Sunday, October 14, 2007

Answer to BIG Question 2

Why do you want to be a speech pathologist or audiologist?

I thought that tackling this question first would be a good way to introduce myself, as well as set the tone for the rest of my posted responses to the BIG questions asked by Professor Wilson.


When I first started college I had no idea what I wanted to study, much less pursue a career in. I have quite an array of interests, so I thought that narrowing them down and channeling them into a career path would be difficult. I have always known I would like to work with people and I have a strong interest in the medical, educational, and professional fields. I have a passion for working with people and am always striving to help those who want help. I believe that as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) I have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others while combining all of the areas I am interested in.



Although I have never experienced what it is like to have a communication disorder, I know people who have. I have witnessed some of the emotional affects that communication disorders can have on people. It is very important to see the person first, but unfortunately many people see the disorder that is on the outside first. As a SLP I will be able to help people improve not only a client's communication skills, but also their quality of life.



I am a compassionate, patient, caring, and dedicated person. I will work hard to help my clients because I truly care what happens to them. I will be understanding and patient when progress is slow and will be enthusiastic every time they show improvement. If people coming to me for help are willing to work hard, I will work hard with them to help them overcome their obstacles where I can.

3 comments:

Kyle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kyle said...

You sound like you have a good grasp on what you are doing. Speech is very important, and I, too, have seen the frustration that comes with speech problems.

At one time, I was camp coordinator, and I had a child who was a nonverbal autistic. She would get frustrated because she could not relate verbally to what she was feeling, and sometimes she would lash out.

I'm glad that you have combined your passions into such a wonderful career, and I wish you the best.

Katy Lankey said...

Replying to your post was quite easy since we both want to pursue careers in speech language pathology. The statement you made reagarding how being a SLP is not only about helping people improve their communication skills, but there overall quality of life as well is so important. I feel that is our number one goal in becoming SLPs. I don't think a lot of people realize how important communication is, and if a person does not possess adequate skills he/she can suffer tremndously. I also agree with you on how it is important to see the person first and not the disorder. I think that is crucial this happens when working with clients. Overall, your post was great and touching. It lets people truly understand why you want to be SLP.