- Certified Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist
- International Lecturer/Presenter
- PROMPT Trained Therapist
- Interactive Metronome Certified Therapist
- Achieved Mastery of the Basic DIR®/Floortime™ Model
- 2009-2012 Receiver of the Award for Continuing Education (ACE) from ASHA
- Owner of San Diego Center For Speech Therapy
Nicole Goldfarb founded the San Diego Center For Speech Therapy & Myofunctional Therapy (SDCST) in 2003. She is one of only three practicing Certified Orofacial Myologists in San Diego County (as of 2020). Nicole also has the distinction of being one of only three Certified Orofacial Myologists in all of San Diego that also has a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology, an unparalleled combination of degrees which allows her to provide the most advanced and comprehensive treatment, as most patients with speech issues also have myofunctional issues. In achieving her orofacial myofunctional therapy certification, Nicole received the highest score ever appointed on the International Association of Orofacial Myology certification exam at that time. She has been practicing speech-language pathology since 2003 and myofunctional therapy since 2008. Nicole has achieved numerous trainings in both speech-language pathology and myofunctional disorders, and she has a special passion and interest in sleep-disordered breathing and diagnosing restricted frenums as they relate to myofunctional disorders. Nicole received intensive and advanced training for over a year with the nationally renowned Certified Orofacial Myologist, Katha Phair. Katha trained Nicole in her unique, specialized, and unmatched techniques that she had developed and refined over the past 40 years. In 2014, Katha Phair selected Nicole to take over her myofunctional therapy practice. Nicole holds a solid foundation in the application of research and clinical knowledge in the fields of Speech-Language Pathology and Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders. Nicole is an extremely thorough clinician, has a profound knowledge-base, and utilizes evidence-based standards which are evident in her detailed assessments, treatment planning, and long-term patient care and follow-up.
Nicole has presented all around San Diego and internationally on Myofunctional Therapy as it relates to Sleep-Disordered Breathing in both children and adults. Nicole is currently on the Child Airway Initiative Task Force (CAST), a small national team developing the universal screening tool for all dentists to use to screen for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) as per the 10/2017 ADA proposal that all dentists should screen all patients for SDB. As of 2019, Nicole is 1 of 15 people from across the country on this team supported by the American Dental Association (ADA) developing the universal screening tool that all dentists and orthodontists across the United States will use to screen children for sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing, and it is estimated that pediatricians will be using this screening tool for all patients in the upcoming years as well. Having a child with sleep apnea identified at the age of 2 years old sparked Nicole’s passion and special interest in pediatric sleep-disordered breathing. Nicole’s life-long quest is to help in the early identification and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing.
Previously, Nicole worked in the Solana Beach School District (SBSD) as a Speech-Language Pathologist, district assessor, and Speech-Language Pathology supervisor for over six years. Nicole was chosen by the administration of SBSD to present for the entire Solana Beach School District during the Professional Development Days on the topic of Visualization Strategies to Increase Language Comprehension based on the Lindamood-Bell Visualizing and Verbalizing Program®. While at SBSD, Nicole was a master teacher for Speech-Language Pathology interns from San Diego State University and the University of Redlands. Nicole has also been a supervisor for beginning Speech-Language Pathologists in their Clinical Fellowship Year.
Nicole graduated Magna Cum Laude from U.C. San Diego with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She achieved a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from San Diego State University where she was selected as The Outstanding Graduate Student by the department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Nicole received the ACE Award for continuing education for 2009-2012 by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association for her advanced number of professional development and trainings in the field of Speech-Language Pathology. Nicole combines her background and skills in Psychology, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology to provide effective and result-based therapy for children and adults of all ages.
Therapy Approach, Trainings, and Specialty Areas
Nicole’s primary focus is on the assessment and treatment of individuals with orofacial myofunctional disorders, with a particular passion in sleep apnea and sleep disordered breathing. Nicole also has years of experience working with children with a variety of disabilities including apraxia, autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, brain injury, Cerebral Palsy, Cru Di Chat Syndrome, Down Syndrome, dyslexia, epileptic aphasia, Fragile X Syndrome, hearing loss, Landau-Kleffner syndrome, stuttering and various learning disabilities and processing disorders. At Solana Highlands School, Nicole reinstated the Lunch Bunch program and developed the Social Stars social skills groups for children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Nicole’s specialties include working with children with a variety of communication impairments and disabilities, and she has specific interest and expertise in speech articulation/phonology, remediating speech articulation errors on the R sound, working with children on stopping thumb sucking, orofacial myofunctional disorders, behavior modification, stuttering, and working with children with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Nicole was the Hospitality Chairperson for the International Association of Orofacial Myology Convention in 2009. Nicole believes in child-centered therapy focusing on functional communication.
Nicole has received education, training, and has furthered her professional growth in the following approaches:
- Certified Orofacial Myologist
- Assessment and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing and sleep apnea in children and adults
- RightSleep® method
- PROMPT trained therapist for individuals with apraxia and motor planning challenges
- Kaufman Apraxia approach
- Interactive Metronome Certified Therapist
- Treatment of Bruxism, TMJD, and masseter muscle pain
- Trained in Lindamood-Bell Visualizing and Verbalizing Program®
- Trained in Lindamood-Bell LIPS Program®
- Michelle-Garcia Winner’s Social-Cognitive Development Programs
- Carol Gray’s social programs
- Tony Atwood’s approach to Asperger’s Syndrome
- Achieved mastery of the Basic DIR®/Floortime™ approach by Stanley Greenspan
- Trained to administer the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS)
- Trained in TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children)
- Attended a variety of trainings for working with children who stutter
- 2009-2012 Receiver of the Award for Continuing Education (ACE) from the national association for speech-language pathology (American Speech-Language and Hearing Association) for her exceptional pursuance in professional development and trainings.
PRESENTATIONS GIVEN BY NICOLE GOLDFARB
- San Diego TMJ/SDB Study Club for Dr. Joel Berger & Dr. Todd Morgan, Scripps Hospital
- October 2016
- Presented on the role of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy with regards to SDB.
- Torrey Pines Periodontal Study Club, La Jolla Country Club
- October 2016
- Presented on the topic: Recent Research On Sleep-Disordered Breathing and the Essential Role of The Certified Orofacial Myologist in the Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing
- National Dental Hygiene Honor’s Society (San Diego Branch) Sponsored by Proctor and Gamble, San Diego
- February 2017
- Presented on the topic: Recent Research On Sleep-Disordered Breathing and the Essential Role of The Certified Orofacial Myologist in the Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing
- USC Orthodontic Residents and Spear Group, Liberty Station Orthodontics, San Diego
- March 2018
- Presented on the topic: Recent Research On Sleep-Disordered Breathing and the Essential Role of The Certified Orofacial Myologist in the Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing
- The SuperDentists (Dr. Hoss, the owner), San Diego
- March 2017
- Presented on the topic: Recent Research On Sleep-Disordered Breathing and the Essential Role of The Certified Orofacial Myologist in the Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing
- The SuperDentists Parent Group, San Diego
- April 2017
- Presented to parents on red flags for sleep, airway, and myofunctional disorders.
- North County Pediatric Dentist Study Club Sponsored by Burkhart Dental, San Diego
- April 2018
- Presented on the topic: Recent Research On Sleep-Disordered Breathing and the Essential Role of The Certified Orofacial Myologist in the Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing
- Rady Children’s Hospital Dental Residents, San Diego
- June 2018
- Presented Part 1 on the topic: Recent Research On Sleep-Disordered Breathing and the Essential Role of The Certified Orofacial Myologist in the Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing
- Rady Children’s Hospital Dental Residents, San Diego
- September 2018
- Presented Part 2 on the topic: Recent Research On Sleep-Disordered Breathing and the Essential Role of The Certified Orofacial Myologist in the Management of Sleep-Disordered Breathing.
- NYU Langone Dental Medicine Annual Sylvia Perez-Spiess Alumni Conference, San Diego
- February 2, 2019
- Presented on the topic: Wake Up Pediatric Dentists: What you should know about pediatric sleep apnea.
- Spear Study Club (Dr. Bruce Johnson), San Diego
- May 15, 2019
- Presented on Myofunctional Therapy and OSA/SDB for over 50 dentists, hygienists, periodontists, and physical therapists.
- San Diego Dental Assistant Society, San Diego
- October, 28 2019
- Presented on Myofunctional Therapy and POSA/SDB
- NYU Langone Dental Medicine Residency Program, Teleconferencing
- November 7, 2019
- Presented on Myofunctional Therapy and POSA/SDB for their 14 dental residency programs
- San Diego Advanced Study Group (SAG), Scripps/Mercy Educational Center San Diego
- February 11, 2020
- Presenting on Myofunctional Therapy and OSA/SDB
- International Consortium of Oral Ankylofrenula Professionals (ICAP), Vancouver
- October 1, 2020
- Presenting on Myofunctional Therapy and OSA/SDB
