Cardiologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Chiropractor providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dentist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Dermatologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Family Physician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
OB-GYN providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Ophthalmologist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Orthopedic Surgeon providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Pediatrician providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Physical Therapist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Podiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Psychiatrist providers include doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. They often maintain long-term relationships with you and advise and treat you on a range of health related issues.
Melissa Grosvenor, PhD, M.S. CCC-SLP, I/ECMH-C, BCS-CL, is a board-certified child language specialist, credentialed infant mental health specialist, and owner of Express Yourself Pediatric Therapy, with locations in Palatine, Illinois, Bucktown, Chicago and Kensington, Maryland. She is highly qualified and a leader in her field.
Dr. Grosvenor completed her master’s degree in speech-language pathology at Rush University in Chicago, Illinois, and her doctorate in infant and early childhood development at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California.
Dr. Grosvenor is also a credentialed DIRFloortime® provider. She has more than 10 years of experience teaching courses through the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL), Profectum, and the Erikson Institute.
She loves the “family feel” culture at Express Yourself Pediatric Therapy, where the thriving nurturing environment drives growth and development for the outstanding therapists, children, and their families. Dr. Grosvenor attributes much of her success to her two beautiful children, who teach her important lessons about child development and parenting.
She welcomes new and existing patients to Express Yourself Pediatric Therapy and looks forward to helping them flourish.
“Melissa is a phenomenal therapist. She is very knowledgeable and challenges my son the right amount. She takes extra time to answer my questions and coordinate care with his school and other providers. We are so thankful for her!”
Express Yourself Therapy
Occupational Therapist
1 East Northwest Highway
Suite 100
Palatine, IL 60067
Melissa Grosvenor, PhD, M.S. CCC-SLP, I/ECMH-C, BCS-CL, is a board-certified child language specialist, credentialed infant mental health specialist, and owner of Express Yourself Pediatric Therapy, with locations in Palatine, Illinois, Bucktown, Chicago and Kensington, Maryland. She is highly qualified and a leader in her field.
Dr. Grosvenor completed her master’s degree in speech-language pathology at Rush University in Chicago, Illinois, and her doctorate in infant and early childhood development at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California.
Dr. Grosvenor is also a credentialed DIRFloortime® provider. She has more than 10 years of experience teaching courses through the International Council on Development and Learning (ICDL), Profectum, and the Erikson Institute.
She loves the “family feel” culture at Express Yourself Pediatric Therapy, where the thriving nurturing environment drives growth and development for the outstanding therapists, children, and their families. Dr. Grosvenor attributes much of her success to her two beautiful children, who teach her important lessons about child development and parenting.
She welcomes new and existing patients to Express Yourself Pediatric Therapy and looks forward to helping them flourish.
“Melissa is a phenomenal therapist. She is very knowledgeable and challenges my son the right amount. She takes extra time to answer my questions and coordinate care with his school and other providers. We are so thankful for her!”
Chidera Oyeka, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist and the owner of Unscripted: Social Communication Therapy, a private practice based in San Jose, California. She brings years of experience working with adolescents and adults to help them build authentic communication, confidence, and independence across real-life settings.
Chidera earned her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from San José State University and has clinical experience in schools, private practice, and teletherapy. Her work focuses on supporting individuals ages 12 and up who are navigating social communication challenges, pragmatic language differences, and executive-function skills that impact daily life, learning, and relationships.
Her therapy approach is neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based, and highly individualized. Each session blends evidence-based strategies with practical application—helping clients transfer skills from structured practice to natural, everyday conversations. She believes that communication should feel natural, flexible, and empowering—not scripted.
Chidera partners closely with families, educators, and other professionals to ensure continuity of care, and she is passionate about creating a supportive environment where clients can explore their communication goals with confidence and authenticity.
Unscripted offers both mobile and teletherapy services throughout California, making therapy accessible and flexible for busy students, young professionals, and adults seeking to improve social connection, communication, and self-expression.
At Shine Health and Wellness in Pasadena, California, patients receive comprehensive wellness services for a wide range of health conditions. Kimberley Shine, MD, offers her patients unmatched expertise and extensive one-on-one care.
As a student at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Dr. Shine was surprised to discover that the curriculum focused on each organ system separately. Her coursework also defined health solely through the absence of disease. However, Dr. Shine knew there had to be more to the practice of medicine than these traditional methods.
Dr. Shine realized that the doctor-patient relationship is the foundation of medicine. She understood that it's essential for patients to feel that they can trust their physician. In turn, physicians must listen to their patients and validate their patients’ feelings.
After spending more than a decade as a family medicine doctor, Dr. Shine decided to develop a practice that reflects her own values. She discovered integrative and functional medicine and quickly incorporated these core concepts into her practice.
Dr. Shine knows that it's not enough to simply treat symptoms as they arise. Instead, doctors must work together with patients to identify the root cause of their health problems. At Shine Health and Wellness, this close doctor-patient relationship is at the core of Dr. Shine's work. She takes pride in helping patients feel educated and empowered by their health care decisions.
Today, Dr. Shine is proud to be a part of a thriving practice that includes experienced nurses, a lifestyle coach, and a licensed acupuncturist. Along with the rest of her team, Dr. Shine strives to provide each patient with personalized, evidence-based medical care that improves their quality of life.
Jeanette has been working as a speech-language pathologist since 2016, with experience in clinic, Early Intervention, and school settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders and Sciences from Southern Illinois University, and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Illinois State University. She is a bilingual therapist fluent in Russian.
Jeanette’s favorite part of being an SLP is the variety of working with different childhood ages, needs, and backgrounds. She prioritizes working with the whole family to carry over skills outside of therapy sessions and promote confident communication. She has experience evaluating and treating a variety of communication disorders, including speech sound disorders, language delays and disorders, fluency disorders, and social communication disorders. She has particular interest and experience in working with Stuttering and other types of disfluent speech, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Developmental Language Disorder, and early Language Delays.
Jeanette regularly furthers her learning and prioritizes professional development as new challenges and needs arise. She is continuously evaluating what works and doesn’t work for each child and researching new treatment strategies to best meet clients’ needs and make expected progress.
Jeanette grew up in Vernon Hills and currently lives in Dundee with her husband two young sons. In her spare time, she enjoys working out, reading, and exploring all the features the suburbs have to offer.
Mandi has over ten years of experience working as a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP). After receiving her Master's Degree from Northwestern University, she began working as an SLP in the elementary school setting, and soon added pediatric therapy clinic work as well. Mandi is passionate about helping children communicate effectively so that they can build relationships, share ideas, learn, and grow.
Mandi is a neurodiversity-affirming therapist who prioritizes connection over compliance and works to ensure that her students and clients feel comfortable, safe, and seen. She utilizes a total communication approach to teach children self-advocacy skills including expressing their wants and needs effectively. In her free time, Mandi enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and doing agility with her two dogs.
Mandi's areas of expertise include: Autism and ADHD Articulation and phonological disorders Apraxia of speech Functional communication AAC and other communication modalities Receptive/expressive language delays and disorders Pragmatic language deficits
Joanna is a dedicated pediatric speech-language pathologist with 10 years of experience helping children develop strong communication skills. After earning her Master's degree from the University of Northern Iowa, Joanna is passionate about creating a positive and fun therapy environment. She works closely with families to ensure each child reaches their full communication potential.
In addition to speech and language therapy, Joanna has experience providing feeding therapy to children who struggle with oral-motor skills, picky eating, or difficulties with chewing and swallowing. Using a gentle, individualized approach, she helps children build confidence and comfort around food, promoting healthier eating habits and reducing mealtime stress for families.
Outside of work, Joanna enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and young son.
Whether addressing speech delays, articulation issues, or language comprehension, Joanna is committed to making a lasting difference in the lives of children and their families.
Areas of interest include:
• Articulation and speech sound disorders
• Language delays and disorders
• Feeding therapy (oral motor skills, picky eating, swallowing difficulties)
• Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS)
• Social communication and pragmatic language skills
• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
Lauren received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Elmhurst University. For the past two years, she has worked in the private practice setting, where she enjoys partnering closely with families to create meaningful, personalized therapy plans. Lauren is passionate about fostering supportive relationships and empowering families throughout every step of the therapeutic journey.
Lauren is passionate about incorporating neurodiversity-affirming practices into her treatment approach, ensuring that each child’s strengths, preferences, and individuality are honored throughout the therapeutic process. She is dedicated to creating a supportive environment where children feel confident and understood. Lauren finds great joy in watching each child grow, build new skills, and develop into the best version of themselves.
Areas of Expertise:
Gestalt Language Processing
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Incorporating Sensory and Regulation Strategies
Articulation and Phonological Disorder
Expressive and Receptive Language Delays
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Fluency Disorders
Pragmatic Language Disorders
Outside of work, Lauren enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends and takes every opportunity to be outdoors when the weather is warm. Her greatest passion is dancing, which she has been doing for the past 23 years. She currently teaches dance classes and helps coach a competition dance team, sharing her love of movement and mentorship with the next generation of dancers.
Michelle Jellen M.S., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Fellow at Strategies for Success. Michelle received her Bachelor’s degree in English from UC Santa Barbara and her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Baylor University.
Michelle has experience working in the school setting, private practice, and skilled nursing and has enjoyed working with a range of ages. She has a particular interest in child-led, play-based therapy and enjoys connecting with children and their families. In her free time, Michelle likes going on local adventures with her husband and two children, doing yoga, walking, and reading.
Mikayla Valdez, M.S, CCC- SLP, attended San Jose State for her undergraduate degree in Communicative Disorders and Sciences. In June of 2023 Mikayla received her Master’s of Science degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Midwestern University in Glendale, AZ.
Mikayla has clinical experience in the areas of speech sound production, language intervention for early childhood and elementary aged children. She has had the opportunity to work with a variety of age groups as well. Throughout her experiences she has found a passion for early intervention, utilizing a child lead and play based approach for early language development. When she is not working she enjoys hiking local trails, baking, and spending time with friends and family.
Samantha holds a TSSLD certification, equipping her to effectively support school-aged children, while her background in voice rehabilitation and swallowing safety ensures comprehensive care for adult populations. Her therapy style is flexible and creative, blending structure with innovation to meet each client’s unique needs.
Deeply committed to ethical, inclusive, and culturally responsive care, Samantha strives to make therapy empowering and accessible. She is passionate about helping clients strengthen their communication, build confidence, and foster meaningful connections.
Samantha earned her B.A. from Iona College and her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, with high honors, from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.
Joan Black, MS, CCC-SLP brings decades of clinical experience, teaching, and mentorship to her work at High Quality Home Therapy. She is also an instructor in the Speech and Language Pathology Program at Southern Connecticut State University, where she is dedicated to preparing future clinicians through thoughtful, experience driven instruction.
Joan is widely recognized for her expertise in working with individuals with autism, complex medical needs, and gestalt language processing. She has extensive experience supporting clients of all ages, including those who communicate through echolalia, scripts, and other gestalt based language patterns. Her clinical approach focuses on helping individuals progress toward self generated, meaningful communication in a way that is both supportive and individualized.
Her work also includes experience with apraxia, sensory and regulatory challenges, developmental delays, and complex communication needs. Joan blends evidence based practices with a compassionate and highly personalized approach, ensuring that each client feels understood, respected, and empowered throughout their care.
As an educator and mentor, Joan is known for her depth of knowledge, dedication, and ability to guide clinicians in developing strong clinical reasoning and patient centered care. She is passionate about shaping thoughtful and well rounded professionals who make a meaningful impact in the lives of those they serve.
Beyond her clinical and academic roles, Joan continues to mentor fellow clinicians, collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, and advocate for neurodiversity affirming practices that honor each individual’s strengths and communication style.
In her free time, Joan enjoys spending time with family and friends and values maintaining balance, bringing that same grounded and positive presence into all aspects of her work.
Karine Rocha de Benedicto, M.S., C.C.C. is our supervising speech therapist. Karine joined our team in 2021 and has helped a number of people earn their certificate of clinical competence in speech and language pathology as well as created the training modules for our SLP Assistants and Aides. Karine currently provides telehealth speech language pathology services to patients of all ages and diagnoses. She is licensed in Connecticut, California and Florida.
A graduate of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, Karine’s passions include aphasia, dysarthria, and cognitive communication disorders. Passionate about making an impact in the lives of her patients, Karine strives to provide them with person-centered quality care that empowers, enhances, and supports development, preservation and rehabilitation of communication cognition and social and emotional skills. Karine does an amazing job of meeting people where they are and helping them achieve their individual goals.
In her free time Karine enjoys reading, photography, walks in the woods and spending time with family! She is the proud of aunt of two beauties!
Samantha holds a TSSLD certification, equipping her to effectively support school-aged children, while her background in voice rehabilitation and swallowing safety ensures comprehensive care for adult populations. Her therapy style is flexible and creative, blending structure with innovation to meet each client’s unique needs.
Deeply committed to ethical, inclusive, and culturally responsive care, Samantha strives to make therapy empowering and accessible. She is passionate about helping clients strengthen their communication, build confidence, and foster meaningful connections.
Samantha earned her B.A. from Iona College and her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, with high honors, from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.
Yamela works with clients across the lifespan. She has extensive experience in school settings, supporting students in developing strong communication skills, improving speech and language abilities, and building confidence in the classroom and beyond. Yamela combines evidence-based strategies with a personalized, playful approach, creating therapy experiences that are both effective and enjoyable. She partners closely with families, teachers, and school teams to support ongoing growth and wellness, empowering children to reach their full potential at home, school, and in the community.
Yamela works with clients across the lifespan. She has extensive experience in school settings, supporting students in developing strong communication skills, improving speech and language abilities, and building confidence in the classroom and beyond. Yamela combines evidence-based strategies with a personalized, playful approach, creating therapy experiences that are both effective and enjoyable. She partners closely with families, teachers, and school teams to support ongoing growth and wellness, empowering children to reach their full potential at home, school, and in the community.
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