Meet Mary Kidson
Educational Therapist and Founder of Smart Processing
Helping Children and Adults Succeed Since 2008
My journey with Fast ForWord began with my own family. When Great Ormond Street Hospital recommended the programme for my daughter, I saw first-hand the difference that targeted support could make.
Within a few weeks, I began to notice significant changes in my daughter's language and auditory processing skills. Seeing those changes sparked my interest in understanding why the programme was helping and led me to learn more about the underlying skills involved in language, listening and learning.
What began as a search for help for my own daughter eventually changed the direction of my working life. I undertook further training, became a provider of Fast ForWord and other programmes, and established Smart Processing in 2008.
I already had a degree in Environmental Science, and my experience with my daughter sparked a growing fascination with the science behind learning and brain plasticity. I wanted to understand more about why the programme had helped her and how I could use that knowledge to help other children and adults.
I went on to undertake specialist training, including working with a London-based independent speech and language therapist who was already an experienced Fast ForWord provider, alongside additional teacher-based training in literacy and language skills.
In 2008, I completed my Fast ForWord training and established Smart Processing. I continued to develop my professional knowledge and later trained as a provider of The Listening Program in 2010 and The Movement Program in 2017.
Today, I use these programmes individually or alongside one another, according to the needs of each client. I work online with children and adults across the UK and Europe, and have also worked with schools to support individual students, including through blended arrangements where programme work may take place both at home and at school.
A Personal Approach to Every Client
Every child and adult I work with is different. There isn't a single programme or approach that is right for everyone, which is why I begin by talking with families about the difficulties they are experiencing and what they hope to achieve.
My role is not simply to provide access to a programme. I coach and support clients throughout the process, monitor how they are getting on and make adjustments when necessary. Sometimes that can mean changing the approach or pausing one programme and using another before returning to it later.
I don't diagnose. Where something arises that I believe would benefit from further investigation, I may suggest that a family seeks advice or assessment from an appropriately qualified professional.
The goal isn't simply to complete the programme. The goal is to help the learner.
Working with Families Across the UK and Europe
Smart Processing is an online service, allowing me to work with children and adults across the UK and Europe. The programmes are home-based, so clients can complete their sessions in familiar surroundings while receiving my support and guidance remotely.
I have also worked with schools supporting individual students. In some cases, a blended approach works well, with programme sessions taking place partly at home and partly at school.
Although academic progress matters, some of the changes families tell me about go far beyond reading or schoolwork. Being able to understand speech more easily, follow conversations or keep up with other children can make an enormous difference to everyday life.
Would You Like to Talk About Your Child?
If your child is struggling with reading, language, listening or learning and you'd like to explore whether I may be able to help, the first step is an informal conversation.