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About Us

Enhancing your child's potential.

We help children build communication skills to connect, relate, and be understood.

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Who We Are

Children’s Language Development Center (CLDC) has been proudly serving families in Plano, TX and the surrounding area for more than 25 years. We are a therapist-owned and operated pediatric clinic with a dedicated team of therapists who have a true passion for what we do. 

 

As a developmental, relationship-based therapy center, we’re focused on meaningful, connected communication that supports learning and building authentic relationships

 

We specialize in using the developmental, individualized, relationship-based model (also known as the DIRFloortime   approach) with children and their families. Our therapists have extensive training and experience in providing services that meet high professional standards in an environment that is designed to enhance each child’s success through the generalization of skills. 

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Our Mission

To help every child learn, grow, and thrive through meaningful, connected relationships and communication.

Our Values

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Connection

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Dignity

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Respect

Worthwhile engagement starts with connection, and from there, we’re dedicated to building strong relationships with every family. 

We honor every child and family we serve. Empathy, acceptance, and presumed competence lead how we approach each individual’s unique journey.

Everyone deserves to be heard, valued, and understood. We prioritize kindness for our families and with one another.

Our Philosophies

Communication is Connection

​​Communication is more than words. Communication’s starting point is actually about making connections with others. Learning to communicate requires having a reason to do so, and relating to others is the reason why we communicate.  Language does not develop in isolation.  Without the need to engage with others, there’s no reason to communicate. Language is a symbolic system that is acquired for the purpose of communication.  It’s  language that helps us organize information, express ideas, share joy, refine our thinking, and be understood. We use language to help us express the information and ideas we have processed.   What a child is able to demonstrate through language tells us a lot about how they’re understanding their world.

Personal Commitment

At CLDC, every single therapist is not only personally committed to the success of each child, but also with helping parents more completely understand the needs of their child.  With everyone on the team being DIRFloortime  trained and informed, it enables all of us to leverage the same model of care while working together toward the same goals, engagement, problem-solving, and more.

Parents Matter

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​​Parental involvement in therapy is just as important as the child’s. Parents are always welcome to join therapy sessions and learn how to continue supporting their child outside of our sessions.  We also welcome parents' input on their child as well as any thoughts, fears, concerns, and information they can provide about their child and about life at home. This is critical to the success of therapy. Recognizing a child's strengths is what parents do best!   Parents know their kids, and what they know can help us pinpoint challenges while giving us helpful insight into ways we can best support the family via the child's interests.

Community Matters

​CLDC has been a part of the Plano community since 1999.  We are a therapist-owned and operated pediatric clinic, and we pride ourselves on providing personalized, quality care to the families we serve. From providing in-service to schools and meeting with teachers to hosting workshops for parents, we are here to help our community feel supported and to ultimately thrive in any environment.

Meet Our Team

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Owner, Speech-Language Pathologist

Tina Boike, M.S., CCC-SLP

Tina is a pediatric speech-language pathologist with a lifelong passion for language and learning. She is an Advanced level DIRFloortime® practitioner who believes strongly that working with children should be strength-based, developmentally focused, respectful, neurodiversity-affirming, and kind. As owner of CLDC and a practicing SLP, Tina is happiest working closely with families and mentoring her team of passionate professionals. Her other specialized trainings included PROMP (Level II), Hanen More Than Words, the neuro-semantic pragmatic approach to language learning (Arwood), and Beckman Oral Motor protocol. Outside of work, Tina enjoys organic gardening, road trips, and spending time with her family.

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Speech-Language Pathologist

Jordan Durbin, M.S., CCC-SLP

Jordan is a speech-language pathologist with a big heart for supporting neurodivergent children in discovering their strengths and reaching their full potential. She is a DIRFloortime® Basic-level practitioner who embraces a developmentally respectful, play-based approach. Her therapy is rooted in patience, curiosity, and compassion. She strives to create a safe, nurturing space where every child feels supported academically, emotionally, and socially. Outside of therapy, Jordan enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and loves a good day at the dog park.

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Occupational Therapist

Lisa Abigail Khou OTD, OTR/L

Abby is an occupational therapist with a doctorate in occupational therapy from the University of Southern California, where she also completed a graduate certificate in Sensory Processing and Sensory Integration. Her journey into occupational therapy is personal: after her son was diagnosed with autism as a young child, Abby was profoundly moved by the support his OTs provided. This inspired her to become a therapist herself and dedicate her time to helping other families navigate their journeys and to advocate for neurodivergent children through compassionate, evidence-informed care.

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Occupational Therapist

Cara Schoonover, MOT, OTR/L

Cara is a licensed pediatric occupational therapist with a strong passion for helping children uncover their hidden strengths and reach their fullest potential. She is a Certified DIRFloortime® Practitioner (DIR-Basic) and is also SIPT Certified, with specialized training in sensory integration. She is also trained in the SOS Approach to Feeding and is passionate about using evidence-based, developmentally respectful strategies to support each child’s unique profile. Outside of work, she enjoys rock climbing, using power tools for creative projects, and recently learned how to weld.

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Occupational Therapist

Erin Pepe, OTR

Erin is a dedicated and compassionate pediatric occupational therapist who brings both clinical expertise and a thoughtful, family-centered approach to her work with children. She is a DIRFloortime® Basic Level Certified Practitioner and has specialized training in Handwriting Without Tears®, blending developmental and sensory-based strategies to help each child succeed in meaningful daily activities. Erin has a special interest in sensory processing and how it influences a child’s ability to participate, learn, and connect in everyday life. Outside of work, Erin enjoys spending time with her husband and their two boys, as well as running and exploring the outdoors.

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Occupational Therapist

Kristina Lai, OTR

Kristina is a dedicated pediatric occupational therapist who’s passionate about helping children build confidence, emotional well-being, and independence in their daily lives. Her specialized training includes Integrated Listening Systems (iLs) and Handwriting Without Tears®, which she integrates into developmentally rich, play-based therapy sessions. She is continually expanding her knowledge in occupational therapy to bring the most effective, evidence-based strategies to the children and families she supports. Outside of work, Kristina enjoys traveling, running, dancing, singing, and spending quality time with her husband and daughters.

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Speech Therapy Team Lead

Carlena Boike, M.S., CCC-SLP

Carlena is a dedicated, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist with a deep passion for helping kids deliver meaningful communication. She is a Proficient level DIRFloortime® practitioner, trained in American Sign Language (ASL) and Signing Exact English (SEE), and also serves as CLDC’s Speech Therapy Team Lead. In her freetime, Carlena enjoys going to farmer’s markets, pilates, playing piano, hiking and spending time with her family, reading, roller-blading, and hanging out with her dog, Max, and cat, Dori.

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 Speech-Language Pathologist

Tamara Williard, M.A., CCC-SLP

Tamara ("Tami") is a seasoned speech-language pathologist with over two decades of experience serving children and families across Texas. She has extensive experience supporting children with complex needs, including hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, and feeding disorders. Tami is an IAOM-trained orofacial myologist with advanced training in feeding and oral motor therapy, integrating child-led approaches such as Food Chaining and the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) method. Tami’s therapy is rooted in fun, play-based learning that supports communication growth in a natural and joyful way.

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Director of Clinical Excellence and Occupational Therapy Team Lead

Shifra Robkin, OTR

Shifra is a registered and licensed occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience supporting children across a wide range of developmental needs. As CLDC’s Director of Clinical Excellence, she enjoys collaborating with fellow CLDC therapists to ensure up-to-date, evidence-based-skills inform the clinic's practices. Shifra is a DIRFloortime® Basic-level practitioner and has specialized training in Handwriting Without Tears, How Does Your Engine Run?, and sensory-motor integration strategies. She finds great joy in empowering children and their families and feels honored to walk alongside them on their developmental journey.

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Occupational Therapist

Megan Price, OTD, OTR/L

Megan is a passionate and experienced pediatric occupational therapist who brings warmth, clinical expertise, and a love for lifelong learning to her work with children and families. She holds a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California. She is a Basic Level Certified DIRFloortime® Practitioner who specializes in sensory integration and developmental approaches that honor the unique strengths of every child. She is also trained in hippotherapy and loves incorporating equine-assisted therapy when possible, creating rich opportunities for regulation, engagement, and motor development. In addition to her work at CLDC, Megan is an Associate Clinical Professor and teaches undergraduate and graduate-level OT courses. She is deeply committed to supporting the next generation of occupational therapists.

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Occupational Therapist

April Franco, OTR

April is a compassionate and experienced pediatric occupational therapist who feels privileged to play even a small part in each child’s growth and development. Her specialized training includes Beckman Oral Motor, Handwriting Without Tears®, and the Size Matters Handwriting Program, allowing her to integrate both sensory-motor and functional skill development into her sessions. Outside of work, April enjoys spending time with her family.

Why CLDC Is Right for You

Every parent wants a meaningful relationship with their child. When you choose CLDC to support your journey, you'll gain a dedicated team ready to provide loving, respectful, and supportive services each session that you join us. 

 

We help families better understand and build a stronger connection with their child. And we help your child be understood while helping them to better understand the world around them.

What Parents Have to Say

"My twins have been attending CLDC for occupational therapy and speech therapy for almost 8 months now. From the first phone call to inquire about services to now, I have had nothing but a positive experience. I have seen a tremendous amount of improvement in my girls’ speech and behavior in a short period of time. My girls love their therapists and are so excited to go to therapy! The whole team is compassionate and it is evident that they truly care about every one of the kids that they treat. I couldn’t recommend CLDC more, and I am incredibly grateful that I chose to have my kids attend therapy here!  Thank you!" Parent of 7-year-olds

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