Meet Pamela Won of PJW Speech and Language Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Won.

Hi Pamela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Although I opened up my private practice only three years ago, I had always wanted to set up my own business, even as far back as 2013. Ten years ago in late spring, I graduated from the Master’s program at NYU. That following September, I moved from New York City to the DC Metro area to complete my Clinical Fellowship Year in Silver Spring, Maryland in a nursing home. Since then, I’ve worked in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, schools, and home health. In the medical setting, I specialized in dysphagia (swallowing disorders). In 2017, I switched over to working in public schools. During this time, I started to become very interested in working with students who communicate using AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices. During the pandemic and subsequent shutdown in March 2020, I decided to just go for it and open my private practice. My mobile clinic, PJW Speech, and Language Therapy, Inc., was incorporated in 2021.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Owning and operating a business has definitely been a process. Being a good clinician and an effective CEO is a balancing act and no one can teach you how to be both at the same time. I wear so many hats to run my mobile clinic. But I am so thankful to be where I am today. Our private practice is not a one-woman show. I had the support and mentorship of so many people over the years; I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. My biggest cheerleader is my husband. One of the most difficult things I’ve had to face was dealing with insurance companies.

As you know, we’re big fans of PJW Speech and Language Therapy, Inc. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
PJW Speech and Language Therapy, Inc. is a California-certified Non-Public Agency and mobile private practice. We provide home-based speech and language services to children (ages 0-18) and adults all over Los Angeles County and Orange County. We provide support for individuals who have speech and language delays due to learning differences, Autism, and genetic disorders. We work with individuals to address pragmatic language skills and children and adults who communicate using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. We provide bilingual therapy (I am fluent in Korean and recently welcomed a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant, Monica, who speaks Spanish!), of which I am very proud of.

We also work with schools and hospitals to provide speech and language support when needed.

Because I love the medical aspect of our field, I am also a mobile FEES provider. FEES stands for Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing, and it is an instrumental swallowing assessment that is completed at the bedside to assess the swallow function for patients with dysphagia. A flexible endoscope with a camera at the tip of the scope is passed through the nose to view parts of the throat as the person swallows food and water. It is the gold standard to assess swallowing. With the exception of the cleaning tube, the equipment fits inside a briefcase, so it is portable and convenient.

Our motto is “Communication is for Everyone.” We are a unique practice because our therapy sessions are individualized to the person. We consider and respect all cultural differences because it is such a huge part of language development. And we want to get to know our community. That is why we offer free 15-minute virtual or phone consultations. We also offer free 30-minute speech screenings.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
For me, it was a bit of both. I do feel that luck and timing of things have made a big difference in the trajectory of my career, especially with meeting very talented people I’ve connected with and learned from.

On the other hand, the 2020 pandemic was a traumatic experience for so many people. But there are times when I look back and think if it wasn’t for the COVID-19 shutdown, I probably would have never opened my business. I saw what the kids and adults were going through at the time (and many are still struggling with its aftermath to this day), and I felt compelled to bring my services to them. I wanted to provide quality speech and language therapy. Speaking for myself, I felt I couldn’t do that with over 70 students on my caseload working in a school.

Now, I provide individualized services, and I work with fellow professionals, family members, and caregivers. I love collaboration. Nothing is more fun than watching a child develop language skills, articulate a specific sound you’ve been working on for months, or that “aha” moment on the patient’s face when you can show how the swallow mechanism works. At the end of the day, I feel like I am making a difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.pjwspeech.org
• Instagram: pjw_speechtherapy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pjwspeechandlanguage
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pjwspeechandlanguage

Image Credits
Pamela Won