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“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

– Albert Einstein; mathematician and scientist; had dyslexia.

OUR THERAPISTS

Maria Maria Saravanos, MA/CCC-SLP
Founder & Director of Lemon Tree
Licensed and Certified Speech Language Pathologist

Lemon Tree was founded in 2007 by Maria Saravanos, a licensed and certified speech-language therapist whose passion and purpose are to help children embrace and overcome their learning differences.

Maria received her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Florida in 1998. At the University of Florida she received intensive training in diagnosing and treating language-based reading disabilities at the University’s Reading Clinic, under the guidance and supervision of her mentor and “guardian angel,” Dr. Linda Lombardino Ph.D., CCC-SLP. During her graduate career, Maria’s passion for learning differences was unearthed as she too had experienced chronic frustration and disappointment with learning as a child. Maria made it her mission to build awareness, educate, and advocate for children with learning differences.

After graduating from the University of Florida, Maria worked as a speech therapist in a variety of settings including pediatric outpatient therapy, private practice, preschools, elementary and middle schools, as well as home-based settings, while always having a special place in her heart for students with language-based learning differences.

Living with an unidentified learning disability enabled Maria to develop an undeniable understanding and compassion for children who learn differently. Her inherent understanding of different learning styles coupled with her specialized training enabled her to devise teaching strategies that unlocked educational potential, her favorites including: Code Busters and Writing S.O.S.

Maria encourages her students to embrace their learning differences openly and confidently, and trust that one day their learning difference will become their greatest gift! She loves to foster & stimulate a strong emotional intelligence for her students as she is a strong believer in self-talk and self-advocacy skills - the most instrumental & beneficial lifelines for adversity.

Maria is trained in Orton-Gillingham Intervention, Lindamood Bells LIPS, Seeing Stars, and Visualizing and Verbalizing Programs, Van Riper’s Stuttering Modification Therapy and the Lidcombe Fluency Program, Hodson’s Cycles Phonological Approach, Kauffman, and Beckman Oral Motor Exercises and is a member of the International Dyslexia Association, where she attends conferences on an annual basis.

Outside of work, Maria is blessed with her best friend in life, her husband, and her beloved dog, Lucy, who has become an instrumental "pet partner" at Lemon Tree! In her spare time, Maria loves to spend time outdoors enjoying anything related to nature, in particular, camping, hiking, kayaking, and sunsets. Maria also adores spending time with her family whom all live locally. Some of her favorite down-time is spent frolicking and playing with her nieces and nephews.

 
Phone: 813.854.3000 • Fax: 813.854.3002 • 3885 Tampa Road, Suite A, Oldsmar, FL 34677• info@lemontreecenter.com