Joan Chia (谢慧璇)

As the founder and principal speech and language therapist at Ray of Joy, Joan's journey stems from a deeply personal place. Named after her children, Ray and Joy, the practice reflects her unique perspective as both a parent and professional, inspiring her to co-create a service focused on empowering families through support that is effectively and meaningfully integrated into children's daily lives. A First Class Honours graduate from University College London, Joan specializes in addressing speech difficulties, language delays and disorders, social communication challenges, stuttering, and selective mutism. Her particular passion lies in supporting children with multiple needs, including those experiencing mental health concerns, physical disabilities, learning difficulties, and sensory processing challenges. Drawing from a decade of experience in mainstream MOE schools and preschools, Joan intimately understands both the educational demands and emotional stresses that children with additional needs face. She works collaboratively with school leaders, special education needs officers, inclusion specialists, teachers, allied professionals and parents to provide holistic support. Her approach combines evidence-informed practices with practical strategies to achieve positive outcomes. Joan's expertise has led to speaking engagements at conferences and talks, where she shares insights on topics such as effective collaboration and inclusion.

Fun Fact: In addition to her clinical work, Joan serves as a Clinical Instructor and Associate Faculty member at the Singapore Institute of Technology, helping to shape the next generation of speech therapy professionals!