SLP’s Different Roles
Hello!
I am a recent psychology graduate and am interested in how SLP’s promote well-being and an overall good quality of life among their clients. Does a speech language pathologist often suggest a client having help from a counsleor/psychologist? Do SLP’s have any way they assist with a clients mental health? If so, what are some tactics a speech language pathologist would use promote better mental health while working with a client? Thank you in advance!
Hello-
Thanks for your great question!
I have a few thoughts that I will share with you!
I think it can be incredibly important for SLPs to develop an understanding of who their clients are as people – what they value, what is important to them, interests, hobbies, etc. These types of conversations really build the foundation for therapy and also encourage important conversations in therapy that truly encompass the entire person.
Counseling is also a huge component of stuttering therapy – as the cognitive and affective components of stuttering often have a significant impact on the client as well. I think that SLPs have varying levels of comfort when it comes to counseling clients; however, in my opinion, it is a truly important skillset for clinicians to continue to build and strengthen.
With that said, there are definitely times in which mental health issues extend well beyond an SLP’s scope of practice. In these instances, SLPs often refer to other professionals as needed. I’ve had several clients who worked with mental health specialists for anxiety/depression at the same time as they were working with me on their stuttering/communication. I’ve also had clients who’ve realized that their mental health issues are actually impacting them more than their stuttering and so they decide to take a break from stuttering therapy to focus on mental health.
I hope this helps – please feel free to ask any follow-up questions you might have.
Best,
~Jaime