A brighter beginning for every voice.

A little support.
A world of
possibility.

Helping children find their voice, build confidence, and connect with the world. Personalized speech-language therapy for ages 4–18.

Schedule an intake call Explore our services
In-home care in ChicagoTelehealth available
A child practicing speech sounds with a therapist using a mirror and picture cards
Small steps. Meaningful growth.Care centered on your child.

Expertise you can trust.
Care you can feel.

ASHA-certified
CCC-SLP
Experience that matters
13 years in practice
Rooted in our community
Illinois licensed

How I can help

Thoughtful support for the skills that help your child communicate, learn, and feel connected.

Speech & fluency

For the everyday moments when being understood means everything.

Articulation disorders

Helping children produce speech sounds clearly and accurately so they can be better understood by family, friends, teachers, and peers. Therapy targets each child’s individual sound errors, with practice designed to help carry new skills into everyday conversation.

Stuttering & fluency

Individualized, supportive care for children who stutter or experience other disruptions in the flow of speech. Depending on your child’s needs, therapy may focus on communication confidence, reducing the impact of stuttering, understanding fluency, and communicating comfortably without pressure or fear of speaking.

Language & literacy

Building the language skills that open doors in the classroom and beyond.

Receptive & expressive language

Supporting children who have difficulty understanding language or expressing their thoughts, ideas, and needs. Treatment may focus on following directions, understanding concepts, building vocabulary, forming sentences, answering questions, and organizing ideas.

Phonemic awareness

Helping children recognize and work with the individual sounds in spoken words, an important foundation for reading and spelling. Activities may include identifying sounds, blending sounds to make words, segmenting words into individual sounds, and manipulating sounds in playful, structured ways.

Reading comprehension

Helping students understand, interpret, and discuss what they read. Therapy may address identifying the main idea, recalling details, making inferences, understanding figurative language, summarizing information, and answering questions using evidence from a text.

Social communication

Helping your child feel more comfortable sharing their own unique perspective.

Pragmatic language & social communication

Helping children communicate and connect with others in different social situations. Goals may include conversational turn-taking, staying on topic, interpreting social cues, understanding nonliteral language, considering another person’s perspective, and navigating peer interactions while respecting each child’s communication style.

You don’t need to have all the answers. We’ll find the right starting point together.

Illiana Falkenstern, speech-language pathologist, smiling in a brown blazer
Clinician. Collaborator.Your child’s champion.

Hi, I’m Illiana.
I’m glad you’re here.

I believe great therapy goes beyond building skills. It means empowering families, collaborating with educators, and helping every child feel confident, supported, and excited to learn.

With 13 years of school-based and clinical experience, including four years as a teletherapist, I understand how children develop communication skills across different environments.

You know your child best. Together, we can create a plan that supports your child’s growth at home, at school, and beyond.

Illiana FalkensternCCC-SLP · Founder, Lumina
Get to know me & my approach

Getting started

The first step is a conversation. Here’s what comes next.

01

Let’s have a conversation

We’ll discuss your concerns, your child’s needs, and whether Lumina is the right fit for your family. I’ll answer your questions and explain the next steps.

02

Understand the whole picture

When an evaluation is appropriate, I’ll discuss the findings and recommendations with you so we can determine whether services are right for your child.

03

Build a therapy plan

We’ll develop a plan tailored to your child’s needs, with individualized sessions and activities that support communication at home, at school, and beyond.

In-home visits Interactive telehealth Evening & weekend options
Why Lumina? Explore our approach

What colleagues say

“I had the pleasure of working alongside Illiana Falkenstern and witnessing her dedication to helping children succeed. She consistently demonstrated professionalism, patience, and compassion while creating an engaging and supportive virtual learning environment. Her ability to connect with students and build their confidence in communication is truly remarkable. Illiana’s passion and commitment to providing quality speech and language services make her an excellent choice for any family. I highly recommend her!”

Iesha SmithStudent Services Monitor

Thoughtful care.
Straightforward fees.

Lumina is a private-pay practice. Here’s a quick look at the cost of care.

Initial evaluation$300
Therapy sessions30–60 minutes$80–$140
View all fees & payment details

Common questions

Which ages do you work with?

I provide speech-language services for children and teens ages 4–18. If your child needs a different type of support, I’m happy to help guide you toward an appropriate provider.

Where are in-home visits available?

In-home visits are available in select Chicago neighborhoods, including Gold Coast, Near North, Old Town, River North, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, West Town, Wicker Park, and Uptown. Availability depends on location and scheduling.

What does your schedule look like?

Appointments are available Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Saturday and Sunday mornings may be available upon request. We’ll discuss current availability during your intake call.

Can you work with my child’s school?

Yes. With your permission, I can share evaluation reports and collaborate with your child’s school therapist or other providers. Consultation and collaboration time is billed in 15-minute increments.

Still have a question?
Let’s talk it through

Talk with Illiana

You know your child best. Let’s find the support
that feels right for your family.

Schedule an intake call Chicago, Illinois · In-home & telehealth