Why I became a Speech and Language Therapist

My story. My why: Carving my path and story

I could say all the easy, obvious reasons—I wanted to be a speech therapist for many reasons: I want to help, I love working with children and families—and while those are true, the real heart and soul reason I joined the path of speech and language therapy is because...

I'm a storyteller.

I love to tell stories, I love to write stories, I love to watch the world go by and watch over people's stories in all the small everyday acts of connection and kindness.

I became a speech & language therapist because I’m a storyteller and wanted to help children tell their stories, discover their self-expression. I remember writing my personal statement for university. I don’t remember the exact details, and I didn’t keep a copy of it (although I do wish I had).

But I do remember writing about communication and expression being at the heart of childhood and wanting to help children communicate and express themselves and the things that were important to them. As a little backstory, I have already worked with children, first in Sure Start Children’s Centre long before I even knew what a speech and language therapist was.

For me, at its heart and essence, the real soul work of communication is self-expression—the freedom to be found in our own stories—and that is why I do what I do, the way I do it. I want children to feel truly empowered, at ease with their own voice, and confident in who they are without needing to change or bend for society. Their unique and preferred communication style matters.

It matters for us all

The work I do as a therapist feels like an unfolding—not a changing or fixing, but unfolding to help the people around the child, the ones who love this child the most, see who they are, breaking down the ideas of what communication should look like.

The way we communicate—the way we talk, our voice, the way we write, our words—is the essence of our being, intrinsically a part of who we are. Bu doesn't define us, because we are always so much more. To feel heard, our communication and our voice must be valued and celebrated exactly as it is, in its authentic self.

That’s my why, to help children tell us their own stories.

If my story resonates with you and you’d like to hear more about my stories and how they can support children’s language and communication,

Your invited to join my newsletter community.  Let`s Talk. You can join here

We all have our unique communication style. I am powered by dyslexia. This means I have big heartfelt stories to share that might include small typos and errors. I'd love for you to embrace and own your own unique communication style, too.