About us
Meet The Team
The story, the approach and the people behind Cornwall Speech Therapy - a private practice built around warm, personalised care.
About Cornwall Speech Therapy
Our Focus
Clinical expertise, delivered with genuine care.
At Cornwall Speech Therapy, we believe that good communication changes lives. Our team of experienced, HCPC-registered speech and language therapists and communication coaches works with adults and children across Cornwall, offering support in person, at home, in care settings, and online - wherever it's needed most. Whether you're looking for a single consultation or an ongoing programme of therapy, we bring clinical expertise and genuine warmth to every session.
We work with people facing a wide range of communication and swallowing challenges, including those recovering from stroke, living with Parkinson's, managing voice difficulties or stammering, or navigating cognitive-communication needs. We also support people who simply want to communicate with greater clarity, confidence and ease - whether that's for work, relationships, or everyday life. No two people are the same, and no two treatment plans are either; everything we do is shaped around the person in front of us.
With decades of combined clinical experience between us, our team brings together deep expertise, an evidence-based approach, and a genuinely person-centred way of working. We take the time to listen, to understand what matters most to each individual, and to build a plan that fits their life - not the other way around. If you're looking for a team you can trust to guide you or your loved one toward better communication, we'd love to hear from you.
How we work
Our Approach
Therapy works best when it feels personal. Here is what you can expect from working with us.
Person-first
We start with your goals and your life - not a checklist. Every plan is tailored to what matters most to you.
Evidence-based
Methods grounded in current research, including LSVT LOUD® for Parkinson's and specialist dysphagia and dysfluency training.
Flexible delivery
Sessions at home, in care settings, in the community or online - whatever fits best around you.
Clear & honest
Plain-English explanations, realistic goals and regular reviews so you always know where you are.
Our Process
What to expect when you work with us
A simple, supportive pathway from first contact to confident progress.
Get in touch
Call, email or use the contact form for a friendly, no-obligation chat.
Assessment
A relaxed initial meeting to understand your goals, concerns and history.
Personalised plan
Together we agree clear, meaningful goals tailored to your everyday life.
Therapy
Engaging sessions at home, online or in clinic - paced gently around you.
Review & next steps
Regular check-ins celebrate progress and shape what comes next.
How therapy is delivered
Flexible delivery, built for Cornwall
Cornwall's rural geography means travel and access to services can be a real barrier. To make therapy as accessible and comfortable as possible, sessions are offered in three ways, and these can be mixed and matched depending on need:
- In-clinic appointments
- Home visits
- Hybrid combinations of in-person and remote/online sessions
This flexibility also allows for intensive blocks of therapy - a short, concentrated period of more frequent sessions - which research shows can be particularly effective for certain conditions, including post-stroke rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury, and LSVT LOUD therapy for Parkinson's disease. A hybrid model makes intensive therapy realistic for clients who couldn't otherwise manage the travel involved in daily in-person sessions.
Personalised, collaborative, and paced around you
Therapy works best as a genuine partnership. Every plan is built together, never handed down - with goals identified collaboratively, so what we work on always reflects what matters most to you. This means:
- Functional, real-world goals - for example, after a stroke, sessions focus on the conversations and situations that matter most to that person, not just isolated exercises.
- Resources and materials tailored thoughtfully to individual interests, to keep therapy engaging, personal and enjoyable.
- Pacing led by you - building confidence gently and gradually, always at a level that feels comfortable, never rushed.
Making the most of time between sessions
Skilled use of both low-tech and high-tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), along with apps and technology, helps maximise the intensity of input and supports continued practice between sessions - an important factor in progress, particularly for neurological rehabilitation.
Working together, wherever you need us
MDT working and case management
Alongside individual therapy, Cornwall Speech Therapy has particular experience in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and case management work, with a well-established professional network across health, social care, legal and rehabilitation services. This supports genuinely joined-up, multi-disciplinary team (MDT) working for clients with more complex needs. Where NHS colleagues - such as GPs, consultants, or NHS speech and language therapy teams - are already involved, I am always happy to liaise and work in collaboration with them, ensuring care is joined-up rather than working in isolation.
Signposting to wider support
Speech and language therapy is often just one part of the picture. Where it would be helpful, I'm always glad to signpost to other appropriate services and support - for example, rare dementia support groups, national and local charities, peer support networks, or other specialist services - so you have access to the wider help that's out there, not just what happens in our sessions together.
A relaxed, informal start
Starting therapy, or meeting a new therapist, can understandably feel nerve-wracking. I understand that people can feel anxious before their first appointment, so the initial assessment is always kept gentle, relaxed and informal - focused simply on getting to know you, listening to your priorities, and answering any questions, at whatever pace feels comfortable.
At a glance
The experience behind every session
These four highlights capture what makes Cornwall Speech Therapy a trusted choice for adults and children across the county - depth of experience, personalised care, and the flexibility to meet you where you are.
Our team
The people you'll work with
A small, experienced team - so you always know exactly who is supporting you.
Claire Eckersley
Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist
Founder of Cornwall Speech Therapy with over 25 years of NHS and private experience - working across adult neurology, voice, stammering and care home training.
Lorna Dixon
Clinical Specialist Speech & Language Therapist
Over 17 years' experience supporting adults with neurological conditions, stroke, acquired brain injury, FND, voice and facial palsy - combining specialist therapy with health coaching.
Julie Wright
Specialist Speech & Language Therapist
15+ years of specialist NHS and academic experience, with expertise in dysphagia, complex medical presentations, research and service development.
Focus
Areas of private practice
Claire works with adults, supporting acquired neurological conditions, voice difficulties and stammering. She also sees children who stammer, from age 8 upwards.
Profile
Claire Eckersley
Over 25 years of speech and language therapy experience.
Claire qualified as a Speech Therapist in 2000 and began her career in the North East of England, working initially as a Generalist Speech and Language Therapist at Darlington Memorial Hospital. She later moved into specialist roles across the region, including periods in Adult Learning Disability and Adult Acquired Neurology.
After relocating to Cornwall in 2012, Claire joined the Community Speech and Language Therapy team based at Camborne and Redruth Community Hospital. She has also worked at The Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro as a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist in Oncology and Palliative Care, and undertook a secondment as Therapies Clinical Governance Lead.
Alongside her NHS career, Claire has supported private clients with acquired neurological conditions, voice difficulties and stammering - working with both adults and children. She has now been running Cornwall Speech Therapy for over five years, and has over 25 years' experience as a Speech and Language Therapist.
Education & training
BSc (Hons) Speech Pathology
Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh - 2000.
Postgraduate training
Specialist postgraduate training in dysphagia (swallowing problems) and dysfluency (stammering).
Clinical experience
NHS hospital practice
Generalist and specialist roles at Darlington Memorial Hospital and across the North East of England.
Community therapy
Community Speech and Language Therapy based at Camborne and Redruth Community Hospital.
Oncology & palliative care
Highly Specialist SLT at The Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, with a secondment as Therapies Clinical Governance Lead.
Focus
Areas of private practice
Lorna supports adults with progressive neurological conditions, stroke, acquired brain injury, Functional Neurological Disorder, voice difficulties and facial palsy - blending specialist therapy with a health-coaching approach.
Profile
Lorna Dixon
17+ years supporting adults with neurological conditions, brain injury and FND.
Lorna qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist from University College of St Mark & St John in 2008 and began her career with Somerset Partnership NHS Trust, working across acute, community and rehabilitation settings and developing early experience in voice, head and neck cancer, stroke and progressive neurology.
For twelve years Lorna worked at The National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery in London, progressing to Clinical Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. There she developed expert knowledge in the diagnosis, assessment and management of complex communication and swallowing disorders, motor speech disorders, dysphagia and facial palsy - including leading a specialist facial clinic and running an MDT cough and secretion clinic for neuromuscular disorders.
Lorna specialises in supporting individuals with neurological conditions, stroke and other acquired brain injuries to overcome communication and swallowing challenges. She has developed specialist skills in voice and draws on her qualifications in health coaching to better equip clients and their support networks with the knowledge and confidence to be active participants in their care and achieve their self-identified goals. She has particular expertise working with clients with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and is a contributing author to the FND consensus recommendations for speech therapists, and holds additional certification in the management of facial palsy from The Facial Therapy Specialists International.
Education & training
BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy
University College of St Mark & St John - 2008.
Postgraduate training
Management of Facial Palsy (Facial Therapist Specialists International, 2025), Langmore FEES Masterclass, Advancing Health Coaching (National Centre for Behaviour Change), MBSImp Videofluoroscopy training and peer supervision & coaching.
Clinical experience
Clinical Specialist - National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery
Twelve years at the UK's leading neurology centre in London, progressing to Clinical Specialist across neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, stroke, disorders of consciousness and tracheostomy weaning.
Founder - Illuminate Speech Therapy
Provides bespoke tailored therapy for adults with progressive neurological conditions, FND and acquired brain injury, and teaches the FND module for the SLT Masters at UCL.
FND, voice, facial palsy & dysphagia
Co-chair of the FND SLT CEN, UK SLT representative of the FNDS AHP CEN, published author on functional communication and swallowing, and Level 2b FEES trained.
Focus
Areas of private practice
Julie supports adults with communication and swallowing difficulties, particularly dysphagia and complex medical presentations - combining clinical expertise, research insight and compassionate, person-centred care.
Profile
Julie Wright
Over 15 years' specialist experience across NHS acute, community and academic settings.
Julie is a highly experienced, research-active Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with over 15 years' experience across NHS acute, community and academic settings. Her background in speech and language therapy, psychology and applied social sciences underpins a holistic, evidence-based approach to care.
She works with adults with a range of communication and swallowing difficulties, with particular expertise in dysphagia and complex medical presentations - supporting people following critical illness, neurological conditions and progressive disorders. Alongside her clinical work, Julie leads service development and research, including the creation of specialist swallowing assessment services in intensive care, and has presented her work at national and international conferences.
Julie also has a background in teaching, leadership and workforce development, including supervising speech and language therapy students. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Research, has been awarded NIHR funding, and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), is a member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and has Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the British Psychological Society. She takes a person-centred approach, working closely with individuals and their families to provide clear, supportive and tailored intervention.
Education & training
MSc Clinical Research
Master’s degree in Clinical Research.
Professional registration
HCPC registered, RCSLT member, and Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the British Psychological Society.
Clinical experience
NHS acute, community and academic practice
Over 15 years working across NHS acute, community and academic settings, supporting adults with communication and swallowing difficulties.
Dysphagia research and service development
Led the development of specialist swallowing assessment services in intensive care and contributes to wider research initiatives to improve care for people with dysphagia.
Teaching, leadership and workforce development
Supports and supervises speech and language therapy students and contributes to workforce development, combining high-level expertise with a practical and compassionate approach.
Registered with
Professional bodies
Every therapist in the team is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the RCSLT, the UK regulatory and professional organisations for Speech and Language Therapy. Claire is also a registered member of ASLTIP, the professional body for independent practice. Cornwall Speech Therapy is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for the safe and lawful handling of personal and clinical information.
Health and Care Professions Council
Statutory UK regulator for Speech and Language Therapists.
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
The professional body for SLTs and support workers in the UK.
Association of SLTs in Independent Practice
The recognised professional body for independent SLTs across the UK - Claire is a registered member.
Have a question, or ready to begin?
Get in touch to talk through how private speech and language therapy could support you, a family member or a client in your care.