Private speech therapy provides individualized support for children and adults who need help with speech, language, voice, stuttering, or other communication difficulties. Unlike services through schools or hospitals, private speech therapy lets you choose your own provider and schedule sessions directly with a private practice.
In this article, we'll explain how private speech therapy works, its benefits, what it costs, and how to choose the right provider for yourself or your child.
Parents often consider private speech therapy when their child doesn't qualify for school-based services or needs additional support. Adults seek private services for many reasons, including speech difficulties, voice problems, and communication challenges after an illness or injury. Understanding your options can help you make an informed decision before committing to treatment.
Key Takeaways
What private speech therapy is: Private speech therapy provides individualized treatment for children and adults with speech, language, voice, or other communication difficulties. Services are arranged directly with a private practice.
How it differs from school speech therapy: Public schools provide free speech therapy to students who qualify based on their educational needs. Private speech therapy can address a broader range of communication difficulties and personal goals.
How people pay: Some health insurance plans cover private speech therapy when it is medically necessary. You can also pay out of pocket and request reimbursement if your plan includes out-of-network benefits.
How to choose a provider: Look for a licensed speech-language pathologist with experience treating your specific concern. Consider their approach to treatment, availability, and whether their services fit your needs.
What Is Private Speech Therapy, and Who Is It For?
How Is Private Speech Therapy Different From School Speech Therapy?
What Are the Benefits of Private Speech Therapy?
Does Insurance Cover Private Speech Therapy, or Is It Private Pay?
How Do You Get Started With Private Speech Therapy?
What We See Working with Clients
What Is Private Speech Therapy, and Who Is It For?
Private speech therapy provides individualized treatment for children, teens, and adults with speech, language, voice, and communication difficulties. Services are typically provided one-on-one by a licensed speech-language pathologist in a private clinic, at home, or through live online sessions.
Speech-language pathologists typically hold a master's degree or higher and are trained to evaluate and treat communication disorders. They assess each person's needs using a combination of methods, including standardized assessments when appropriate, clinical observations, and interviews. The results help guide an individualized treatment plan based on the person's communication difficulties and goals.
Private speech therapy addresses a wide range of communication needs, including:
Speech sound disorders: Difficulty pronouncing certain sounds or speaking clearly. Articulation speech therapy helps children and adults improve speech sound production and overall clarity.
Speech and language delays or disorders: Difficulties understanding language, finding the right words, forming sentences, or expressing thoughts. Speech therapy for toddlers also supports early speech and language development.
Stuttering and other fluency disorders: Difficulties with the flow of speech, including repetitions, prolongations, and blocks. Speech therapy can help children, teens who stutter, and adults with fluency disorders communicate more comfortably.
Voice disorders: Problems with vocal quality, pitch, volume, or vocal fatigue. Voice therapy focuses on improving how the voice functions and reducing unnecessary strain.
Social communication difficulties: Challenges with conversation, interpreting social cues, or communicating effectively in different situations. Autistic individuals and others with social communication difficulties can work on skills that support their individual communication goals.
Neurological communication disorders: Speech, language, voice, or cognitive-communication difficulties following a stroke or traumatic brain injury, or associated with conditions such as Parkinson's disease.
Age-related communication changes: Older adults experiencing difficulties with speech, language, or communication can receive support tailored to their needs.
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC): Children and adults who have difficulty communicating through speech can use picture boards, speech-generating devices, or other communication tools.
Professional communication: Adults seeking speech therapy or communication coaching to improve speech clarity, modify their accent, strengthen presentation skills, or communicate more effectively at work.
How Is Private Speech Therapy Different From School Speech Therapy?
Private speech therapy and school-based speech therapy differ in how children qualify for services, how sessions are provided, and the goals of treatment. Public school speech therapy is often free for families, while private speech therapy is arranged directly with a provider and paid for through insurance or out of pocket.
| Private speech therapy | School speech therapy | |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Anyone who chooses it for a speech, language, voice, or communication need | Students whose difficulty affects their learning or school activities |
| Goals | A wide range of goals, such as home, friendships, work, or school | Skills needed for learning and school activities |
| Sessions | Often one-on-one with a speech-language pathologist | Often held in small groups |
| How often | Planned by you and your speech therapist | Set by the IEP team, which includes parents |
| Cost | Paid by you or your insurance plan | Free for students who qualify |
| Ages | No age limit, from toddlers to older adults | Eligible children from age 3 |
| Connected Speech Pathology | connectedspeechpathology.com | ||
To qualify for school-based speech therapy, a child's communication difficulties must affect their educational performance, which includes academic, social, and functional skills. A child with a mild speech and language delay may not qualify if the school determines that the difficulty does not significantly affect their education. Private speech therapy does not have the same educational eligibility requirements.
Another important difference is how sessions are provided. In schools, speech therapy often takes place in small groups, although individual sessions are also available. Services can be provided through a pull-out model, where students leave the classroom to work with a speech-language pathologist, or a push-in model, where the therapist works with students in the classroom. Private speech therapy is typically provided one-on-one, allowing the therapist to focus the entire session on the individual's needs and goals.
School-based speech therapy focuses on communication skills that support a child's education and participation in school. Private therapy can address communication difficulties across different settings, including home, school, and everyday social situations. For students receiving services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the IEP team, including parents, determines the frequency and duration of school-based services. With private speech therapy, families arrange scheduling directly with their provider.
Public schools provide speech and language services to eligible children starting at age 3. Younger children who qualify can receive early intervention services through their state's program. Families can also choose private speech therapy alongside school-based or early intervention services.
Private speech therapy is based on an individual's clinical needs rather than the educational eligibility requirements used in public schools. This means children who don't qualify for school-based services can still receive private speech therapy to address their communication difficulties. Families can also choose private services to supplement the support their child receives at school.
What Are the Benefits of Private Speech Therapy?
Private speech therapy offers several advantages, especially for people who want individual sessions, more provider choices, or services that fit their schedules. The specific benefits depend on the practice and the person's needs.
Individual attention: Private speech therapy is typically provided one-on-one, while school-based services often include group sessions. Individual sessions give you dedicated time to practice specific skills, ask questions, and receive feedback.
More choice in providers: You can choose a speech-language pathologist with experience in your specific communication difficulty, including speech, language, voice, or social skills, and whose approach fits you or your child.
Goals that extend beyond school: Private speech therapy can address communication needs that aren't covered by school-based services. Treatment can support communication at home, in social situations, or at work.
Flexible scheduling: Some private practices offer evening, weekend, or live online sessions, making therapy easier to fit into the routines of busy families and working adults.
Options for session length and frequency: Depending on the provider and your treatment needs, you can arrange different session lengths and discuss how often to meet.
Different treatment settings: Depending on the provider, services can take place in a clinic, through home-based therapy, or in live online sessions.
Family participation: Parents, partners, and caregivers can take part in sessions when appropriate and learn strategies for practicing communication skills at home.
Does Insurance Cover Private Speech Therapy, or Is It Private Pay?
Some health plans cover private speech therapy when the treatment is medically necessary and meets the plan's rules. You can also pay out of pocket, even if you have insurance.
In-network insurance: Your plan pays for part or all of covered speech therapy services, but you can still owe a copay, deductible, or coinsurance. Some plans also require a referral or prior approval.
Out-of-network reimbursement: Some practices don't bill insurance directly. You pay the practice and receive a superbill (an itemized receipt with billing codes) to send to your insurance provider. Your plan decides if it will reimburse you and how much.
Paying yourself: With private pay speech therapy, you cover the full fee yourself. You can also use HSA or FSA funds for eligible services.
Before your first appointment, ask your insurance provider if speech-language therapy is covered for your needs, if you need a referral or prior approval, and what your out-of-network benefits are. The cost of private speech therapy depends on the practice, location, and session length.
How Much Does Speech Therapy Cost?
A breakdown of speech therapy costs with and without insurance, plus programs that can lower what families pay.
How Do You Get Started With Private Speech Therapy?
To start private speech therapy, choose a licensed provider and book an evaluation.
How to Choose a Private Speech Therapist
Where to look: Ask your doctor or your child's teacher for names, or search ASHA ProFind, an online directory of certified speech-language pathologists.
Credentials: Speech-language pathologists complete graduate training and must meet state licensing rules to provide speech therapy. Many are also ASHA certified, meaning they hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence, a voluntary credential separate from state licensure.
Experience with your concern: Ask about the speech therapist's experience working with clients who have your concern or your child's specific need, such as phonological disorders, adult stuttering, or hoarseness.
Setting: Decide whether a private clinic, in-home visits in a familiar environment, or live online sessions will work best for your needs and schedule. Online sessions, also called telepractice, can connect you with specialists outside your local area, as long as the specialist is licensed where you are during sessions.
A first conversation: Many providers offer a short, free phone consultation. Use it to ask what the evaluation includes, how progress is tracked, and how family members take part.
Comfort: You or your child should feel comfortable with the speech therapist, since you'll be working closely together.
What Happens When You Start
A referral or a first call: Some people come with a referral from a doctor, teacher, or early intervention program, and others call a clinic directly.
Background information: The speech-language pathologist asks about your main concerns, medical history, and where communication is hardest. For children, the speech-language pathologist often asks parents about development too.
An evaluation: Your speech-language pathologist assesses your skills through conversation, observation, and, when appropriate, tests. Some tests compare your skills with those of peers.
Goals and a plan: With your provider, you use the evaluation to set speech therapy goals and plan what to work on. Your provider also recommends how often to meet.
Regular speech therapy sessions: Sessions often last 30 to 60 minutes and happen weekly. Your speech therapist can also suggest practice between visits and adjust the plan as you progress.
How long speech therapy takes depends on the person's goals, needs, and progress. Some people need only a few visits, while others attend for months or longer.
What We See Working with Clients
We provide private speech therapy for children and adults. The examples below are based on real clients we have worked with. Identifying details have been changed to protect privacy.
A mother reached out about her 6-year-old son after his school's evaluation found he did not qualify for speech therapy services because his classwork was on track. At home, relatives often asked him to repeat himself, and he had started giving one-word answers because he was worried people wouldn't understand him.
During live online sessions, his speech therapist worked on the speech sounds others found hardest to understand, using games the boy chose. His mother joined each session and learned how to practice with him during everyday routines. After several months, family members asked him to repeat himself less often, though he still works on a few sounds in longer sentences.
A project manager in his thirties came to us because he stuttered most on phone calls and in meetings. He had stopped volunteering updates at work and let calls go to voicemail, even though he had plenty to say.
He chose evening appointments so he wouldn't miss work. His stuttering therapy focused on easing into words, being open about his stuttering at work, and practicing the calls and meetings he found hardest. He still stutters, but he now makes his own calls and says he has more confidence giving updates in team meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Private Speech Therapy
1. Is private speech therapy worth it?
Private speech therapy can be a worthwhile investment for children and adults who need help with speech, language, voice, or communication difficulties. It offers individualized treatment, typically in one-on-one sessions, with goals based on your specific needs. When deciding whether it's right for you or your child, consider the provider's experience, service costs, and any available insurance benefits.
2. Can a child have private and school speech therapy at the same time?
Yes, a child can have private and school speech therapy at the same time. With your permission, the school and private speech-language pathologists can share information so goals at school and in private sessions support each other.
3. Do the results of private speech therapy last?
Results can last, especially when people keep practicing their communication skills in daily life. How much improvement happens varies from person to person and cannot be predicted at the start.
4. Do you need a doctor's referral for private speech therapy?
In most cases, you can schedule private speech therapy without a doctor's referral. However, some insurance plans require a referral or prescription for coverage, so it's important to check with your insurance provider. For voice concerns, such as ongoing hoarseness, an examination by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor is recommended before beginning voice therapy.
5. Is online private speech therapy as effective as in-person sessions?
Online sessions can be as effective as in-person sessions for many people. The best format depends on the individual and their goals. Young children often need a parent nearby during online speech-language therapy sessions, and some approaches that require hands-on support work better in person.
How Connected Speech Pathology Can Help
Connected Speech Pathology provides private speech therapy for children, teens, and adults through personalized, live online sessions. Our experienced speech-language pathologists specialize in a wide range of communication difficulties, including speech clarity, language, stuttering, voice disorders, social communication, and communication challenges related to neurological conditions.
Finding a speech-language pathologist with the right experience isn't always easy, especially when specialized services aren't available locally. We provide speech therapy for adults and speech therapy for children across many states and continue to expand our reach as our clinicians obtain additional state licenses. Each treatment plan is tailored to the individual's needs and goals.
Getting started is simple. We offer a free phone consultation to learn about your needs, answer your questions, and explain the next steps. Initial evaluations typically take 45 to 60 minutes, and follow-up sessions are available in different lengths based on your needs and treatment plan.
Summary
Private speech therapy provides individualized treatment for children and adults with speech, language, voice, and other communication difficulties. It lets you work with a speech-language pathologist experienced with your specific needs, often through one-on-one sessions with flexible scheduling options.
Private speech therapy can be used on its own or alongside school-based services and early intervention programs. When choosing a provider, consider their experience, treatment approach, availability, and cost to find the right fit for you or your child.
About the Author
Allison Geller, M.A., CCC-SLP, is a communication coach, speech-language pathologist, and founder of Connected Speech Pathology, an international online practice providing professional communication coaching and speech therapy for children, teens, and adults. With more than two decades of experience, she has worked in medical and educational settings and published research on aphasia. Today, she leads a team of specialists who help clients improve their skills in public speaking, vocal presence, accent clarity, articulation, language, fluency, and interpersonal communication.
