Deciding what you want to be when you “grow up” is often one of the most difficult decisions a person makes. For some it comes easily, but from my experience most people just aren’t sure and change their mind often.
In this third part of the series in which we asked our expert Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) for their feedback, we wanted to know what advice they have for someone thinking about becoming an SLP.
As with the first two posts they were very generous with their time and answers. If you know someone who is thinking about going into the speech therapy field and would like to chat with someone doing it everyday, let us know and we will connect you.
As always our sincere gratitude to the folks below for sharing their time and insights with us.
I would first tell them that they made a great choice. It is the most rewarding job. I would encourage those interested in the profession to keep an open mind as our field is ever changing. Don’t lose your desire to learn or to try something new. This job requires you to stay on your toes and to adapt to all kinds of people and situations. As far as challenges go, it is important to remember that some things are out of your control. There may be parents, teachers, administrators, etc. that may not “buy into” what you are trying to do. Do not take it personally. In those difficult moments, remember that it’s about the kids and that’s why you show up everyday.
Kristin Gehret, MA CCC-SLP
I would absolutely tell that student to shadow, volunteer, or come alongside a family with a child with special needs. This career is one of the best there is for someone who loves to serve children and their families. However, it is also a daily frustration in being unable to do all that you want as a professional, again on behalf of those same children and families you serve.
Betsy Suzor, MA CCC-SLP
I love my work and it is incredibly fulfilling. The paperwork is awful, but the actual therapy is mostly joy. Take your time when choosing an undergraduate and graduate program. There are a variety of programs both large and small. Find volunteer opportunities or caregiver work with the elderly and children to familiarize yourself with the populations you are most likely to serve. The biggest challenges are getting into graduate school (many more applicants than available spots), getting fair compensation, working independently and alone before you are ready and unreasonably large caseloads.
Mindy Kirschner, MA CCC/SLP
Director, Speak Your Mind, LLC
Speech language pathology is a wonderful field! You will make such a difference in the lives of those you treat and their families. Graduate school will be difficult, but it is all very worth it. If your coursework does not include a counseling credit, add that to your line up as an elective or just additional credits. Also make sure to research Gestalt Language Processing and Natural Language Acquisition. This is how many Autistic people learn and it is not yet included in graduate schools curriculum (https://www.meaningfulspeech.com/)
Heather Amann, SLP and Ashley Bonkofsky, SLP
First, this is the greatest, most rewarding profession. Start working now on learning as much as you can about social-emotional wellness and counseling. You are as much a counselor as a speech and language specialist. Learn to lean on your colleagues and build solid working relationships with them in order to serve your students and families in the best, most effective way.
Lynette Dolente, SLP
Observe/shadow a speech therapist in a variety of settings. Speech therapy is such a huge field that can play so many different roles across the lifespan. I’ve always felt that regardless of the job, the patients/clients are always amazing. Sure there are challenging, sometimes heartbreaking challenges, but I show up everyday because the patients and their families are awesome. The downside will always be poor managers, insurance, and documentation.
Caroline Woeber, MA, CCC-SLP
