There are countless reasons that I love doing what I do every day - but if I have to narrow it down to just ten, these are the best parts of my job!

1. I get to play with toys on a regular basis. Who doesn’t enjoy reliving a childhood game like Candy Land or playing with play-doh every now and then? Some days, I feel like a kid again.

2. I get to see kids’ faces light up when they use sounds correctly for the first time. It is so rewarding to see a child’s face when they say their name correctly for the first time.  The joy in their eyes is pretty hard to beat.

3. I also get to see parents’ faces light up when their child says a word for the first time.  Whether its “look, Mom” or “love you”, seeing a parent’s face when kids say something for the first time never gets old. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and just makes me happy. All your hard work pays off in an instant.

4. I am always learning something new.  There is always new research, new ideas, new people to collaborate with, and I am so grateful for that.  I feel like I will never stop learning in this profession.

5. I get to collaborate with other professionals.  At Jones in particular, I get to collaborate with Occupational and Physical therapists and figure out ways to intertwine our therapies. OTs and PTs have a different way of looking things, and can often give me ideas that I would never have thought of myself. It's great to see their point of view and watch them work.

6. I laugh everyday.  You never know what will come out of a kid’s mouth, and I could probably write a book full of the hilarious things they've told me and the stories they share. It would be a best seller. 

7. I get to combine medical knowledge with education.  I have always been intrigued with the medical field and come from a family of educators, so being an SLP really combines these two fields and creates the best of both worlds for someone like me.

8. I love seeing parents take ownership of the therapy.  Therapy doesn’t stop with the SLP.  It always brings me great joy when I see parents take ownership of the goals we are working on and begin to carry them over at home, which always translates to success in my therapy room.

9. Flexibility.  Whether we work in a school, private practice, hospital, or nursing home, there are so many different settings in which we can work.

10. I get to think on my feet every day.  Thinking on my feet and coming up with new ideas on the spot is an adrenaline rush for me. I get to do this on a daily basis.  When something doesn’t work, I have to come up with something else to try.  Sometimes ideas don’t work and sometimes they do.

Being an SLP is an adventure every day - an adventure that I'm so happy to be living!