Supporting Families Through Communication
Chatty Families is a specialist service offering Speech and Language Therapy and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)‑informed support. With over 29 years of clinical experience, we help families build stronger relationships, improve communication, and create emotionally safe environments where children can grow and flourish.
Our approach is warm, evidence‑based, and grounded in attachment, neuroscience, and compassion.
Speech and Language Therapy
Nicola is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist experienced in supporting children and young people with a wide range of speech, language, and communication needs. Every intervention is individualised, evidence‑based, and shaped around your child’s strengths, challenges, and developmental profile.
We offer tailored sessions for children with:
- Stammering
- Articulation and phonology
- Autism spectrum
- Early childhood language development
- Online therapy / Telehealth
- Prevention
- Social and emotional difficulties
- Training for educational settings/schools/SEN staff
- Youth justice
Families said....
"My child's speech has improved so much"
"After meeting Nicola, I felt confident helping my child at home and this along with the sessions really helped my child's speech. She is a confident chatterbox!"
Empowering Communication for Families
Nicola is a DDP Therapist in training, currently working towards certification, and provides relational therapeutic interventions for families and young people. Our approach emphasises compassion, emotional safety, and the gentle repair of relationships within families.
Our work is grounded in the values of compassion, respect, and integrity. We are committed to supporting families with a PACE‑ful attitude — bringing Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy into every interaction.
We believe that effective communication is fundamental to healthy relationships. Through DDP‑informed practice, we help families strengthen connection, rebuild trust, and grow together. Sessions are gentle, attuned, and shaped around each family’s unique story, supporting deeper understanding and emotional safety.
What is DDP?
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) is a gentle, relationship‑focused approach that helps children and young people feel safe, understood, and connected to the adults who care for them. It is especially helpful for children who have experienced stress, trauma, or disruptions in their early relationships, but it can support any family wanting to strengthen connection.
DDP is not about “fixing behaviour.” It’s about healing relationships, building trust, and helping children feel emotionally safe enough to communicate, learn, and grow.
Speech and Language Therapy
Assessment, therapy, parent coaching, and specialist support for communication needs.
DDP informed relational support
Strengthening attachment, emotional safety, and connection.
Workshops and Training
Gentle, accessible sessions for schools, community groups, and Churches.
Family-Centred Approach
At Chatty Families, our work begins with a simple belief: communication is about connection. It’s about feeling safe, being understood, and knowing you belong.
Nicola is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with over 29 years of experience, and her practice is shaped by a deep curiosity about how the brain works and why people communicate the way they do. Over many years of clinical work, she has seen how closely communication is tied to identity, relationships, and emotional wellbeing, a journey that led her to pursue an MSc in Psychology and develop a strong interest in Dyadic Developmental Practice.
DDP’s focus on safety, connection, and attuned relationships aligns closely with Nicola’s values. It has enriched the way she supports children and families, helping her understand the cognitive, behavioural, and relational factors that shape human connection.
Nicola is especially passionate about helping families:
Repair communication patterns
Rebuild trust after stress or disconnection
Strengthen relationships through attuned, compassionate support
At the heart of her work is the belief that communication is more than words, it is about belonging, emotional safety, and being truly heard. Nicola is committed to helping individuals find their voice and supporting families as they rediscover healthier, more connected ways of relating to one another.
At Chatty Families, we walk alongside you with compassion and hope as your family navigates life’s challenges. You don’t have to do it alone — we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Get in touch
ASTLTP Membership No. 4679
RCSLT Membership No. RC0012996
HCPC Membership No. SL04729