Aspiring SLP with a question for the pros!
Hello! I am currently in my sophomore year of studying speech language pathology and audiology at the University of Akron. I have a question that I would love to be answered by a Speech Language Professional. What has been the most challenging and rewarding experience of your job, working with PWS? How did you overcome those challenges? I look forward to hearing your answers and learning more from you. Thank you!
Hello! These are excellent questions! First off, congratulations on your studies! I will answer both of your questions.
Question 1:What has been the most challenging and rewarding experience of your job, working with PWS?
Keep in mind when answering this first question, is all jobs have challenging and rewarding aspects. Some professionals in any job will say “time management” or “paperwork” etc… and that could be any job, not just being an SLP. 🙂 The most challenging experience working with people who stutter for me would have to be timing, and not having enough time to spend with people. I LOVE working with patients. The one hour of therapy that I get with people goes by so fast- I love soaking in all of the time talking to people, experiencing life with them, helping them, etc… and I don’t get near enough time in this life with everyone. The most rewarding thing about my job is hard to put into words to answer for me personally, but in general, this career for me has been the experience of a lifetime. I thought I was signing up for a career to clock in and out of when I went to college, and I was way way wrong. This field is an experience, a life style- a journey of it’s own. I cannot wait for you to get to experience it too; it is well beyond being a “career.”
Question 2: How did you overcome those challenges?
-The word “overcome” is a heavy one. For me, with the “I didn’t get to spend enough time with that person” or, “I wish I had more time with everyone today” challenge, I just have to tell myself that there are only so many hours in the day. At the end of the day, you have to have me time. If the clinician doesn’t have self care, there is no therapy. Now, I have two children. So, I have to get home to my children. Despite that stuttering therapy is my passion, my family and family care has to come first. So, I have to get to the kids to pick them up on time, get home to make dinner, and function as a mother and wife now. It puts things into perspective and teaches balance.
I hope that this helps answer your questions. For me, I can’t really find distinct pros/cons to stuttering therapy because I love everything about it, so I just provided some generalized challenges and strengths for you. Take care and be well!