Meet Beth Frede

Beth Frede is a pioneer in the New Hampshire communication landscape as the state’s first Certified Spelling to Communicate (S2C) Practitioner. Since 2022, she has been a dedicated partner to her "Spellers"- members of the estimated 30% of individuals with autism whose speech does not reliably reflect their cognitive ability.Beth’s practice is rooted in the understanding that communication challenges for nonspeakers are often sensory-motor in nature, rather than cognitive. Using S2C, she helps students develop the purposeful motor control needed to express their thoughts on a letterboard. By honoring their sensory-motor differences and teaching the body to follow the mind’s lead, Beth helps her students bridge the gap between internal thought and external expression. As the proud aunt of an adult nonspeaker who fluently communicates through Spelling, Beth sees firsthand the power of presumed competence and the life-changing impact of providing a person with a reliable means to express their true inner world.