About

Nicola Dann

Communication Consultant & Speech Pathologist

B.App.Sci. (Speech Pathology), M.A. (Applied Linguistics), Dip (Collaborative Management)

Nicola is a highly experienced Communication Consultant and Certified Practising Speech Pathologist. She has over 30 years clinical experience assessing and providing therapy to school-aged children, teenagers, and adults with communication difficulties. Nicola has worked in a number of settings and services including: schools, child and youth mental health, rehabilitation, disability services, forensic settings and private practice.

Nicola has a warm and engaging approach to working with children and adults with communication difficulites. She is also mindful of the challenges that can be faced by family and support workers who directly support these people daily. She enjoys being part of a team that develops and provides innovative solutions for people with complex and multiple needs. She has developed a framework for supporting care staff in disability and out-of-home residential settings to help them become better communication partners.

nicola dann - albert park speech pathologist

Help To Ease Communication Difficulties

Nicola works with children and adults who have communication difficulties due to developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder and acquired disabilities; such as Acquired Brain Injury and progressive neurological conditions. She also has experience working with children and adults with communication issues associated with mental health concerns, trauma histories and behavioural challenges.

Nicola is passionate about working with people who have social challenges, behavioural difficulties or mental health issues in combination with or because of their communication difficulties. She has developed an interest in the connection between communication difficulties and behavioural and emotional problems.

Solutions For Learning Disabilities

In school-based settings, Nicola has also worked with children and teenagers with learning difficulties such as dyslexia and specific language impairment. She has experience in sourcing and customising Assistive Technology solutions to assist children and teenagers with significant learning difficulties.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Nicola applies family-sensitive* and client-centred principles in her work with clients and families. She uses evidenced-based approaches when working with people with communication and social difficulties including: Social Thinking®, Hanen ® and the Person-Centred Practice Approach. Nicola is also a certified Tuning into Teens™ Parent Program Facilitator.

Whilst firmly committed to the use of evidence-based therapeutic approaches and programs, Nicola is dedicated to listening to and learning from the experience of her clients’ and their stories to develop an individualised approach for each client.

Nicola is a communication advocate and believes that communication is at the heart of relationship. She also believes that all people should have access to good quality speech pathology services regardless of their age, level of severity or post-code.

*Nicola practices using the 7 principles of family-sensitive practice as outlined by the Bouverie Centre. Learn More.

A Collaborative Approach

As an advanced practitioner Nicola has developed the skills and flexibility to work effectively with a large range of agencies. She uses a well-developed collaborative approach to create change in the families, teams and systems that provide support to clients. Nicola also regularly provides secondary consultation and training to care teams as well as direct intervention to clients.

Nicola is highly experienced at working collaboratively with support worker teams. She recognises that these workers have intimate daily experience of their clients and that successful outcomes for clients can only be achieved when therapists and practitioners listen to support workers first and then partner with them to set joint goals for change.

Nicola’s additional skills as a group facilitator enables her to provide support and leadership in the care teams she contributes to.

Highly Qualified & Experienced

As well as her original qualification, a Bachelor of Applied Science in Speech Pathology, Nicola holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics and a Diploma in Collaborative Management. Nicola is also a highly experienced clinical supervisor and believes that all practitioners who provide support to people with complex and multiple needs benefit from ongoing quality supervision, support and training to ensure successful outcomes for all involved.

About Us

Communicate Consultancy is a well-established practice that provides school-aged children and adults with therapy and support for a wide range of communication issues.

We work with clients at our clinic in Albert Park but can also provide services to clients in their homes, school or local communities depending on need.

Our practice values the importance of understanding the unique needs and experience of each person we work with. Our practice is creative and inclusive; working with the person with the communication issue and the people important to them to achieve their goals.