A Place Where Potential Meets Possibility

Profile Narrative

Lara Mendonsa is a DHA-licensed Speech and Language Therapist with over nine years of experience supporting children with communication, language, and feeding difficulties. She holds an MSc in Audiology and Speech and Language Pathology from Manipal University, India, and is Level 1 certified in Oral Placement Therapy (TalkTools).

Lara works with children who are not meeting expected speech and language milestones, who are difficult to understand when speaking, or who experience stuttering, language disorders, or communication challenges linked to Autism or ADHD. She is also skilled in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), supporting children who benefit from alternative communication methods. Her approach combines evidence-based clinical techniques with warm, family-centred collaboration — working closely with parents, teachers, and multidisciplinary school teams to ensure progress carries across every environment a child moves through.

Signs to Look For

These are common indicators — at home or in the classroom — that a child may benefit from speech and language support:

• Not speaking or forming sentences as expected for their age
• Speech that is unclear, effortful, or inconsistent
• Difficulty understanding instructions or expressing thoughts clearly
• Repeats sounds or words, gets stuck while speaking, or shows frustration when communicating
• Diagnosed with Autism or ADHD and finds it hard to communicate effectively
• Bilingual language difficulties across one or both languages

Certifications & Training

• DHA-licensed Speech and Language Therapist
• Oral Placement Therapy: TalkTools, Level 1 Certified
• MSc in Audiology and Speech and Language Pathology, Manipal University, India

Assessments

Comprehensive evaluations using standardised assessments integrated with clinical observation, informal assessment, and multidisciplinary input from parents and teachers — tailored to each child’s age and clinical presentation.

Working with Schools

Lara collaborates directly with teachers, SENCOs, and Learning Support Assistants. Her work supports IEP goals and classroom communication strategies, with training and consultation available to school teams.