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18Nov

Using a Trauma-Informed Lens as an SLP with Rachel Archambault: SLP Stress Management Podcast

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Career Advice Stress Management
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trauma-informed lens as an slp

As SLPs, we are faced with a lot of uncertainty, feelings and emotions – from ourselves and those we serve. It is not rare for us to be face to face with trauma – either our own or with a patient/client/student who has faced trauma and is working through it. This is why it is important,a s clinicians, to acknowledge, learn, and approach our work from a Trauma-Informed Lens and Perspective. 

Using a Trauma-Informed Lens as an SLP is not about providing mental health counseling to those in trauma, but instead is about being  respectful, supportive and mindful to the experiences, challenges and struggles that others (and yourself) might have experienced. It is easy to think that the people we work with have never experienced trauma, but the truth is, we often don;t know. 

And, it is worth mentioning, in 2020, most people are dealing with a bit of trauma due to the sudden and swift life and daily changes from COVID-19. 

Relias describes the Trauma-Informed Lens as this: Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from viewing trauma as an injury, ‘what is wrong with you?’ to ‘what has happened to you? What have you experienced?.’ 

trauma-informed lens as an slp

In the latest episode of the SLP Stress Management Podcast, I have the honor of speaking with fellow SLP, Rachel Archambault, to discuss how we can use the Trauma-Informed Lens as an SLP. You might know Rachel from her IG account, PTSD.SLP, or from her conference presentations on PTSD and Trauma-Informed Approach to Therapy.

Here is a little more about Rachel:

Rachel Archambault, a.k.a. The PTSD SLP is in her fifth year as an SLP at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. After the traumatic event on 2/14/18, she has implemented trauma-informed practices during her speech sessions to create a safe learning environment. Rachel has also created an instagram page @PTSD.SLP to give SLPs and other professionals the tools to work with students that have experienced trauma. She has presented at FLASHA and has recently been awarded the distinction of Early Career Professional by ASHA.

As Rachel says in the interview “There is no rule book for this“.

During the episode, we discuss what you can do for trauma-related stress for yourself and your students (clients, patients). Here are a few things we talk about:

  • Rachel’s story and how it shapes her work as an SLP
  • Trauma-informed approach to your own stress management and reductions (because, yes, this year has dealt a LOT of trauma to many people)
  • Trauma-Informed Care for your students and those you work with
  • COVID-19 trauma (it’s real and most likely affects you or someone you know)
  • ACEs and resources to learn more about them
  • Resources to learn more about incorporating this approach to your work

Here are some of the resources discussed in the episode:

You can listen below or on your favorite podcast app:

You can also catch up on all the episodes of the SLP Stress Management Podcast here.

If you are looking for some ways to work on managing your own stress as an SLP, make sure to check out the SLP Stress Management Course (you can get info here) and sign up below to subscribe to the SLP Toolbox, a FREE resource library full of tools to help SLPs reduce and manage stress.

Much Love,

Jessi

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1Nov

How to Use Movement for SLP Stress Management When You are Short on Time: Quick Interval Mindful Movement for SLPs

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Mindful Movement Reduce Stress
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Movement for SLP Stress Management

When you are stressed, as an SLP or otherwise, one of the best things you can do is to get up and move your body. It could be a stretch at your desk, going for a quick walk down the hall, taking a stroll through your neighborhood, following a short fitness video or audio, or taking an hour for a yoga class. Whatever it is, movement is key to helping you reduce and manage your stress and tension, in both your body and mind.

Movement for SLP Stress Management, especially when done mindfully, can help you in a few different ways, including mental and physical tension relief, health benefits, and stepping away from a place of stress.

(Mindful movement for stress management is something that I dive into in much more depth in the SLP Stress Management Course, along with a few audios and videos to help you get moving).

It can also be really difficult to incorporate into your daily routine, or to start doing at all. Movement can be one of the first things you sacrifice when you are stressed, drained and feeling short on time.

Even when you know that movement is one of the key strategies to reducing and managing stress, it is not always easy to fit into your schedule. In fact, sometimes you are likely to not do these stress management techniques, because finding time for them seems like an additional stress that you are not willing to take on.

When this happens, there are a few ways to add in (or tweak) mindful movement without additional stress:

  • Look for spots in your day that you already have available, but might not be aware of at the moment.
  • Have a few short videos bookmarked on your computer for when you have a no-show or cancellation or a quick 10-15 minute opening
  • Plan for 15-30 minutes at the start of your day or at the end of your work day (and build this into your schedule)
  • Do something you enjoy, so you are likely to look forward to it and make it happen
  • Match your movement o your energy levels, so it feels good and you feel better after, not depleted, exhausted or bored.
  • Keep it short and simple – go for something efficient, like an interval practice that targets your entire body and mind.

Using these tips as guidelines to help you decide what to do, and when, can help you to add in a powerful stress management technique, without adding in more stress. If you are still feeling overwhelmed with this idea, you can get even more guidance and learn how to figure out what works best for you, when to practice it, and how to make it a habit, in the SLP Stress Management Course (available for enrollment now).

If time is the biggest issue for you, and you are looking for something that is efficient and guided, you can download the “Quick Interval” Mindful Movement Audio in the SLP Toolbox. It is a 20 minute, full-body movement practice, that just requires you and no other equipment. Each move is done for a minute or so, before you switch to the other side or a new move, so your body and brain are engaged the entire time, which will help reduce some mental and physical tension and stress.

The SLP Toolbox is a FREE subscribers-only resource library for SLPs, full of practical and effective tools to help reduce and manage stress. It is updated bi-monthly with exclusive content, such a meditation and movement audios.

Not a subscriber to the SLP Toolbox? You can sign up below to access this download as well as many more movement, meditation and journaling tools.

Much Love,

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24Oct

Leaving the SLP field to pursue your dreams with Jess Massey: SLP Stress Management Podcast

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Podcast Stress Management
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leaving the slp field

Be honest, have you ever considered leaving the SLP field entirely? There are a lot of SLPs and future SLPs wondering if they have made the correct decision about going into the field of Speech Language Pathology. I was one of those for over 5 years, and sometimes that thought still creeps in to my mind. It can be a really difficult thing to face and ask yourself, and it can also be the thing that leads you to exactly where you need to be – whether it is staying the course, shifting to something new within the field, or creating something new entirely.

The field of Speech Language Pathology is incredible and the work is meaningful. It can be stressful, and this stress can still be worth it (and made more manageable). But it doesn’t mean it is for everyone, even when it is such a beautiful field to be in.

There are a lot of things you can do and ask yourself when you are considering leaving the SLP field. One thing is to really sit down and see what you want your life to be and where your dreams and focus are taking you – beyond the stress and doubt. This is what I “sit down” and chat about for an episode of the SLP Stress Management Podcast, with former-future-SLP and present day Paper Planner creator, Digital Product creator, host of the “Hustle Sanely” podcast, Jess Massey of Jessicamassey.com and HustleSanely.com.

jess massey podcast interview

In 2019, Jess left grad school , while pursuing a degree in Speech Language Pathology, to go all in on her business Hustle Sanely. She creates digital and paper products, as well as courses and membership communities, to help women (a lot of teachers and SLPs) to create systems and routines that help them to better manage time, and, “hustle sanely”.

Here is a little more about Jess:

Jess Massey is a planner designer, podcast host, and the founder of Hustle Sanely, which is a community-centered productivity brand that equips women to pursue their dreams without sacrificing their mental health and relationships. We use the 5 Keys to Hustling Sanely to help women get clear on their dreams, define their priorities, and create a schedule to peacefully pursue them.

In the episode we talk about:

  • Leaving your current job/school to pursue your dream
  • The journey in and out of pursuing SLP
  • 5 Keys to Hustling Sanely
  • Hustle Sanely 5
  • To-do lists vs Focus “3” for your day
  • Where to find Jess’s products and programs (including the upcoming Hustle Sanely Program enrollment and membership program), as well as where to follow her on IG

You can tune in below or with the SLP Stress Management Podcast episodes here:

For more ways to manage your SLP Stress, make sure to check out the SLP Toolbox, with FREE resources to help you manage and reduce your stress as an SLP, including meditation and movement audios, mindfulness/journaling checklists and more.

You can sign up to subscribe below:

Much Love,

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17Oct

SLPs Need to Rest: Mindfulness Meditation

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Meditation Stress Management
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slps need to rest

Do you ever feel like you are constantly doing something? Like, even when you are not working or working on work, you are trying to be productive by doing more on your endless to-do list? It’s incredibly common, especially for a field and profession that focuses so much on productivity. But, without a doubt, SLPs need rest. Maybe now more than ever.

As a yoga teacher, for nearly a decade now, there is one thing that has remained constant. It is easy for students to come in, stretch, move, and breathe, but when it comes to the end, where it’s time to really relax and get still – not doing – most people have a really hard time. When given the chance to relax, it is difficult to do, because it seems unusual and unproductive.

I think that as an SLP, you might relate to this as well. Even though the thing you might want the most it time to just BE and not DO, it is really difficult when productivity is such a huge part of your work and daily focus.

But it is so important to take rest. And, SLPs need rest too. Not sleeping, or even really doing (like yoga or meditation), but simply resting to recharge and deeply relax. Doing this for a few moments, almost like a timeout, can help you to let go for a moment, reset, and feel less attached to your daily stress.

A great way to do this is with a yoga “savasana”. If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, this is the part at the end where you just rest, flat on your mat. And it is the part that can be so difficult. But, when you let go and just rest on your mat, it can give you the balance you need from the hectic, productive pace of your daily routine and work.

You can do this by resting on a yoga mat for a few minutes, maybe listening to some music or just being still. If you want a little guidance, you can follow along with the “Savasana Meditation” in the SLP Toolbox. This meditation of sorts will focus on helping you get some rest and relaxation, to help balance out the rest of your day.

You can access the SLP Toolbox, and all the other meditations and tools with it, by subscribing below (if you are already an email subscriber, you can click here).

If you are ready to dive even deeper into managing and reducing your stress, by adding in tools to your daily routine, make sure to check out the SLP Stress Management Course, now available! It also comes with several bonus meditations and movement audios and videos to help you get started right away. You can check it out here: SLP Stress Management Course+Meditation Bundle

Much Love,

Jessi

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10Oct

How to stop second guessing yourself as an SLP: SLP Stress Management Podcast Interview with Hallie Sherman

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Career Advice Stress Management
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second guessing yourself as an slp

One of the main reasons I decided to quit being an SLP (for nearly 5 years!) was because I didn’t feel like I was doing anything. I would go to work each day, but didn’t feel connected to what I was doing, didn’t feel like it was making a difference, and started to believe that being an SLP didn’t really mean much or do much. It was a TERRIBLE way to think and feel, and is absolutely untrue. SLPs make a huge difference in big and little ways, but at the time, it was difficult to see, until it was impossible.

Many SLPs that are stressed and nearing burnout can feel this way, or feel that they are heading in this direction. You might be familiar with this too.

It is often when you are a brand new SLP or starting in a new setting or with a new therapy protocol. You might feel like you aren’t sure what you are doing, or if it is effective, or if you are doing it “right”, and, then, you start second guessing yourself as an SLP. From there, it can be a quick trip to disconnect from your work and wondering if it was the right decision.

But it can also be a launching pad for bringing you to more connection and growth as an SLP. It can be the moment that helps you to figure out new ways to approach your work, connect with your students/clients/patients and feel that your work is truly meaningful (and sustainable).

How to recognize this moment, use it to reshape your mindset around your SLP work, and stop second guessing yourself as an SLP is what Hallie Sherman, from Speech Time Fun and the SLP Coffee Talk Podcast, shares in the this episode of the SLP Stress Management Podcast.

In her words “Hi! I am Hallie Sherman, M.S. CCC-SLP and I am a full time, school-based SLP from NY. I have experience working with students preschool through high school. I realized early on in my career that I had to find ways to make lesson planning easier so that I can leave work at work, spend more time with my children, yet still execute fun and engaging lessons that will help my students work towards their IEP goals. I am here to help you realize that you too can plan with ease and have your students always wondering what awesomeness you will present them each and every day! “

For even more ways to help you manage stress and ditch the second guessing that comes with it, check out the SLP Stress Management Self-Guided Course, now available!

This 8-week online course will help you to understand stress and where it comes from, learn evidence-based tools to better manage and reduce it, and create ways to implement these practices in your daily routines and schedule. You can find out more and sign up here: SLP Stress Management Course.

Much Love,

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2Oct

Top 5 Meditation Apps for SLPs

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Meditation
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meditation apps for slps

Let’s face it, as an SLP you are most likely dealing with pretty high amounts of stress on a normal year. Add in all that has happened in 2020 and there is even more to figure out and work through.

One of the best ways to manage and reduce stress, no matter how many stressful things are part of your day, is to have a meditation practice.

Regular meditation can help to reduce the stress response in your brain, rewire the way you perceive stress triggers, and even improve the function of your brain. It can also help to increase your focus, which can improve efficiency and decrease mental fatigue. And, it anything, it gives you a moment to yourself to pause, take a break and check in with yourself on even the most hectic of days.

The tricky part is getting started, and the trickier part is sticking with it.

The key is to choose a program that works best for what you need. Some apps and sites offer meditations that are for one specific thing, such as sleep or anxiety or stress, while others focus on helping you to learn ow to meditate.

Here is a list of my top 5 meditation apps for SLPs (and a few honorable mentions):

  • Calm
    • This app is best known for being free for teachers in 2020. While this may or may not still be happening, it is a very popular meditation app. Plus, the name really says it all, ya know?
    • Calm focuses on guided meditation to help you relax and ultimately sleep better, which can help to reduce stress. This is really great if you find you have a difficult time winding down in the evenings or your mind starts to race when you do close your eyes for sleep.
  • HeadSpace
    • New to meditation or want to make sure you are doing it “right”? This app is for you. Headspace offers a fantastic beginners trial and series that help you to learn how to mediate (and why), and to slowly get you into a doable routine of daily meditation.
    • As one SLP shared “{They} have a variety of meditation! Even children’s meditations”, so it could work for you, your family, and maybe even your therapy sessions. And again, it’s all in the name. who wouldn’t want some headspace these days?
  • Grokker
    • This is a meditation app/membership site, as well as fitness, healthy eating, lifestyle/living, and more. It is really an overall wellness site, that happens to have some really great meditations. It is offered for both individuals and companies, and I have been a user of this site for quite a few years now.
    • You’ll find a lot of meditations on here, as well as mindfulness and stress training videos, from meditation practitioners, mindfulness teachers, coaches and even some psychologists. Plus, there are all the other amazing things that can help with stress available to you.
    • I like that the meditations here vary in length, teacher, and style (some are a bit more “woo” and others are very straight forward).
  • Sanvello (formerly known as Pacifica)
    • The app for “stress and anxiety”. This app was originally recommended to me by my therapist. It offers meditations for free, as well as a subscription you can purchase. The meditations can have music/background noise or none, and vary in length.
    • It also let’s you track your feelings, mood, etc, so it offers a little bit of reflection as well as just meditations.
    • It also offers coaching and can be linked to your therapist/physician for tracking and info.
  • Insight Timer
    • Want a free app? This one might be what you are looking for. Insight Timer offers thousands of free meditations, as well as a meditation timer. There are also programs or courses you can upgrade to, if you want to have even more from them.
    • The meditations are offered from meditation and spiritual “celebrities”, as well as regular, non-famous meditation teachers.

Honorable mentions:

  • My Life app: An SLP recommended this app, as it offers a large variety and helps you target a meditation practice or exercise that would be best for how you are feeling.
  • YouTube: There are so many free meditations on YouTube. One SLP specifically mentioned these meditations, from Jason Stephenson, and there are so many others you could search for by type, length, name, etc.
  • SLP Toolbox and Meditation Audio: Of course, you can download free meditation audios, made for SLPs, from the SLP Toolbox and the meditation audio at JessiAndricks.com. And you can also get access to exclusive bonus meditations when you enroll in the SLP Stress Management Course (self-guided), which is now open for enrollment year-round. You can access these free meditations by subscribing below.

What are some of your favorite apps for meditating as an SLP? Leave them in the comments below or send me an email at jessi@jessiandricks.com. For more on the benefits of meditation, make sure to check out the following courses:

Much Love,

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22Sep

Help Your Energy Flow: Mindful Movement for SLPs

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Mindful Movement
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As an SLP (and a mom and a human and a yoga teacher and everything), there are days when my energy feels great. I am focused, feel awake, am able to think clearly and work efficiently, and am just overall feeling good. These are the days where I can feel my energy flow, steadily and solidly.

There are also days when my energy levels are totally out of whack:

  • I feel frazzled and scattered in my thoughts
  • I feel T-I-R-E-D and can’t think clearly at all
  • My body feels tense and drained
  • I’m exhausted
  • I’m hyper and can’t focus or just want to move
  • I’m anxious
  • And so many variations

Can you relate?

As an SLP, you are bound to feel different from day to day, or even hour to hour, with all that you are trying to balance and work through. Sometimes you feel like you are ready to push through and struggle to make it all happen, and other days you want to just give in and give up. It’s incredibly stressful either way. Taking deep breaths and moving your body can help you to reduce and manage the stress you are feeling, and give you a way to feel steady and ready for the rest of your day or week.

On these days, movement is key for me – either to help me bring my energy levels up and feel more motivated or to bring them down and get more grounded. And sometimes, I need a combination of things to help me really feel my best. Movement will help me to get out of my head, and into my body when my thoughts are spiraling or not focused. It also helps me to feel more energized when I am exhausted but HAVE to do the work. My favorite style for these days is often yoga, a walk outside, or a class called “Energy Flow”, that I taught for my first 5 years as a yoga + mind-body fitness instructor.

In the Energy Flow class, you combine some yoga, Pilates, barre, aerobics and conditioning to help you either lift up your energy or burn off some of it, or a combination of the two. I always feel better after this style of class. The combination of taking deep breaths and moving with awareness for my body helps me to focus, feel calm, and feel ready to take on my day – without feeling overly exhausted or depleted.

You can download this “Energy Flow” Mindful Movement Practice in the SLP Toolbox, a FREE resource library to help SLPs reduce and manage stress. Sign up below for access.

You can also check out even more “Mindful Movement” videos and SLP Stress Management Q&A’s and tips on the SLP Stress Management YouTube channel.

Much Love,

energy flow

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16Sep

How to Use Journaling to Enhance Self-Awareness with Devin Roscillo: SLP Stress Management Podcast

Posted by: Jessi Andricks Categories: Journal Techniques for SLPs Podcast
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journaling to enhance self-awareness

One of the best tools for stress management is also one that I use the least – journaling. Meditate regularly? Sure thing, as much as I can. Move daily? You betcha. Journal practice?….?

I guess, in a way, I do journal through blogs and social media posts – kind of. Having that creative outlet and connection really does a lot for my stress levels. But really, it is more that I am writing than journaling. I rarely sit down with my pen and paper and do the work of journaling. I love writing, but this is the one that I make a lot of excuses not to do.

  • I don’t have the “right” journal
  • I don’t have my journal near me
  • I don’t want anyone else to read it (no one is going to)
  • I’ll think it instead

It is, honestly, a lot of excuses on my part, and something that I am making a goal to start adding in more often, along with my meditation and movement and mental “notes” each day.

Journaling practices, like gratitude journals or “brain dumps”, are some of the best forms of self-care. In fact, they are a core part of the SLP Stress Management Course. They help you to shift to noticing the positive and what’s working, so your brain isn’t stuck focusing on all that is going wrong, as well as give those negative or spiraling thoughts somewhere to live outside of your head. And this helps you to reduce your stress, manage it better, and, ultimately, take care of you.

But they are also really great for self-awareness. In fact, you can use journaling to enhance your self-awareness. While self-care is all about how you take care of yourself in order to show up as the best you can be for yourself and others, self-awareness is defined as by Merriam-Webster dictionary as “knowledge and awareness of your own personality or character”. Basically, it is being more aware or in tune with how you show up in the world, and who you are. This is so crucial when you are starting to work through your stress, burnout, and overwhelm at work, so that you are able to see how you are showing up and how things are affecting you or triggering stress.

You can use journaling to enhance self-awareness, which can help you to reduce your stress and be more aware of it and how it affects you. This is exactly what we dive into, and what we practice a bit of, in my interview with (former) SLP and Mindset Coach, Devin Roscillo of Unleashed Innovation.

Devin is an SLP turned Mindset Coach and founder of Innovation Unleashed, where she hosts regular workshop series and coaching programs to help her clients to see their limitless potential.

In the episode, Devin shares her journey with stress as an SLP, and how it led to her becoming a mindset coach, as well as some specific journal techniques she uses with her clients to enhance self-awareness.

Tune in below or check out all of the SLP Stress Management Podcasts here.