Interview #1 Kara, Speech-Language Pathologist

We are excited to introduce you to this beautiful and bright Speech-Language Pathologist, Kara! She graduated from Northeastern University with her Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and is a qualified therapist in her State.

Her caring and loving personality come through all her responses. We are hearing from her about her job and her thoughts on neurodiversity from the unique perspective of a Speech Therapist. Let's get into the conversation...

What is your connection to autism?

I work as a Speech-Language Pathologist (or “Speech Therapist”) at a Special Education school in the United States. I have been working there for 2 years. I am also a dear friend of Kana’s! I knew her before and while she was being diagnosed as autistic, and our friendship continues to grow over time.

What is your role in your workplace?

I think the term “Speech Therapist” is a little misleading sometimes. Working with high school students ages 14-21, I rarely ever work on “speech.” I usually say that I support students’ communication skills in the classroom. I also have the honor of working very closely with classroom teachers, Occupational Therapists, Mental Health Professionals, and Behavior Analysts. I think the role of a “team” is very important in school settings. Of course the team includes the parents and student as well - we all have the same goal of wanting what’s best for the student!

How do you perceive autism?

Autism includes such a broad range of people with such unique and wonderful characteristics. I can truly say that the more I get to know my students, the more I am fascinated and impressed with them!

What is your hope for your students?

For my students, my goal is to help them leave high school with as many skills as possible related to their post-high school plans. For example, if their plan is to work at their family’s business, I want to make sure that they can interact with customers, ask questions if they don’t understand a task, and follow directions effectively. If their plan is to attend a community program, I want to make sure they can share their wants and needs clearly with new staff members. It is difficult though to find programs post-high school that are supportive of students’ needs while still providing meaningful opportunities for continued growth. One day, I hope to run a small business (bakery/cafe) that intentionally employs and provides training for adults with disabilities.

What are your thoughts on neurodiversity?

Overall, I love the neurodiversity movement and how much more often autistic people’s voices are being heard now compared to in the past. I have questioned my career choice at times because of it - am I actually helping students, or am I just trying to “change” them to be neurotypical? Currently, I remain in the uncomfortable in-between place where I try first and foremost to see my students’ strengths, while still recognizing that a student getting upset because they can’t express themselves isn’t living a full life either. That communication piece is where I can play a role.

When I worked in a regular education high school, I spent a lot of time reminding students of their speech goals and asking them what they wanted to work on. If they expressed that they didn’t want to come to speech anymore, I encouraged them to come to their next IEP meeting and advocate for that change. Now that I work with students who are not always able to share their thoughts and feelings so clearly, I try my best to shift my therapy goals and targets to what the student appears to be interested in. For example, if they do not seem to enjoy social interactions, I move away from those goals and focus on other language skills.

It can be difficult sometimes in those situations, when the student cannot share their opinions, and my clinical recommendation differs from the parents’ thoughts. Sometimes, parents seem to hold onto their own idea of having a neurotypical child, and they still want the child to work on social skills when I don’t feel that that is appropriate for the student. In those situations, we have to come to an agreement somehow. Usually, over time, the parent and the school team can reach an understanding and come up with a plan for how to best move forward for the student.

In the past few years, I have been shaped by stories of autistic students and their experiences in school. I look to them to continue to grow in my understanding and empathy as a therapist. Some resources I recommend are The Reason I Jump, by Naoki Higashida, as well as the writings of Ido Kedar and Carly Fleischmann.