There is nothing like finally finishing with graduate school, passing all of your exams (including the Praxis), getting your license and starting our very first job as an SLP. Your first year as an SLP is one full of firsts and thrills and wins, and can also be one that is surprisingly more challenging than graduate school ever was.

Here is the truth – starting your first year as an SLP is incredibly exciting and can be incredibly overwhelming.

• You are finally out of your own, but still under supervision for your CFY.
• You get to make the therapy and diagnostic calls.
• You can make the schedule and see your students and clients when you want to (mostly).
• You are an SLP (CF or CCC).

This is all incredibly powerful and can be liberating, but at times it can also leave you feeling like  you’ve been left alone in the wilderness with limited tools for survival. It can be hard to figure out how to survive our first year as an SLP. You may feel like you are a bit isolated, without your cohort of future SLPs by your side each day. It can also make you feel like you are inadequate or need to spend all of your time researching, prepping and planning. This alone can make that first year seem like sink or swim, and can set you up towards the road of chronic stress and burn out.

If you feel this way, in your first year or your 30th year, it is ok. We have ALL felt that way at some point in our SLP career. Luckily, there are a few things you can do in your first year, or starting where you are now, to help you survive and THRIVE from here on out as an SLP.

• Remember that you know more than you think, and you can always find the answers
  • One of the biggest things when you first start out is gaining and keeping confidence in yourself and your ability to do the work. You may have a supervisor that seems like they are able to know everything, but chances are they have either been around for a long time and have learned a lot along the way, or they know where to go to find the answers.
  • It is ok to not know everything. In grad school, you had to have all the answers for the exams. In the real world, if something is unfamiliar or you want to know more, you can go and research more about it. Look the latest news or articles, head to the ASHA Leader Live, rifle through your textbooks, ask another SLP (FB groups are great for this), take a CEU course, or even listen to a podcast.
• Set up a schedule that works for YOU
  • You don’t have to follow the schedule you are taking over, or the one that is “typical” for everyone. Just like every standard therapy practice may not work for every patient/student, you may have different scheduling needs than the other SLP you work with.
  • Look at start times and end times, figure out when you need breaks, and take note of when you might need some downtime for paperwork (or to recharge after being “on” with your patients). Having clear times to start and end your day will help keep you from coming in early and staying late regularly, which often lead to much more stress. Breaks will help you to recharge, clear your head and feel more connected to your work in the long run, as well as help keep your efficiency and energy levels up.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help
  • This can be so hard to do, but is essential. If you aren’t sure of something, whether it is a treatment or therapy idea or you don;t know ow to figure out your caseload, it is ok to ask for help.
  • Reach out to your mangers or admin as needed, especially with scheduling and caseload management. Look to your CF supervisor for guidance in any and all aspects of the job. You can even reach out to your fellow CF’s and see how they are doing.
• Keep it Simple
  • One of the biggest things that happens for people trying to survive the first year as an SLP is over-planning. This can be really fun, but can also be a HUGE time-sucker.  The truth is, your patients/clients/students don’t need a TON of complex activities. They will benefit from routine, from familiarity and from simplicity.
  • For planning, have a few go-to resources that you can use with a wide-range of students or clients, and can easily grab and use. Then, if there is time, you can plan more elaborate activities and build up from there.
  • Have a few seasonal themes you can use if you want to add in some fun, but keep it simple and reuse them.
• Invest in Yourself
  • You have invested so much in your education. Remember to invest in yourself.
  • Take time each day, or most days, to do something good for you in the form of self-care.
  • Try a morning or evening routine to help you set your intentions for the day or to unwind after a long day.
  • Leave work at work and plan a “transition” at the end of the work day to help you switch your mindset from work to home.
• Build Community
  • Isolation is one of the things that can make it really difficult to survive your first year as an SLP, and can set you up for years of feeling isolated. After being in grad school, with many other peers, not having anyone you know or even any other SLPs at your work can be difficult.
  • Try joining online groups, such as FB groups or follow SLPs on IG, to help feel like part of a community.
  • Plan meetings/outings with your grad school friends or new SLP friends.
  • Make friends and build rapport with other professionals at your work, such as OT, PT, teachers, etc.
  • All of these people will likely be going through similar struggles or will have been through them before. It helps to have people who really “get” what your day is like and can help you work through the stress.

Your first year as an SLP can be incredibly challenging, but can also set you up for an amazing, long, fulfilling career. Give these a try and see how they work for you, especially if you are already feeling overwhelmed. For even more on managing your stress as an SLP, make sure to check out these CEU/CMH webinars, and sign up for FREE stress management resources for SLPs in the SLP Toolbox below.

• 3 Common SLP Stressors and How to Manage Them  on Xceptional ED (1.5 CMH Hours)
• Managing Common SLP Stressors before Burn Out Occurs on Northern Speech Services (2.5 ASHA CEU hours .025 units)
• 3 Biggest Stressors for SLPs and What to do About Them on SpeechPathology.com (1.5 ASHA CEU hours .15 units)

Much Love,