Language grows from connection.
Interact is a children's speech and language practice with a developmental approach. We look at the whole child: how they stay calm, connect, think and play. Then we build language on that foundation, together with you and your child's school.
- Led by Baila Stein, M.S., CCC-SLP
- Profectum Fellow
Therapy that sees the whole child
Relationship-based
Language is built through warm, playful connection, following what your child loves.
We see them everywhere
Every evaluation includes a school observation, a home observation and a clinic evaluation.
Director-led care
Baila oversees every child's therapy and meets with each therapist before therapy begins.
Parents as partners
Monthly parent meetings and ideas you can use at home, so progress continues between sessions.
A developmental language approach
Our therapy is grounded in the DIR/Floortime model. Instead of drilling isolated skills, we focus on a child's social and emotional growth and on warm, nurturing relationships. A child who feels understood is open to learning language, and the language they learn this way is real, rich and their own.
Regulation
A calm child can listen, notice and remember. We help children stay regulated through excitement, frustration and disappointment.
Engagement
Warm, back-and-forth connection with a trusted adult. Every exchange is a "circle of communication," and we work to make the circles longer.
Shared meaning
Comprehension and expression grow from real experiences shared together, so words carry meaning rather than memorized answers.
Thinking & play
Problem solving, retelling what happened, reading intentions and rich pretend play: the skills a child needs in class and with friends.
We want our children to have a healthy sense of self: to be confident learners, good friends, good listeners. Language is how they get there.
Is your child…
Parents and teachers usually reach out when something is getting in the way at home, in class or with friends. We see children with concerns like these:
- Having a hard time expressing what they think or want
- Repeating what they learned without really understanding it
- Struggling to follow directions or classroom explanations
- Getting "stuck" on one detail and missing the main point
- Quieter or less expressive with peers and in groups
- Finding it hard to retell a story or what happened at recess
- Answering impulsively before thinking a question through
- Easily overwhelmed, frustrated or shutting down
- Playing in simple or repetitive ways for their age
- Working on articulation, such as lisps or the r sound
Our evaluation sees your child everywhere they spend their day
A child at school, at home and in the clinic can look like three different children. That is why every Interact evaluation includes all three, followed by a full meeting with you.
- First
Call us and fill out the opening packet
We send a welcome packet with intake forms. Please return them a week before the observation, with copies of any previous evaluations or reports and a current picture of your child.
- Observation
School observation
We visit your child's classroom to see how they learn, listen and connect with classmates and their morah or rebbe.
- Observation
Home observation
We come to your home to see your child in the place they are most comfortable.
- Evaluation
Clinic evaluation 3–4 hours
A thorough developmental speech and language evaluation in our Lakewood office.
- Meeting
Parent follow-up meeting 2–3 hours
We walk you through what we saw, your child's strengths and challenges, and our recommendations.
- Within a week
Therapy begins
Your child is matched with a therapist, who meets with our director before the first session so nothing is lost between evaluation and therapy.
- Two weeks in
Goal meeting
You meet with the therapist and director to set clear goals for the year.
Services for children, parents and schools
Individual speech & language therapy
A year of therapy is two 30-minute sessions a week with a dedicated therapist. Therapy is playful and built around what your child loves, with language woven into every activity. Sessions with your child can be billed to insurance.
Comprehensive evaluations
School and home observations, a clinic evaluation and a parent follow-up meeting, all included.
Parent meetings
About once a month, so you can carry the work home. Parents are our most important partners.
School collaboration
Meetings with your child's school about once a year or as needed, so teachers and therapists work toward the same goals.
Consulting specialists
Our team works with consultants in occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and psychology for children who need a wider view.
Talks for schools & parents
Orientations and workshops for teachers and parent groups on language development, regulation and supporting children in the classroom.
Progress tracking
Language samples and progress meetings over the year show you how far your child has come.
Small moments that grow language
A few ideas we share with parents. None of them take extra time, just a little more presence in the moments you already have.
Join the feeling first
When your child is upset, share the emotion for real before offering logic or a solution. A child who feels understood calms down, and then can listen.
Narrate what you do together
Baking, laundry, a walk to the park: talk slowly about what you both see and feel. Fewer words with more meaning beat lots of talk.
Think out loud
Model your problem solving, then pause. Children learn the process of thinking by following yours. Keep it from ever feeling like a test.
Comment more, question less
After school, start with one question and build with comments and details. Conversations last longer, and stories get richer.
The people your child will know
Baila Stein
Baila leads every evaluation and oversees each child's therapy, meeting regularly with each therapist and with parents and schools to keep everyone moving toward the same goals.
Hadassa Josilowsky
Tehilla Deutsch
Rivka Guggenheimer
Sari Richt
Tal
Michelle
Diane
Good to know
How do I get started?
Call the office at 732-595-2641. We'll talk about your child, answer your questions, and send you our welcome packet with the opening paperwork.
How is this different from traditional speech therapy?
Traditional therapy often works on isolated skills, like a lisp or retelling a story in order. We still work on those, but inside fun, meaningful activities that also build your child's regulation, engagement and thinking. Children who feel understood are open to learning, and the language they learn sticks.
Do you take insurance?
Therapy sessions with your child can be billed to insurance. Parent meetings and school meetings are not covered by insurance. Call the office for full fee details.
How often is therapy?
Two 30-minute sessions a week, plus a parent meeting about once a month. If your child can't make a session, it can be used as a parent session instead.
What if we need to cancel?
Consistency matters for progress. Each child has 4 cancellations a year, and families get 2 additional sessions off after a new baby is born. Sessions should be canceled by the morning before, and makeups can be scheduled within two weeks.
What should I bring to the evaluation?
Please return the opening packet a week before the observation, along with copies of any previous evaluations or reports, a current picture of your child, and a prescription from a doctor.
Will you talk to my child's school?
Yes. We observe your child in class as part of the evaluation and meet with the school about once a year or as needed.
Let's talk about your child.
We look forward to getting to know and understand your child, and to partnering with you in your child's success.