communication workshops
Bring accessible, inclusive communication skills to your whole team.
Miscommunication doesn't just slow projects down. It erodes trust and quietly excludes the people affected by it, at a cost most organizations never actually measure.
Led by Mariya Kika, MHSc, a registered speech-language pathologist with a background in psycholinguistics and neurorehabilitation.
Online, hybrid, or in person in Toronto
Communication breaks down in predictable places
teams don’t need another pep talk, they need communication accessibility
Meetings
Half the room isn’t following, the other half wants to share but can’t
Writing & Reports
Teams are building from scratch each and every time, and the SOP? Nobody understands it
Presenting
The presentation that falls flat because of nerves, not the content
Customer & Patient Care
They understand more than they can say, but you don't know how to help
27%
of Canadians aged 15 and older have at least one disability. Statistics Canada, 2022.
why this matters
Many of those disabilities affect how people speak, listen, read, or process information. Not everyone chooses to disclose. They fear that requesting support will limit their growth rather than allow them to reach their full potential.
When workplace communication isn't built with this range in mind, it shows up as missed context, repeated clarification, and slower collaboration across the whole team, not just for the people it affects most directly.
Accessible communication works like a curb cut: designed for some, useful to everyone. Clear agendas, plain language, and written follow-ups help the whole team.
It isn't a side project. It’s the driving force behind your team’s efficiency and effectiveness.
choose a workshop track
Track 1
Communication Accessibility & DEI
For HR, people leaders, DEI and accessibility committees, employee networks, and customer-facing teams.
Inclusion is decided in everyday communication: who’s following the meeting, who’s tracking the changes in email threads, and who feels able to speak.
Inclusive meetings: agendas, preparation, hybrid audio, written follow-ups, and what tools to use
Plain-language writing: emails, training, and policies people can act on
Communication disabilities: accommodations at work and with customers
Neurodivergent communication: reduce burnout in employees ADHD and autism, without compromising their skills or asking them to mask
Accent and communication diversity: Listening across accents and communication styles
Returning after an acquired brain injury: what changes, and what managers can adjust for employees following stroke, concussion, or brain injury
Available Deliverables: a meeting checklist, plain-language guidelines, accommodation guidelines
Track 2
Professional Communication, From a Speech-Science Perspective
For teams who present, pitch, teach, negotiate, or lead meetings.
Most presentation training stops at content and confidence. This track covers the physical and cognitive side: breath, voice, pacing, and how to manage the impact of nerves and anxiety.
Presentation delivery: structure, pacing, pausing, main point first
Managing anxiety: what pressure does to breath and voice, and how to mitigate it
A voice that carries: projection for large rooms and long meetings
Speaking clearly on camera: microphone technique and articulation
Voice care: vocal load for educators, trainers, sales, and call centres
For one-on-one coaching, see Professional Communication Coaching.
Available Deliverables: a short warm-up routine or a delivery checklist, when they fit your goals.
Track 3
For Healthcare Teams: Aphasia and Cognitive-Communication differences in patients
For physicians, nurses, allied health, PSWs, long-term care and home care staff, case managers, clinic administrators, and personal injury lawyers.
Patients and clients with aphasia or cognitive-communication changes may understand more than they can show, and a standard appointment rarely leaves room for that. They deserve autonomy and continued involvement in their care.
Supported conversation techniques: time, written key words, yes/no questions
Consent and care planning: helping patients with aphasia express their choices
Concussion and brain injury: what it looks like in an appointment, and when to refer
Functional speech and voice symptoms (FND): recognizing and discussing them
Communication-accessible clinics: written supports, teach-back, front desk
Offered as in-services, or rounds presentations.
Communication Access Review
For organizations looking for foundational communication access built in everyday procedures, communication reviews streamline daily work. Accommodations move from being a request that needs to be answered to simply a way of operating.
A workshop works with your people. A review works with the documents and procedures they rely on. Reviews look at what your team already uses and shows where communication is breaking down.
What's reviewed: Standard operating procedures, policies, templates, and the documents people rely on day to day, including meeting practices, email workflows, and accommodation procedures
What you receive: A summary of the changes your current documents need, and a framework for writing new ones: clear calls to action that name who to contact, meeting structures, and email guidelines
Offered on its own or alongside a workshop. The scope and a quote are included in your free proposal.
why workshops from a speech-language pathologist?
Clinical Grounding
Receive training from a practicing speech-language pathologist, translating research into practice.
Speech Sciences
Sessions extend beyond generic soft skills. They draw on how speech, voice, language, and cognition work together
Customized Plans
No off-the-shelf decks. Every session is reflexive to your outlined needs. Scheduling is flexible, from lunches to early mornings or those end-of-day slots.
Support beyond the workshop
Employees who want to go further can book one-on-one sessions with Mariya directly. Employers can choose to cover sessions through benefits or wellness programs.
Format & Group Size
Workshops are designed for groups of up to 40 people, in two standard formats:
60 minutes: a focused session on one core topic, built for an in-service or team meeting slot
90 minutes: a deeper, interactive format with room for practice and discussion
For teams wanting a more hands-on or ongoing approach, Mariya also offers consulting engagements: multi-session work built around a specific communication challenge your team is actively navigating.
what happens next
Provide your team details
Use the workshop request form to share your goals, audience, and preferred format.
Get a custom proposal
Free, with no commitment, including any supporting deliverables suited to your topic. Delivered within one business week.
schedule your customized workshop
transform your workplace communication today
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime!
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No. Workshops are educational. No individual assessments or clinical advice are given, and examples are composites, not real clients.
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Yes. Every session is built around your team's situations.
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It depends on format, length, and group size. Your free proposal includes a quote. Community organizations, libraries, and support groups attend free.
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Yes. Whether and how to cover sessions is decided by your organization and arranged directly with your employees, for example through a health spending account, a wellness account, or reimbursement. Cognicare isn’t part of that arrangement. Employees book and pay as regular clients, and coverage doesn’t change how sessions are booked, run, or kept confidential.