News/Blog

The beginning of a new year brings excitement, happiness, and energy, especially when we set intentions about what is to come. The question is, how can we not just set these well-intended goals but keep up with them to make them a reality. Here are 4 easy and fun steps that might help:

The holidays are officially over, and now is the time of the year when we reflect, plan ahead and set intentions for the year to come. The new year can bring more energy, motivation and put things into motion; it's a great time to remember that you can ALWAYS treat yourself as you would treat your best friend - with the same kindness and understanding.

The holidays are here, and we are all looking forward to some downtime, time off from work, gathering with friends and family, gift-sharing, etc.

And speaking of gifts, don't forget about yourself! This can be such a great time to recharge our batteries and take some time to go inwards and think about how you can take care of YOURSELF with some self-compassion.

As speech-language pathologists, we are lucky to work in a professional field that offers a unique blend of opportunities (professional growth, flexibility, and personal satisfaction, to name a few) and enables us to impact lives every day positively.

Self-compassion: the missing piece to self-care (plus a FREEBIE to improve your self-care practice).

Taking care of yourself may seem more difficult now than ever. The lines between work, school, and play have become blurred for many of us. Suffice to say, you may feel stressed or overwhelmed - but know that taking care of yourself is necessary so that you are equipped to help your family and your community through this time.

As therapists and educators, we want to be strong, positive role models for our students. But how do we manage this when life is so uncertain and difficult?

This is Part 2 of this blog series. Were you able to give the first 3 well-being practices a go? How were they? What did you find helpful, and where are there still gaps in what you need? This second portion of the blog series will hopefully provide some additional practices to further nurture your resilience, sense of calm, and capacity for connection, so you can best show up for the clients and families you serve.

!’m Dr. Katie Raher, a part-time School Psychologist and part-time Education Consultant who specializes in educator well-being and social and emotional learning. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Communication Works, with their constant dedication to the well-being of their Speech-Language Pathologists, asked me to facilitate a support call for their team.

Rest and Recharge Kids may be first in line to celebrate spring break, but don’t underestimate its value to therapists and teachers. Of course we all enjoy a respite from daily demands, but the benefits are even more far reaching. Taking time away from the tasks and structure of a job gives your mind a…

Setting Priorities Now that we’re launched into the New Year, how are you doing with setting priorities, new intentions, and habits? Have you found ways to prioritize your own care while striving to help others? Have you pinpointed any changes you’d like to make at work or at home? Are you utilizing your 20/20 vision…

We hope your Thanksgiving was filled with positive connection to family, friends, and colleagues. For some, however, holiday gatherings are not always fulfilling when it comes to connecting with others. To improve your own experience during the holidays, take a minute to reflect on past experiences to determine your desires moving forward.  Then, consider focusing…

During a recent yoga class, the instructors, Malia Hill and Nichole Harrow, gathered a group to help us enter the holidays with grace and contentment. It’s a tall order given the many stresses and commitments that tend to arise this time of year. But I found the exercise extremely helpful. Each of us looked deeply…

Working as an SLP in schools is extremely rewarding but can also be exhausting. Like anyone in the helping professions, we need time off to rest and take care of ourselves.  And because we work in the schools, many therapists can use the summer to make that happen. When school is out, therapists and educators…

Sharing an article that our very own Elizabeth Sautter, M.A., CCC-SLP wrote for CSHA Magazine’s Winter 2019 edition on mindfulness. Click article to read more:   Article featured in the Winter 2019 CSHA Magazine edition.

The words “rock star” have special meaning to us at CW.  Not in the sense of a traditional musical rock star, although I would argue our Rock Stars deserve just as much celebration and attention. Allow me to explain… SLP Stars Make a Difference It starts with the well-known story of the starfish, which reinforces our…

This year Communication Works started a new tradition: we selected a “word of the year” to represent a core value expressed through our work. We chose the word “connect,” something we do in many ways with many different people. It’s actually a big part of our mission to help others communicate and connect, and we…

We have written about psychologist Carol Dweck and her ideas on developing a growth mindset, an attitude that embraces challenge and ongoing learning, in past blog posts. In an article in Planet Expat, Dweck connects the idea of the growth mindset to professional development. Workers who embrace a growth mindset typically have certain qualities: they’re…

During difficult moments or times when I just want to feel more relaxed, I turn to my breathing. Without a lot of time or any equipment, breathing exercises can help to relieve stress, boost energy, and achieve a calm, clear state of mind.   If you’d like to explore some different breathing techniques, take a…

“If you want to make a long-term change, make the behavior change tiny. Very tiny.” This is the advice of behavioral scientist and author BJ Fogg, who says that change begins with a step as small as flossing one tooth after brushing your teeth. He also says it’s important to notice and celebrate that you’ve…

As therapists and educators, we’ve learned the importance of helping kids embrace new challenges and believe that, with hard work, they can learn new skills. But how do we make sure our own fixed mindset isn’t getting in the way? In our own lives, are we truly committed to trying hard, taking risks, and sometimes…

In our last post on Making a Self-Care Plan, we raised the idea of developing a self-care strategy for the upcoming school year.  Self-care can range from a protein boost in the afternoon to knitting, dancing, or spending time with a friend after work. Here’s an article with suggestions from teachers and other members of…

As therapists and educators, our focus is on helping others, and this sometimes means that we don’t prioritize our own self-care. However, if we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we care for others? This concept is similar to thinking about an empty versus a full pitcher of water: if your pitcher is empty,…