Our Journey with Olivia
Every parent's journey
starts somewhere
I'm Tim. If you're here, chances are you know exactly what it feels like to watch your child struggle to communicate while feeling completely powerless to help.
Our daughter Olivia, now five, has been our greatest teacher in all of this. This is our story, not as experts, but as parents who've walked exactly where you might be standing right now. It's a story of confusion, waiting, small victories, and that quiet hope that keeps you going through the hard days.
Born in the chaos of COVID
Olivia arrived in May 2020, right in the middle of COVID lockdowns. Looking back, it's hard to separate her early story from that chaotic time.
There was a moment when I wasn't even sure I'd be allowed in the delivery room. We brought her home to a world that had gone still: no family gatherings, no playgroups, just us in our little bubble.
When "she'll catch up" stopped working
As Olivia grew, we started noticing things that made us pause. She was slower to hit early milestones. Walking came late. Words came even later.
We told ourselves it was the lockdowns. "She'll catch up," we'd say. But as months turned into a year, hope mixed with growing concern. Why wasn't she chatting like other toddlers we saw? Those questions kept us up at night. That nagging parental guilt that whispers you should have known, you should have done more.
Six months in limbo
By two, Olivia's speech had plateaued. We booked a paediatrician appointment. The referral to speech pathologists came with waitlists stretching six months or more. Six months.
In that limbo, every day felt like lost time. We'd scour the internet, overwhelmed by conflicting advice. You'd have these moments of pure love watching her play, and then the worry would crash back in. We were powerless against waitlists and uncertainty.
When everything clicked
It wasn't until Olivia was about four that one speech therapist floated a new idea: "Olivia might be a gestalt language processor."
Suddenly, so much made sense. Her perfect TV quotes weren't random. Her shutdowns to questions weren't defiance. She was learning language in whole chunks.
We changed everything. We embraced her echoes. We narrated constantly. She began to bloom.
The moment that changed how we teach
When Olivia started kindergarten, complex instructions lost her. But one moment stands out. Olivia wanted to connect with classmates and would try holding their hands without asking.
Her teacher's verbal explanation didn't stick. But her speech therapist, Molly, made a simple picture story showing a character like Olivia asking "Can I hold your hand?".
She got it immediately.
The same concept that hadn't landed through words clicked the moment it became a story. That's where Storybook came from.
What we built to survive
Progress was real now, but gaps remained. The scramble before appointments. The questions we forgot. The panic at all hours when we felt alone.
I started building tools to survive those gaps. A companion to ask questions. A way to record play sessions and get feedback. Automatic milestone tracking.
These tools transformed how we worked with Olivia. Lisa and I arrived at appointments prepared. We felt less alone. And we realised: other families might need this too.
Built by parents, for parents
We're not speech therapists. We're just parents who built tools to survive the gaps between sessions.
Gestalts exists because we needed it first. Our specialists have been brilliant. This app helps you maximise that precious time with your therapist and fills the gaps in between.
You're not alone in this.
Disclaimer: This is our personal story and does not constitute medical advice. Every child's journey is different. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals for guidance specific to your child.
Your story matters too
Every child's path is unique, but no parent should walk it alone.