Welcome to the second installment of ‘Meet the Owners’. Our last post introduced you to Katherine, and today we’re focusing on the other owner of Lotus Speech & Wellness, Caitlin Chambers.
Caitlin is a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP) and Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS), as well as a certified mindfulness meditation instructor. Like Katherine, Caitlin completed a Master’s in Communication Sciences & Disorders at the MGH IHP in 2011; in fact, this is where they met and became friends.
Caitlin has worked primarily in the outpatient rehabilitation setting, however she has experience in inpatient rehabilitation as well.
How did you become interested in the field of speech-language pathology?
After graduating with a degree in Psychology from Holy Cross, I worked in the Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s units at MGH in Boston doing neuropsychological testing. My time spent working with neurologists, social workers, nurses and other professionals solidified my interest in working clinically with an adult population. It’s also where I met several SLPs who introduced me to the field. After shadowing their work and taking an Introduction to Communication Disorders class, the decision was made.
What is your favorite thing about being a speech-language pathologist?
I love the variety! As an SLP working with adults, the range of people and diagnoses I get to work with keeps every day interesting. For example, in a single day I might see someone who has had a concussion, someone with a voice disorder, someone experiencing difficulty with swallowing, someone with aphasia, someone with dementia and someone experiencing difficulty with cognitive functions after a stroke. There is also a wide range of ages of people I work with – typically teens through older adulthood. I find the challenge of working with this scope and variety of clientele to be very rewarding.
Can you tell us more about your interest in yoga and mindfulness?
I first started doing yoga while I was in college in a class offered on campus. I got away from the practice for several years, and eventually rekindled my interest in yoga through Yoga with Adriene’s YouTube channel that offers free yoga videos you can do in the comfort of your own home. I started completing continuing education courses centered on mindfulness and meditation in 2016 when I began to recognize the powerful role these practices could play in my SLP practice. At the end of 2020, I enrolled in a mindfulness meditation teacher certification program, which I completed in January 2021.
What is your favorite mindfulness technique?
My personal favorite mindfulness exercise, which is one I use in my sessions with clients frequently, is a simple body scan exercise: Seated upright in a comfortable position with your hands resting in your lap, gently close your eyes. Direct your attention to the top of the head and begin to slowly scan down your body. Pause along the way to note if you are feeling any tension or a sensation of holding; if so, gently release that tension. Continue this scan all the way down to your toes, taking slow, deep breaths along the way.
This exercise helps to bring you into the present moment by focusing on the sensations within your body. So often we are holding tension without even being aware of it!
What are 10 fun facts about you?
- I have lived in Massachusetts my entire life, apart from…
- …the semester I spent studying abroad at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia.
- I live with my husband, daughter and our dog, Tucker.
- The ocean is my absolute favorite place to be, and I try to spend as much time at various New England beaches as I can.
- I love to have dance parties with my 2 ½ year old daughter.
- I’m currently watching (and thoroughly enjoying!) the TV show ‘Ted Lasso’.
- I love to read, especially fiction.
- One of my favorite vacations I’ve been on was driving along the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to San Francisco with my husband (though we should have rented a convertible!).
- My favorite concert I’ve been to was Lady Gaga at Fenway Park.
- My hidden talent is that I know how to juggle.
Thanks for reading and getting to know me a little better! As always, please feel free to reach out with any thoughts, questions or comments.