Lighthouse Therapy provides online interactive therapy related services for special education students from early intervention - 12th-grade. Our services include Speech-Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Behavioral and Mental Health Services. These services include direct, group, makeup, and consultation services as well as screenings and tests. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), Occupational Therapists (OTs), Licensed Social Workers (LSWs), and School Psychologists (School Psychs) provide high quality, evidenced-based services on our web-based secure platform, using the latest in online tools and activities.

Lighthouse Therapy is compatible with:

• Google Chrome version 28 and later on any device except iPad or iPhone
• Firefox version 25.0.1 and later on any device except iPad or iPhone
• Safari on Mac macOS 10.12 Sierra or later
• Safari on iPad or iPhone iOS 11 or later

Our online test will check the camera, mic, and Internet connection to see how well the device will work with Lighthouse Therapy. If others using the Internet connection are watching a video or uploading a file this could reduce the video quality.

The effectiveness of telepractice as a service delivery model in the schools is well documented. Online speech teletherapy service outcomes are equal to face to face therapy services. Telepractice has been studied extensively and our therapists report and have experienced similar outcomes consistently.

Gabel, R., Grogan-Johnson, S., Alvares, R., Bechstein, L., & Taylor, J. (2013). A field study of telepractice for school intervention using the ASHA NOMS K-12 database. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 35, 44–53.

Grogan-Johnson, S., Alvares, R., Rowan, L., & Creaghead, N. (2010). A pilot study comparing the effectiveness of speech language therapy provided by telemedicine with conventional on-site therapy. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 16, 134–139.

Grogan-Johnson, S., Gabel, R., Taylor, J., Rowan, L., Alvarex, R., & Schenker, J. (2011). A pilot exploration of speech sound disorder intervention delivered by telehealth to school-age children. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 3, 31–42.

Grogan-Johnson, S., Schmidt, A., Schenker, Alvares, R., Rowan, L., & Taylor, J. (2013). A comparison of speech sound intervention delivered by telepractice and side-by-side service delivery models. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 34, 210–220.

Lewis, C., Packman, A., Onslow, M., Simpson, J., & Jones, M. (2008). A Phase II trial of telehealth delivery of the Lidcombe Program of Early Stuttering Intervention. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 17, 139–149.

McCullough, A. (2001). Viability and effectiveness of teletherapy for pre-school children with special needs. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 36, 321–326.

In addition, parents, clients, and clinicians report satisfaction with telepractice as a mode of service delivery. Parents of students at Lighthouse Therapy have also noted similar satisfaction with our online services.

Crutchley, S., & Campbell, M. (2010). Telespeech therapy pilot project: Stakeholder satisfaction. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 2, 23–30.

McCullough, A. (2001). Viability and effectiveness of teletherapy for pre-school children with special needs. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 36, 321–326.

We are a therapist run company that hires only highly qualified therapists. All of our therapists are fully credentialed providers with experience working in the school setting. SLPs must have a Master’s degree; OTs must have a grandfathered Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate degree; and our behavioral and mental health professionals must have Master’s degrees. All of our professionals are fully licensed.

Beyond how the clinician looks on paper, our therapists must have a heart for children and the clinical knowledge and independent personal skills to deliver the best possible outcomes for our students. We offer paid orientation and one on one mentoring for the therapists. They are knowledgeable about our services and platform; ready to deliver engaging and caring services. We encourage and support continuous growth and improvement through networking and random session observations and documentation audits. We encourage our staff to ask questions and give feedback. Our CEO often says, “The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask. If you don’t know the answer, then you need to ask the question.”

Our goal is to support our therapists in such a way that they are free to provide top-level services to all students. If our therapists feel they are appreciated, they then spend all their energy delivering the kind of online services and teamwork that impact the outcomes of the students through the therapy process.

Lighthouse Therapy Staff truly cares about the children and families we serve! We want to make sure that every child gets the services they need to be successful!

Children love technology. They don’t know a world that does not include digital games, information, and learning. Many times the students are more comfortable with computers than their parents! Often, the students are less intimidated by meeting a new therapist online than having to go with a new unfamiliar adult to the therapy room.

Parents have direct access to their children’s therapist creating better communication and more opportunities for interaction. The parents are able to log in and observe the online session from a convenient location. Service providers can upload homework, email the parents, share therapeutic activities and outcomes directly through the platform. This allows parents a transparent view of what their child is doing and the progress they are making. It also allows for greater carry over outside of the therapy session. Students and parents can also upload homework, have a virtual “show and tell” with therapists, and develop a deeper team approach to the therapy services they are being provided. There is a higher level of engagement available with the tools provided through the Lighthouse Therapy Platform.

“There are no inherent limits to where telepractice can be implemented as long as services comply with national, state, institutional, and professional regulations and policies.” ASHA. (n.d.) “Telepractice”. ASHA. Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/telepractice/ American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA)

“In addition, practicing according to standards and guidelines published in several AOTA official documents can promote the safe and effective delivery of occupational therapy services via telehealth technology. By adhering to the highest level of ethical standards, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants can join other health care providers in using technological advances to better serve their clients.” American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). (n.d.) “Telehealth”. The american occupational therapy association advisory opinion for the ethics commission. Retrieved from https://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Ethics/Advisory/telehealth-advisory.pdf

“What we’ve seen is that telehealth is essentially just as effective as face-to-face psychotherapy—and retention rates are higher,” says David Mohr, PhD, director of the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, who has spent his career studying telepsychology and digital mental health. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/07/cover-telepsychology

Telepractice services have been recognized as an effective form of therapy by all 50 states.

The reason school districts have chosen online therapy are as varied as the number and types of districts. Originally, schools were choosing to use online therapy as a “last resort” when an on the ground therapist was not available as is often the case due to the critical shortage of skilled clinicians. However, there has been a shift in recent years, as districts have begun to partner with online providers and seeing the power and effectiveness of teletherapy services. Many use a blended model of in person and online services to meet their needs. Others have started with teletherapy as a stop-gap measure and have been so pleased with the results that they have continued to use online services exclusively.

At Lighthouse Therapy, we are solutions focused and want to provide services that will work with your district’s model, whatever that may be.

Lighthouse therapy specializes in PreK-12th grade students, as well as 0-3 Early Intervention Services. All students within a developmental age range from 0-21 years old.