I was lucky enough to be on the Edverything Education podcast a few months ago (check it out here!) and before we pressed “record,” Nicole and Danielle asked me why I chose to become a speech language pathologist. In honor of #BetterSpeechandHearingMonth this May, I want to share my answer with you!

(well, actually, my two answers!)

Here’s the easy reason…

Back in 2012, I was an overwhelmed D1 college athlete and my academic advisor asked me what elective I wanted to take during the spring semester and our conversation went like this:

“What’s the easiest elective you have?”

“Um, some of the football players liked sign language…but I recommend a course that will help you with your pre-law major”

“No, I think I’m gonna change my major…I don’t want to go to grad school.”

“Okay, are you sure?”

“Yeah, sign language is fine.”

Soon after, Intro to Sign Language turned into Intro to Speech Language Pathology which turned into changing my major, going to graduate school, completing a clinical fellowship and becoming a licensed SLP.

But here’s the REAL reason I chose to be an SLP (although, yes, I do love sign language).

I chose to be an SLP when I realized that I would have the ability to to make someone’s life easier, to help someone every single day, and most importantly, to spread kindness. At first, I believed kindness was choosing a career built upon service. Kindness was giving the gift of communication to those for whom it is not innate. Kindness was playing Candyland five times a day because it was the only thing that motivated my client. But years later, I now believe, that kindness is bigger than that. Kindness picks up the pieces when the world comes shattering down. Kindness pays it forward, smiles at a stranger, offers a hand to hold. Kindness is so much bigger than a professional with a fancy degree. And while we may not all have the opportunity to serve others through our chosen career paths, we all have the opportunity to serve others through the way we live our lives, the way we choose our words, and the way we teach our children to do the same.

I am so thankful for the field of Speech Language Pathology, the families it has connected me with, the friends it has revealed to me, and the confidence it has given me to create my dream life.

May 1st is the start of #BetterSpeechandHearingMonth and we have the chance to celebrate all things speech, language and hearing! Here on the blog, I will be sharing an overview of speech language pathology - from diagnosis to discharge - so stay tuned for more! If you’re an SLP, I would love to hear how you chose this field and if you (or your child) has been treated by an SLP, I would love to hear the difference they made in your life!