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13Dec

5 Benefits of Using Mindfulness in Your Speech Room or Classroom

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: mindfulness in speech therapy yoga for kids
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benefits of using mindfulness

Have you ever had a moment when you felt immense pressure, and needed to recall some information (maybe in a debate, in grad school for comps or the praxis, or when your supervisor asked you what your plan was), only to find that your brain emptied out, you felt panicked, and you could not focus, explain, or 

Or maybe you’ve felt that after taking a pause to regroups and find some silence, a cup of tea/coffee/diet coke, or to go outside, you felt completely recharged and able to focus on our work again. 

Perhaps you have felt unsettled, scattered, and like you couldn’t process another single piece of information, but then you got up and moved or wrote down some thoughts or took a few breaths, maybe squeezed a fidget, and felt like you were able to sink into the moment and be present again?

These moments of stress, decreased focus, and dysregulation.

All of this happens to us pretty regularly as adults, and we are learning how to manage this and reduce the overwhelm that comes with it. You have probably had a few of these happen and have tried some of the strategies – either consciously or out of habit. 

If you really take a second to look at them, they are all based out of mindfulness.

And they can help you,a s an adult, but also can help students, who are feeling some of these same pressures, lack of focus, and dysregulation. 

Going through each of these can make it really, really hard to learn – not only due to inability to focus, but the inability to retain the info and use or build critical thinking skills. And if a student is already struggling with language disorder or learning disability, this will only make it that much more difficult.

It is one of the BEST reasons to bring mindfulness into your Speech Sessions and classroom. To help give students some tools to use so they feel more prepared and ready, to the best of their abilities, in their bodies and brains. 

Mindfulness is a powerful resource, made up of many different tools, that helps the brain, in both adults and children, to turn down the stress response, turn back on the parts of the brain that help problem solve, recall, and learn, and to build new pathways that help get these strategies on board even easier. 

Here are 5 benefits of using mindfulness in your speech room or classroom:

Stress: When you think of stress, you think of it as being an adult or late teen/early adulthood issue, and not something that younger children are having to deal with. But, unfortunately, they are, too. It could be stress from the amount of school work, and issue with their peers, or the upcoming testing. When you are stressed, your brain has gone into a “survival” mode, where the parts that process information, help you recall, and store memories and learn new info, are turned down and even can shrink over time. And this can happen for kids with their developing brians, too. USing some mindfulness, such as deep breathing or movement breaks, can help to reduce the stress they face by turning down the stress response and helping those other parts of their brain to  turn on and grow. It could look like taking a few moments to breathe during the day (start or before a big activity) or taking breaks to stretch or get some wiggles out. 

Focus: It is really easy to lose focus, and kids, as I am sure you are aware, have a hard time with this too. It is not always due to an attention deficit or challenge, sometimes it is just a really tiring day. Kids can feel drained and mentally exhausted, too, especially if they are on the go ALL day or don;t have much time to take a break. Or they might be tired, hungry, or thirsty, or need to get up and move, and so they feel more foggy-headed. Mindfulness comes into place in two ways here – you can be mindful (more of a mindset) of these moments and notice them, and then be able to give a strategy. It is also the tool or strategy you can use. Do a mindful activity like deep breaths, going for a walk around the class, or pausing to check in between activities to help give the brain a reset and a break. 

Regulation: When there is a lot of information, or just life, students can feel dysregulated. This doesn;t always mean hyperactive. It can also mean low energy. Either way, they are dysregulated and might start to show “behaviors” in order to try to bring the energy up or down. They might need some kind of sensory input on the regular, or in that moment. Doing something like moving and stretching, deep breaths, squeezing, or belly breathing might be what they need to reset and regulate. (Um, I am totally not an expert in this field and am constantly learning more in this aspect. SO please, be mindful of that fact, and know it is a LOT to learn). 

Language/Communication: Mindfulness helps to turn down the stress response, even in kids, which helps your brain to function easier (as mentioned above). This means that when you are stressed or anxious, it is a LOT harder to use those parts of the brain that communicate and use language skills, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (which is developing in kids). By using mindfulness, you reduce the stress response, and allow thesis parts of the brain to work at their highest, or at least higher, capacity, as best the student can. It gives them the best chance and the ability to really use these skills. 

Fun! : It might be one of the most important reasons – kids like it and it’s fun! Mindfulness, and the different activities that you can use with it, are a little different and new. It can be fun, exciting in a good way, and give them a moment to pause, reset, and to let go of learning and thinking and just be, so they can come back to the learning feeling fresh and renewed. 

What are some of the benefits you have noticed or wonder about with mindfulness? Share in the comments and let me know.

Ok, now that you are interested and ready to bring this on, want some resources to help you out? Sign up below, by entering your email, and you’ll get access to resources for yourself and that you can use to bring more mindfulness in your classroom or speech room!

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

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7Dec

Gratitude Activities for Speech Therapy

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Gratitude Mindfulness mindfulness in speech therapy New SLP yoga for kids
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gratitude activities for speech therapy

Gratitude season is upon us, with Thanksgiving happening here in the US, and the rest of the holiday season to follow. While not everyone celebrates, or celebrates the same way, it can be a wonderful time to pause and practice gratitude – something that we can all benefit from and connect with, no matter what we celebrate, where we live, or what our traditions are. 

Gratitude is a mindfulness practice and a big part of positive psychology, which looks at strengths and shifts your brain to notice the things that are good, positive, and working well. Your brain, and mine, is trained to naturally look at what is not working or going well, to help protect you from threats and stress. It can create a cycle where the more you see, the more you are looking for, and turn these into the pathways that you are using consistently. Gratitude helps you tune into the opposite. When you do this, it helps to create new pathways in your brain that see the parts that often go unnoticed – the things that are positive, bring joy to your world, and are going well for you. It helps you to pull away from the stress and not get stuck in it, so you can feel more at ease, more at peace, and for your brain to work more optimally. 

And it can do the same for your students, specifically with the parts of the brain that help with learning, cognition, executive functioning, and language – all things that we work on in speech therapy and in school. 

Gratitude doesn’t have to be anything super complicated – it can be as simple as thinking of 3 things that are positive in your day, or maybe writing down three things that went well for you. These small practices can build up and create big shifts in your outlook and mindset. 

With students, this can be a fun way to engage with them, help them to put this into practice, and create or share some wonderful practices that will help them their entire life. 

Here are Gratitude Activities for Speech Therapy or your Classroom:

Gratitude Books: Books are always a great option, because they promote and help support so many things, in speech therapy and beyond. You can use them for articulation, literacy, vocabulary building (expressive language skills), inference and wh?’s (receptive language skills), fluency, and more. Gratitude books are extra fun because they can help share gratitude practices, give unique topics to talk about, and lead into another activity, like a craft, gratitude list, or mediation.One of my favorite books is “Zen Pig”, which share s the journey of a pig who seems effortlessly happy to others, but really has the practice of gratitude to help him out.

Gratitude Crafts: I am not crafty, but I do love a good gratitude craft. The focus on these is usually to make a list of things you are grateful for, but make it more fun than just a “list” for the students. Turn it into a Thankful Turkey or a Positivity PIg (perhaps after reading Zen Pig), or a gratitude rainbow. You can take the things you are grateful for and attach them somehow. For a gratitude/thankful turkey, you can put together the body of it (great for following directions and sequencing) and then place the feathers. For each feather, you can write down one thing you are grateful or thankful for. You can then use these to target the students goals, either language or articulation. And If they celebrate Thanksgiving, you have a fantastic decoration to send home – which parents will appreciate 🙂

Gratitude Meditations: You could even use a gratitude meditation to start/end your session, to help bring in more mindfulness, and help promote that less stressed state, which enhances learning and the brain’s functioning. Maybe focus on different parts of the body ( i am grateful for my strong arms that carry my books, etc), or focus on things they are grateful for (they can silently name them in their head). 

Gratitude Games: You could also get creative in a non-crafty way and use gratitude for a game, targeting your goals. Maybe use it to create a word list and then do your drills from there. Or create  a list of things you are grateful for and play pictionary/charades, drawing or acting each one out, then practicing your specific skill. You could even create a word search or worksheet activity of some kind, if you need a little more downtime with it. 

No matter what, at the end, be sure to pause and talk about gratitude, bring it back to a place to notice and breathe and reflect. 

How do you incorporate gratitude into your speech room or classroom? Share below!

Want more resources to help you bring mindfulness and gratitude to your speech room or classroom? Enter your email below for instant access to my resource list, full of my favorite tools, tips, and places to find all things mindfulness. You’ll find anything from books to use in speech therapy, to yoga dice, to fidgets and more. 

With Love, Light, and Gratitude, 

Jessi

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17Aug

5 Things that are Working for me as a School SLP

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Podcast Stress Management
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working for me as a school slp

The 2022-2023 school year was my first full school year as an SLP, even though I graduated in 2008. I worked in the schools before, either in teletherapy, where I felt a little disconnected with the school itself, or covering portions of school years. In both of those, I felt a lot of stress and didn’t really feel connected in the way I did this year. This year was not perfect – I learned a lot, made mistakes, and have some things I want to tweak and shift moving forward. I’ve spent some time reflecting on these things and on how I can take it into the year ahead. 

However, the focus doesn’t always have to be on what you can shift, change or do better with. It is amazing to reflect on what you learned and how you can grow from it. It is also pretty darn amazing to stop and notice your strengths, what you did well, and what totally flipping worked for you. 

And, in truth, there was a lot that I liked and wanted to keep doing. 

My reflections of this year are that a lot of things went well for me. I had a great place to work, one that welcomed helping people thrive and grow. I had students who were happy and wanted to come to speech, and thought of it as a fun place and a safe place. And I enjoyed being there each day. That’s not to say sometimes I wouldn’t have rather been chilling at home. But I wasn’t dreading it, searching for any way to be anywhere but there. It was a pretty big shift from my last two times working in the schools, both in person in a school and in teletherapy. 

When I look back, it was the things that worked for me, that helped me to want to be there and to feel less stress and overwhelm. 

5 Things that are Working for Me as a School SLP

Here are a few things that worked and that made a big difference for me, and that I want to keep doing:

Ditched tables and plopped down on the floor:

I had several tables and stations in my room. One was a “horseshoe” table, where I had a few (wobble) seats set up around it. Another was a square table that had 4 seats. I also had a rug in the middle of my room, and a few throw pillows and a shag circle rug, and THIS is where the majority of sessions were held. Not in the seats at the table, not even in the wobble seats (although we did pull those over to the rug from time to time). The students were allowed to sit or lay down while we played games and did our work – as long as it didn’t distract them from participating more than it helped. I had one or two groups who preferred sitting at a table, and I used the horseshoe one for evals. 

Used the materials they were using:

If I pushed into a teacher’s class, I would use the items they were already using or had on hand. Most of the time, that looked like using whatever materials were at the station the student was at. If there was a certain station that worked better for speech therapy, I would try to see the students when they were at that one. If it was different materials each day (preschool), I would dive in and play with them for the session. It wasn’t always perfect or my ideal material, but I didn’t have to worry about supplying any or lugging them around, and it was more in line with what they were actually doing in the class  – because that’s exactly what it was 😉

Word lists over flashcards:

I do love flashcards, I really do, but it was also fun to have the students help me come up with some target to work on and just have a wordlist that we wrote down together. It helped them feel more excited about using the words, and then we would use them as the main part of the activity or drill before their turn for the game of the day. And I didn’t have to hunt down a pack of flashcards in the exact sound I needed for that day 🙂

Community and connection:

I mentioned before that connection made such a difference. It was how I connected with coworkers, but also with my students. I made sure to connect with my students, and let them know it was about growing, not about being perfect or “fixing” them.  We had the “foundations” for our speech room listed on our wall, and would refer to them if needed. Everyone is different here, but the vibe was that they were a part of “team speech” if they came to my room, and I was part of their class if I went to their room. 

Mindfulness mixed in:

This is not what you might think. I absolutely did not do straight up yoga or meditation or breathing for the speech session. It was not taking a yoga class and twisting it to become a speech class. It was more infusing the classroom and the activities with mindfulness (which is exactly what Mindfulness in Your Speech Room is all about). I would use some of the tools (like some deep breathing) if needed, especially on days where I noticed that attention or focus was drifting. I had an area that students could go to if they were feeling overwhelmed and needed to pause before joining, or to grab a fidget or sensory item. And we referenced our class motto/foundation based around Growth Mindset. And I am excited to bring even more of this into my room in the upcoming year. 

It is really easy to look at what you need to do better or change, or even shift because you learned something. But it is also important to look at what worked for you and what went well, so you can continue to use it, not let ist get pushed aside, and to help recognize that, yes, you are the SLP and you did some really awesome things and worked with some awesome humans.

What went well for you this year? Share in the comments or DM me @jessiandricks on IG

Want to bring mindfulness to your class or speechroom for the upcoming year? Make sure to sign up for the waitlist and be the first to know when my new course on Mindfulness in your SLP Room opens, plus snag an exclusive discount on enrollment. Click here, enter your email, and confirm your sign up for all the details!

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

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8Aug

4 Places I’m Making Shifts as a School SLP

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Podcast Stress Management
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making shifts as a school slp

As one school year ends and another begins, one thing I am absolutely sure of is that I don’t want to be under a pile of paperwork at the end again. While I know this is not absolutely realistic, there are a few things that I plan on doing next time that I didn’t do this year. They are not deal breakers or things that HAVE to be done (maybe would be better to get done), but that if I can, I will try to shift to more of this in the upcoming year. 

As I end this school year and get ready for the next, one thing I am absolutely sure of is that I don’t want to be under a pile of paperwork at the end again. While I know this is not absolutely realistic, there are a few things that I plan on doing next time that I didn’t do this year. They are not deal breakers or things that HAVE to be done (maybe would be better to get done), but that if I can, I will try to shift to more of this in the upcoming year. 

I had some good systems set up, but, being my first year, there was a lot of learning to do and set up for those systems, so things got a little clogged up. For example, I had a spreadsheet for every grade, with a separate sheet for each person. It included their goals and services times, so I could plug in each day, materials if needed, and then my note. This took forever to set up, and will be faster now that I can copy/paste them and change the info. 

4 Places I’m Making Shifts as a School SLP

Little side note – this is not about perfection or to make you feel you have to “go for type B to type A” or that you have to do this or you are not good enough. SO not that way – these are just some strategies that I am going to try and thought I would share in case you are looking for ways to try or in case you have one that I could try, too. 

Consult: Ah the students who are on the caseload but not direct therapy. I for sure need a more solid plan for checking in, keeping track, and getting these efficiently done and entered. I had a few spreadsheets and plans to enter notes, and ways to check in, but I also had a few ideas that never developed. I wanted to have them on a separate spreadsheet, rather than grade level. And I also wanted to have set check in times throughout the year, with reminders in my calendar or spreadsheet if needed. I never got around to it, but I know I can easily plan for this in the upcoming year. For this, it’s not an overhaul or change, more just refining. 

Notes: This year, I entered them into a spreadsheet, from a bunch of sticky notes, not exactly right away. And then form that spreadsheet into the system way, way, way later than was needed. I kept thinking I’ll do it when_” but then “when “ would show up, pass by, and another thing would pop up – evals, screens, sicknesses, etc. I ended up way more behind than ever and it took a long time to catch up. Not super awesome. Not the worst, but not how I want to do it again. My new plan: Enter in at the end of each week. Daily would be ideal, right? But I do not see that as absolutely possible. So having a solid time set aside to get these notes in is my plan. I know that sometimes things will pop up, but if I have a nearly non-negotiable time set up, then I know, notes at this time and then other things later. Realistically, this will not always happen and things will come up, but most of the time, I’m aiming for weekly. (Ask me mid September how this is going, lol). 

Progress Reports: My strategy this year was urgently waiting until the last minute or few days, and feeling pretty overwhelmed. This definitely got easier as the year went on. I remember that first batch took me days and an entire weekend to get done. Later in the year, it took a few parts (large parts) of my days to get done. I have no real change or efficient way, besides starting earlier. That’s all. No huge overhaul or system, just start a few weeks earlier, if possible, instead of the week of. It might work, might not, but that’s my slight shift with this one. 

Evaluations: My current style – not scheduling them in or writing them up right away, not entering them into the system until the end of year. For evals, I’m not a drop everything and do it now kind of person, unless it is an urgent request. Then I’m all for it and it is fine. Otherwise, I kind of wait and get backlogged. So trying to have an eval day or time in my schedule, or to see when one comes in where I can schedule it, rather than keep it in my head, could be worth trying. Mainly though, I plan on entering these when they happen, rather than waiting until the end or much later. It will be more efficient and not a hard thing to get done. 

There is definitely more, for sure, but this is my start and my reflection on what I learned after a year of working in the schools, and the shifts I plan to make in the upcoming year. My plan next year is this – not rush at the end to do what I could have done at the beginning (because yes, I still had some filing from the summer to finish up at the end of the school year, lol), and to use the tools I set in place before to be able to use them more efficiently this year. 

What is a small shift you are making going into the upcoming school year? Share in the comments or DM me @jessiandricks on IG

Want more resources to help you as you move into a new year (or if you are still in it)? Subscribe below for FREE resources in the SLP Toolbox, including meditations audio, movement videos, and self-care tips and templates. 

And, if you want to gain a skill in bringing mindfulness to your class or speechroom for the upcoming year, make sure to sign up for the waitlist and be the first to know when my new course on Mindfulness in your SLP Room opens, plus snag an exclusive discount on enrollment. Click here, enter your email, and confirm your sign up for all the details!

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

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1Aug

#1 Thing that made the BIGGEST difference as a School SLP

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Podcast Stress Management
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biggest difference as a school SLP

This was NOT my first year working in the schools, but it was my first year where I really leaned into being an SLP, and truly enjoyed my work. Out of any setting and any work I’ve done in the field of being an SLP, this was the one where I felt like I had landed. There was work and stress and things that were hard, but it wasn’t dreadful or pushing me towards burnout. 

So what was the thing that made it different?

There were a lot of factors, and I know that I have done a lot of work and practices to get where I am with stress and work, but it was perhaps more. For me, it the thing that made the biggest difference, as a school SLP, was connection. 

Connection with the students and team made all the difference. I don’t know how it happened – luck perhaps, or maybe manifesting after years of not being where I wanted, finally not putting up with it anymore, and then finding the right place – but it happened. I landed in a work setting that I actually really enjoyed and , for the first time truly, I enjoyed working as an SLP. Part of this was absolutely the setting itself – a very positive, uplifting, welcoming place – but also that I showed up as I was, comfortable in my abilities and lack of skills, and was there to do what I could. I started with the summer to see if I liked it – a bit of a test. There was no pressure. If I didn’t like it, it was only for a few weeks and then I would know for sure I was not goin in this direction. But if I did like it, I could offer to stay on. And I loved it. And then I realized as the year went on, that I enjoyed it even more than I had over that summer. 

Part of what was so great was being allowed to say “ I have no idea how to do this” or “that did not work like I thought” and not expect miracles from me, huge sweeping changes in skills for those I worked with, or that I would know everything It was ok for me to say “I’m not sure” and then to find out how to do it. 

Being honest, and being able to be honest, was what made the difference and grew connections, between adults I worked with but also with the student I worked with on my caseload. If I could say, “Um, that didn’t really work like I thought” or “Let’s try something and see how it goes” then they knew they didn’t have to be perfect, do it all right away, and could take the pressure off as well. It wasn’t an excuse to sit back and do nothing, but rather an invitation to show up as they were that day and use it in a realistic way to work on their skills. 

The Thing that made the BIGGEST difference as a School SLP: Connection.

Here are a few ways that helped me grow this connection:

Being honest about not knowing

As I mentioned in a previous episode, there was a LOT I did not know going in, and I felt it was super important to own that, not fake that I knew it, and ask questions to clarify, because that was the only way I was going to learn and know what to do with it. It wasn’t always easy to fess up to, but it ALWAYS helped with stress in the long-run, and helped me feel more connected and honest with the people I was around. 

Offering to help and mean it

There is a lot that we do and we don’t always have time for things other than straight SLP work. But when I could, I’d offer to help, or to let them know they could ask me if needed. Sometimes, it was being a sounding board for an upcoming meeting, or helping out at field day (my favorite day), or shifting my schedule so I could be in a class when they had a sub instead of my usual time. If I could, I would offer and mean it, because I considered myself part of the team and not just the SLP stopping in. 

Showing up to learn and grow

If I showed up to be just as I was, it wouldn’t have left me any room to grow and learn, and it wouldn’t have left me room to communicate, share, explore, and build that connection with my students or co-workers. Instead of showing up as “I know it all”, I showed up with “what can I learn from this” – sometimes a new skill in therapy, sometimes learning what I did NOT want to do, and sometimes learning that something would or wouldn’t work for me. 

Not expecting perfection or super-structure from my students

I kept things loosey-goosey some might think. It was not unusual for my students to get up in the middle of the session to change their type of seat, to stand up and walk around, or to go grab a sensory item. If you stopped by my room, someone was bound to be moving. I know it is not for everyone, but if a student needed it, I was ok with them getting up to move around, as long as it helped them participate and not distract from them or others learning. And I had a class motto where we talked about how, in speech, we make mistakes, we try again, and we are not trying to be perfect, just to keep learning. Having that foundation for some growth mindset was part of my room and building connection and rapport together. 

Cheering them on no matter what – everyone puts in what they can, not 100% expected each time

Adults have plenty of days where we do not feel 100% – and it is hard for us to acknowledge it, but even harder, at times, for us to understand and accept it in our students. In my room, I had a meditation-ish/calm area that students were allowed to sit in if they were feeling overwhelmed or needed to just step back for a bit. I few used it, and would come join in when they were able. I also made sure to cheer everyone on for their effort – not the percentage they got correct – and to thank them for coming to my class and participating. The more you are connected, the more you get out of the sessions, for you and the students. There is trust and comfort and that is so needed for learning. 

In any upcoming year or work, I will take with me some of these lessons and experiences to help me find connection, and know that, for me at least, it is such a driving force to keep stress from building, to feel connected to the work, and feel part of it. It is not always easy, but it is so worth it. 

When was a moment that you felt really connected to your work or a student/client/co-worker? Share in the comments or on IG @jessiandricks.

Want more resources to help you as you move into a new year (or if you are still in it)? Subscribe below for FREE resources in the SLP Toolbox, including meditations audio, movement videos, and self-care tips and templates. 

And, if you want to gain a skill in bringing mindfulness to your class or speech room for the upcoming year, make sure to sign up for the waitlist and be the first to know when my new course on Mindfulness in your SLP Room opens, plus snag an exclusive discount on enrollment. Click here, enter your email, and confirm your sign up for all the details!

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

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26Jul

What I learned from my first full year as a school-based SLP

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Podcast Stress Management
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first full year as a school slp

Well, as of this writing, I am officially done with my first full year as a school SLP. I’ve been at this, off and on, for over a decade, but somehow, this is the first year that I consider a real, true year in the schools. Yes, I have worked in the schools, but for two half years (one end and one start). Yes, I worked a full school year or two in teletherapy, but it wasn’t quite the same as going into the building and knowing my groups and doing the traditional set up of school-based theory (in some ways it was easier and in some ways it was so much harder). And yes, I worked part-time this year, but it was 3 days, sometimes 4 or 5, and I never felt like a “contractor” or “part-timer”, I just felt like part of the school.

And with this being my first full year, the one where I really felt I was connected and “in” it – sometimes a pile of paperwork, a shit-storm of evals, or just loving every moment – there are so any thoughts and tidbits and things I want to share with you. Things that worked, things I learned, things that I will try differently, things I want to do more of, things I want to keep doing, what I loved, what I could do without, and why I enjoyed it so, so much this time around. 

So in the next few posts and episodes, this is exactly what I’ll be doing, sharing all about my first full year as a school SLP, specifically my experience as someone who really and truly loathed being a school based SLP a decade ago and absolutely love it now (I cried on the last day of school… a lot). No secret tricks or magic “just do this”, because that is all bullshit, but instead my experiences, my thoughts, and what I would like to share with you if we sat down together for coffee (or tea, because caffeine has been kicking my butt lately!). Nothing for you to do or change, but maybe just something to help you feel not alone, to give you some hope, or to inspire you for the next school year.

There were so many things that I did that I wouldn’t necessarily call mistakes, but I would try to do them differently the next time around. As I sit here writing this, I have COVID, for the second time this half of the school year, and my plans to go in and finish filing and paperwork on the teacher workday are awash and I will be going in next week, if the buildings open. It will make it a true full YEAR, since I started working last summer doing comp services, and will be finishing up the year in the same week, a year later. 

Paperwork, not knowing where the records room was until the last three days of school (eek!), scheduling and not checking the cancels, waiting until progress report week to start progress reports – there are a lot of things that I would do differently. They aren’t mistakes – just part of seeing how it worked and making some notes to shift it the next year. 

I found myself sitting one day, ready for a meeting, waiting on the LEA to sign in. I waited, chatted with the teacher, chatted with the parents (thankfully we were virtual), and then realized the LEA had marked they weren’t able to attend and I had overlooked the email that was sent out. Ouch. It was a little embarrassing and not a great first (second?) impression to be making with the parents. So what could I do? I had to just fess up, apologize for them stepping away from their day to sign in, and make a plan with them for when we would meet the following week. I sucked it up (my embarrassment), made a plan, and confirmed with all the team members that we would be able to meet on the next date scheduled. It was not perfect, was utterly un-smooth of me, and, for a moment, made me feel like an idiot. 

But then I realized, we all make small mistakes, we are human, and we don’t have to be perfect. Nothing happened. No big bad fairy came down and deemed me unworthy of being an SLP. No one scolded me for messing it all up. Honestly, it  wasn’t just no big deal, it was not even a blip. Rescheduled, got it done, thanked everyone, and moved on. 

There were a TON of little things like this that probably happened throughout the year – not knowing to file something, forgetting to send something home, not knowing that I needed to hold an ENTIRE PART OF A MEETING and then needing to go back and do it all again. It happens. 

It helped that the district SLP’s motto for us all was “Don’t look back and try to fix it. Once you learn something, use it going forward”. No need to dwell on the past, just do it from now on. 

What I learned as in my first full year as a School-Based SLP

Here are a few times I majorly goofed, but really it was just a learning lesson:

Forgot to hold an entire part of a meeting and had to go back and hold it again

In my first Speech-only IEP meeting, I unknowingly skipped an entire part. I had to do a three year re-eval. I gathered all the previous info and present levels. I held the re-eval part of the meeting where we determined we would continue with therapy. I held the annual IEP meeting and updated it. And then it wouldn’t clear from my system or show it was completed. So I looked through a few things and realized I forgot the important part – where we do the actual checkboxes and submit that, yes, they are still eligible. Facepalm for sure. So I called my supervisor, a bit embarrassed, and she reassured me, letting me know that even people who have been working for years make mistakes and goof up. She said to just own it, hold that part, and move forward. So I did and I didn’t miss that part again for the rest of the year. 

Didn’t realize not all team members had confirmed until we were in the meeting with the parents and had to reschedule. 

Oof. Later in the year, I thought everyone had confirmed, or at least not declined, an IEP meeting. 5 minutes into, still waiting for the last member, I realized they had declined and I missed the email. So once I found myself mucking up an IEP meeting. I apologized, we rescheduled, and I made sure everyone confirmed and was onboard the next time we held the meeting and all was well. 

Had no idea about folders until the end of the year.

You can’t know what you don’t even know you should know – or something like that 😉 I didn’t realize until well into the 4th quarter that we were supposed to file everything in two separate places. So, I had two choices – being super embarrassed and awkward about it, and feel bad for myself, OR, own it, laugh about it (while being awkward for sure), and get it done. Next year, I know I won’t have to wait until the end to file AND I’ll know exactly where to go each time. 

Probably another thousand things that I will continue to learn about as the years go on, no matter what job or where I am. For one, things are constantly updating and changing, so everyone is learning. But also, it’s a lot to learn. If you expect yourself to be perfect, or your leaders expect it, then you will never live up to it and always feel you are not enough. 

Why even bother sharing these muck-ups? Because I know I am not the only one, and I know that in the past I would have criticized, internalized, and felt like a complete ass about them. And you might be feeling that way, too. Graduate school and clinicals like to push this you – be perfect, no mistakes, be the best and by best we mean idealistic. You don’t have to be that way, and you will still be a damn good SLP.

Instead of looking at these as mistakes and places I failed, I look at them as things I learned and grew through. They are all the things I learned in my first full year as a school based SLP. They are new skills, new tools, and new insights that I can use and don’t have to struggle with going forward. 

What is a place you faltered in and learned from this year? I’d love to hear! Share in the comments or send me a message on IG @jessiandricks

Want more resources to help you as you move into a new year (or if you are still in it)? Subscribe below for FREE resources in the SLP Toolbox, including meditations audio, movement videos, and self-care tips and templates. 

And, if you want to gain a skill in bringing mindfulness to your class or speechroom for the upcoming year, make sure to sign up for the waitlist and be the first to know when my new course on Mindfulness in your SLP Room opens, plus snag an exclusive discount on enrollment. Click here, enter your email, and confirm your sign up for all the details!

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

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20Jul

3 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get Things Done

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Burn Out Stress Management
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stop procrastinating

Ugh, it has been awhile. The end of the school year, that last quarter, really snuck up on me and was 1000x busier than I ever imagined it would be. Nothing bad or unreasonable, just a LOT Of things to balance in life between being a parent to two young kids with lots of stuff going on in their schools, my own work to wrap up for the year, and all the joyful, celebratory events that come along with it. And COVID – twice. 

It has been a lot.

My intention was to start back with a wrap up post and insights into my first year back in the SLP world – and I totally will do that. But what is more realistic, and what I wanted to share in case it helps you along the way, is about procrastination.

You see, I have been procrastinating on a few things (some of which are announcements that I have in the newsletter, and you can subscribe to stay updated on). They are things that maybe carry some emotions with them, or that are not completely cut and dry, or that require some uncertainty and learning. And so, instead of tackling them, I push them aside, find other things that need to be done, and let those sit there. Only they don’t just sit there, they sit there and grow and fester until I can’t take the stress of them and THEN I tackle them.

Sounds familiar?

This is procrastination in a nutshell. And it can seem like a super productive way to do things, especially if you have been using this as a tool since way back in 8th grade when you have to start writing 5 paragraph essays and book reports. The more pressure, the more “in the zone” you’ll be. And, while this can be true, it can also carry with it a lot of mental load in the preceding moments and days before you jump in. Usually, this kind is linked to some kind of avoidance – at least in my experience. 

So, since stress is the thing you are here to reduce, here are a few things that I find help me when I notice I am procrastinating in order to avoid things. 

3 Ways to Stop Procrastinating

Get up and move:

It seems counterproductive to continue to NOT do the thing, but getting up and moving can help you to get out of your head and into your body. This helps to take some of the mental load off, which alleviate some stress and turns down the stress response When you do this, your brain is able to process and “think” again, which can sometimes help you find the solution, clarity, or great idea you were stuck without when you were sitting and stressing. 

Try going for a walk outside, doing some yoga, or heading to the gym for a class or some freestyle workout.

Start with a brain dump:

Honestly, this is kind of an example of a brain dump. A brain dump is when you start writing, maybe about the issue or just starting with “I am so stuck and don;t know where to start with the thing I’m stuck on” and you just keep writing. Often, it is the initial starting point that can trip you up – like when you want to workout and find 100 excuses why it won;t work but then once you start, you could keep on going longer than planned. The act of writing can help you to get going and then start brainstorming, writing, creating, ro whatever it is you need to do, by getting through that first step. It might not be exactly what you planned, but it is a step forward. 

Aim for done, not perfect:

There is no guarantee that things will go as planned or be as epic as you imagined. And those ideas of perfection or getting everything settled first can stop you from ever getting started. Sometimes it is called analysis paralysis. Going through ALL the things that could happen, that you need first, and that must be done before you start, before you can actually begin at all. It keeps you in procrastination mode, and stops you from getting started or reaching those epic ideations and goals. The thing is – most likely, things won’t live up to the epic dreams you have of it in your mind. They might be a lot simpler or less in reality, or they might be something even more amazing. So get started, and aim for letting it flow and be done, rather than getting it perfect. And remember – no one will ever know if it isn’t exactly what you envisioned, and it will seem perfectly wonderful to them.

If you, like me, are a lifetime procrastinator (from generations of procrastinators), try one of two of these to help you get into the mode of starting, and stop procrastinating, so that you can move forward and let the stress go a bit. 

Which one are you going to try? Share in the comments or send me a DM on instagram @jessiandricks

Want more resources to help you manage stress, reduce the risk of burnout and find more balance in your life? Subscribe below for access to the resources and the weekly newsletter straight to your inbox (no spam, I promise!).


With Love and light,

Jessi Andricks

PS – Get PDH for $15!! All 1 hour workshops are on sale now through August 1st – and then they’ll be gone!! Grab them now and earn your PDH here.

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31Mar

4 Effective Ways to Decompress from Work

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Burn Out Career Advice Podcast Stress Management
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decompress from work

Do you ever find yourself just wanting to sit in the quiet with the lights off for a few moments after work? 

If you do, you are absolutely not alone. 

I saw a recent social media post about this from Type.b.slp on IG, and immediately related to it, as did a lot of other SLPs. In fact, I typically keep the lights off in my SLP room when I am writing notes, eating lunch, or just wanting some “quiet” (I have big windows with lots of natural light).

And one of my favorite routines, which I have not been able to do much of lately, is to stop at home before I pick up my kiddo and sit to listen to a mediation audio. It helps me to find quiet, decompress, and shift out of work mode. And I often pair it with a warm cup of tea when I want to feel extra.

These moments of decompression make sense – as an SLP, especially with young students and children, you have to be ON all day long. You are talking, engaging, and bringing the enthusiasm for hours a day, even if it is with breaks in between. And then there are co-workers, families, and meetings, where you get to engage even more. For me – it is the virtual meeting that I find exhausting and “ON”, and I used to work in teletherapy exclusively!

It is no wonder that many of us crave a few moments of silence in the comfort of our own homes at the end of the day. 

This time to decompress brings in much needed balance, which can help you to feel less overstimulated and overwhelmed. When those things happen, your brain has more difficulty processing and it can make it harder to think, to get anything done, or to feel steady – it is more overwhelming and stressful. 

Decompressing can help you to find balance, reduce stress, and be more present in your evenings. 

By definition, decompression means to “let the pressure out” or to “relax and find calm”. And I envision it as just this – a tightly wound up person (SLP) that has been piled on throughout the day, with more weight added to them, and more and more packed into their bubble, until they are about to burst or collapse. Then finally, at the end of the day, the pressure is released (sometimes through a cry or a scream or a letting go of all the steam like a pressure cooker), and they finally decompress and feel right again. 

So what are some ways to decompress?

If decompression means to let go of pressure, find calm, and relax, then any activity that counteracts the pressure of the day, let you relax, and find calm would be considered a way to decompress. It could definitely vary from person to person, but there are a few that could help most or that give you a few places to choose how you take it. 

4 Effective Ways to Decompress from Work

Try these simple and quiet ways to decompress after your SLP workday:

Find quiet

If you are feeling overstimulated and it is hard to think, process, or be around anyone, then finding quiet will help. Chances are, you are dysregulated from being around so much talking and being “on” all day, and you need a little space and quiet to counteract it. 

Try something calm and quiet – a 5 minute meditation, sip a cup of tea and stare out the window (or go outside!), read a book (fiction, preferably, so you don’t feel more overloaded). 

Move your body on purpose

You may have been on the move during the day – up and down hallways – but it is not the same as moving on purpose. If you are feeling that you are in your head, and thoughts are constant, then movement can be helpful. It gets you out of your head and back into your body and the present moment, so you can be present at home and enjoy it more. 

Try some mindful movement – go outside for a walk, try some yoga, swim, go lift some weights, or head to a class – anything that helps you feel better after, rather than more stimulated or tired. 

Brain dump or write about it

If you are feeling that you are really stuck on a thought, it can be helpful to let it out by writing about it. When you write about the thoughts you are ruminating on, it gives them a place to live other than your head, and this helps you to remove the pressure of the thoughts, find some calm outside of them, and can give you something to look back on later if needed – although many times, just getting it out helps you move through it and onward. 

Hobby – let off steam, find balance

It can also be helpful to do something fun, that you enjoy and that gets you in the zone and out of stress for a moment. If you have a hobby that you find soothing, like it resets you, give it a try. It could be writing or moving or reading, but it could also be something like drawing, baking, knitting, building things, etc. If you find it calming and it lets the pressure go, then it could be helpful – but if it stimulates you more and doesn’t bring in balance, try a different thing. 

Needing time to decompress after work is not a bad thing and doesn’t mean you are “wrong” or that your job is awful. Sometimes, it just means you had a lot going on that day, and you need to bring yourself back into balance, using your environment to do so. Take a moment (5 minutes might be all you need!) to let the pressure go, and find some calm and relaxation.

Which one of these are you going to try? Share in the comments below!

Want more resources to help you  let the pressure off and find some calm? Subscribe below by entering your email address for instant access to the FREE resource library, The Resilient SLP Toolbox, featuring yoga classes, meditation audios and more (check your email to confirm!). 

With Love and Light, 

Jessi

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