Top Traits to Develop as a Speech Pathologist

Speech pathologists learn something new with every patient, but when we look at their combined experiences, certain constants transcend them all. Whether you are preparing for a new year as a speech pathologist at a school, or work for a private practice, there is always room to step back and consider what traits you can pick up to boost your therapy style.

Open-Mindedness

Speech pathology is one of the most flexible fields in the medical industry. One year you can find yourself working at a hospital, and then the next you may work within a home setting or at a research center. Remaining versatile and available to new ideas provides you the experience to work with many kinds of patients you can work with and learn from. Much like speech itself, you can expect your career to flex and mold into something unique.

Listening Skills

Some health practitioners make the mistake of over-explaining what they or the patient need to do without giving the client a chance to express himself. Knowing when to stay quiet and listen to your patient’s needs and their caretaker helps give both sides a better perspective on how to work together. You’ll be able to communicate more within a shorter time, and having yourself or the patient repeat himself less makes for smoother sessions.

Learning to Fail

With your new experiences come new challenges that you may fail to overcome. No career is safe from failure, but with a task as personal as speech pathology, it is important you understand that we are all human and make mistakes. Instead of trying to avoid tasks where these errors are likely, in many cases, it is more important to accept the possibility of failure and learn from your mistakes.

Compassion

Signing up for a speech language pathologist can be a trying time for many families. For parents who take their children to sessions, some are anxious about their child’s future. For adults who need courses themselves, some may feel that going is pointless or that no one understands their troubles. On your part, having empathy can be the most important factor of improvement for some of your clients. Knowing that there is someone who can listen to them can do a lot to help improve someone’s speaking skills.

Stay Motivated

Like any medical health field, speech pathology can be a challenging and exhausting task. Remember why you started the path towards this career in the first place. Take care of yourself so that you can care for your clients and motivate peers to do the same. If you are looking for a new position as a speech language pathologist, Ardor Health provides traveling health experts listings of available job placements.