u/whosthatgirl13

Ok this is a silly observation, but it throws me every time. So Amy starts by talking about what was discussed during the good hang with her official guest. Then, it cuts to her saying hello to the zoom guest. But that zoom guest convo happens before the actual guest, right? So it’s set up like this:

Amy does her intro about the official guest and what was discussed (so episode was already recorded)

Amy says “hi so and so” over zoom (this happens BEFORE recording, at least I would think so, because Amy needs her question from them)

Start episode

Idk why, that sequence just throws me off 😆 I don’t care at all, I just wanted to see if anyone else noticed this?

My mom and dad live in a different state. They have a caretaker for my mom 2x a week, that’s the most I could get them to do in terms of getting help. My mom basically has dementia, and my dad is fading but not as fast (still working too). I moved away from them the beginning of this year, to a different state. I knew things would get worse, especially my mom and her mental state, but I also felt I had to live my life without resentment of them (I am 33 years old). Anyway, my brother went to their house recently and said things are getting worse. The house has issues that could result in the floor breaking, my mom does dangerous things, and my dad seems less organized. But they are also so stubborn, we’ve tried to talk to them about the future and they won’t do it.

They will not ask for help, like someone moving in (they have a house where someone could live there). I feel bad of course, but if they won’t change anything what can I do? I do constantly wonder if I will get a call that something has happened and I will have to fly out. I don’t want that to be the case, but I seriously feel my parents won’t do anything until needed (maybe a nurse coming in?). Sorry just kind of venting , not sure what to do. Thanks.

This is kind of just a vent, thank you for listening. I saw a psych report for a clinic for my client, mom sent me the report. In the report it says mom feels I should be work his language skills, not articulation, and feels speech therapy has not been helping him. In this same report it states this kid has other diagnosis (not autism I guess) that relate to him being oppositional/not listening. I just always hate hearing parents are happy, and worse when they don’t connect with me.

Honestly when I started with this client he was using a wide vocabulary, 2-4 word phrases, etc but I could not understand him, and others could not. The last Slp with him had intelligibility goals. Now, after 3-4 months of working with him, he has basically stopped talking in speech sessions and it seems in day to day life (ABA clinic and home). I will probably talk to mom, take a step back from artic, and work on functional commutation because what’s the point if he’s not even talking? It’s like selective mutism but not place-based?

Last thing, the psych recommend I work on following directions 😵‍💫 like 1. Why do psychs put speech recommendations? This is the second time this has happened, the first time they included working on eye contact. 2. This report listed a ton of behaviors, that don’t include speech. I think he doesn’t want to follow directions, so she’s basically saying “work on compliance”. Also he has ABA lol why wouldn’t they work on that? (Not saying I agree with that, but if someone did work on that wouldn’t it be ABA)?

Just in a funk. I have felt like I’m not doing great with most my clients (peds hh), and I’m so burnt out. I don’t mind hanging out with the the kids but the pressure to have kids make progress weighs on me so much. Sorry for the long post, thanks for listening.

Hi all,

I am currently in peds HH and don’t like it due to the cancellations and limited pto/stable pay (I’m in CO now). I worked in EI in CA, it was not perfect (still unstable pay, limited carryover, etc) but I liked it way more than peds HH. My preferred area in our field is functional language, I love working with EI age and older kids with aac/life skills. I’ve been working since 2020.

Anyway, I was pretty set on finding a school job soon because of the breaks and stable pay. However I’ve never liked the workload I’ve experienced in schools, and I don’t even get a say on the population. I did an internship at a school for kids who used aac only, I would love that. Anyway, an EI job appeared in my county, I’m tempted to apply. However, I don’t want to limit my skills to “only EI”, if that makes sense. What if I do need to work at a school later, and they mostly see EI? I don’t even try medical jobs anymore, since I don’t like dysphasia/have no experience. Has anyone ever felt boxed in due to their job? Thanks

I’m in peds hh. This is my forth month in peds hh. I’ve never had so many cancellations, trips, sicknesses, holds, etc. We have a policy where they have to attend 50% of sessions, but if they don’t we have to talk to them first, and then action may be taken. Ok so that’s me losing visits that whole time. Anyway, minimum visits are 22 a week for full time. I am doing probably 18-20 visits, with make ups. I am nervous because

1. I received a sign on bonus, and if it shows I am not “full time” (the 22 visits weekly), will they ask for the bonus back? I have to stay 14 months to not pay anything back.
2. My benefits, I haven’t even been able to use pto lol and it sucks anyway but when I quit, I’m wondering if they will factor that in? I don’t have insurance through them luckily

Just wondering if anyone has been through this. I have 27 clients, and again I have the annoying ones who are iffy about sessions, holds if doctors don’t sign on time, sickness, etc. I never cancel. Switching setting next year, just wondering if anyone has been through this? I can pay my bills, I’d like more money but for the time being I’m more concerned about my ft status. Thanks!

I am just wanting to discuss our field and want to hear from you all. What are 5 (or less) things you’ve been thinking about in relation to our field recently? I’ll go first.

1. Home health, ped or adult, seems to be best as a part time job, unless they offer salary and no minimum visits
2. The field is so big!! It’s interesting but I think certain areas should be separated somehow?
3. I think we should work with people 3 years max. Then there should be a break or therapist change, just to change it up. Or at minimum go to consulting for 6-12 months, to see how it goes without direct therapy
4. Why is paperwork so undervalued at this job, when it’s a big part? Who decided it should be less pay/no pay? Or not accounted for in scheduling
5. 99% of the time my least favorite part of the job is dealing with families or other providers! Even the most behavioral kids I don’t totally mind, I’m working on their communication not compliance.

Ok I recently moved away from my parents, and wanted to make a plan to go home for thanksgiving. My parents are aging, in their early to late 70s. My mom wanted to check with the rest of my family and ask what they are doing, even though we don’t usually spend every holiday together. Anyway I just booked a ticket because I want to go home either way and see my dogs, eat food, etc. my boyfriend and I can see my boyfriends family as well. Also the price went up $100 already, I didn’t want it to keep rising. When I told my mom the plane ticket prices were going up so I just booked them, she said “well they could have gone down later”. Also, when discussing a previous trip my dad said he is waiting to buy plane tickets so that they go down. Ok…???

Personally I think my parents are just very out of touch. Maybe in the 90s or 00s airlines used to reduce prices to get seats booked last minute, but that has not happened in this decade, from what I’ve seen. I’ve only seen $1,000+ ticket prices when trying to book close to your travel date. Am I crazy to think this, or are my parents actually out of touch?

I am struggling with this client overall so I’ll take any tips.

I see a 17 year old girl in home, asd. When I come for session she does not engage with me, she only wants to do playdough or color. Mom pulls out her aac device when I’m there, but the client doesn’t even look at it and doesn’t like me touching it. I bring my own stuff like playdough, coloring, etc and try to model language. I have brought activities like stickers, she seems interested but then throws the item and goes back to what she wants. She has pt, I asked what he does and he said he kind of works with mom to “make” her do exercises and then she gets rewards. But I can’t “make” her, like do hand over hand, with communication. I guess I could with her device?

Anyway, mom says she does not use the device at home at all, only at school. She will use 1-2 word phrases when she wants, like I’ve heard her say “Kit Kat”, “stickers”, and “no”. I would still have her bring out the device, but do I just focus on verbal words? What is the point of the device if mom is not even pulling it out at home? I have other clients in this same situation, but at least they use the device with me in session or imitate me when I use it. My client doesn’t even look up at me, the device, etc. I have been seeing this client for 3 months, with a few cancellations, and I’ve been working on rapport building. Some days it seems ok, but it’s never taken me this long to engage a client. Also last thing I will say, I love and support aac and I do love working with older clients. But I’m having a hard time with the client overall, I will take her even gesturing with me, or anything that is functional that she does at home.

I hope the title made sense. I am not fostering now, but one day when I don’t have to work I would like to foster. I was wondering if it’s rude to say something along the lines of “can I get a dog that I don’t have to train too much?”. I know it won’t be perfect at all, but I’m also not a dog trainer or super great with training. Again I can do basic things, but I see people online who seem like professional dog trainers or just are very good. I wasn’t sure if I needed to be that skilled, or if there’s another option to receive dogs who don’t need intense training. Thanks!

Hi all,

This is basically a vent, as I will be setting boundaries and not working today. Peds home health. I had 2 brothers who were sick last week, and they canceled. That’s fine. We were going to do 2 sessions this week to make up. However now I have a stomach bug, and *tmi here* I threw up last night and have stomach cramps today. I let the clients grandma know I have a stomach bug and she said “we can always do virtual”.

Lady I’m sick. I usually never cancel. We have done virtual just in case one brother is sick and the other isn’t. It isn’t so that I work while I’m sick. What is up with people?? We can miss some sessions, and I offered to make up again next week? I’m going to tell her too bad I’m resting today, see you next time (more professional lol) but 🤔🤔🤔 this profession is so weird to me sometimes, like who else would be asked to still work while sick? Also I’m already losing money here, I would not do this unless I had to.

Sorry everyone I have been posting a lot, just trying to figure some things out career wise. One of the harder things for me about schools is the fact families can sue or bring advocates to things. In all the settings I’ve worked in before, families can switch therapists or go to a different practice/company. Obviously I try my best, I’m not trying to commit fraud or something but knowing I could get in “trouble” freaks me out. I left one teletherapy job because I felt like I was messing up on IEPs (I was the case manager for 30 kids prek) and I got so nervous I left once the school year was done. However I will need to enter schools again because I’m currently in hh and the pay is not stable at all.

Anyway, has anything major ever happened to anyone? I know we all know to keep data, but what is enough data to hold up in court? My 5-10 circles and plus signs on a piece of paper with the date? There’s only so much I can track each session. I have gotten better about soap notes, but still. I also may be a little scarred because I had my teaching credential (not state license) suspended because I left a contract early, I learned my lesson… just to stay until summer :/. But if I can be affected by leaving a job early, what else can happen? I know there is no iep/Slp jail, so that actually helps lol it’s more my license I’m worried about. Thanks!

I plan on working at a school for 27-28 year. I am a little nervous it will be even worse than it is now, but I’m also trying to be optimistic?? Between the cpt codes maybe reducing in value or whatever, to Trump just overall, it’s frustrating. I just want decent pay and stable pay 😒

I will be looking into jobs in the schools next year. Originally I was only going to look at contract companies (small, not the annoying ones) in my area, because the pay is bad otherwise and I like that they usually have stricter rules about hours (can only work 7-8 hours a day, usually have to schedule IEPs within your hours, etc). One contract job has a retirement/pension connected to the state, idk how that works but that’s kind of the dream for me. However I saw one district that pays decently well and another Slp said they usually keep your caseload decent (no cap in my state, I think they said 45-50 students). Anyway…

I know most of the pros and cons of contract versus direct. Here is my question: is it easier to move from direct hire to contract, or visa versa? I know districts you have to stay for the year, I learned the hard way lol. However I’m nervous about a non-compete for a contract company, what if I find a good district and want to get hired? Any advice? Thanks!

I’m in peds hh, switching to schools next year because I hate this. I went into a sessions (in home) today and when I came in my 3 year old client put his hand up and said “no” towards me, and was crying. Dad was there, he said he’s having a hard day. I offered to cancel session, but gave him a choice. He had me stay for about 20 minutes. During this time the client (whose behaviors have been getting worse, no diagnosis) threw a clock at me, because he thought it was funny, not out of anger. Luckily I caught it. So then dad GIVES THE CLOCK BACK TO THE KID, no apologizes, nothing. The child then continues to throw the clock for fun and dad does nothing! Client then starts to throw a cash register toy, hurts himself, dad ends session. I was upset about the whole session, and I won’t even get paid as I need to do at least 30 minutes. I said no signature today, it’s consider a miss session, and walked out quickly (I did say bye).

Just the mix of disrespect from the dad, and lack of parenting, and the non-payment made me upset. I know the parent may not know about the payment part, it’s just how the system is set up. I now am going to not ask “should we do session”, I am canceling. If the client isn’t even going to learn that day, what’s the point? How can we help this kid if parents won’t even parent??? Anyway, for all you home health/private practice people, how do you deal with having a session cut short?

Hi all,

I am currently in peds home health. The paperwork itself isn’t too bad, but I didn’t know about the “paperwork/orders due every 2 month”. In California everything is based on 6 months or 1 year timelines (at least in private practice/EI). So I know schools will have more paperwork, but is it still like other places where progress reports are maybe every quarter or so, yearly IEPs, and triennial testing? I will be switching to schools next year, I was just wondering if there will be paperwork there every 2 months too. I believe adult HH and peds HH are merged in CO, so they get treated as if kids would make progress/things would change the same as an old person who needs HH. But it’s a lot!! Again the paperwork itself isn’t that bad, for me it’s the tracking/follow up paperwork after that. Thanks!

Ok I’ll probably be posting here a few times because I’m thinking of trying to work in the schools for a third time (only if I can find a decent company). It got me thinking which Slp setting would be ideal if workload is reasonable.

-schools
Can’t beat summers/breaks of course, stable pay, decent hours (as in usually not working late), working with students who maybe can’t get speech elsewhere

-private practice
1:1 focus with clients, time with the parents, less paperwork

-hospital
Faster pace/results, less paperwork, can maybe work your way up easier (I haven’t worked in hospital so correct me if I’m wrong lol I’ve just seen jobs listings)

-home health (peds or adult)
Breaks in-between clients, 1:1 focus, can have a flexible schedule (mine job doesn’t but usually I know they do), best setting to work with family, potential higher pay if you work more

What am I missing? I didn’t list any cons, obviously there are cons in all settings. Just curious about if you look at the good parts of a job, if there is a preference.

Sorry if that sounds weird to ask, I am a speech therapist. I like working with kids and/or adults with special needs, and would like to focus on aac devices. I see general job listing on places like indeed, but I would like to look for jobs through the actual location. Thanks!