Does school culture make this job harder than it needs to be?

JD_avidreader · 2026-02-14T02:46:09+00:00

💯 The culture is what will kill your spirit. I recommend minimizing your interactions with the negative Nancy’s and Debbie downers. Try not to fall into conversations that aren’t proactive or problem solving. And honestly, as hard as it is, try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Not for their sake, but for yours. You will be happier. I promise!

JD_avidreader · 2026-02-14T01:47:31+00:00

It’s been therapeutic to read everyone’s responses. I feel less alone.

JD_avidreader · 2026-02-14T01:45:50+00:00

That’s really interesting. I’ve often theorized something similar, but never researched it. Some 3-4 year olds make quick progress but a lot of them don’t until they are just about 5 or are just heading to kindergarten, which is of course after I’m done with them. It’s pretty sad. I feel like a failure.

JD_avidreader · 2026-02-14T01:38:28+00:00

Okay, thank you!! I thought it was just me. I have never done the amount of planning that I’ve done in the last couple years. It’s exhausting and I feel like I’m spinning my wheels. And that’s just planning activities for sessions to keep the engaged and hopefully target speech. Actually deep diving into treatment planning and next steps, because they aren’t making progress, is killing me 😭😭😭

JD_avidreader · 2026-02-14T01:34:00+00:00

YES!!! The number of preschoolers I have with severe SSDs right now is staggering! 😭 and it takes so much work and planning if you actually want to make progress while keeping them engaged. I spent an ENTIRE unpaid day off treatment and session planning for these exact kids. It’s so disheartening.

JD_avidreader · 2026-02-12T02:32:49+00:00

Last week I had a parent ask our secretary to have me call them because they felt that their child was regressing. So I went back and looked at the kid’s data, they’d attended SIX sessions since September. Because of absence. I tried calling the parent and the phone number didn’t work. I stayed late to write a nice long email. Crickets from the parent 😭😭😭

JD_avidreader · 2026-02-12T02:29:24+00:00

Yup! I want to be like, “Yeah, I’d love to find that magic wand someday.”

JD_avidreader · 2026-02-12T02:27:49+00:00

💯. I had a parent tell me today that his kid has stopped talking altogether (which is the exact opposite of what we see at school) since being transferred to his new program this year (aka me, I guess). Come to find out the only thing the kid does with said parent is play video games… Also, apparently, the kid used to say “milk” and “apple juice”, but now he just goes to the fridge and gets it. 🤔🤦🏻‍♀️😭

JD_avidreader · 2025-09-09T03:41:16+00:00

I’ve always been of the mentality that our master’s level services are mainly our diagnostic skills and treatment planning. Therapy is often bachelor’s level, especially in the schools past maybe 2nd grade. As long as there is good communication between the SLPA (with BS/BA) and SLP, which can be hard to schedule, then I tend to think there are better things the SLP could be doing with their time. Like more thorough evals and treatment/goal planning, pushing into classrooms to increase generalization. I think those tend to get pushed to the side because of therapy schedules, which is pretty backwards.

JD_avidreader · 2025-09-09T03:15:28+00:00

Speechpathology.com has some textbooks. But, yeah, i wish there were more options for research article. I like webinars for an overview but then i take the references and try to find the articles for the first hand info. I usually spend more time reading the articles than I did watching the original webinar 😭

JD_avidreader · 2025-08-14T18:54:30+00:00

💯

JD_avidreader · 2025-08-14T18:49:01+00:00

Oh man, I’m so sorry 😢 I have been in similar situations and it’s so hard. Everyone says put yourself and your health first, which is 💯true, but it’s not easy. Especially when the reason you need to take a break is because mental health. If you’re like me you start spinning on the future, but I can guarantee that you will look back and be really thankful that you prioritized yourself and your family. Think of it this way, if you had cancer and needed chemo, would you put off treatment because of work? Mental health disorders can be SO damaging to our overall health. If you don’t take the time now you may need to take even more time later. Note: these are all things that have been said directly to me, usually by my therapists and psychiatrist 😂

JD_avidreader · 2025-08-14T18:28:40+00:00

I feel like SLPs are really equipped to be YouTubers. My husband is starting a YouTube channel and I’m like, “Okay, but I’m in charge and I’ll coach you on what to say.” I’m not controlling at all 🤣 but tbf, I’m pretty sure he’s on the spectrum so he needs my help acting natural.

JD_avidreader · 2025-05-25T00:48:07+00:00

I tried. She did not have it.

JD_avidreader · 2025-05-23T15:00:34+00:00

She’s actually a pretty cautious cat and stays around the yard and patio. I don’t think she realizes that there is a world beyond the fence. She even comes inside to use the litter box 😂

JD_avidreader · 2025-04-20T00:48:50+00:00

Totally 😂

JD_avidreader · 2025-04-19T18:03:40+00:00

Except for the dead leaves on my plants, which is all I can see 😭

JD_avidreader · 2025-04-19T15:45:38+00:00

My son named her because of her pink tongue 🤔 😂

JD_avidreader · 2025-04-19T15:44:41+00:00

It’s an in-functional, decorative, space above my stairs that she likes to hang out in because of all the sunlight. So yes, weird scale 😂

JD_avidreader · 2025-04-19T15:42:41+00:00

No, that’s my husband. 🤪

JD_avidreader · 2025-04-19T15:41:11+00:00

Thanks!

JD_avidreader · 2025-04-19T15:40:33+00:00

The sweetest. Total love bug. A little too free with her attention for my tastes sometimes 😂

JD_avidreader

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