Ashley Maturo is the Founder & Owner of For Goodness Speech, LLC. She is a Speech Pathologist (and New Milford Mom of 2), who has experience in evaluating and providing speech therapy for kids in schools, inpatient facilities, via teletherapy and in CT’s Birth to Three Early Intervention program.
Where are you originally from and how long have you lived in New Milford?
I was born and raised just across the border in the small town of Poughquag, NY. I went to college in Virginia but moved back after I graduated. My husband and I got married at Candlelight Farms Inn in New Milford and fell in love with this town. We moved here in September of 2018.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
I’m a boy Mama with two sons, Carter, 2 (almost 3!) and Levi, 8 months.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
My husband and I grew up in the same town and lived 2 miles from each other. We went to preschool together, took the same bus, and attended each other’s birthday parties as kids. After elementary school we didn’t see each other or hang out at all since we lived in such a big district and there were so many kids in our school. We ended up connecting many years later after college and we’ve been together ever since!
Favorite things to do with your family?
We love to go camping! Growing up I spent a lot of time in Lake George, NY camping with my family and still do! I am so grateful to offer my sons the same opportunity. We also love to explore New Milford and the surrounding towns and try out restaurants and attend local events.
Favorite spot in the Greater Danbury area?
When my husband and I were still living in NY, we found this sweet, quaint little restaurant called Carriage House in Patterson. It is small but the food is incredible. We especially love the mac and cheese bites! We haven’t been in a while but hope to visit again soon!
Can you tell us a little more about For Goodness Speech and why you started your practice?
While I loved working in the schools, it is a difficult job. There are extremely high caseloads, large therapy groups with mixed goals and children with a large spectrum of needs. The Speech Language Pathologist’s (SLP) scope of practice is extensive. I felt like I was being pulled in many directions and being spread very thin trying to meet the unique individual needs of each and every student with various diagnoses. I started For Goodness Speech so I could specialize in areas I enjoyed most and make a bigger difference. I can spend my time, energy and resources becoming better at specific areas of speech and language rather than trying to know it all! I am able to understand each child thoroughly and develop an individualized plan specifically for them. This allows me to see better progress with my clients and further fosters my love for this profession!
The past five months have been incredibly challenging for all families, but I can imagine it’s even more challenging for a child who has Speech Therapy needs. How have you adapted your practice to respond to all of the challenges COVID-19 is posing?
It has definitely been challenging for families who have children with Speech Therapy needs. Before COVID-19 I was traveling to client’s homes to provide therapy. I had wanted to incorporate teletherapy into my practice for a while but hadn’t done it. When COVID-19 hit, I researched different teletherapy platforms and decided which to go with. I began offering services virtually which many of my clients took advantage of. I have now resumed face to face visits at my client’s homes with proper precautions for those families that feel comfortable. Teletherapy is still an option though and always will be.
What is the best way for parents to contact you? And how does your process work?
Parents can contact me via email at [email protected] or by phone (203) 312-7040. Once we connect, we will discuss your concerns and decide whether an evaluation/additional consultation is needed.
You can also learn more about For Goodness Speech by visiting our 2020/2021 Tutoring Guide.