Meet the Team
Our Expertise
We are a multidisciplinary team of specialist clinicians offering assessments, therapy, coaching and post-diagnostic support for children, young people and adults across the UK.
Specialist Assessment & Support
Our clinicians support individuals with speech, language and communication needs, swallowing needs, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, social and emotional needs, sleep difficulties and mental health needs.
Our main hub is based at the Kent Innovation Centre in Broadstairs, with nationwide support available through online services, training and clinical partnerships.
Assessments
Diagnostic and specialist assessments for neurodevelopmental, learning, communication and functional needs.
Therapy & Coaching
Evidence-based therapy, coaching and post-diagnostic support tailored to individual needs and goals.
Partnership Working
We work closely with families, schools, local authorities, NHS trusts and allied professionals.
Qualified, Registered Clinicians
At Lycali, clinicians are appropriately qualified, experienced and registered with relevant UK regulatory and professional bodies where applicable.
HCPC
Clinical Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists
Social Work England
Social Workers
NMC
Nurses and specialist nursing professionals
BPS
Chartered Psychologists and specialist psychological professionals
ICF
Accredited coaching professionals
SASC / BDA
Specialist dyslexia and SpLD assessors
AMBDA
Associate Members of the British Dyslexia Association with specialist assessment qualifications and APC certification
Irlen Institute
Certified Irlen Syndrome assessors
You can verify a clinician’s registration using the links above or by requesting their registration number directly from our team.
Meet the Team
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Stephanie Connolly
Registered Manager & Clinical Director
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Lucy Love
Social Worker & DSL
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Rebecca Huntley
Administrative Manager
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Zara White
Administration Assistant
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Satyan Vadher
Cyber and IT Manager
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Elina Kreismane
Mental Health Nurse
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Sharafa Salami
Mental Health Nurse & ADHD Assessor
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Heidi Gorringe-Hodder
Specialist, Speech and Language Therapist
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Kathryn Martin
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
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Kathryn Scott
Specialist Speech, and Language Therapist
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Jodie Sills
Speech & Language Therapist
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Laura Rowley-Howard
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
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Clara Neville
Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist
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Annabel Fenn
Occupational Therapist & ICF Coach
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Stuart Webb
Psychotherapist
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Dr Sophie Oakes-Rogers
Chartered Clinical Psychologist
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Anna Reeves
Counsellor/ Trainee Counselling Psychologist
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Tim Connolly
Transformative and Neurodivergent Coach
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Vickie Gordon
Autism and Anxiety Sleep Specialist
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Lisa Coldwell
Dyslexia Assessor
How Lycali Has Grown
From a small Speech and Language Therapy service founded in 2022 to a growing multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental provider.
Lycali is founded
Lycali began as a specialist Speech and Language Therapy service, initially operating from St Augustine’s in Westgate. The service later moved to Cliftonville as demand grew and the team began to expand.
Autism assessment services introduced
Lycali expanded beyond Speech and Language Therapy and began offering autism assessments, marking the start of our development into a broader neurodevelopmental service.
ADHD assessment pathway launched
ADHD assessments were introduced later in 2023, alongside continued growth of our multidisciplinary associate team.
Psychology and psychotherapy services developed
As Lycali continued to grow, psychology and psychotherapy provision was introduced, enabling us to provide broader therapeutic and post-diagnostic support alongside assessment.
Move to the Kent Innovation Centre
Lycali moved to its current base at the Kent Innovation Centre, providing a more established home for our growing clinical and administrative service.
Working with Kent County Council
We began delivering Speech and Language Therapy and EHCP-related work for Kent County Council across East Kent. This work has since expanded into West Kent.
Development of the L.Y.C.A.L.I Framework™ begins
We began developing the L.Y.C.A.L.I Framework™, our structured approach to post-diagnostic psychoeducation and neurodevelopmental support. The framework remains in development and is currently used within our psychoeducation pathway, delivered by our psychology and psychotherapy team.
Access to Support Fund launched
We introduced the Lycali Access to Support Fund to help improve access to specialist neurodevelopmental support for individuals and families who may otherwise struggle to fund services privately.
ADHD Women’s Coffee Morning launched
Our monthly ADHD Women’s Coffee Morning began as a free community initiative, creating a welcoming space for women to connect, share experiences and access informal support.
Cyber Essentials and DSPT achieved
Lycali achieved Cyber Essentials certification and completed the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit, strengthening our information governance, cybersecurity and data protection arrangements.
First successful tender award
Lycali secured its first successful tender with Kent County Council, covering work with Virtual School Kent, Adoption Services and Special Educational Needs.
We have also submitted bids for additional contracts, including dyslexia assessment and autism diagnostic services, with outcomes currently awaited.
CQC registration achieved
Lycali became a CQC registered and regulated provider, marking a major milestone in the development of the organisation.
Following registration, we developed our Psychosocial Needs Assessment and Psychosocial Intervention service, led by qualified social workers and supported by our wider multidisciplinary team.
A growing multidisciplinary team
Lycali now brings together professionals from a range of disciplines, including:
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Psychotherapists
- Social Workers
- Mental Health Nurses
- Neurodevelopmental Assessors
- Dyslexia and Dyscalculia Assessors
- Neurodivergent Practitioners and Coaches
Our first directly employed team member
Having initially developed predominantly through an associate workforce model, September 2026 marks another important step as our first directly employed member of the administrative team joins Lycali.
Small Business Awards finalist
Lycali has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Small Business Awards, recognising the growth and development of the organisation since its launch in 2022.
Meet Stephanie
Stephanie Connolly
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Founder & Clinical Director
Lycali was founded to create a service where individuals and families feel genuinely heard, supported and understood.
The name Lycali was inspired by Stephanie’s children and the belief that no two people are the same. Each person deserves to be understood as an individual, with support that recognises their strengths, needs and unique way of experiencing the world.
Stephanie recognised that many people seeking neurodevelopmental assessments or therapeutic support face long waiting times, unclear pathways and limited guidance. Lycali was created to offer a more responsive, compassionate and clinically robust alternative.
Under Stephanie’s leadership, Lycali has grown into a trusted multidisciplinary team supporting children, young people and adults across Kent and nationwide.
Reviews
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"Lycali provided a thorough and compassionate autism assessment. Everything was explained clearly, and I finally feel understood. I wish I’d done this sooner."
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"I’ve worked with other services before, but Lycali stands out for their professionalism and empathy. My therapist helped me navigate some really difficult times with sensitivity and skill."
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I just wanted to say thank you to Dr Isobel Robb and Stephanie for making the assessment comfortable for both me and my parents to conduct. It was very thorough and the outcome will definitely help me in my future. I'm really thankful for receiving the results so quickly
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“Thank you so much for all your help, support and care. You have explained everything we needed and thank you for saying I can get in touch if we need any more help.”
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“You were very patient with our son and always gave us ideas so that we could support him between therapy sessions. Thank you so much!”
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“After our daughter's Speech and language assessment, you offered great feedback and your report was very detailed. This was a huge help towards the EHCP process.”
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"My daughter’s speech has improved so much in just a few months. Our speech therapist at Lycali was kind, engaging, and always kept us involved with providing follow up activities. I highly recommend them."
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“Heidi was very engaging and really listened to the needs of my son. She explained her methods and gave us tips to try at home. We are really pleased with the service.”
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“The calls have helped me to find more space and given me a safe space to discuss and release emotions. Tim's nature and communication is comforting and supportive, he adds thoughts and questions which offer space to analyse and to help growth.”
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"Heidi was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. She gave our son room to explore and enjoyable targets".
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"Heidi was very patient with my child and has made him confident to use his voice"
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"I can’t thank you enough for your help and support with my son. I will most certainly be coming back to your services again for an autism assessment".
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"The ADHD assessment process was seamless, evidence-based, and respectful. I felt listened to throughout, and the diagnosis has helped me finally understand myself."
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Everything has been amazing so thanks to you, Isobel and Stephanie. You have made things really easy with clear and quick communication and they really created a safe environment instantly.
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Thank you so much. It was a pleasure working with your staff. They were really kind and helpful and made the process easier for both me and Matilda.
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"We had a brilliant experience with Lycali. The assessment process was clear, kind, and professional from start to finish. My son felt at ease, and we finally have a clear plan for supporting his needs."
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"I was nervous about starting therapy, but the team at Lycali made me feel heard and respected from day one. Their care was outstanding, and the progress I’ve made is life-changing."
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About our clinic
Our clinics are based in Broadstairs and Whitstable
Because Every Individual Deserves to Be Understood