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00:00:01
Welcome Sour SLPs!
32 Plays2 years ago
Hey! I'm Victoria, a pediatric SLP who transitioned to a non-clinical role in 2019. Join me as I talk to guests about the flaws in our field and ways we can make it better.
To start a discussion about this episode or other relevant topics, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/TheSLPickle
Special shout out to The Narrative for their song "On the Ride." Thanks for the dreamy tunes!
Transcript
Introduction to SLP Pickle Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Hey, everyone. Welcome to the SLP Pickle, a podcast that discusses the more sour aspects of being an SLP. I'm your host, Victoria.
Exploring SLP Career Sustainability
00:00:11
Speaker
My guests and I will examine common challenges SLPs in direct care face and share unconventional ideas in hopes of making this career more sustainable. I'm really excited to see what solutions we come up with and test out.
Victoria's SLP Journey
00:00:41
Speaker
So I want to take a moment and share how I got here. I've been an SLP since 2012. My experience is primarily with Peds. I've worked in developmental preschools, elementary schools, middle and high schools, you name it. I've done a lot of private work as well.
00:00:58
Speaker
But I don't do this anymore. I don't practice indirect care anymore. As of 2019, I've been using my SLP license to work for a large managed care organization in their utilization management department. While no job is perfect, this opportunity has drastically improved my quality of life.
Challenges in Direct Care
00:01:19
Speaker
I still have fears honestly about it somehow slipping away, and I worry what I'll have to return to in direct care.
00:01:28
Speaker
So why did I leave the clinical world? Well, truthfully, I felt physically and emotionally exhausted, ineffective, constantly behind on work, and sometimes resented by my colleagues.
00:01:44
Speaker
On top of all of that, my income was so low that living without a roommate seemed like a distant dream. After working 10 straight sessions in a preschool followed by afternoons and early evenings seeing private clients all over New York City, I had to ask myself, how much longer can you hustle like this? The answer was not much.
00:02:07
Speaker
But I realize I'm not alone in this.
Navigating Nonclinical Roles and SLP Depletion
00:02:10
Speaker
I often have old colleagues, friends, and strangers reach out to me on LinkedIn asking for tips on landing nonclinical roles like the one I have now. I'm always willing to help in any way I can. But with every person I talk to, I'm secretly troubled by the idea that I may, in some small capacity, be contributing to the depletion of this needed profession.
00:02:34
Speaker
a valuable altruistic specialty that vulnerable people really need.
Fostering Long-Term Commitment to SLP
00:02:39
Speaker
And I left and I don't want to return to the conditions that I experienced in the past. So here we are and I have some hopes.
00:02:49
Speaker
I want to start and continue discussions about what makes this career so hard to commit to for the long haul. And I want to create a community of SLPs who teach one another how to advocate for ourselves.
Advocacy and Community Support
00:03:02
Speaker
I would love to see some ideas prototyped and experimented with.
00:03:05
Speaker
I know there are many complex layers to why we feel so burnt out. I know some of these issues may feel too big to tackle, but let's try to add to the voices of SLPs who have already started conversations. Let's get creative and bold and see what we can do right now to be happier and more fulfilled tomorrow.
Join the Conversation
00:03:25
Speaker
You can visit our discussions on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com slash the SLP pickle. That's the SLP I C K L E. Thanks for being here and for joining the ride.