Our 321go Kids Team
We are a group of adults who love to celebrate your family! Our passion is you and your family.
We invite you on the journey of becoming a part of the 321go Community.
Emily Gerard
Speech-Language Pathologist I wanted to be able to teach others in a way that would help them overcome struggles in their lives, specifically communication. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a career in therapy? When I was a junior in high school, I shadowed a family friend that was a speech therapist and fell in love with the profession. I wanted to be able to teach others in a way that would help them overcome struggles in their lives, specifically communication. I liked the small group/one-on-one setting to be able to build better connections. My senior year, I got hands on experience with an elementary school speech therapist which confirmed my choice to become a speech therapist and work with kids. Who inspires you in your profession? My patients inspire me the most. My goal is to be able to help my patients overcome their communication barriers so they can communicate their wants and needs with those around them. I want to help my kiddos be able to communicate so that they make friends and have fun without struggling to say how they feel. I’ve watched my patients make leaps and bounds and the joy that it brings to the patient and their parents joy is why I love being a therapist! What is your favorite way to engage with kids? Pompom balls! And lots of toys and games. The best way for a patient to make progress is to have fun while working. I get on the floor to play with toys and play games with kiddos. Sometimes that includes throwing pompom balls and pompom ball fights! Tell us about a challenge that you watched a child overcome. I worked with a patient that was mostly non-verbal, blind, and had limited use of his limbs. A typical AAC (communication) device would not work with his condition and disorders. I introduced noise buttons that could record words. He would push the buttons to make choices between toys or songs that he wanted. The patient started with buttons that said yes/no to pick between toys. The first time he used the buttons consistently to choose a toy, his mom cried with happy tears because her son was actually able to communicate! What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I enjoy crafting, specifically sewing and crocheting. I like going on walks and hikes with my husband and dog, Peaches. On a rainy day, you can find me watching movies and shows on Disney+ and eating chocolate!