r/slp

Hello! I’m 26 and started a great, stable job last year so I’m starting to look into buying a townhouse but I’m becoming discouraged by how much I will have to save for a down payment just to afford something decent. I’m also nervous about just doing life on a single income. Every other SLP (and person for that matter) I know is married with kids and that life just isn’t for me. I get nervous about the lack of room to grow financially in this field. A lot of people will reassure me that I will make more in the future but I know that it won’t necessarily be the case for me. I just would like to know if there are any other single SLPs out there and how they feel. I’m lonely and anxious and would like to hear some success stories! Thank you!

I have rarely struggled to get a correct “R”.

But oh my gosh, the palatal sounds are my enemy. I never hear other SLPs complain about them but they are the hardest sound to elicit!

It’s so hard for them to feel that the tongue isn’t in front, and rather in the “middle”. Or focusing on lip rounding.

Ugh! Bane of my existence.

Fair warning I am not an SLP I'm a respite care worker, however I couldn't find another place to post this where people would know what I was talking about.

I work with a nonverbal boy (10) and his family, they are strong believers in s2c. Like to the point that they have him in no other therapies except seeing his s2c practitioner. The whole situation is heartbreaking and I just don't know what to do.

I've seen him "spell" and his mother holds to board and points to the correct letter until he pokes it. They simultaneously believe he is a genius that taught himself to read while also treating him like a toddler. Of course, they don't notice this discrepancy because of cognitive dissonance and denial.

From what I have seen over the past year this child is severely intellectually disabled, and the poor family just can't accept it. It's an awful situation for all of them. He understands some of what you say, like key words he hears frequently, but not complex sentences like "I put the bagels in the cabinet". He won't look for said bagels and doesn't seem to understand, his family explains that away as a apraxia. He isn't potty trained either, also explained away as apraxia.

I've tried to gently suggest true AAC but they're very against anything that isn't spelling, it's like a cult. I think he would do well with something tablet based because he is able to touch or bring you objects that he wants. That's never going to happen though because mom won't have it. To some degree it angers me because he probably could communicate at least a little with real AAC. On the other hand it just makes me sad because I know his family is in denial and grieving who they thought he'd be.

I guess I just need to vent to people who get it. S2C is such predatory bullshit. Fuck the people who sell this snake oil to desperate families.

Just checking-How do you know if there's any promise at all a student will ever get the /r/?

I'm talking end of 2nd grade...constant max cues to get /r/ in isolation. We get it once or twice a session and then the next week it's like back to baseline as if therapy never happened. I've done the mirror, the mouth puppet, auditory discrim tasks, offering to teach both methods of elicitation: retroflex and bunched... bright kid but just can't get this and there's no progress. She complains it hurts to curl her tongue but doesn't want to do the bunched method. Would it be possible for her to acquire this sound as she gets older with more tx?

I feel bad but I can't see her having individual tx on a school caseload where the heavy ASD cases are the only individual sessions and parents will never go for private practice.

Nobody seems to understand that cognitive/academic skills don't equal perfect articulation. Teacher says "but she's so smart". Yeah I know, it's not a matter of intelligence, she just isn't getting this sound.

And not in a good way. I feel like since I started working, I became such a shitty version of myself. I find myself not being as patient anymore and just overall easily irritated. I feel overwhelmed at the thought of going in every day. I dread certain sessions. I have always had anxiety and I do have OCD and PMDD but I seem to have unlocked a whole new level of feeling like complete garbage within the past two years (started working in 2022).

At first, I attributed it to my toxic workplace that I was at since my CF. Then I switched jobs this school year, and while it isn’t as toxic as my last, there are still issues and I’m starting to think there might not be a “good” job for me in this field.

Maybe I am just in the deep pits of luteal hell (IYKYK), but I guess I’m just….. tired. It is getting harder to justify doing this job each year. Anyone else relate? 😩

So I’m a bit concerned and I may have to make a job switch. I have a special education meeting coming up and the director sent out an agenda ahead of time. I’m seeing something at the bottom of the agenda that starting next school year, we’re expected to make up sessions due to student absences. So if a student is sick, not in school for any reason, etc. I have to be making up those sessions. My caseload is approaching the caseload cap. I’ve never heard of this before. If a student is sick, I’m sorry, but it’s not my problem to make up those sessions. I recently just had a student miss two weeks of school for a family vacation. Once again, not my problem. That’s just a fact about the school setting, if your absent from school, you aren’t getting your services. I am very pissed about this, but I’m gonna see how the meeting goes and hopefully people speak up. I know I will. Because this is ridiculous. I know my director is very meticulous and has high expectations, but this seems to be crossing the line. Do any of you guys have experience with this?

Anybody out there not see this coming? I wonder if and when PRC-Saltillo will jump on board with a suit of their own. I know they've issued cease and desists in the past.

Hi all. I’m an RBT but I come in peace I promise 😭

My clinic uses a lot of AAC supports, including recordable buttons that can be customized to record a word/phrase (implemented by the SLPs across the hall). We use these buttons for a variety of purposes and have some mounted around the room that are used heavily (example, a button on the fridge that says “I’m hungry” when pressed).

Problem is, they keep breaking quickly. We’ve been using the Lakeshore brand ones and some others we’ve found online but they’re having to be replaced every few weeks. The ones that are designed for special ed use, like the Big Mack, are like $300 for one…

Looking for an option for recordable buttons that are durable and budget friendly! Can you help?

Edited to add: we have a speech therapy clinic across the hall and the providers at that clinic see nearly all of our clients. The recordable buttons were actually suggested and implemented by the SLPs, we’re just looking to land on the particular brand of button that’s going to be durable while still being budget-friendly. We use high tech and low tech of various types all around the clinic and devices are integrated into every single part of the day.

I had an initial screening interview phone call with a company. They seem really nice and legit. But the pay is less than I thought. It was advertised as $60 an hour on Indeed, and they said $55 in the call. I was caught off guard and did not ask about the discrepancy on the spot. I did ask if it was negotiable, and it is not. It is 1099, no guaranteed hours. Also, only reimbursed for billable time. This is significantly less than I make in EI. Granted there would be no driving, no gas, but I still have to pay all my taxes, health insurance, retirement, everything. If it was $55 with benefits and non-billable time, it may look different. My gut is telling me this is a "no", but I'm just disappointed.

Long story short, I graduated in 2018 and then went through a separation. That separation left me with 3 small kids on my own and an entire home with all the bills and no family for support etc. I ended up taking a virtual wfh job ( not speech related) as working outside of the home wasn’t an option.

Due to this I still need to do my CFY. Am I even hirable ? Should I hang this hat up and throw in the towel? I’m so ashamed and embarrassed by these circumstances. I have no idea what to do.

Any advice helps.

I’m a school-based SLP, and I have been trialing LAMP WFL on an iPad this year with a preschooler who has done amazing with it given the vocab builder. I didn’t really trial other vocabularies per se but sort of ruled out TD Snap Core and Proloquo2Go in my head based on other students who have these programs - I liked LAMP better for this student, and he took to it so quickly. I like the consistency and motor planning aspect of LAMP. I had PRC come out to trial some DME devices with my student (and again he did amazingly), but unfortunately parents‘ insurance is not covering 100%. I provided parents with all the info re: DME versus purchasing the app on an iPad and am waiting to hear back. Well in relaying all of this to the director and my preschool supervisor at our meeting, the supervisor is talking over me saying how expensive and ridiculous it is that this company is charging so much when they can just get the app, blah blah blah. She’s looking up random SGD costs on the spot and saying it could be as much as 15k. I later was able to get my word in about it being more like 6,000 but with a 10% coinsurance. I’m trying to explain the benefits of DME versus an iPad but I feel like they thought I was insane. I know the iPad with app can be a great option, and I presented both options to the parents without saying my personal preference since it’s their decision on cost, but am I crazy in my opinion that DME would just be better if it‘s possible? I mean wouldn’t we always prefer that even just to distinguish it as the dedicated speech device? I just feel really undermined, especially when I‘ve been working really hard with this student and this process, I have done so much freaking research, and it is my first time attempting to fund through insurance in the schools. Previously the district bought the app on a district iPad and the student couldn’t take it home. Also then Spec Ed director is like well on an iPad they have other communication apps too… and I’m like well that’s why we have trialed LAMP for months in therapy and in the classroom! I am 100% sure this will benefit him and already has! Ugh just frustrated. Thanks for reading my rant haha.

I’m looking over the RUC document on the fix SLP website regarding the proposed changes. Did ASHA really submit coding recommendations based on less than 100 survey responses?

Has anyone competed a SLPD Clinical Doctorate Degree? If so, where, and how was it? I am looking into this but I know it is fairly new and I would like to know as much as possible! Thank you!

When did you start REALLY feeling competent in your setting, and what did you do to get there? I’m about 8 months into my CF at an agency where I work with mostly preschoolers. Although a lot of my kids are making a lot of progress, my imposter syndrome is starting to become unbearable. I wake up with anxiety everyday bc I’m afraid to get things wrong. How long did it take you to start feeling really confident about your therapy, parent coaching and just having all (or most of) the answers? Are there any CEUs, or references that you recommend?

Hello! I just received a school based job offer through Amergis contracting company. The rate would be $65/hour and that’s basically all I know. What are good questions to ask? Do you have positive experiences with Amergis?

Edit: I did have a quick interview with the direct of pupil services. The information I was given was also very vague. If I agree to this contract, would they still be able to find a direct hire rule and cut me off prior to the school year starting??

Also let me know the setting ? I was thinking of atleast doing some remote but just wanted to know people’s salaries in Washington state ! Thanks !

Hi all,

I am currently taking a break from the school system as I am super burnt out on the paperwork and litigious meetings. I was considering home health but decided a clinic would probably be the best way to go because of the cost of gas and the additional stress of traffic and God forbid if we get Snow Mageddon again.

I'm being offered $60 per hour, and you are only paid for direct work. So, say I work an 8 hour day and have 12 30 minutes sessions, that would be $60 x 6 hours.

This seems super low compared to what I was being offered for home health.

Would i be crazy to take this??

I've worked for a decade in school districts of various sizes and with different populations. The last few I've been in my first large district and I'm not sure if it's just my district in particular, but I'm finding:

- limited top down communication in general

- if there is important information, it's sent in an email that most people don't read because it's so long and filled with various links

- limited collaboration time with teachers due to the number of IEP meetings and other school meetings (committees, professional development, etc.)

- different teams in different buildings function very differently, and those of us who travel across the district are expected to be flexible or work ahead to accommodate all the demands

If I'm burned out, it's because there are more thoughtful ways to handle all of the above. But advocating for myself (and students when necessary) and offering solutions doesn't seem to go anywhere with administrators.

Has this also been your experience? Or do you have tips for how to survive in this type of systematic dysfunction?

Sincerely,

It's May and I'm spending my summer job hunting...