Client- and family-centered speech and occupational therapy in South Florida & NC.
Our dedicated team of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs), and occupational therapists are available to provide individualized therapy services for patients of all ages.
Our Mission
To provide family- and child-centered, neurodiversity affirming, therapy services to families throughout Florida and North Carolina.
Our Strategic Plan
To be the premiere therapy provider in our Broward county and beyond.
THERAPIES & TREATMENTS
How Can We Help?
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Speech therapists help individuals become more independent with their communication and feeding skills.
Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants focus on the things you want and need to do in your daily life. Occupational therapy intervention uses everyday life activities (occupations) to promote health, well-being, and your ability to participate in the important activities in your life. This includes any meaningful activity that a person wants to accomplish, including taking care of yourself and your family, working, volunteering, going to school, among many others.
Will my insurance cover therapy?
JoyCo Therapy Group is an in network provider for Broward County Early Steps, Aetna, United Health Care (UHC), and Cigna.
THE JOYCO DIFFERENCE:
Owned & Operated by a Speech-Language Pathologist
Meet our Therapists
Valerie Pitaluga, M.S. CCC-SLP
Bilingual & Bicultural Speech-Language Pathologist
Val Pitaluga (she/her/ella) is a bilingual and bicultural speech-language pathologist based in the unceded ancestral land of the Seminole Tribe in what is now referred to as Florida. She is a Venezuelan-born, naturalized American and English language learner who was diagnosed as being multiply neurodivergent in adulthood. She is also married to a quadriplegic and is passionate about dismantling all forms of ableism. Val’s personal experiences as a late-diagnosed, multiply neurodivergent immigrant and caregiver have fueled her passion for working with, and advocating for, historically underserved populations and delivering best practice for all patients and their families with a particular focus on bilingual, bicultural, and bidialectal patients of all ages. Val is a graduate of The New York University & The Florida State University. She’s been an SLP for over seven years and has worked in a variety of settings, including a pediatric hospital, inpatient rehab, schools, private practice, and insurance reviewing. Val serves on the Planet Word Museum Advisory Board and her commitment to Continuing Education has twice earned her the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Award for Continuing Education (ACE). Val has also been recognized by ASHA as a Distinguished Early Career Professional. Val’s hobbies include watching sports, especially wheelchair rugby, which her spouse strives to play at the paralympic level, and spending quality time with her family.
Jeniffer Gonzalez, M.S. OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Jeniffer Gonzalez started her career as a photography teacher and later earned a Master’s Degree in OT. She mentored under a Floor Time trained OT for the first 14 years as a therapist. Jeniffer is passionate about helping families understand their children’s needs and building strong connections in order to move children along the developmental ladder.
Proudly Featured In:
The Washington Post
Val understands the caregiver’s role because she was one. Read more in The Washington Post’s investigative article on unpaid caregivers during the time of coronavirus.
The ASHA Leader
The ASHA Leader is the monthly publication for and about speech-language pathologists and related professionals. Val shared about her experience on the Planet Word Museum Advisory Board.
Inside Nationwide Children’s (INC)
INC is a quarterly publication that celebrates the employees, staff and community of Nationwide Children’s Hospital as one team achieving the best outcomes for children. Val shared about a day in the life of an SLP.
Testimonials
Here’s what people are saying about us…
I had the pleasure of talking with Valerie. We’ve been worried that our youngest of 4 kids wasn’t talking like she should be compared to other kids her age. Valerie reassured me her vocabulary was where it should be for her age. She gave me some tips as well as a website for what she needs to be doing at certain ages. I would definitely recommend JoyCo and will definitely consult with her again should the need arise. Thank you so much!
Brandy Dudley
Valerie provided consultative services to me regarding my toddler’s speech development. She was able to answer all of my questions about my toddler’s development, as well as give me additional tips to further help my 5 year old with more advanced speech sounds. Valerie is extremely knowledgeable, and provided me with reputable reference material that I found very useful. Not only did I feel confident with Valerie’s professional judgement and experience, she was easy to speak with, and could relate well with my daughter. My daughter doesn’t require speech therapy at this time, but I do think with Valerie’s personality, and her skill set my daughter would be engaged through the sessions, and would succeed in therapy with her.