Welcome to Prickly Pear Therapy, LLC.
At Prickly Pear Speech Therapy, our mission is to nurture confident communication by providing personalized, evidenced-based speech and language services to children in a supportive and culturally responsive environment. We are dedicated to empowering families and helping each child thrive.... one word at a time.
Our Mission Statement
Why Choose Us?
We believe no two children are the same, that's why our therapy plans are tailored to meet your child's unique needs, strengths, and interests.
We specialize in bilingual speech and language development, offering services in both English and Spanish to better serve multicultural familes.
Proudly serving Florence and surrounding communities, we offer flexible home based and community based therapy options for comfort and convenience.
About me
Hi, I’m Denise — a bilingual speech-language pathologist, wife, and mom of four amazing boys, and the heart behind Prickly Pear Speech Therapy.
I received my B.S in Child Development from San Diego State University and my MS. in Clinical Speech and Language Pathology from Northern Arizona University. I have worked as a head start teacher and home visitor, developmental specialist with the Arizona Early Intervention Program, and SLPA and then SLP in our local schools.
With over 7 years of experience providing speech and language therapy in both school-based and home-based settings, I’ve had the privilege of working with children across a wide range of needs, strengths, and personalities. My professional journey has shaped my clinical skills, but it’s my experience as a parent that has truly deepened my compassion.
All four of my sons have had either IEPs or 504 plans, and we’ve navigated challenges like speech delays, sensory processing difficulties, and ADHD. Because of this, I understand firsthand the emotions, questions, and hopes that parents carry. It’s what drives me to not only be a therapist, but a partner and advocate for families.
I started Prickly Pear Speech Therapy to bring high-quality, personalized services to families in our local community — especially in areas where providers are limited. I especially saw a need for bilingual providers in these rural areas and wanted to bring quality services out to the area. My heart is especially drawn to children with speech sound disorders, sensory needs, and those who benefit from a more relational, play-based approach.
When I’m not doing therapy, I’m probably at a baseball game, camping with my family, paddle boarding, or learning more about all things speech therapy (I truly love what I do!). I’m committed to ongoing education and growth, and I strive to bring curiosity and joy into every session.
Thank you for considering me to be a part of your child’s journey. I’m honored to serve our community — one word, one sound, one child at a time.
Why the Prickly Pear?
Nurturing in Unexpected Places
Beneath the surface, this cactus is nourishing and healing- much like the work we do in speech therapy.
Cultural and Regional Significance
A proud symbol of Arizona desert as well as the Mexican culture as the prickly pear can be found on the Mexican flag. A great symbol to represent both communities.
Resilience, Stength, and Perseverance
Just like children, the prickly pear thrives even in harsh environments. It reminds us of strength, adaptability, and growth. Speech therapy can be challenging for children and their families as it requires a lot of work, commitment, trials and errors and continued perseverance. Just like the prickly pear, we must show this resilience and strength in order to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Our Location
Our office is located in Florence, AZ. in the Anthem at Merrill Ranch Community. Services are offered in our office, in home, or in the community.
Address
Anthem Merrill Ranch/ Florence, AZ.
Hours
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm