about

Do you need to rediscover your Why as an SLP? If any part of your soul nods a slow yes, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome.

Field Notes from an SLP is where I remind myself and my reader of WHY we do WHAT we do.

After 27 years in the field of speech and language pathology, it is easy for me to become forgetful. It’s tempting to just grind it out in the rut, lulled into believing I’ve seen it all. Discouragement, boredom, and burnout sneak in uninvited if I forget.

So much of what we do as a professional happens in the quiet confidential confines of a therapy space. We are surrounded by people, but many many not understand our hidden struggles. Too easily we slide into thinking our work is unappreciated, undervalued, unknown.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

You have been called to be the look on his face, the tone of his voice, and the touch of his hand. You are to represent his presence and his love. You are placed where you are to make his mercy and faithfulness visible and concrete.” New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

It’s imperative to remember WHY you do what you do. Your look, your tone, your motive, bring mercy and faithfulness. Our world needs you now more than ever.

May you feel seen and heard here. May you find encouragement amidst fellow lovers of all things speech and language.

This is Me

I consider my career as a speech-language pathologist one of the greatest gifts of my life. It’s hard to believe I’ve been providing services for almost three decades but can honestly say I still love what I do. Mostly I’ve worked in public schools, with a little time in a private school and private practice sprinkled in.

But more importantly, I cherish my roles as mother and wife. Together with Todd, my teammate of almost 30 years, we have two daughters (24 & 16) and a son (21). A son-in-law recently added icing on the motherhood cake.

My daily mission is to wholeheartedly everyday delight in the Lord, abide in Christ and walk in the Spirit. When I forget my mission the wheels tend to fall off in every area.

We live on a longhorn ranch at the edge of a small college town in Southeast Kansas. Home is my happy place but if I’m being honest, traveling triggers every good thing.

I love all things STORY and have collected and shared my reflections on this big idea for the past 5 years on a blog called The Story Place. I’d love for you to jump over there some time and dig around the archives.