Meet Shadia
(They/them/theirs)
Member of Speech Pathology Australia & Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (MSPA-CPSP)
Founder of Autism Actually Speech & Communication
​I hold a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (First Class Honours) from Australian Catholic University. I'm also Neurodivergent, and have been involved in advocacy, consultancy, and mentoring for over 10 years.
​
Working closely with the Autistic, Disabled, and Neurodivergent communities made me realise that there was, and still is, limited awareness, understanding, and service provision for our older adolescent and adult cohorts.
I decided to qualify as a speech pathologist as I wanted to find a way to combine my lived experience perspectives with professional skills to provide meaningful communication supports. In addition, I knew firsthand from my personal experiences receiving speech pathology input as a child how beneficial it can be when the supports are individualised, practical, and affirming.
Supervised by Kiara Zordan of Talking Tails Therapy
Becoming a speech pathologist gave me the opportunity to expand how I am able to support Autistic people, family members, educators, and other allied health professionals. I find it energising to share all the small wins with my clients and their key supports.
​
I decided to start Autism Actually Speech & Communication as a dedicated service by Autistic people, for Autistic people. I have met several people in my personal and professional networks who have struggled to find speech pathologists whom they feel truly 'get' them, and can provide therapeutic supports that match their age group.
​
I am a firm believer that, in order for therapy to be effective, we need to embrace a whole team approach and increase community awareness. Alongside our clients, we should also be supporting the wider care team to feel more empowered, confident, and self-efficacious. It has been a privilege to work alongside some incredible family members, caregivers, allied health professionals, educators, and advocates.
​
This year, I am excited about providing more therapy services, resources, strategies, and coaching for you!​
My mission
I help Autistic adolescents and adults who use a diverse range of communication methods by providing personalised and meaningful communication supports in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne and via Telehealth.
I offer one-to-one therapy sessions, social groups, caregiver and staff training sessions, clinician mentoring and supervision, and professional development services.
I aim to promote authentic inclusion, acceptance, understanding, and the celebration of Autistic and Neurodivergent individuals in our community, workplaces, and learning environments.
My values, principles, and frameworks
In my practice, I incorporate a variety of person-centred, collaborative, and values-based principles and frameworks.
​
These include:
-
The Neurodiversity Paradigm, neurodiversity-affirming practice, and lived-experience-informed practice
-
Identity-affirming, trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+ inclusive, and culturally responsive care
-
Developmental and relationship-centred approaches (e.g., The SCERTS Model, Collaborative and Proactive Solutions)
-
The Disability Rights Movement and the Communication Bill of Rights.
Statement of positionality
I am proudly Neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, and am culturally diverse. These intersections influence my personal and professional identity.
​
I acknowledge that I have the following privileges, which therefore also impact my life and practice:
-
Australian
-
Mostly able-bodied
-
The ability to use oral speech to communicate
-
The capacity to adaptively morph (i.e., 'mask', 'camouflage') in social and workplace situations
-
Tertiary-level educated
-
A business owner.
​
I recognise that my lived and professional experiences are my own, and differ from other marginalisations and inequalities that our community members can encounter. I am committed to amplifying and learning from other marginalised Neurodivergent people to inform my work and therapeutic approaches.
Additional training
Mental Health First Aid Australia
2025 - 2028
Accredited Standard Mental Health First Aider
Sheppard Dysphagia Resource
2026
DDS/DMSS Certification
Marge Blanc
2025
Natural Language Acquisition Practitioner
Meaningful Speech
2025
Natural Language Acquisition Trained Clinician
Deaf Connect
2025
Deaf Awareness Training
Jane Farrall
2025
Introduction to Comprehensive Literacy Instruction
Developmental Writing Instruction
Latrobe University
2022
Speech Pathology Practice with Trans and Gender Diverse People
Latrobe University
2021
Animal Assisted Therapy for Healthcare Professionals
Key Word Sign Victoria
2021
Key Word Sign Training