That is the number one comment people make to me when they hear I'm a speech-language pathologist. I always have to laugh because it's not anything I pay attention to. Once I gave up my second-grade dream of being a professional singer (my family laughs hysterically at this since I can't sing a note!), I knew that I wanted to work with children. My eighth grade "what do you want to be when you grow up" paper actually said, "teacher of autistic children." My mom had suggested being a therapist, so I observed at the Easter Seals clinic where my cousin worked in Chicago. When I saw the SLP in action, my thought was, "hey, I can talk and play with toys all day!" And the rest is history!
This truly is a field where you can choose what you do and what population you work with. I initially gravitated towards little people, but little people get big, and if we haven't finished what we set out to do, then I like that I can continue to be part of that journey.
I talk to families about how communication skills are an umbrella and there are multiple parts. When I think about the hats I can wear, there is the speech part (your ability to produce speech sounds and how clear/smooth they are), the language part (both what you produce and what you understand, and that production is verbal and written), and the pragmatic part (social interaction and executive function). People find their way to me because they carry a variety of diagnoses or none at all, and they just aren't where they need to be. Ours is a very verbal society, and it's become even more so with social media. The parts I love most about my job have nothing to do with how your speech sounds. It has everything to do with making sure you understand what is happening in the world around you, that you have the skills to navigate this very complex world, that you find your voice to communicate to others your wants/needs/feelings/opinions/desires, and that you find a friend because you understand all the social nuances of the world and can be a good friend.
When you look for a therapist, know that we all specialize in different things because there is a lot to be good at. Find the one who is good at what your child needs. Know that it is about building a relationship. Therapy is hard work, and you have to trust that person who is pushing you to reach your full potential. At A Work in Progress, we are constantly striving for that end goal...to be as successful as possible at this life you are living. This job constantly challenges me to reach further and to be a flexible thinker. I love that challenge and the wonderful people it has brought into my life. The toys keep changing, but I do love that my job lets me talk all day!
This truly is a field where you can choose what you do and what population you work with. I initially gravitated towards little people, but little people get big, and if we haven't finished what we set out to do, then I like that I can continue to be part of that journey.
I talk to families about how communication skills are an umbrella and there are multiple parts. When I think about the hats I can wear, there is the speech part (your ability to produce speech sounds and how clear/smooth they are), the language part (both what you produce and what you understand, and that production is verbal and written), and the pragmatic part (social interaction and executive function). People find their way to me because they carry a variety of diagnoses or none at all, and they just aren't where they need to be. Ours is a very verbal society, and it's become even more so with social media. The parts I love most about my job have nothing to do with how your speech sounds. It has everything to do with making sure you understand what is happening in the world around you, that you have the skills to navigate this very complex world, that you find your voice to communicate to others your wants/needs/feelings/opinions/desires, and that you find a friend because you understand all the social nuances of the world and can be a good friend.
When you look for a therapist, know that we all specialize in different things because there is a lot to be good at. Find the one who is good at what your child needs. Know that it is about building a relationship. Therapy is hard work, and you have to trust that person who is pushing you to reach your full potential. At A Work in Progress, we are constantly striving for that end goal...to be as successful as possible at this life you are living. This job constantly challenges me to reach further and to be a flexible thinker. I love that challenge and the wonderful people it has brought into my life. The toys keep changing, but I do love that my job lets me talk all day!