About Us

nice to meet you!

Grace Speech Therapy (GST) was started at the beginning of 2022 by Georgina, with the goal of helping children flourish in their respective environments. Later in 2024 Alice joined GST, to create the team you see today. GST is a Paediatric Speech Therapy practice that helps assess and treat children with a variety of speech, language, hearing and feeding delays and disorders.

Georgina Taylor

Georgina Taylor grew up in KZN, specifically, the beautiful sugar-cane farm town of Ballito. She attended So-High Pre-Primary and then Umhlali Preparatory School. She discovered her passion for Speech Therapy through working with her younger sister. Her sister attended OT and Speech Therapy from a young age to help with sensory issues, Dyslexia and working memory problems. Many years later, Georgina named the practice after her hard-working and successful sister, Grace.

Experience

Bsc. Speech & Language Pathology Degree UCT & Community service year in Gqeberha

Georgina graduated with distinction in a Bsc. Speech and Language Pathology degree from the University of Cape Town in 2018. After her Community Service year, she started her career in Gqeberha, working at a successful Paediatric Speech Therapy Practice (Jahna Pheiffer Speech Therapy Inc.). Thereafter she returned to her home province, Kwa-Zulu Natal, seeking to be closer to family.

Khanyisa Developmental Centre, Umhlanga (1 year)

A Centre devoted to children with Special Needs (e.g. Downs Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy). She received mentoring from the Speech Therapists and Occupational Therapists on site, developing her skills in communication, regulation and teaching.

Alice Finlay

Alice Finlay grew up in KZN and discovered her passion for speech therapy through helping her little cousin with her occupational and speech therapy homework. She graduated with a distinction in a Bsc. Speech and Language Pathology degree from the University of Cape Town in 2020. She was awarded with a class medal for being the top clinical student.

Georgina is determined to see her clients build strength of character and self-esteem by working together through difficulties in learning, language and speech.

Experience

Untunjambili Hospital in Kranskop

Alice started her career at Untunjambili Hospital in Kranskop. She worked in a team with physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dieticians, helping broaden her knowledge of all these scopes. She was the head of her department and learnt a lot about leadership, advocating for speech therapy and communication between teams.

Bhekimphilo Day Crèche & Private Lessons

She has worked with private clients with varying diagnoses. As well as teaching at Bhekimphilo Day Crèche where she helped identify learners with delays. She helped with exposing first language zulu learners to English and developing their reading and writing knowledge.

Lactation Education Resources (LER) Certificate

Alice attained her breastfeeding specialist certification in 2024 from Lactation Education Resources (LER) an American based company. She is passionate about helping mothers feed their babies and promoting the importance of breastfeeding for healthy newborn development. Her passions lie in feeding therapy as well as school intervention. She aims to help her clients achieve their best despite learning difficulties they might have.

She is determined to strengthen her speech therapy and breastfeeding skills further and help her clients grow their self-esteem and confidence.

Qualifications:

Cape Town University

Bsc Speech and Language Pathology (2018, 2020)

Lactation Education Resources

Breast-Feeding specialist certificate 2024

Education

Licenses

Practice No. 0921149

HPCSA numbers

ST 0017345 - Alice

ST0015130 - Georgina

Frequently asked questions

Are there specific disorders that paediatric speech therapy addresses?

Yes, it addresses a range of disorders, including articulation disorders, language delays, apraxia of speech, stuttering, and social communication disorders.

What should I expect after my child starts therapy?

Initially, you may see gradual progress. Therapists will regularly assess your child’s development and adjust goals as needed. Consistency and collaboration with the therapist are key to success.

What is the difference between speech and language therapy?

Speech therapy focuses on the physical aspects of speaking (articulation, fluency, voice), while language therapy addresses the understanding and use of language (vocabulary, sentence structure, comprehension).

What qualifications do speech therapists have?

Speech-language pathologists typically hold an honours bachelor degree in speech-language pathology and are licensed to practise in their country. All are required to hold national certification from the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

Do I need a referral to see a speech therapist?

At GST we take referrals from parents, teachers, and health professionals. You may need to check with your insurance requirements. Some people can self-refer to an SLP, while others may need a referral from a doctor. Check with your insurance provider for specifics.

What types of feeding issues can be addressed in speech therapy?

Feeding therapy can help with issues such as difficulty chewing or swallowing, aversions to certain textures or tastes, and behavioural feeding issues in children. Feeding therapy ensures the child is feeding and swallowing safely and there is no risk of choking or aspiration that could lead to lung infections.

What does a typical feeding therapy session involve?

Sessions may include targeted activities and exercises to enhance feeding skills. Play-based strategies are used to engage with the child and bring comfort to the session that can be overwhelming if the child is a fussy eater. Therapist’s expose the child to a variety of foods and textures, and practise specific exercises or activities that promote safe feeding and swallowing.