
Nikki Wensel Rustad, M.A., CCC-SLP
Provider Type: Speech-Language Pathologist , Director of Therapy Services, Monkey U Co-Founder
I’m Nikki Wensel Rustad, M.A., CCC-SLP, I joined Monkey Mouths in 2006 and have been sharing the power of communication with children and their parents for more than 28 years. In addition to my SLP duties, I am the Director of Therapy Services as well as Co-Creator and facilitator of the Fort Worth Monkey U Preschool Prep Program.
I graduated from the University of North Texas…Go Mean Green! Prior to joining Monkey Mouths, I worked for Children's Medical Center of Dallas and in management at Cook Children's Medical Center as the graduate student liaison. I have a passion for educating families on the power of play (90% of what preschoolers learn at school is through play). I believe that therapy should be fun and functional, and that parent education is crucial for each child's success.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband Eric (who is also a speech pathologist) and my son. I also love baking, gardening, volunteering, and decorating for the holidays.
As an SLP since 1994, I have training and specialization in the following:
- Social Thinking with Michelle Garcia Winner M.S., CCC-SLP
- Applied Behavior Analysis with Vincent Carbone PhD ABA
- Mark Sundburg PhD, BCBA
- Tamara Kasper, M.S., CCC-SLP, BCBA
- Crafting Connections program
- Love and Logic
- PROMPT Therapy
- Sound Card System
- Kaufman Apraxia System
- Deborah Beckman M.S., CCC-SLP Oral-Motor Therapy
- Sensory-Motor Feeding by Lori Overland, M.S., CCC-SLP
- Sara R. Johnson M.S., CCC-SLP
- Catherine Shaker, M.S., CCC-SLP
- Jeri Logemann PhD, CCC-SLP
- Literacy Speaks
- Natural Language Acquisition