Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Burch.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always known that I wanted to work with and support people!
When I was in high school, I babysat a non-speaking, Autistic child.
He was clever, smart, and kind, but so easily misunderstood.
From that moment on, I knew what I wanted to do– help kids like him communicate AND help others understand and appreciate him and those like him.
After years in private practice, I specialized in supporting Autistic youth, in AAC (Alternative and Augmentative Communication), and Gestalt Language Processing. I worked to understand the whole child, becoming trauma and sensory-informed. The more I learned about supporting Autistic and other Neurodivergent youth, the more I realized I had to learn. So I’ve continued to listen to and learn from the communities that I support to provide the best possible care.
After attempting to implement my new mindset, skills, and strategies in my previous place of work, I felt pulled to do more.
So in 2024 I decided to take a leap! I opened my own Private Practice, Inclusion Therapy Services, to better help not just Autistic children in my area but also their parents, educators, and teams! So I tried to create the kind of service that this population deserves and that the parents needed! I travel to my clients’ homes to provide in-home individualized, child-led, play-based therapy. I work to coach parents and team members to be confident communicators with their children! My goal is always to educate and empower caregivers, while advocating for the child. Lastly, I provide Professional Development workshops to educators and medical professionals, both locally and nationally, on providing Neurodiversity-Affirming Care. Inclusion is about more than just speech therapy for a child; it’s about creating an affirming environment and a knowledgeable team for that child to thrive.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s not that the road has been bumpy or smooth, but rather that it has been a completely different route than what I had planned!
The road taken to get here felt lonely at times, and was often really tricky.
I’m a wife and mom of three, and I worked to build this company while still working full-time.
In the year that I launched Inclusion, my husband and I also decided to homeschool our kids, AND he changed careers.
I didn’t have a map for this journey!!
But now I finally feel like I’ve arrived at my destination and am thriving, but still catching up on sleep from those hard years!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in supporting Autistic youth and their teams.
I believe I’m known for really working and helping parents. As a mom of Neurodivergent children, I felt a need to do more for the parents! Services are all geared toward kids, but parents need help too! And by lifting up parents, we are also helping the child.
What am I proud of? Honestly, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished in these recent years.
I’m proud of the services that I offer and the way I form authentic connections with my clients.
They all bring me so much JOY, and I’ve learned so much for each and every child.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Last year was a big year for speaking engagements for me!
I’m hoping that the future provides more Professional Development workshops and speaking gigs.
I love educating others and working with other educators and professionals!
We laugh, we cry, and we learn from each other!
I always want individuals to leave a workshop more confident and eager to head back to work to use the skills and strategies learned!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inclusiontherapyservices.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusion.slp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095611563493
