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From: Jaime Hannan
Date: 19 Oct 2010
Time: 07:12:30 -0500
Remote Name: 74.83.213.115
Rachel, I just wanted to jump in as well and say that the comment you made is a VITAL realization (in my eyes) in the field of speech pathology, and well, life in general. AWESOME! I think that as you are learning about all of the different disorders (as you do in school), it may be easy at times to get bogged down by the symptoms and the causes and even the types of treatment. Obviously, this is extremely important information to learn (as you will use it on a daily basis in your job); however, being able to take a step back and look at your client as a whole is essential!! So many times you will have clients who do not fit that "cookie cutter" or "textbook" mold - they may have a specific disorder that may not show itself as you would expect...and suddenly some of the treatment ideas do not seem to fit this client. It is in these moments when your creativity and flexibility (such a key word in our field, I think...and a sKill that can take years to develop) come into play. By seeing the whole client - and with that I mean their life in all settingS, their family, etc. - you can learn to best help them. Listening to what your client says and also what they do not say is important too...sometimes your client's goals are way different than what you think they would be...or what your goals for that client are. In those moments, I always try to remember that my client is in the driver's seat and I am simply his/her guide. I will use the skills that I have, but also allow the client's wants to and needs to shape my treatment approaches as well. Just wanted to share those thoughts. Jaime.