Therapy Team

Hi, I’m Ali Manahan, a pediatric speech-language pathologist, mom of two, and the founder of Word Play Speech Therapy.

My journey into this field began with a paper about speech therapy in high school. After earning both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Saint Louis University in 2010, I dove into the world of speech and language with a passion for making therapy meaningful, playful, and motivating.

Over the years, I’ve worked with children of all abilities and communication styles, from first words to AAC devices, from motor speech disorders to gestalt language processing. I’m trained in PROMPT, Hanen, and Natural Language Acquisition, and I specialize in apraxia of speech, phonological delays, late talkers, gestalt language processing and receptive/expressive language delays. I’ve also had the privilege of supervising over 60 graduate students and teaching Speech Sound Disorders at Maryville University.

In 2022, I took a leap and opened Word Play Speech Therapy to create a company that fully aligned with my values,  child-led, strengths-based, neuro-affirming therapy, built on strong collaboration with caregivers and teachers. My sessions are full of the things your child already loves: books, sensory bins, bubbles, games, trains, swings, and most importantly, joy.

I currently provide in-person therapy in homes, daycares, schools and at the Enchanted Playroom. I also offer teletherapy across the state of Missouri. Whether I’m working with a toddler just finding their voice or a school-aged child refining theirs, I consider it an honor to be part of their communication journey.

When I’m not playing and laughing with my clients, I’m home in O’Fallon with my husband Jim, our daughters Ruby and Millie, two dogs, and one mildly tolerant cat. Thank you for trusting me with your child’s voice. I’m so glad you’re here.

Hello, I'm Tara! I am a pediatric speech-language pathologist. I believe in child-led therapy that is enriched by play, literacy, meaningful communication, and connection.After 13 years of school-based experience, I'm thrilled to embark on a new adventure with Ali and WordPlaySpeechTherapy!During my time in the schools, I worked with preschool through 8th-grade students, addressing a wide range of communication and speech-language skills. This included articulation, phonology, receptive and expressive language, vocabulary, fluency, word retrieval, and social skills. For many years, I worked with students with complex communication needs to help them find their own voice as we addressed foundational communication skills. I had the privilege of collaborating with an incredible multidisciplinary team and often co-treated with other specialists. I discovered a passion for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Over the years, I've supported educational staff and families in creating individualized plans to foster communication opportunities for students using AAC, both at school and at home. My family and I recently moved from the northwest suburbs of Chicago to O'Fallon. The last few months have been a wild ride, but I am so grateful that I was able to squeeze in some bonus time with my three kiddos along the way before beginning this new chapter in my career! I can't wait to meet you!