Speech and language therapy
One-on-one sessions with Sarah and her team of pediatric speech-language pathologists, plus small-group sessions when they help. How often your child comes is agreed together with you.
About speech and language therapyWorking exclusively with children, 18 months to 10 years
Pediatric speech therapy in Santa Monica, for every kind of communicator
Speech and language therapy, social skills groups, behavior and play therapy for children across the Westside of Los Angeles, led by Sarah Clifford Scheflen, M.S., CCC-SLP.
ASHA certified since2003
“Within a matter of months, my son started speaking in sentences.”
- Since 2003ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence and California license
- 12 years at UCLASenior SLP in UCLA’s Early Childhood Partial Hospitalization Program
- Children onlyPrimarily ages 18 months to 10 years, nothing else
- PROMPT certifiedOne of a handful of certified therapists, especially helpful for apraxia
Not sure where to start?
Start with what you’re noticing.
Most families come to us with a worry, not a diagnosis. Choose what sounds familiar and we’ll show you how we can help.
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“She’s two and only says a handful of words.”
Late talkers and language delays -
“People outside our family can’t understand him.”
Articulation, phonology and apraxia (CAS) -
“Playdates are hard. She doesn’t know how to join in.”
Social communication and social skills groups -
“He gets stuck on words, and it’s getting worse.”
Stuttering and fluency -
“We just got an autism diagnosis. Where do we begin?”
Autism support and JASPER therapy -
“His mouth is often open, even when he’s resting.”
Myofunctional therapy
Conditions we treat
Our team has significant experience with a wide range of communication and related disorders, including:
- Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS)
- Phonological disorders
- Articulation disorders
- Receptive and expressive language disorders
- Auditory processing disorders
- Social communication disorders
- Autism spectrum disorders
- Developmental delays
- Pragmatic and social cognition challenges
- Behavior disorders
- Fluency disorders (stuttering)
- Literacy disorders
How we help
Every service is offered under the direction of Sarah and her team of experienced pediatric speech-language pathologists, child development specialists and behavior therapists.
Therapy is play-based, built around your child’s goals, and you are part of the process.
Ask about a service
Social skills groups
Small groups where each child is matched with peers at a similar developmental level to practice conversation, play, friendship and flexible thinking.
Inside our social skills groups
Play skills therapy
Children climb a “play ladder” toward more symbolic and imaginative play, which improves social interaction and helps them learn in group settings.
About play skills therapyMore ways we help
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Evaluations and assessments
Speech and language evaluations on request, with clear findings and next steps.
What to expect -
Behavior therapy
Practical strategies that support attention, cooperation and positive behavior.
About behavior therapy -
JASPER therapy
NewA research-based approach for young children with autism that builds joint attention, play and engagement.
About JASPER therapy -
Myofunctional therapy
NewExercises for tongue, lip and jaw patterns that affect speech, breathing and swallowing.
About myofunctional therapy -
Community Integration Services
NewSupport that helps children carry their skills into school, activities and everyday outings.
About Community Integration -
Parent guidance
Clear updates and simple ways to practice at home, so progress continues between sessions.
Parent resources
What happens after you reach out
Starting therapy can feel like a big step. Here’s how the first few weeks usually unfold.
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Tell us about your child
Call, email or send a request, and we’ll ask a few questions about what you’re noticing.
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Book an evaluation
We find a time that works for your family and explain how to prepare your child.
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Evaluation and results
Your clinician plays, observes and assesses, then walks you through the findings.
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Your therapy plan
Together we agree on goals, services and how many sessions a week make sense.
Meet Sarah Clifford Scheflen, M.S., CCC-SLP
Sarah is a pediatric clinical speech-language pathologist who specializes in children with apraxia of speech, auditory processing disorders, social communication disorders, and autism and other developmental disorders. She works exclusively with children, primarily between 18 months and 10 years old.
For 12 years she was the senior speech-language pathologist at the Early Childhood Partial Hospitalization Program at UCLA, an intensive program for children with developmental disabilities, where she provided therapy to hundreds of children with autism spectrum disorders and researched treatment approaches.
Sarah is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer, and her research focuses on teaching play and social skills through video modeling. She is also the co-founder of Teach2Talk, LLC, which produces video-modeling DVDs and other learning materials.
- Certified, not just trained, by the PROMPT Institute, an approach often particularly effective for children with apraxia
- ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence since 2003 (ASHA 12086278)
- Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in California since 2003 (SP 13706)
Also trained and experienced in
- Social cognition therapy
- PECS®
- Pivotal Response Training (PRT)®
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
- Floortime
- TEACCH®
- The Hanen Centre® programs
Our team
Experienced pediatric speech-language pathologists, child development specialists and behavior therapists, all working under Sarah’s direction.
- [Name]Speech-language pathologist
- [Name]Speech-language pathologist
- [Name]Child development specialist
- [Name]Behavior therapist
Families, in their own words
What parents have shared about working with Sarah and the SSLP team.
1 of 5
“Within a matter of months, my son started speaking in sentences and his articulation improved dramatically.”
- Expressive speech
- 7th to 58th percentile
- Receptive speech
- 12th to 84th percentile
“With Sarah’s love, guidance and her vast knowledge and experience, we were able to fully communicate with our son in four months.”
“Your social skills groups are the best we have seen including those we have observed at public and private schools.”
“The therapies have made a huge difference in his ability to play in groups and initiate play and spontaneous conversations with other children.”
“The practicing and discussion, in the social skills groups, has helped him produce more conversational speech with other children and he has gained confidence doing it.”
Visit our Santa Monica office
We’re in the Verona building on the southwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Sixth Street in downtown Santa Monica, close to Third Street Promenade.
- Look for the clock
The building has a large dial clock on the top floor. We’re in Suite 105.
- Parking
Metered street parking is usually available within a block. The city garages on Fourth Street are free for two hours if you enter before 6:00 pm, and there is paid parking under the building.
- By car
Easy by surface streets from across the Westside, and convenient to the 10 freeway (exit Lincoln Blvd.).
Families we serve
- Santa Monica
- West Los Angeles
- Venice
- Marina del Rey
- Pacific Palisades
- Brentwood
- Bel Air
- Beverly Hills
- Westwood
Get directions (opens in a new tab)
530 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 105
Santa Monica, CA 90401-1422
See us on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Parent resources
Practical guides to the questions families ask us most, from milestones to your first visit.
- Speech and language milestones, birth to age 5
- How to prepare your child for an evaluation
- Questions parents ask us most
For pediatricians, schools and referring professionals
Refer a child, share reports or reach our clinical team directly.
- Referral fax
- 877.477.5746
- Phone
- (310) 461-8100
Let’s talk about your child
Fill out the form if you’re interested in services for your child, or reach us directly. Every submission is treated as confidential and answered as promptly as we can.
- Phone(310) 461-8100or toll-free (877) 4-SSLP-INC
- Emailinfo@sslpinc.com
- Office530 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 105
Santa Monica, CA 90401 - Office hoursMonday to Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm - Fax877.477.5746
Please don’t include detailed medical information in this form. We’ll talk through the details with you directly.
Questions parents ask us
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Call (310) 461-8100 or email info@sslpinc.com.
What ages do you work with?
We work exclusively with children, primarily between the ages of 18 months and 10 years.
What are your office hours?
Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Saturday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. We’re closed on Sunday.
How long are sessions?
Individual speech and language therapy sessions are typically one hour. Social skills groups run for two hours, and play skills sessions are one or two hours. How many sessions your child attends each week is agreed between you and Sarah.
When do social skills groups meet?
Groups meet daily on weekdays and on Saturday. Children are carefully matched by developmental level, so we keep a waiting list and let you know when Sarah has a good group ready.
Do you offer evaluations?
Yes. We offer speech and language evaluations and assessments on request, and walk you through the results and recommended next steps.
Where do we park?
There’s usually metered street parking within a block. The Santa Monica city garages on Fourth Street are close by and free for two hours if you enter before 6:00 pm. There’s also paid parking under the building, with a lower flat rate after 4:00 pm.
Is what I share with you kept confidential?
Yes. We treat every submission as confidential and respond as promptly as we can. Please save detailed medical information for when we speak with you directly.
Inside our social skills groups
Our most-loved program. Each group is small, carefully matched and led by a multi-disciplinary team, with a strong focus on pragmatic language because Sarah is a speech-language pathologist.
Because groups work best when children are well matched, we keep a waiting list. We’ll let you know as soon as Sarah has a good group ready and confirm a schedule with you.
A group session at a glance
2 hours
- Daily on weekdays and on Saturday
- A small group of matched peers
- Pragmatics, play, language and social cognition
Join the waiting listWhat children practice in group
Instruction is tailored to each group. Typical topics include:
1 of 6
Conversation
Play and friendship
Feelings and perspective
Self-regulation
School and the playground
Everyday social skills