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Questions are welcome here. These are the ones that come up most often. If yours isn’t here, send it below. Elizabeth reads every question herself and replies personally.
Years of experience
The Initial Communication Assessment is your first session with Elizabeth — 60 minutes, priced at $250. It is not a generic intake appointment. It is the session where Elizabeth listens carefully to how you communicate, identifies the patterns most affecting your clarity and confidence, and builds a personalized coaching plan around your specific goals and professional context. Every client begins here, because a plan built on real observation works better than a one-size-fits-all approach. You leave with a clear picture of where you are and where your coaching will take you.
No, and the distinction matters. Speech therapy is a regulated clinical service provided by licensed speech-language pathologists for the evaluation and treatment of speech and language disorders. Speech Happens provides communication coaching — a professional development service for adults who want to improve clarity, confidence, and communication effectiveness in professional settings. Elizabeth is a licensed speech-language pathologist and ASHA Fellow, and she brings that clinical expertise to her coaching — but coaching is not therapy, is not covered by insurance, and does not diagnose or treat medical or developmental conditions.
You may have seen this called accent reduction or accent modification. I call it refinement, because the goal is not to erase your accent — it is to make you easy to understand while it stays yours.
The work itself is what most people mean by those terms: the sounds, rhythm, stress and intonation that decide whether you are understood the first time. What differs is the aim. I am not trying to make you sound like someone else.
Individual sessions are always available. You are never required to commit to a package. Many clients begin with their Initial Communication Assessment and then book subsequent sessions one at a time as their schedule allows. Packages (6-session and 12-session) are available for clients who prefer a structured arc and want to save on the per-session rate — but they can be purchased at any time after your first Assessment, not upfront. There is no pressure to commit to more than you are ready for.
Yes. All individual coaching sessions are available virtually. Elizabeth also offers in-person sessions in the DFW area and can travel for corporate team engagements. If you are unsure whether virtual or in-person is the right fit for your goals, ask Elizabeth in your Assessment session — she will help you find the format that works best.
There is no single answer — coaching timelines depend on your goals, starting point, and how much you practice between sessions. Many clients see meaningful progress within 6–12 sessions. Some achieve their primary goals in fewer. Others continue with maintenance sessions long after reaching their initial goals because they value the ongoing development. What Elizabeth can tell you is that every client’s plan is built around their specific timeline and circumstances — there is no standard program length, because there are no standard clients.
The CONCEPT Framework is the structured coaching framework Elizabeth developed over 17 years in practice. It guides clients through seven stages: Clarity, Observation, Naturalization, Confidence, Expression, Practice, and Transformation. Each stage builds on the last, moving clients from awareness of their current communication patterns to real-world change that becomes habitual. It is not a set of tips — it is a structured process that makes coaching more targeted, more efficient, and more lasting.
Almost everything. Generic communication courses offer one-size-fits-all content to large groups. Speech Dynamics Coaching is one-on-one, built entirely around your specific communication patterns, professional context, and goals. Elizabeth is a licensed speech-language pathologist and ASHA Fellow — not a presentation coach or a public speaking trainer. She brings clinical depth to professional coaching: a rigorous, evidence-informed approach to how communication actually works and how it changes. Sessions are built around your real professional situations — the meeting you have next week, the presentation you are preparing for, the conversation you have been avoiding. The investment reflects that depth.
Yes. Speech Happens designs custom communication training programs for organizations, HR and L&D teams, and executive groups. Topics include accent and intelligibility support, executive presence and leadership voice, presentation and public speaking, cross-cultural communication, and professional communication fundamentals. Every corporate program is custom-scoped — no off-the-shelf workshops. To discuss a program for your team, use the Request Corporate Training Quote form on the Corporate Training page.
Elizabeth offers clinical mentorship for SLPs, SLP students, and SLP assistants at four levels: Introductory, Foundational, Advanced, and Customized. She also offers structured pediatric feeding and dysphagia training programs for individual clinicians and clinical teams. CEU opportunities may be available for select programs. To learn more about what program level is right for your current stage, submit a mentorship inquiry and Elizabeth will respond personally.
No. Speech Happens provides communication coaching — professional development services for adults seeking to improve clarity, confidence, and communication in professional settings. These services are not clinical speech-language therapy, are not covered by health insurance, and are not a substitute for clinical evaluation or treatment. Elizabeth is a licensed speech-language pathologist and ASHA Fellow, and she brings that expertise to her coaching — but the services she offers through Speech Happens are coaching services, not clinical services.
Payment is accepted via Zelle and credit card. A 3% processing fee applies to credit card payments. Payment is due at the time of service. Sessions and packages are valid for one year from the date of purchase. A 10% discount is available for active military, first responders, and teachers with valid ID. Cancellations and rescheduling require 24 hours’ notice. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice are charged at 50% of the session fee.
Elizabeth Alam is a licensed speech-language pathologist, ASHA Fellow, and communication coach with 17 years of clinical and coaching experience. She holds a Master of Science in Communication Sciences & Disorders and the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The ASHA Fellow designation is the highest honour ASHA confers, held by fewer than 2% of members. Elizabeth specializes in accent refinement, professional communication coaching, and pediatric feeding and dysphagia.
Still have questions?
Every engagement begins with an Initial Communication Assessment — 60 minutes, $250, virtual or in person. No package required, and no long-term commitment.
Find the right starting point
Whether you are working on your own communication, bringing training to a team, or looking for clinical mentorship, there is a path for you.
Initial Assessment
60 minutes, $250. Your baseline and a personalized coaching plan.
Executive Communication Coaching
Custom programs for teams, scoped to your industry and goals.
SLP Mentorship
Mentorship and pediatric feeding training for clinicians and students.