Speech pathology actually has a lot to do with brains, and speech-language pathology is something that is sort of confusing to the general public, even really well-educated people, because it's such a field of specialization. Our specialty requires us to have a good understanding of how the brain works and how the brain influences behavior.
Oftentimes when people hear about speech-language pathology, they're thinking "my speech is fine" and "I don't need help with that." They're not realizing that within that area of specialty or that field of focus that there are so many different areas that you can emphasize or specialize in. Here at Progressive Therapy Associates, we happen to specialize in the area of the brain that has anything to do with the way a person learns, how they focus,and how they remember information. Any of that is something that we would address in therapy.
Speech-language pathology has everything to do with brains. The way that we think affects how we speak and what we say, how we perceive the world; it has a lot to do with how we then express ourselves. If there's any disruption in that process, whether it be planning, organization, or memory; that can affect how we're able to get our point across and express our wants and needs.
Communication is our way to connect with the world, so when we're looking at there being a breakdown in communication because of stroke or because of traumatic brain injury or Parkinsons or MS, this can really cut off our tie to the world.
Impairments with communication can be our inability to understand what's being spoken or read or in our ability to express ourselves in spoken speech.
The reason that people with a brain injury end up seeing a speech-language pathologist to work on the cognitive skills that they've seen diminished after their injury is because we have the training and the background knowledge to be able to realize what is typical brain functioning and what is atypical.
Especially when we really hone in and specialize like we do here at Progressive Therapy Associates, it's something that becomes really clear and we can take the knowledge that we have and apply it and make some good things happen for people.
Many, many of our patients look perfectly normal. There's nothing about them if they were walking down the street that would tell you that they have a difficulty.
That's one of the biggest challenges, because you don't get a lot of understanding and compassion if you're having challenges that affect other people, when they can't see the problem.
When someone comes in to Progressive Therapy Associates for therapy, usually we're trying to figure out what in their life is going well for them and what is of challenge.
We're often trying to figure out: How do your attention skills look? How does memory look? In turn, if those skills are of challenge, then what can we do to make your life different? What strategies can we use to make you function better, feel more confident about your skills, and actually feel really happy about yourself?
At Progressive Therapy Associates, we treat people in Fargo-Moorhead. We also see people in surrounding areas.
Since we've opened, we've also been able to see people and reach out to them in farther areas of the state because of telemedicine. That's been a good opportunity for many individuals to obtain the treatment they need.
At Progressive Therapy Associates, we specialize in adolescents through adults, so pretty much someone who's 14 and older would be the age that we specialize in working with. The reason we have chosen that is because by focusing on that age category, we're able to really hone our skills and become very, very customized with our approaches.
There are multiple ways that you can get the treatment you need at Progressive Therapy Associates. You can call here for a free consultation. You could ask your medical provider to refer you to our clinic. You could fill out a form on our website and that could help you to initiate the treatment you're needing here.
We offer a really caring, individualized approach to helping individuals be more functional in their environment, whatever that is. Whatever caused them to have difficulty in their environment is what we address.
What someone can expect if they reach out for help and come to Progressive Therapy Associates is knowledgeable, passionate, caring support, not only from the therapists who provide the strategies, but from the office staff.
We just truly love to see the successes of the people that come through our door. It's what fuels us. It's what fills our hearts with joy. Honestly, it's just what makes it wonderful to come to work for us every day.
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Our dedicated team of speech-language pathologists are specially trained in speech therapy as it relates to cognitive-communication issues (how you listen, process, focus, remember, and communicate). We are also nationally certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, are nationally recognized by the Brain Injury Association of America and are Certified Brain Injury Specialists (CBIS). We are licensed to practice in both North Dakota and Minnesota. We believe every patient deserves the best treatment and support we can offer in every single contact and interaction with us.
We recognize that no two people have the same needs and that everyone has different learning styles. That’s why we like to call our approach “the Progressive way,” which means we will happily customize treatment plans to meet the unique needs of the individual and their family. We also believe in “the right fit” between patient and therapist, so will make every effort to match you with a clinician who connects with you, understands you, and utilizes a therapy style that is comfortable for you.
Depending on the goals you wish to accomplish and the learning pace that is most comfortable for you, we will arm you with the evidence-based strategies, proven skills, and ample support you need to feel more organized, prepared, and effective. Therapy strategies may range from recommendations for specific tools (such as timers or planners), one-on-one brainstorming and problem-solving to address concerns, therapeutic activities as well as computer trials or worksheets to help strengthen cognitive and executive functions like attention, memory, and planning.
We know that working on cognitive-communication issues is hard work and that it can be easy to feel defeated or overwhelmed by the challenges of building a more efficient brain. However, you will not be in this alone. We are not just speech-language pathologists; we are fellow human beings who care about you, your journey, and your success. We don’t want an appointment to feel like you’ve been sent to the principal’s office. Instead, you’ll find a comfortable space where you’ll feel listened to and understood. And because humor makes everything more bearable, be prepared to laugh and joke a bit too!