meet the team behind zeEbra Therapy

Meet Our Small and Dedicated Team of Experts

Emma Ahern

MSc SLT BSc (Hons)
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Emma Ahern is a speech and language therapist specialising in autism and ADHD, and the founder of Zeebra Speech and Language Therapy in Surrey. She works with children, young people, adults and their families, including late-diagnosed adults, supporting emotional communication, social interaction and understanding across neurodivergent profiles.

Emma is the originator of the Social–Language Barrier of Emotional Communication© and the Emotion Communication Map© (ECM©), a neuroaffirming framework and tool that supports individuals and families in understanding and expressing emotions beyond the limitations of language.

Her clinical background spans many years across a wide range of specialist settings. She has worked in youth justice services, developing her understanding and skills in the assessment of and support around childhood trauma and neurodivergence; in brain rehabilitation at The Children's Trust, working with children and teenagers with acquired and traumatic brain injury; and across specialist educational provision, in particular autism-specific schools and resourced provisions for children with social communication and language differences. She supports families through the EHCP and EOTAS tribunal process as an expert witness, and works extensively within both educational and independent clinical contexts.

Emma is a registered member of the HCPC and RCSLT and a member of ASLTIP.

Outside of her work, Emma is a mum of three and proudly Irish. She loves horses and playing the piano, and enjoys reading, embroidery, being outdoors and a good sci-fi or Marvel film.

Our approach to therapy centres the well-being, identity and personal wishes of the people we work with. We see therapy as a shared journey, walking alongside our clients to help them build a positive, affirming understanding of who they are. We support them to feel empowered, to recognise their own strengths, and to develop the self-advocacy skills that allow their voice to be heard. Part of our role is also to advocate alongside our clients, working with the people around them, at home, in education and in the workplace, to build understanding and to create environments that recognise and respond to each person's communication in an affirming way.

For those who wish for it, we also offer a more traditional model of support. This includes diagnostic assessments and reports, which can help clients access additional services or the funding needed for them, as well as collaboratively identifying meaningful goals and evidence-based approaches to develop skills, strategies and supports around an area a client would like to focus on.

Emma’s qualifications and registrations include:

Master’s degree in Speech and Language Therapy (MscSLT), University of Essex
Bachelor of Social Science (BSc), University College Dublin
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) registration
Health Care and Professional Council (HCPC) Registration
Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP) registration
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) trained.
Gestalt Language Processing and Natural Language Acquisition training (June 2023)
Manchester Post Basic Dysphagia Course – 2015

Meet 0ur Best and Experienced Team

our TEAM members

Ellen Martin

I’m Ellen, a Paediatric speech and language therapist, registered with the HCPC, RCSLT and ASLTIP.

My therapy approach is always personal and tailored to each individual. Creating a team around the child/young person by working closely with families, carers and professionals, to ensure each individual receives the very best support. I see an individual for all their strengths and think how can we push them further to ensure we can succeed. I will always be the individual behind them telling them they absolutely CAN do it and embracing their differences, this is also at the heart of my own private practice.

I have experience working with children and young people from 2 - 18 years old. In many paediatric settings including, mainstream and complex need schools, nurseries, drop-in clinics, early years, hospital clinics, fluency clinics and voice clinics. I graduated with an MSci in Speech and Language Therapy from the University of Reading.

I encourage individuals to embrace who they are and focus on empowerment through a neurodivergent affirming approach. I believe that everyone has the right to communication.

Originally from Brighton, I now live in Farnham and enjoy going to

the gym, baking, reading and singing.

Kirsty O'SULLIVAN

Admin Manager and Speech and Language Therapy Assistant

Kirsty brings her diverse background and passion for communication to her role at Zeebra Therapy. She graduated with a First-Class BA (Hons) in Acting and enjoyed a vibrant career spanning television, theatre, radio, and film. This experience not only allowed her to travel extensively but also to connect with people from all walks of life, deepening her appreciation for meaningful communication and the richness of diverse experiences.

Alongside her creative career, Kirsty has embraced a variety of roles, including working as a healthcare assistant, where she had the opportunity to collaborate with speech and language therapists. More recently, she has balanced her time between dog walking and being a devoted mum.

Kirsty is thrilled to be part of the team at Zeebra Therapy, where she combines her natural warmth with a real gift for organisation. As the first point of contact for many families, she oversees and manages the seamless running of emails, correspondence, bookings and finances, all with a calm, caring approach that means families feel genuinely looked after from their very first contact. Whether she's answering a query or arranging an appointment, Kirsty brings both efficiency and heart, keeping the practice running smoothly while making sure every family feels welcome and supported.

Creative and passionate, Kirsty is now adding another string to her bow. After two years as Zeebra Therapy's admin, she combines that experience with her flair for creativity and her love of people to step into a new role as the practice's very own Speech and Language Therapy Assistant (SALTA), working under Emma's clinical supervision and guidance to support children and families alongside the wider clinical team.

In her spare time, Kirsty enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family, hiking, wild swimming, practising yoga, and embracing nature whenever possible.

Our Therapy room

Our therapy room is a small, carefully designed space where you can feel safe and comfortable from the moment you arrive. The room has been thoughtfully put together with calm colours, soft low lighting, and warm textures to create a space that feels cosy and welcoming. Acoustics have been carefully considered to keep the environment quiet and contained. A range of seating options means you can settle in whatever way feels most comfortable for you. We can send videos or images of the room before you arrive if that will help you to feel more prepared and comfortable for your visit.