We have heard this question from clients and their families many times. Because speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are often just referred to as “speech therapists”, it is not surprising that many people think that SLPs only help people who are having difficulty speaking clearly. In our previous blog post, “What is the role of a speech-language pathologist?“, we describe what SLPs are, who they work with, and the different skill areas they can help people with. And yes, an SLP does know how to help you with your speech. We can help you speak more loudly, more softly, more clearly, more fluently, with more prosody… anything that has to do with speech, we can help! But that’s just one of our many areas of expertise.
What areas does an SLP specialize in?
An SLP specializes in the following areas, depending on your individual needs:
- Speech
- Voice
- Language
- Social Pragmatics
- Reading and Writing
- Cognition
- Feeding and Swallowing
How can an SLP help me after my brain injury (like a TBI, concussion, or stroke)?
In our post “Language, Thought, & Speech: Cognitive-Communication Skills After Brain Injury” we describe the cognitive and communication skills that may be affected as a result of a brain injury. If you are having trouble with any of these areas, an SLP specializing in neurological impairments can help. Ask your doctor for a referral to an SLP, or reach out directly to an SLP practice. An SLP will evaluate you to help identify your specific areas of need, and then will work with you to develop a therapy to target these areas.
So, the answer to the question, “My speech is fine. Do I need to see a speech therapist?” is: Maybe.
If your speech is fine but you’ve noticed changes in your language or cognitive skills since your brain injury, you would likely benefit from seeing a speech therapist.
If your speech is fine and you also haven’t had any changes in language or cognitive skills, you probably don’t need to see an SLP.
Caitlin and I are both SLPs and Certified Brain Injury Specialists with years of experience helping people improve speech, language, and cognitive skills after brain injury. We created this website as a resource to help others learn about speech-language pathology, yoga, and mindfulness. This spring we will be launching a private SLP practice, as well as offering yoga and mindfulness practices, so stay tuned! Like the theme of this year’s Brain Injury Awareness Month, we want to help you become #MoreThanMyBrainInjury.
As always, please feel free to leave a comment below, or contact us with any questions, comments, or feedback.
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