12 Things It Takes to Be A Speech-Language Pathologist

What is required to be a great speech therapist? Above-average intelligence, kindness and a team spirit – to name a few. As we honor speech-language pathologists in May for Better Hearing and Speech Month, we reflect on 12 qualities SLPs possess and use in their delivery of care:

1. Compassion: Speech-language pathologists practice patience and empathy with their patients every day. A career in speech-language pathology indicates a strong desire to help people and serve the community.
2. Creativity: Speech-language pathologists use creative and innovative exercises to treat the individual needs of a patient.
3. Enthusiasm: Speech-language pathologists motivate patients during challenging treatments and recovery periods. SLPs identify what wills a patient to improve and incorporate that inspiration into treatment.
4. Intelligence: Speech-language pathologists possess a wide range of knowledge in communications, neuroscience and other disciplines such as linguistics.
5. Persistence: Speech-language pathologists work persistently to treat, rehabilitate, and improve the patient’s overall quality of life. SLPs who work with medically complex patients persevere when other clinicians may cast doubt on a patient’s abilities.
6. Adaptability: Speech-language pathologists are trained to evaluate, diagnose, and treat various communication disorders for both adults and children.
7. Resourcefulness: Speech-language pathologists keep their knowledge and skills current with the most up to date resources, such as the Directory of Speech-Language Pathology Assessment Instruments. They continue their education and attend conferences with others in the profession.
8. Versatility: Speech-language pathologists are trained to provide services in public and private schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, the home setting, research laboratories and other facilities.
9. Proactive approach: Speech-language pathologists find the best courses of treatment by proactively determining the nature and severity of the problem.
10. Team spirit: Speech-language pathologists consult with teachers, parents, and family members to understand the patient’s circumstances and later explain a patient’s progress.
11. Innovativeness: Speech-language pathologists continue to develop new methods and equipment to evaluate problems and establish more effective treatments. They utilize technology such as mobile applications when helpful.
12. Stellar interpersonal skills: Speech-language pathologists possess good communication skills and are pleasant and amiable with patients and other healthcare professionals.

To learn more about what it takes to succeed as a speech-language pathologist, visit the careers page from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Happy SLP Month to all of our hard-working clinicians!