Willow Tree Therapy Services provides independent speech and language therapy for children and young people, their families and education staff. We offer online therapy throughout the UK, alongside face-to-face sessions across Yorkshire and the Humber.
Every child has the right to communicate in ways that work for them, to feel understood, and to take part fully in everyday life. Communication is about far more than spoken words, and every child deserves access to the support, tools and environments that help them express themselves, build relationships and engage in the activities that matter most to them.
Our team provides evidence-based, neurodiversity-affirming support that builds on each child’s individual strengths, interests and communication profile. We understand that speech, language and communication differences can affect the whole family, so we work in partnership with parents, carers, educators and other professionals to develop practical strategies that fit naturally into everyday life.
We assess and support children and young people aged 0–25 years across a wide range of areas, including:
- Regulation and engagement differences that impact communication
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Autism
- ADHD
- Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
- Expressive and receptive language differences
- Learning disabilities and associated communication needs
- Selective mutism
- Social communication differences
- Speech sound differences and speech sound disorders
- Speech motor planning difficulties (including Childhood Apraxia of Speech)
We welcome referrals from parents and carers, as well as professionals including school staff, GPs, Social Workers, Educational Psychologists, Clinical Psychologists, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, with parental consent where appropriate.
Meet the team below to find out more about the people behind Willow Tree.
About Rachel Galvez
Founder & Speech and Language Therapist
Speech and language therapy isn’t just about helping children speak — it’s about helping them be heard, on their own terms. That belief has shaped my entire career, and it’s still what drives me today.
My Background
I graduated from Lancaster University with a BA (Hons) in Linguistics before completing an MSc in Speech and Language Pathology and Therapy at University College London in 1999.
I began my career with Loddon NHS Trust, working across community clinics, family homes, mainstream primary and secondary schools, and specialist educational settings. Those early years gave me a broad foundation in supporting children with a huge range of communication needs — and taught me how differently therapy needs to look depending on where a child is and who’s around them.
Since becoming an independent Speech and Language Therapist in 2005, I’ve provided face-to-face therapy across Yorkshire and the Humber, alongside online sessions for families throughout the UK.
How My Approach Has Evolved
Over the years, my practice has changed a lot — shaped by new research, but just as much by listening to autistic and other neurodivergent people talk about their own experiences of therapy, good and bad. That’s pushed me to combine solid clinical evidence with genuine respect for how each child naturally communicates, rather than trying to fit them into a single mould.
The result, I hope, is therapy that feels tailored rather than templated: grounded in evidence, shaped by clinical judgement, and built around what actually matters to the child in front of me.
Training & Continued Learning
Alongside my formal qualifications, I’ve completed extensive postgraduate training, including:
- British Sign Language (Level 1)
- Specialised training for Speech and Language Therapists working with people with Down syndrome (Down’s Syndrome Association)
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) – Advanced Level
- Yoga for Autism Foundation Training (YOTISM)
- Inside Out Sensory Certificate Course for Speech and Language Therapists
- Intensive Interaction
- SCERTS® (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support) – Introduction, Application and Assessment
- Phonological Interventions – Choosing the Best Approach
- Literacy-Based Therapy for Teletherapy
- Parent Coaching Models for Teletherapy
- Representation Matters: The Importance of Using Diverse Picture Books in Therapy
- Writing Goals to Foster Autistic Identity
- Inference Training – A Reading Comprehension Intervention
- Numerous courses relating to teletherapy, evidence-based practice, AAC, child engagement and neurodiversity-affirming practice
- Meaningful speech course
- ADOS 2 Online Training course
Registrations & Compliance
- Registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (MRCSLT)
- Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Member of the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP)
- Enhanced DBS certificate holder
- Data Protection Officer for Willow Tree Therapy Services, fully compliant with UK GDPR
Why I Do This Work
Every therapy programme I design is built around the child in front of me — their strengths, their interests, and what their family and I both know matters most for their everyday life. I work closely with parents, carers, education staff and other professionals so that support is collaborative and actually usable, not just something that happens in a therapy room and stays there.
Above all, I believe every child deserves to be understood, respected and valued for who they are. That’s the standard I hold every session to.
About Megan Dobson-Wright
Speech and Language Therapist
I didn’t start out planning to become a Speech and Language Therapist. I graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a BA (Hons) in Journalism in 2018, and it was only after I began working with autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities in supported living that I discovered how much I loved helping people communicate, build relationships and take part in everyday life. That experience changed the direction of my career entirely.
I went on to complete an MSc in Speech and Language Therapy, graduating in January 2025.
My Experience
After qualifying, I worked in two part-time roles alongside one another, which gave me a broad and varied caseload early in my career.
Within Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Community Learning Disability Team, I supported adults with learning disabilities in their homes, colleges and community settings, assessing and supporting a range of communication needs. I also established social communication groups for autistic adults — spaces where people could meet others with shared experiences and build genuine friendships in a supportive, accepting environment.
Alongside this, I worked within an independent paediatric Speech and Language Therapy service, mainly supporting children and young people in specialist educational settings, assessing and providing therapy for children aged 0–18 with a wide range of speech, language and communication needs.
Before qualifying as a therapist, I completed an NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care and spent several years working directly with autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities. That grounding shaped how I practise today — it taught me to look beyond communication alone and consider the whole person, their environment, and the support systems around them.
Training
Alongside my formal qualifications, I’ve completed additional training in:
- Ali Battye AAC and Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) training
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
- SignAlong Level 1
- Makaton Level 1
I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), and I hold an enhanced DBS certificate.
My Approach
I believe children learn best when they feel safe, understood and engaged. I aim to make every session motivating and enjoyable by building strong relationships, following each child’s interests, and adapting activities to their strengths, needs and energy levels on the day.
My goal is to help every child develop the confidence and communication skills they need to engage with the people, places and activities that matter most to them.
Building communication through connection, confidence and play.