
LLA Spotlight: Kelly Morreale
We have amazing therapists at LLA and want to showcase them to you! This week, meet Kelly Morreale!
Kelly is a Speech-Language Pathologist who has been with LLA for 6 years! She serves clients at Canton City Schools, Rittman Schools, and in the clinic. Kelly was originally a high school Language Arts teacher, but she felt like she didn’t get to work closely enough with the students because there were so many of them. She wanted a job where she could work with kids in a smaller setting. Her best friend’s mom was a professor in a speech pathology program at a local university and recommended that she shadow her to see if she would like it. Three years later she was officially an SLP! Her favorite part about being a therapist is that it is never boring. It’s rare that she does’t come home from work with a funny story about something a kid did or said during a therapy session.
Share a success story!
I was working a boy on the autism spectrum. He had limited speech and primarily spoke using only one word at a time. After several weeks of practice, he finally independently requested a snack using a full sentence. His grandmother cried. Such a simple action that most take for granted is a huge milestone for kids like him.
Let’s get to know Kelly better!
What is your favorite movie?
When Harry Met Sally
How did you discover your passion for working with children?
I started babysitting my neighbors when I was 9. Since then I’ve pretty much always worked with kids in one capacity or another, whether babysitting, as a camp counselor, or teaching.
What is your favorite book?
Harry Potter!
What do you do in your free time?
I try to spend as much time I can with my 4 (yes, 4!) dogs.
What is your best advice for parents who are embarking on a journey with therapy with their kiddo?
Practice as much as you can at home! Progress will be a lot slower if your child is only practicing the skill for a half hour per week with his/her therapist.
What is the funniest thing a kid has ever said to you in therapy
While completing a social skills lesson with a high school student, I asked him what he would do if his friends went to a movie but didn’t invite him. He said, “I’d go home and stress eat.”
What is your favorite food?
Queso dip!
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I’m dying to go on an African Safari, but they are really expensive!
What is your best advice for kids?
You can only control you. You cannot control the actions of others, only how you respond to them.
What is the best concert you have ever been to?
Billy Joel and Elton John. My friends and I got upgraded to floor seats for free. It was amazing!
Tune in to our next Spotlight to meet another one of our wonderful therapists!