ABOUT IMPROVED COMMUNICATION

ABOUT IMPROVED COMMUNICATION, L L C

Emma Shipley, MS, CCC-SLP

Owner | Speech-Language Pathologist

Emma has a distinct passion for helping others achieve communicative confidence. She holds a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech, Language, Hearing Association (ASHA), and is a Maryland state licensed clinician.

Emma has a diverse background as a clinician. She began her career as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in the medical setting working primarily with the adult and geriatric populations. Emma then moved to working with public high school students full-time. She found her niche working with these populations (trust me, she was just as surprised as you about the high schoolers).

Emma wanted to start her own practice focused on providing services to adolescents (12+) and adults (18+). Throughout working with these populations in her clinical career, she started to notice they often get "swept under the rug" when it comes to speech, language, and communication support as they navigate such dynamic stages of life.

Emma works at Towson University as an adjunct instructor in the undergraduate speech-language pathology program and as a graduate clinical supervisor in the Towson University Speech and Language Center. Her primary areas of clinical specialty in these positions include autism, alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), adolescent and adult language and literacy, and improvisation in communication therapy. She is planning to begin pursuing her PhD in Autism Studies at Towson University in the fall of 2023.

Improved Communication, LLC offers a diverse range of services. Emma enjoys working with neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals. She has experience working across the spectrum of ages and abilities. Improved Communication offers individual sessions, group services, Applied Improvisation workshops, corporate communications consulting, and voice therapy. To learn more about each of these services individually, please refer to the Services tab located at the top of this webpage.

Emma is experienced in using the performing arts to target and strengthen communication skills. As a self-described "theater nerd," she has participated in over 20 productions in the last ten years. Emma worked as an Assistant Director and Teaching Artist with Barrier Free, a non-profit whose mission is to create accessible and inclusive life skills, social skills, and theater arts programming for adults with disabilities. Emma is active in improvisational theater. She is a founding troupe member of Memory Lane Playback Theatre.

Emma previously collaborated with Special Olympics Maryland to pilot their first ever performing arts programming titled "Plunge into Improv!" She also established an improvisational theater program for high school students with disabilities. This program is currently in its fourth year and continues to run weekly.

It is Improved Communication, LLC's mission to provide quality, specialized intervention to build confidence and skill. Emma founded her practice with the hopes of allowing her passion for helping others and her diverse training in communication to intersect in order to provide evidence-based, innovative interventions.

Finding your communicative confidence can be difficult and overwhelming. Improved Communication will work alongside you to discover, support, and develop your unique voice.

OUR APPROACH

UNIQUELY DESIGNED FOR YOU

The ability to communicate is often taken for granted. It may seem like an innate skill we all should be automatically good at, all the time. In reality, communication is a practice. It takes time, effort, and a whole lot of learning to fully identify and develop our communicative confidence.

Improved Communication, LLC recognizes and celebrates the individuality of each of our clients. We value your input as part of the intervention process. We will work together to design specific communication goals that are functional and applicable to your lifestyle.

We don't take the "one size fits all" approach We all bring different backgrounds, experiences, and support needs to our communication styles. Our practice celebrates individual strengths while supporting you in your communicative growth.