Why Choose Blue Sage?

Cultivating communication, confidence, and connection- one child at a time

Choosing a speech therapist for your child is a big decision. You want to feel confident that the person walking alongside your family sees your child (really sees them) and has the skills, experience, and heart to help them.

My name is DeAnna, and I’m a pediatric speech-language pathologist and owner of Blue Sage Pediatric Speech & Language Therapy LLC. Parents often come to me feeling overwhelmed, unsure, unheard, or afraid for their child. My goal is to change that. I’m here to make sure you feel seen and supported. We are in this together.

Experience Matters

I’ve spent the past 10 years working exclusively in pediatric home health, supporting children and families in the places they live and grow. Mobile practice has taken me everywhere from family homes and babysitter’s houses to schools and ABA centers.

That diverse, real-world experience is one of my greatest professional strengths. I've learned how to flexibly adapt therapy to any environment, using any available materials, and to create meaningful, functional goals that work because they’re built right into the family's life.

Life-Long Learning

I’m proud to hold advanced certifications and continually seek out new learning to stay at the forefront of best practices:

ASHA Certified (CCC-SLP): Certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a national credential representing high standards in professional practice.
Licensed in Texas: Fully licensed to practice speech-language pathology in the state of Texas.
ASDCS (Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist): A certification that recognizes specialized knowledge in working with Autistic individuals across the lifespan.
NLA Trained Clinician: Listed on the Meaningful Speech registry, I’ve completed training in Natural Language Acquisition and Gestalt Language Processing to further support my clients who communicate using scripts or delayed echolalia.
Three ASHA ACE Awards: The Award for Continuing Education recognizes professionals who far exceed expectations in pursuing continuing education.

I’ve completed dozens of trainings in topics like:

Autism support across the spectrum and lifespan
AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
Polyvagal theory and trauma-informed care
Social-emotional development
Executive functioning, literacy, and speech-sound disorders
Culturally responsive practices and family-centered intervention
The Pyramid Model for behavior and resilience
Vocabulary development strategies for all ages
Ethical considerations for therapy recommendations

Each course deepens my ability to serve the whole child (and the whole family.) I take continuing education very seriously. When you work with Blue Sage, you can rest assured that your speech therapist (me!) has gone above and beyond the basics.

My Inspiration

This journey began with my own family. My little brother needed speech therapy, and I’ll never forget how often we had to interpret for him. He was so smart and so frustrated that people didn’t understand. I can still hear my grandma asking me, “now what did he just say?” I sat in on one of his therapy sessions and realized that there were so many other children out there who needed help.

I find daily inspiration in the families that I work with. One mother confided in me that I was the first person to give them hope for their child's future. Another family described me as having a “unique skill set” they hadn’t experienced before. Several families have followed me for years as I changed from company to company. Many have referred friends. These are the greatest compliments I could ever ask for, and these are the things that remind me why I chose this path.

Why is Blue Sage Private Pay Only?

I’ve found that insurance guidelines can get in the way of the steady, individualized support children need, so I have chosen a private-pay model that gives us more freedom to do what’s best for your child.

Insurance often limits how often your child can be seen, how long they can receive therapy, and what kind of goals can be worked on. They often ask for “proof” of progress based on standards that do not reflect the child or respect their individual differences. The pressure to provide that "proof" falls on the therapist, the child, and the family, and ultimately can affect the quality of care the child receives.

I completely understand that many families want (or need) to use their insurance benefits. For this reason, I do offer superbills for possible out of network reimbursement, accept FSA/HSA payments, and work with families to create flexible, sustainable therapy plans.

By remaining independent, I’m able to offer:

Immediate openings (no waitlists or weeks-long delays for approval)
Parent coaching as a separate service (or alongside direct therapy)
Flexible therapy plans (adjustments to session frequency to meet your budget, accommodating to changes in your families needs)
Goals that reflect real, functional progress (not just improved test scores)
A true partnership with families that reflects what YOU need therapy to be
A strengths-based approach that celebrates who your child is, not just what’s “missing”

What Matters Most

The most meaningful moments don't come from a standardized "test" or by checking a box for insurance. It’s a child saying “Mama” for the first time, or asking for their favorite snack to tell you they are hungry, or a parent hearing “I love you” when they didn’t know if that moment would ever come.

I think about the families I’ve stayed in touch with and the kids whose funny comments and bright moments still make me laugh years later. I heard recently that one of the little girls I used to work with signed herself up to SING at her school's talent show! How amazing is that?!

I don’t forget the children I’ve worked with. Their journeys stay with me and help me to become a better therapist for my current and future clients. I'm honored to have been invited into their childhoods and can't wait to hear all the wonderful things they go on to do in this world!