5 essential skills for every speech and language therapist
Here are five essential skills you need to have under your belt in order to enjoy a successful career:
- Empathy and patience
Successful therapists are empathetic and patient, as progress can be slow, and clients may face frustration during therapy. It is also likely that you will encounter clients that have been through traumatic accidents so it is important to sensitive in your approach.
- Communication skills
Strong communication skills are essential, as therapists need to explain complex concepts to clients and collaborate with other professionals. Where there is good communication, there is trust and trust is essential to building rapport with clients and most importantly, achieving the best outcomes.
- Adaptability
The ability to adapt therapy plans to suit each client’s unique needs is crucial. Successful speech and language therapists need encompass a range of skills in order to provide the best care, including adaptablty, problem solving and patience.
This obviously becomes a lot more challenging when planning for group sessions (especially with younger people!) as the content needs to suit a wide range of needs while also being engaging.
- Passion for learning
The field of speech and language therapy is ever-evolving, so a commitment to ongoing learning is a must. From working with people learning disabilities, swallowing problems and articulation difficulties, to sharpening your understanding of phonology and language expression – there’s so much variety in speech and language therapy. So if you’re a curious indiviudal who finds excitement in learning new concepts and working with a wealth of people from different backgrounds, then speech and language therapy is definitely a career to consider! Plus, you’ll never get bored…
- A passion for helping others!
Watching your client develop their communication skills – and subsequently, their confidence having worked with them over a long period of time is arguably one of most rewarding aspects of this career.
That’s why having a passion for helping others is a must for those considering a career in speech and language therapy.This passion is the driving force behind the dedication to continuous learning and the ability to connect with clients on a personal level. It also fuels advocacy efforts to ensure clients receive the support they deserve in various settings.
Does this sound like you? Get in touch with the Amaré Team via [email protected] today to find out more about our current speech and language therapy vacancies.