Dysarthria & Apraxia

When the muscles or motor planning that produce speech are affected by stroke, Parkinson's, ALS, MS, or other neurological conditions, the result can be slurred, strained, or hard-to-understand speech. Motor speech therapy works at the level of how speech is produced, building strength, precision, and communication strategies.

What it is

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder caused by weakness or poor coordination of the speech muscles. Apraxia of speech is a motor planning disorder. The muscles work, but the brain has trouble sequencing the movements for speech. Both respond to targeted therapy.

Who this is for

• Adults with dysarthria following stroke, Parkinson's, MS, ALS, or other neurological conditions
• People with acquired apraxia of speech
• Anyone whose articulation has changed and who wants to be more easily understood

How I approach this work

Motor speech work uses the same clinical thread that runs through my stroke, TBI, and Parkinson's practice. I draw on two years on the Stroke and Brain Injury committee at a rehabilitation hospital plus ongoing experience with neurorehabilitation populations. I tie the work to your conversations and the situations where being understood matters most.

What sessions look like

Cadence and structure depend on the underlying cause and your goals. Sessions blend articulation precision work, speech intelligibility strategies, and functional practice in everyday communication contexts.