Mindfulness is a huge buzz word in the world right now. And for good reason – it is MUCH needed with all that is going on and continues to go on. Being an SLP, as you know, can often be incredibly stressful, and many of the students and patients that you see ma also be feeling stress of their own. Mindfulness can be an important tool towards alleviating some of this stress, in your life and in your work.

Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, have been shown to help reduce the reactions to stress and turn down the stress response in the brain. This means they are one of the main tools to helping you reduce AND manage your ongoing stress as an SLP.

Mindfulness has also been shown to help your students and adults to feel more calm and open to learning during therapy sessions. It can help them to feel more settled and grounded, so they can learn the strategies you are teaching and sharing with them as best they can. Basically, it can help take some of the stress out of the session.

In the latest episode of the SLP Stress Management Podcast, I talk with fellow SLP+Podcast host, Leigh Ann Porter to discuss all things mindfulness in and out of SLP life. Leigh Ann talks about her own experiences with mindfulness and why she began to use it, how she has used it in her daily life, how it has backfired and how it has. She shares what she tried, how it worked, and what changes she made to make it work even better. She also talk about how and why she started to incorporate it in to her work as an outpatient adult SLP.

You can tune in below or check out all the SLP Stress Management Podcast episodes here.

Leigh Ann earned her master’s in Communication Sciences from the University of Central Florida in 2013, and has enjoyed being an SLP ever since. While at UCF, Leigh Ann was part of a grant to prepare SLPs to work with English Language Learners, earning a graduate certificate of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

Leigh Ann now resides in Kansas City where she divides her time working across outpatient, acute, and inpatient rehab settings. She has presented for ASHA CEUs to regional SLPs on topics such as how the respiratory system and cough influence dysphagia, a review of the literature on dysphagia exercises, and generating measurable dysphagia goals. For multidisciplinary continuing education with PTs and OTs, Leigh Ann has presented on topics such as Cognitive Retraining with an emphasis on memory strategies, and the SLP’s scope of practice & making appropriate patient referrals to the SLP. 

As host of the Speech Uncensored Podcast, Leigh enjoys interviewing colleagues to highlight the diversity in our field and share resources. The Speech Uncensored Podcast was born out of a desire to learn more and share that information. As a lifelong learner, Leigh Ann is passionate about disseminating useful resources and equipping SLPs to provide the highest quality of care. The scope of practice for SLPs is wide, varied, and nuanced. When given the right tools, we can confidently provide quality services to our patients.

Want more tools to help you infuse your day with mindfulness? Make sure to subscribe to the SLP Toolbox, a FREE resource library full of meditations, mindful movement audios and more, to help you manage your SLP stress, reduce burnout and find more balance (aka mindfulness) in your life. Subscribe below for access.

If you are looking for even more, make sure to check out the SLP Stress Management Course and Professional Development Courses.

Much Love,