech Pathology for Medical Conditions
Difficulties with communication and/or swallowing can happen due to a range of medical conditions, disabilities or after an accident. Opal Speech Pathology have experience working with people who have:
> Stroke > Traumatic Brain Injury > Head & Neck Cancer > Motor Neurone Disease > Multiple Sclerosis > Parkinson’s Disease > Myasthenia Gravis
Opal Speech Pathology acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, the Yirrganydji People, on which we work on today and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
