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| Practice Information |
My client base is primarily comprised of adults who have survived strokes and brain trauma, or those suffering from neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsons and all types of dementia, as well as head and neck cancer. Individuals with other impairments are also seen. A general outline of services is listed, although is not limited to the following:
*Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) are diagnosed and intervention is provided to: determine the safest diet level through guarded trials and diet adjustment, create home exercises to regain function, train and educate the client and caregivers in safe swallow practices/strategies and meal preparation, with the overall goal of reducing aspiration risk with the least restrictive diet.
*Speech, language, and voice disorders are evaluated and treatment is given for dysarthria, apraxia, expressive and receptive aphasia, and voice difficulties due to neurologic involvement or head and neck surgery. Reading and writing deficits are also targeted for intervention, and augmentative and alternative communication devices created or recommended (low or high tech) for nonverbal patients, as well as training in use of voice prosthesis if appropriate.
*Cognitive impairments including memory loss, problem solving/ reasoning, planning, orientation, and thought organization are evaluated and treatment is provided. Adaptive and environmental aids are created and patients and caregivers are trained in their use, such as memory books for those with Alzheimer's or other neurologic difficulties.
*Hearing and visual impairments are addressed either in isolation or in conjunction with other deficits and patients and caregivers are assisted in obtaining and utilizing adaptive aids such as amplification devices, phones with special features, large print materials, or referrals are made to appropriate community resources.
My treatment focuses on an individual's functional needs and abilities. Sessions are tailored to promote the best quality of life with the most realistic and attainable goals. I am compassionate and caring while having the flexibiltiy to adjust my intervention to address special issues as they arise. Counseling is provided for emotional adjustment to disability as needed using an intuitive and trusting approach. My goal with patients is to have them participate in their lives at the highest level possible with optimal success. |
| Licenses/Certifications |
 ASHA Certified Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP)
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Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (State)
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| License Info |
| CA #10071 |
| Education |
Master of Science in Communicative Disorders, San Francisco State University (SFSU), January 1996
Clinical Rehabilitative Services Credential: Language, Speech, and Hearing, SFSU, January 1996
Adult Education Credential, California State University Northridge (CSUN), September 1988
Bachelor of Arts in Spanish; Minor in English as a Second Language, CSUN, May 1988
English as a Second Language Certificate, CSUN, May 1988 |
| Bio: |
My professional life began as a bilingual Spanish Speech Therapy Aide for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) while attending graduate level classes in Communicative Disorders at CSU, Northridge. Simultaneously, in the evening, I taught English as a Second Language in the LAUSD's Adult Education Program.
After moving to San Francisco, I completed my Master's Degree at San Francisco State University with internships in both school and hospital settings. At the end of my internship at Davies Medical Center (now part of CPMC) I was offered a Staff Therapist position and completed my clinical fellowship year. As the hospital provided an opportunity to work with more challenging and diverse patients as compared to the school setting I continued there for another year. I then transferred to the University of California, San Francisco. For thirteen years, I worked in various capacities in inpatient and outpatient departments at the Mt. Zion and Parnassus campuses, until finally transferring to their Home Health Care Department.
Currently, I enjoy providing speech therapy services in the Bay Area focusing both in the hospital setting at San Francisco General Hospital and on direct care in the comfort of a patient's home environment. |
| Recommendations |
 2 recommendations
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| Payments Accepted |
| private pay via cash, check |
| Hours |
| Monday-Friday, some weekends, variable hours |
| Recommendations |
Maureen, Fremont, CA
Denise, We wanted to express our thanks and gratitude to you for your amazing support of our daughter’s recovery from a stroke. You brought to each therapy sessions a genuine interest and prepared plan that was customized to our daughter’s needs. We appreciated how you took your clinical practices and made them as such it was relevant to our daughter’s age and recovery needs. What made your therapy practices also stand out and in turn enabled progress was how you connected with our daughter. She was a young patient recovering from a catastrophic health challenge but you treated her in a way that allowed her to see the value of speech/language therapy to her overall recovery needs.
Denise, we will always be grateful to you as a person, to your incredible knowledge and your exceptional talents as a speech language pathologist. Those first months of the recovery marathon for a stroke patient are so important and your presence in our daughter’s life truly allowed her to feel/experience that she could recover. You have a gift and anyone fortunate enough to be in your care is blessed.
Amber, Alameda
Denise is a highly qualified and skilled therapist who strives to provide her clients with the most up to date treatments and information. She has a good sense of humor and a heart filled with compassion. I would recommend her to any family member or friend.
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| Practice Areas/Issues Treated |
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Speech-Language Therapy
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Accent Reduction
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Adult Speech/Language Disorders
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Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
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Aphasia
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Apraxia
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English as a Second Language
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Head and Neck Cancer
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Motor Speech Disorders
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Online / Video / Teletherapy
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Raspy Voice / Muscle Tension Dysphonia
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Swallowing Difficulties / Dysphagia
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Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke
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Vocal Coaching for Singing and Performing
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Voice Disorders
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