Communication Blooms logo featuring a red tree with stylized leaves and the text 'Communication Blooms Speech & Language Therapy' in elegant fonts.

"Every flower blooms at a different pace."

- Suzy Kassem

MEET MACKENZIE

Headshot of Mackenzie Shiba, Speech-Language Pathologist and Certified Myofunctional Therapist at Communication Blooms specializing in AAC, NLA, and PROMPT therapy.

Hi! I’m Mackenzie Shiba, a licensed speech-language pathologist and the founder of Communication Blooms. A warm, welcoming space for speech and language therapy in Lodi, California. I specialize in personalized, play-based, and child-led speech therapy that supports meaningful growth through connection and joy.

My mission is to create a clinic where children can develop stronger communication skills, parents feel supported and empowered, and authentic relationships have space to bloom.

I provide support for a wide range of speech and language needs, including AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), echolalia therapy, gestalt language processing, and speech delay interventions. I'm a Certified Myofunctional Therapist (CMT®), NLA trained, PROMPT trained, and certified in the Hanen It Takes Two to Talk and More Than Words programs.

Whether you're seeking early intervention, speech therapy for autism, or guidance with language development milestones, I’m here to help your child thrive through connection, play, and expert care.

Three women standing indoors, smiling, in front of pink curtains, wearing casual jeans and t-shirts, with two of them in light pink and one in black.

Meet the Team

At Communication Blooms, we take a neurodiversity-affirming, child-led approach to speech and language therapy—centered on connection, play, and personalized support. Our team specializes in working with Autistic children, as well as those with speech delays, Apraxia, Down syndrome, orofacial myofunctional disorders, and more. We’re here to support meaningful communication—one child, one moment, one word at a time.

"Mackenzie is AMAZING!! She has so much knowledge, and even assisted my little one with a brand new AAC device at no extra cost to us!! If you're looking for a Speech Language Pathologist - Communication Blooms is the way to go!!"

—Stacey

SERVICES OFFERED

  • A child using a tablet with a colorful communication app, sitting on the carpeted floor near a person and a transparent container filled with colorful pom-poms.

    AUGMENTATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION (AAC)

    We support families in building meaningful, functional communication through AAC. Our services include device trialing, personalized programming, parent coaching, and real-life strategy implementation at home and in the community.

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  • A woman and a young child playing with a colorful toy box in a bright room with large windows and pink curtains.

    NATURAL LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (NLA)

    We support gestalt language processors by honoring their scripts and guiding them through the stages of Natural Language Acquisition toward self-generated, flexible language. Our approach uses stage-appropriate language models to meet each client where they are and build meaningful communication step by step.

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  • A woman and a young boy sitting indoors, giving a high five. The woman is holding a card with a drawing of a dinosaur, and they are sitting on colored mats near a mirror.

    SPEECH SOUND THERAPY

    We support children with articulation, phonological, and motor speech challenges using evidence-based strategies that boost clarity, confidence, and communication success. Each session is tailored to help your child speak more clearly and be understood in everyday situations.

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  • A woman showing a child how to brush teeth, both looking into a mirror.

    MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY

    We support children with oral motor challenges that impact breathing, swallowing, speech, and facial development. Therapy focuses on strengthening and coordinating the muscles of the mouth, jaw, and face to promote optimal function and overall health.

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  • A woman with dark hair and light skin, wearing a white blazer and black top, is sitting at a wooden desk with a marble pattern laptop and a floral mug, smiling at her screen.

    INDIVIDUAL PARENT OR STAFF COACHING

    We offer personalized coaching in AAC, Gestalt Language Processing, and early toddler communication. Whether you're a parent or professional, we provide practical tools and strategies tailored to your needs to support meaningful, effective communication every day.

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  • A young boy sitting in a dentist's office, opening his mouth wide as a dentist wearing blue gloves examines his teeth.

    COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT

    We provide in-depth evaluations using a combination of play-based observations and standardized tools. Assessments may cover areas such as speech sound production, language comprehension and expression, grammar, social communication, Gestalt Language Processing, and AAC needs—giving us a clear picture to guide personalized support.

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  • A woman with shoulder-length dark wavy hair, wearing a black top, sitting at a wooden desk, looking at a document in her hands, with a laptop and geometric tools on the desk.

    IEP REVIEW

    We provide thorough, line-by-line reviews of your child’s IEP to ensure their unique needs are fully supported. We help draft meaningful, neurodiversity-affirming goals and offer clear answers to any questions you have throughout the process.

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  • A woman with long brown hair, wearing a pink t-shirt, is sitting at a wooden table and engaging in speech therapy with a young boy with blonde hair, wearing a blue shirt, in a therapy office. The woman is smiling and gesturing with her hand, while the boy listens attentively. On the wall behind them is a sign that reads 'Communication Blooms Speech & Language Therapy' with a red tree logo.

    APRAXIA THERAPY

    We provide Apraxia Therapy to help improve speech clarity by strengthening coordination and enhancing the planning and execution of speech movements through targeted exercises and techniques.

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At Communication Blooms we offer the flexibility of In-person and Virtual sessions