Trisha R. Riddle, M.A. CCC/SLP

Speech Language Pathologist

Starting my own practice was never about being my own boss or chasing some polished version of entrepreneurship. It was about honoring what autonomy means to me—the freedom to practice ethically, creatively, and with intention.

I built my business around a few non-negotiables:

Child-led, relationship-based therapy over rigid drills
Education and empowerment for caregivers, beyond weekly sessions
Functional communication that actually shows up at home, at school, and in daily life
Honest conversations, even when they’re hard

Living out these values has meant establishing more thoughtful boundaries and instituting a deeper trust in my clinical instincts, even when things don’t necessarily fit neatly within the status quo.

It might come as a surprise to some to know that this work we do as Speech-Language Pathologists is deeply personal. I certainly celebrate first words and new sounds, but I also sit with families in the grief of missed expectations. I witness the exhaustion, the hope, the unyielding resilience—sometimes all in the same session.

Running this business has changed me. It’s made me softer in some ways, fiercer in others. I’m not one to preach from a mountaintop. Never have been. However, give me a patient who needs advocating for, and I will easily become the loudest in the room. I no longer believe in separating the professional from the personal. The heart I bring to my family is the same heart I bring to my clients, and I hope that is represented well within the therapy I provide.

Progress doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes it’s a child pointing instead of melting down. A parent finally exhaling. A family realizing they’re not late to anything—they’re moving at their own pace.

Riddle Me Speech exists to hold space for all those moments, the ones that speak for themselves and the ones that whisper quietly in the background.

It exists for the children who don’t fit neatly into boxes and the parents who are tired of being told to wait and see. It exists because communication is a human right, and every child deserves to start exactly where they are.

So, if you clicked on this page to learn a bit more about me, here’s the part I want you to know:

Riddle Me Speech isn’t just my business—it’s my line in the sand: thoughtful care, honest presence, meaningful connection. It’s simply who I am and what I stand for—summed up in a name.

Professional Experience

My professional experience spans hospital-based diagnostics, pediatric outpatient care, school settings, and private practice, with a clinical focus rooted in interdisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based intervention. Among all of these experiences, the one that stands out as particularly unique to my story is my role as the Primary Lead Diagnostic Clinician for the Pediatric Specialties department at a hospital in Wisconsin. It was there that I participated in several multidisciplinary clinic teams where I contributed to comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and clinical planning for children presenting with a variety of disorders— including Receptive and Expressive Language Disorders, Articulation Disorders, Phonological Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Pragmatic Language Disorder, Cluttering Disorder, Stuttering Disorder, Craniofacial Anomalies and Resonance Disorders associated with Cleft Lip and Palate, and a variety of additional complex neurodevelopmental profiles. This experience deepened my understanding of meaningful interdisciplinary collaboration and helped me establish the standard by which I approach collaboration moving forward.

Originally from Michigan, I began my career in Colorado (nearly 10 years ago) providing speech-language services to adults in nursing homes, memory care units, and short-term acute care settings. It wasn’t long after my clinical fellowship I came to the realization that I missed the spark that often came from working with children. That realization set me on a journey working through a variety of pediatric settings, allowing me to build a breadth of experience in search to find the environment where I truly belong.

Some measure experience by the number of years spent honing a single specialty skill. I define experience as the accumulation of diverse knowledge and skills that come together to support a child’s dynamic, ever-changing needs. I bring a wide range of experience and adaptability to my work, having supported children across all ages and profiles. Whether it’s a two-year-old with childhood apraxia of speech benefiting from my training in DTTC and PROMPT while also needing support with expressive language, or a teenager with a cluttering disorder and associated pragmatic language challenges, I’m comfortable meeting each child where they are and adjusting the priority as their needs evolve.

Opening the doors to Riddle Me Speech represented the moment my professional journey came into clear focus—where my experience, philosophy, and passion for supporting children and families finally found their home.