Today, we’re diving deep into one of the most challenging aspects of our role as SLPs in early intervention and speech therapy—bridging the gap between the therapy and carry-over using compassion and empathy.
Y’all, this isn’t just about therapy techniques. This is about building trust, understanding, and empowering parents to be their child’s biggest advocate. Whether you’re a seasoned SLP or just starting out, this episode is going to change the way you approach parent involvement.
Let's discuss the difference between empathy and compassion. These two concepts actually play distinct roles in our work when it comes to parent involvement.
What is empathy, and why is it important?Empathy is about feeling what another person is feeling. Empathizing with someone allows you to place yourself in their shoes and understand their emotions from their perspective. You can empathize with other SLPs because you know what it’s like to work hard for your degree (grad school or SLPA)
Compassion, on the other hand, is empathy in action. It’s taking that understanding and using it to help, support, or uplift the person in need. For example, if you know a current grad student, you can offer support and different ways you survived those tough and stressful days of your grad program
There are different reasons why parents are hesitant to get involved in our therapy sessions: including a parent's fear of "getting in the way", they're overwhelmed and uncertain about speech therapy, or parents themselves are facing some emotional challenges.
How do we approach these situations while offering the support parents need?
Acknowledge their feelings, empower them, normalize their asking questions, use compassionate language, and, if all else fails, relate to them from the lens of the communication expert.
As clinicians in early intervention and speech therapy, our compassion and empathy are some of our greatest tools. By using them to encourage parent involvement, we can make a huge difference in a toddler’s language and communication development.
Remember, it’s not just about guiding the child—it’s about empowering the parents, too. Sometimes, that means building parent's self-esteem and belief in themselves.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! I would love to continue this conversation and support each other. Send me an email: megan@theslpnextdoor.com I can’t wait to chat with you!
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