10 HONEST TRUTHS you NEED to know BEFORE becoming a Speech Therapist

[@teachermade766]

We need more diverse people of color in this field.

[@hparkspeech]

Agreed 1000% !! 🤗

[@Lindsey__Washington]

So truee!! I'm actually studying Communication Sciences and Disorders in College!😃

[@vivianalizama8485]

Love this video! I am a Spanish native speaker thinking of getting my license as an SLP in America. You really embrace us to make this field more diverse!

[@hparkspeech]

Go for it! Here are a few Spanish-speaking SLPs you can check out, to see if this is something you're interested in pursuing: bilingualspeechie.com/ and on instagram @geekbarbara, @abilingualslp, @latina.speechie

[@tazbod6723]

I did not know that the profession lack that much diversity. That's upsetting. My ex- wife was a PA in, mostly in the public school system, and she is biracial (African American and Caucasian). She never mentioned it, but I guess I should have known based on who her friends were who were also line of work. I hope that improves. Thanks for pointing it out. Wow!

[@LeeLee-eg4uw]

Love this, thank you! I am currently in grad school. I’m the only person of color in my program and after looking up the stats on diversity within the field, I was shocked at how low the numbers were. Videos like this are super helpful. Subscribed!!

[@hparkspeech]

Yes, you are not alone!! Sending good vibes your way~

[@realtalkswithjon]

Love this!!! Videos like this are so needed in our profession.

[@hparkspeech]

Thank you Jon, yours are so informative and needed to

[@Ann-pn9or]

with 40 years experience, I have worked in every setting you can imagine in 3 states. Public schools are the worst! Territorial teachers who never left the state, went to college and went back home to work will make your life hell. Too many kids on the caseload, the paperwork that goes with that is ridiculous and the scheduling, so difficult, esp. when the teachers dont want you taking the kids out of their class (unless they are behavioral)...and most of them are actual behavioral issues these days. Home health, you will drive to Timbuctu only to have the patient that you called an hour ago to make sure they are home, are not home. No charge for that! Nursing homes at least have all the patients under one roof unless you go to multiple facilities, which is usually the case with larger corporations. They can be flexible for scheduling, but lots of fraud going on there because of Medicare Part A. Finally, seeing kids in a clinic is the best, and I can't believe I am saying this, but it's fun, it's rewarding, it's difficult because most of these kids have a poorly educated parent (only one) and dont bother to work with their kids, very sad cases. 4 year olds wearing diapers and sucking a pacifier are expected to do an hour of therapy twice a week. Put on your running shoes and come up with ways to entertain these kids with a 20 second attention span and then justify what you did was called "therapy," because, you know, Medicaid wants to know... All that to say this: PT is so very boring, OT teaches toileting skills (need I say more?) and I wouldnt do anything different. Plus, you can do it until way after you retire if you stay healthy.

[@harleyquinn5531]

So medical slps are better??

[@carolyncouch4094]

I recently retired as a speech pathologist and I worked in 7 states and multiple settings. I could get a job anywhere I applied. Tbe jobs were plentiful but very stressful. Way too much paperwork in the school system and you are surrounded by people who don’t understand what you do so you are constantly explaining yourself. The federal guidelines for paperwork is ridiculous. Nursing home speech therapy seems fraudulent to me for dementia care with a 90 year old. I feel a consultative approach is best for them but it money is the bottom line with these companies and you can’t do that. Clinics seem the best but you have clients back to back and it’s difficult. Just glad I’m retired. If I could go back and do it over again, I would have been a PTA and spend more time at home .

[@elenaaraujoborisoff6169]

​@carolyncouch4094 you would have been a PTA? - a physical therapy assistant? So you would not recommend SLP as a profession?

[@carolyncouch4094]

@@elenaaraujoborisoff6169 Maybe you should ask SLP’s if their daughters (or sons) have followed in their foot steps. There is no perfect job out there when you work for someone else. To each his own when it comes to happiness, but you can see from my original comment that I’m glad I’m retired.

[@alexiacrayton5082]

Hi Ann! This was such a great comment with an in-depth gauge of what we might encounter when looking into a careeer as an SLP as well. I’d love to hear more as I’m sure would others!! Have you considered making videos as well??

[@momnaaa]

Love your channel! 💕💕

[@hparkspeech]

ahhh really?! eeepp thank youuuuu 💛💙💜

[@jessicazumbach3672]

I’m really considering this….finished my Spanish major and I’m bilingual thanks to spending 5 months in Spain and living with my host family…We shall see

[@hparkspeech]

Ugh I am so jealous!!! That sounds like a blast..

[@samgg5431]

Im white so i absolutely love seeing other white slps. Similar to how you like seeing other asian slps as an asian woman! Support ur people! Go get em girl!

[@NoStressSLP]

Fantastic video. You hit some key points. Keep sharing about our dynamic field!

[@hparkspeech]

Omg, thank you!! I love your financial insights for our field!

[@srinithis3328]

Currently in high school. Planning to become a speech pathologist. Ur information is very valuable as there are many less ppl who Provide genuine advice and information Would very much like u to post any video related to this

[@hparkspeech]

Hi, I'd love to help out, can you clarify what information you'd like? Is it how to be a speech pathologist starting from high school?

[@samanthakrueger-gundy2998]

Hello! I am currently beginner intermediate in Spanish and am working towards fluency. I'm wondering what proficiency of the language do we need? For example, do you conduct entire sessions in another language besides English? Or do you just use it when needed in sessions? Do you mostly use it to communicate with parents? Thank you so much! Great video btw :)

[@hparkspeech]

Hi! I would say enough proficiency to speak with the parents and explain to them the child’s strengths, weaknesses, strategies to support at home and their goals. You should use parent-friendly language, not fancy terminology so they can understand. And yes, there will be cases where the students will come to you knowing zero English, which then you should conduct the session 100% in another language. Best of luck to you Samantha!!!

[@attitude1554]

I love💖 your face expressions🥰😚🤗 and way of talking is just superb💯❤💕

[@christinebrumbaugh884]

Hoping my daughter can do this in an elementary school or hospital someday. Thank you for the information. Looking into colleges right now. Really good advice. Would love to see a video on an actual day in the classroom or hospital with a student/patient. It is difficult to job shadow due to the visitor restrictions with Covid. Thank you for allowing us to get a good idea about All of the different opportunities out there! Interesting information too about the lack of diversity in this field. My daughter would be an awesome voice for the community.

[@hparkspeech]

Hi Christine, I have a few Day in the life videos showing a few of my remote sessions during COVID and in person sessions at the school setting if you're interested :) We'd love to have your daughter join us. I'd recommend she research/shadow/interview/volunteer so she can get a better idea before committing to this career path. If she has any questions, please lmk, and I'll be sure to address them in a future video.

[@margaritadelacruz6265]

I’m a newly licensed SLPA, I found your video so interesting! Love all the stuff you touched on. Especially the ASHA part lol. Is there a way to get around the membership? Like paying the non-membership fee instead? I heard from an SLP here in CA, that ASHA membership is technically not REQUIRED to practice BUT lots of jobs require/prefer ASHA certification.

[@hparkspeech]

Hey Margarita! So it's $199 for certification without membership, which only saves you $26 -__- Unfortunately, I believe all jobs require the certification from ASHA. This is a hot topic amongst SLPs right now, because many of us believe we should be able to practice with state licensure alone. Thanks for your question!

[@venegirlhouston]

Just to piggyback. I have spent the majority of my SLP career in rehab and we are the only discipline required to certify through our national organization, which is expensive and unfair. PTs and OTs don’t have to and neither do therapy assistants.

[@hparkspeech]

@@venegirlhouston @margaritadelacruz6265 Agreed!!! I'm so glad you bring that up and I feel the same way. There's been a lot of discussion about this exact issue. If you don't already, follow @fixslp (fixslp.com/) ! They've given us a lot to think about and it's through them I discovered I don't even need my CCCs to practice here in NY. I'm even considering dropping my CCCs this year, because maintaining the fees has offered no value to me...

[@musicrase66]

I’m really interested in this field, but the only thing stopping me is the cost. All the programs near me are sooooo expensive and I already have a lot of loans from my bachelor’s, I don’t know if it’ll be worth it to do this if I’m going to have to take out more loans.

[@hparkspeech]

Hi musicrase, it is a legitimate concern that many of us SLPs speak out about now that we're on the other end of the process.. Many seasoned therapists warn against this field for the cost alone.... Please do extensive research on what the market rate/salary of an SLP would be for your area, and see if it would be an income you can comfortably live off of, after paying those monthly school loans. If being an SLPA in your area is possible, I would start out as an assistant before pursuing graduate studies. Try observing and shadowing multiple therapists across all facilities (private practice, hospital, nursing home, schools, daycares, and more) so you can get a feel for what the job would look like day to day, and interview each therapist thoroughly. Ask them all the pros and cons, and what it cost for them. Look into graduate assistantships and/or pursuing a bilingual extension, because schools give out scholarships for those programs, although may be competitive... Or consider online programs because they might be cheaper. My last piece of advice would be to ask this same question to a large SLP facebook group because I am sure you'll gain clarity there. I generally warn against going into more debt because although you can get Public Service Loan Forgiveness, debt in general is debilitating and crippling. I wish you best of luck

[@heal5957]

Hello its a helpful video! im currently 17 and I want to be a speech therapist its literally my dream job Im trilingual , I speak spanish french and english my question is : do i have more advantage and if yes how can i take profit from it? 😊

[@hparkspeech]

That's amazing for you! I would say you definitely have an advantage. Once you've passed the language exams and become certified, you can market yourself as a trilingual speech therapist and offer evaluations in the client's native languages and provide bilingual therapy. I'm sure many families will reach out to you because bilingual SLPs are few and far between. Good luck!

[@sarahwillingham9579]

Please do make on one scheduling!

[@hparkspeech]

Hi Sarah! I made a scheduling video here! Hope it's helpful ^___^ --> kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJ3IpXSEodZ7ms0

[@rachelyau1516]

As a undergraduate student, I'm really interested into going into this field as it combines multiple academic aspects I like- such as biology, language and education- with several values that I hold deeply such as helping others and open lines of communication. I've always felt undervalued and misunderstood as a kid, so I deeply do understand the importance of learning how to communicate. I'm also excited to learn to work alongside different clients with different needs. As an SEN student myself, I always try to understand different needs and accommodations. Thanks for this video! I'm excited to see what the future has in store for me :D Could you give me any suggestions regarding how to get into grad school, a typical day's work as an SLP and such? Thanks!

[@hparkspeech]

Hi Rachel, thank you for sharing your experience. You're right, this field can be very rewarding as you have a direct impact on patients' lives. You would also know first hand how to be an empathetic therapist as a SEN student. I have a few day in the life videos on my channel that you can check out. & I'll add grad school tips on my list :) Best of luck to your journey! We are excited to see what the future has in store too~

[@SaraStar7373]

I'm currently teaching English in South Korea and I'm planning on returning home to NZ to study SLP ^.^ what a great, insightful video!!

[@hparkspeech]

ahhh! I've always wanted to try teaching English in Korea, that's so cool. How's your experience so far? Thanks so much for watching Sara

[@dw9676]

I just recently discovered my love for speech and language as a freshman acting student in college! this video helped me so much with finding out what is required and i cannot wait to start! i'd love to learn more about this field

[@hparkspeech]

That's awesome!! If there's anything else I can clarify or answer for you lmk

[@tmw5520]

Ugh I’m a speech therapist. A good one. I work well with kids. But I hate giving feedback to parents. It makes sense in my mind but it usually comes out sounding weird.

[@hparkspeech]

I get that. It can be a sensitive topic to bring up to parents. When you say it comes out weird, what do you mean by that? For me, I always try to reframe my words positively. Instead of calling something a "weakness" I call it a "growth area." Instead of "your child can't do this this and this" I try to say, "in class they're expected to do ABC, and I observed your child needs XYZ support to complete them," and I also ask what the parents notice at home, rather than me bringing it up first. And doing a positive sandwich, start with something I like about the kid, some things they're working on, and ending with a positive as well.

[@jinxdandan]

I am interested in becoming a SLP in the future, but I am worried about the diversity problem and also I am an international student. Your video motivates me a lot!!

[@hparkspeech]

Hi Quincy, I hear your concerns and empathize with you. I was the same way, but now I see that my bilingualism is an advantage more than anything. I hope that one day, you will see how much value you could bring to our SLP community. We could really use people like you! Thanks for your support, it means a lot Quincy that my video helped you. Have a great day! 😊

[@jinxdandan]

@@hparkspeech Thank you so much for your reply, I hope to see more videos from your channel. Have a wonderful day

[@AE-yt4lx]

Monolingual SLPs are not being hired as much as bilingual ones.

[@May-tq1mx]

Hi,are you from China?

[@miriamsanchez7933]

I love your video, I'm bilingual speech therapist and I totally agree, may be difficult fit in the field

[@hparkspeech]

Thanks for your insight love 💜 it do be rough out here 😅

[@char6081]

I’m a first generation African kid and I wanna be a pillar for all the little black or non white kids to come after me. I’m really considering speech pathology as opposed to architecture (an also majority white field lol) it’s hard knowing what u wanna do at 17 but I do know I wanna make a difference in others, especially children’s, lives

[@hparkspeech]

@char6081 That's awesome!! I love that your heart is in the right place and I hope your dreams take you far. You're still young and still have time to figure out what you like. Keep us posted on your journey! :D

[@dfacia]

Awesome video! I am a first year SLP grad student. Thank you!

[@hparkspeech]

Ahhh good luck David!!! Hooray a male SLP 😁

[@char6081]

I can definelty see u being a slp because u are very expressive! What did u major in in undergrad? Thanks!!

[@hparkspeech]

haha thank you! I majored in Linguistics because my school didn't have the Communication Science and Disorders major but it was close enough that I only had to take about 2 extra prerequisites for grad school. Hope this helps!

[@briannasanchez8104]

Thank you for making a video about entering the field of slp it was super helpful and really eye opening :)

[@hparkspeech]

ahh ofc Brianna! I plan to make more soon hopefully xD

[@thesaiyanpath7914]

white people can be bilingual. weird to bring up race

[@hparkspeech]

The statistics refer to the Member Profile that ASHA publicized. To be a bilingual SLP, there is an additional academic track, with more courses, training, exams and certificates. Sure, white people can be bilingual, I meant to say that in the SLP world specifically, many of them are not trained/certified to provide bilingual speech services. Hope this gave some clarification.

[@juliakelly8405]

Yeah, I saw an SLP class and it was 100% white, mostly blonde women… I fall into that category.

[@mayacallahan2773]

I love this video SO much it’s really really well done and gives me all the information I was looking for! Thanks for taking the time to make this🥰

[@hparkspeech]

SO glad it was helpful! :D

[@cuongtrancuong52]

Hay quá

[@relaxin2074]

Thanks for your videos, they are sooo helpful. What percentage of my week would I expect to be doing face-to-face tasks versus writing-based tasks, if I went into speech path? E.g. direct client work versus report writing, emails etc. Thanks in advance for your reply, it's so hard to find specific information like this online.

[@hparkspeech]

Ahh thank you!!! So I would say it depends on the placement. If you're working for a public school, we're limited to 8 (30 minute) sessions and 30 minutes for paperwork per day. One time per week, we get 45 minutes for IEP reports, and other paperwork. When I was working for an agency in the school setting, we got paid fee-for-service, so all my paperwork had to be done before/after work hours aka my weekend lol. At nursing homes, I think I had about an hour to max 1 hour of paperwork and the rest of the time was direct face to face tasks. Hope this helps!

[@lizalaartistka]

Hey, which college did you attend? I live in NYC and am wondering if Lehman college is a good program! :)

[@hparkspeech]

Hi Lisa! I went to Stony Brook University. I think I heard good things about Lehman but honestly I'm not sure. It's been a loooong time since college days, and things could've changed by now. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!

[@lizalaartistka]

@@hparkspeech No worries at all girl! Much appreciate you even answering this :) Wishing all is well :)

[@hparkspeech]

@@lizalaartistka aw of course!

[@alexiacrayton5082]

This is was such an awesome, informative video, Heather! I’m writing this before it’s finished but already you have covered so much and have given me a lot of insight on what to expect and how to prepare for starting school in January and beyond!

[@hparkspeech]

Wow thank you so much Alexia!!! Best of luck with school in January!!! Lmk if there are other questions/topics you'd like me to cover :)

[@emelyannett]

My primary language is Spanish. I wanted to be a SLP but I was rejected for 3 years in so many programs. That was disappointing. Now I am a BCBA. I still have my undergraduate in CD&S. Till now, I feel sad that I never get to be a SLP.

[@hparkspeech]

Hi Emely, I'm so sorry you were rejected that many times, you must've felt defeated. You clearly have a heart for this field. That bachelor's degree can still be put to use, don't give up hope! I would check if it's possible to be an SLP assistant, I know that's not an option in many locations. There are also other ways you can be in the field, like teaching English as a second language, being a translator, or working as a parent/patient advocate for families navigating the school/medical process with disabilities. I also know of many tech companies looking for experts in language, as new AI tools are being developed. Especially for a Spanish speaker like you, you can provide value and insight to people as a non-SLP. I'm curious to know where you'll end up, SLP or not, you'll have to keep us updated where you end up! Best of luck to you love ♥Sending good vibes your way~

[@fanyuqing6125]

Heather, you speak English very well just like a native! I am currently majoring in this field and English is not my first language so I really struggle a lot, love your video!

[@hparkspeech]

Learning languages as an adult are a struggle for sure. I learned English as a second language when I was a toddler so I had an easier time for sure. You can do it, don't give up!

[@402claire]

Hey Fantyu, I just got admitted to the SLP grad school and English is not my first language as well. Quite nervous abt it aww. I am quite curious abt which part of the schooling do you find most difficult as a second language learner?

[@char6081]

Did u double major in deaf studies? My school counsler suggested that I do!

[@hparkspeech]

I didn't double major in deaf studies but I can definitely see it being useful for this field! I'm so envious of people who know how to sign and want to learn myself 😭 I would recommend you take that route if you're genuinely interested and see yourself specializing in serving the Deaf community.

[@Dandelion_flight]

Are there a lot more females doing this course than males? I seem to see that it is a very female dominated field 😁

[@hparkspeech]

Oh 100%. The most recent data states that males make up 4.3% of the field. Def female dominated. www.asha.org/siteassets/surveys/2022-member-affiliate-profile.pdf

[@Dandelion_flight]

@@hparkspeech 😢 is that a bad thing then if a male would like to become a speech pathologist? Would it be disadvantaged?

[@hparkspeech]

@@Dandelion_flight ​ In my opinion, I think male SLPs can be a role model to boys in a way that female SLPs cannot. But again, I'm not a male so I can't speak for the male SLPs. Maybe if you DM male SLPs, they can give you firsthand insights? I only know of @realtalkswithjon and @speechdude but I'm sure there are more. I think I've seen a few on the SLP subreddit. I also found this article from last year that may be helpful: www.salus.edu/News/News-Stories/Q-A-The-Gender-Experience-in-Speech-Language-Patho.aspx

[@char6081]

@@Dandelion_flightno it would be amazing for little boys to have a role model!! Yes women are more nurturing but men offer different things as well.

[@mimipeq3000]

Hi Heather! I have a Bachelor’s in Psychology…is it called Master’s in Speech Language Pathology?or Speech Therapy? Are they the same level of education? Also, is there a lot of Math subjects in it?😬 thanks

[@hparkspeech]

Hi Mimi! For BA, it can be called Communication Sciences and Disorders or even a different name like Linguistics. You will need to make sure the program offers prerequisites necessary to apply for graduate school. But like you said, at the Masters degree level, it can also be called Speech-Language Pathology. As long as the program is accredited you should be fine! I wasn't good at Math and I don't remember there being many, but you will need a Statistics course. Good luck! :)

[@our.secret1130]

Been searching high and low for this content

[@hparkspeech]

Really!!! Did it deliver on everything you hoped and dreamed of? 🙃

[@our.secret1130]

@@hparkspeech yes and more!!! Off the charts #value!! Thank you beautiful! P.S., got my grad school acceptance letter yesterday!!!

[@hparkspeech]

AHHHH congratulations!!! I know firsthand how difficult it is and how hard you must've worked for it. Time to celebrate!

[@youknowitsjackie]

I am undergrad who is majoring in csd, i was given the privilege to receive my AA in highschool, and i stayed in a top state school. Do you have any recommendations, i’m minoring in linguistics since i sadly can’t start the major because i have to apply to it which occurs only once a year and coming in with my AA degree as a freshmen I have to wait, originally people apply their sophomore year at my school, but i wasn’t at college yet lol. what should i do in the meantime?

[@hparkspeech]

Hi Jackie, I was also a Linguistics major in college and was able to apply for graduate programs with it, because as long as you fulfill the prerequisites, you should be fine. I'm not really sure of what your situation is..., you can't apply until next year you said? Maybe in the meantime, you can join speech related clubs, and take the year to triply make sure this is the career you want to pursue because it'll be a long road ahead. Please comment with updates your journey, and I wish you best of luck ☺️

[@tinypochacco99]

Thank you for making this video! It was very informative for me ^__^

[@hparkspeech]

of course!!! I hope it helped

[@londonmatthews5182]

Do you have to wear a uniform ? Or can you wear what you want as long as it's appropriate?

[@hparkspeech]

Hi London! It highly depends on the setting, mostly in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, we wear scrubs (my favorite! like PJs lol) and white coats, whereas in school settings, it's more casual (jeans, sneakers, whatever you like as long as it's appropriate) are you currently on the SLP journey?

[@vavaspen]

Congrats on this video!! Honest, real and informative. Thank you so much!!

[@hparkspeech]

Thank you so much!!

[@AvaniBorton]

What did you get your undergraduate degree in?

[@hparkspeech]

I have my bachelor’s in Linguistics ~ I think it made me a stand out candidate instead of the usual CSD track. Plus, my college didn’t offer the speech major at the time

[@jthomps733]

Do you get paid during the summer and winter when you work in a public school? I’m looking into going back to Grad School for Speech Language Pathology

[@hparkspeech]

Hi J, yes I do! I get paid for all vacation time, summer, winter and spring break because I work for NYC DoE public schools. But I wasn’t paid for vacation when I worked for an agency. Oh cool! What did you study in grad school and what peaked your interest for speech pathology?

[@홍-i4p]

Thanks for video!😊 올해 한국에서 언어치료학과를 졸업한 후, 미국 대학원에 관심이 있었는데 영상 잘 보고가요 :)

[@hparkspeech]

잘 봐주셔서 감사합니다~ 🥹

[@hparkspeech]

대하권에서 성공하길 바라고 화이팅해용~ ^_^

[@harleyquinn5531]

2:12 But wouldn't it be hard to get a job if you go to the cheapest school possible...??

[@hparkspeech]

Hi, love your name haha! Not necessarily. I've spoken to many SLPs who went through online programs, and literally nobody cares where you graduated from because as long as it's an accredited program, you pass all your externship experiences, and tests, that alone speaks to your capabilities. When you apply for a job, it'll be the routine clinical based questions and whether or not you have a state issued license. In my opinion, it truly does not matter. That's one way speech pathology is different from other fields, because once you become licensed, that alone legitimatizes you. Hope this helps!

[@harleyquinn5531]

@@hparkspeech haha😅❤️. Oh okay. Thanks for your help!!

[@our.secret1130]

Hi do you recommend this career? Thanks?

[@hparkspeech]

Hi! I think it is a rewarding career, but like all jobs, it can be difficult. When deciding whether or not you should pursue this field, I would weigh out all pros and cons and do an honest self-reflection. Best of luck to you!

[@our.secret1130]

@@hparkspeech thank you for your reply! Do you have any speech specific thoughts on this? I know almost all jobs come with difficulties

[@arturo8475]

ni hao