Episode 129: Private Practice Q & A, Tips For Making Big Decisions

In this solo episode, Sarah answers some private practice questions (and gets very honest about finding a niche and her experience of impostor syndrome before starting a clinic) including how to know when it’s time to start and what a typical day looks like. Sarah also suggests why “do what you are afraid of” is bad advice, how “thinking time” has helped her make better decisions, and her favorite questions to connect with her intuition.

A quick note: this is our last episode as we take a summer break from podcasting - we’ll see you with new episodes in September. 

Thank you to Annie Filla for submitting today’s questions. 

You can find Annie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aac.with.annie/?hl=en

Resources

Book - Elizabeth Gilbert Big Magic 

Podcast - We Can Do Hard Things (interview with Martha Beck) 

Podcast - Being Well (Ep 202 Rumination - How To Disrupt Obsessive Thoughts)  

Thinking Time Questions/Questions to Connect with Intuition 

Is this a good fit for me - specifically in the season of life I am in now?

Where am I feeling emotion about this decision?

Do I have the time and bandwidth for this? What are my few priorities - and does this opportunity align with this? 

Beyond the fear, what is my intuition saying? 

Imagine yourself 20 (or 40) years from now - what decision would you want yourself to make?

Imagine you were a loving, close friend - what would you tell yourself right now? 

Links 

Sponsored By Parent Handout Bundle: https://bit.ly/3lSkmvF

Connect With Us: www.slphappyhour.com/newsletter 

Submit a Question for the Podcast: www.slphappyhour.com (scroll down to find the submission form) 



Episode 128: Fluency Session Ideas & Exiting a Job Gracefully

In this solo episode, you’ll learn some easy session ideas and activities for fluency session, plus tips for exiting a job gracefully as an SLP.

The questions today were from Dana Wierzbicki. You can find Dana:

Website: https://www.infinitehorizonspeech.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infinitehorizonspeech/

Fluency Parent Handouts

Preschool https://bit.ly/3t3O6te

School Age https://bit.ly/3wTo1hL


Resources

Vooks (for video books)

Episode 99 of the SLP Happy Hour Podcast for more on Echolalia

“River Rocks” (Search on Amazon for River Stones, Kids Stepping Stones)


Session Ideas for Fluency

Make a Canva presentation to share stuttering facts (www.canva.com)

Create a virtual collage of feelings (Sarah creates Canva, Google Slides, or Jamboard visual with pictures from Google Images to create a virtual collage for emotions including cute, calm, interesting to start with)

Reading books (using fluency techniques, or sometimes this can be a time to focus on providing a safe space to stutter and being a person who receives that message and doesn’t correct the student) Ex) Sneezy the Snowman, Zora’s Zucchini , The Little Red Hen

Stuttering Books: Unstuck, I Talk Like a River, When Oliver Speaks, Stuttering is Cool


Exiting a Job Gracefully

How do you know when it’s time to leave a job? Start with self care and boundaries - if you are implementing your self care plan with fidelity and you are still feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or just unhappy with your work - it may be a workplace issue. Most burnout is caused by ineffective managers, an unrealistic workload and competing demands - listen to Episode 39 Burnout Is Not Your Fault for more on workplace systems that contribute to burnout (and the fact that most burnout isn’t caused by individual factors).

Some tips for exiting a job gracefully:

  • Provide sufficient notice (and whatever that looks like for your setting) whenever possible

  • Write a letter to your boss about your departure and make it generally positive if you can; if your work wants more information they will provide you with an exit interview where especially if you already have a job lined up you can usually be completely honest and workplace exit interviews show they are interested in hearing more

  • Try to tell as many coworkers in person as possible (or in an email if you must) so people can hear the news from you

  • Remember you cannot control how people will react to this news - that is on them

  • Finish up your own work (as much as you can), and create a note for the new SLP of things they will need to know to ease the transition

    The most important tip is this: you can only control how you leave, you cannot control the reactions of other people. You can tell people you are leaving (and tell it with grace), but you cannot control their reaction - their reaction is their responsibility

    Secondly, only you know your job situation, your team, and your boss. You may need to do something different to leave your current position. I trust you to make the best decisions you can - and you can trust you, too.


Links

Ask Us A Question: www.slphappyhour.com (scroll down for the form)

Connect with Us: www.slphappyhour.com/newsletter

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Slp-Happy-Hour

Episode 126: AAC Pilot Program

In this solo episode, Sarah shares how she’s implementing a systems-first approach to AAC at her clinic. This episode includes a discussion of how to get communication systems (for free), how to decide on a system, and ways to monitor if it’s working. 

Step 1 Identify who needs to be a part of this AAC program

Step 2 Research Systems

Step 3 Monitor Progress & Determine Next Steps  

Links

Parent Handouts for AAC: https://bit.ly/3vWm8Sc

Sarah Cruz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahcruzslp/

Contact: www.slphappyhour.com/contact


Episode 125: Learning About AAC - It Doesn’t Have to be So Hard (+AAC tips)

In this episode, Sarah and Sarie discussed different masking rules in Sarie’s setting (schools) versus Sarah’s Setting (clinic) and the confusion and conflict that has invited for families they see. This conversation isn’t about the hosts’ personal beliefs on masking, but rather the confusing messages regarding mask wearing and that the rules should be consistent between schools and clinics.

The cohosts also discuss four problems with AAC education (and how to fix them), and discuss gestalt language learning and AAC. Sarah and Sarie also share their favorite recent reads, with both nonfiction and fiction book recommendations.

Read more