FOR ADULTS

Speech-Language Therapy for Adults

Reasons for seeking adult speech-language services

“How do I study to take my certifying exam? I have failed several times. I don’t know how to answer the questions or study effectively.”
“Emergency medicine is my passion, but I have trouble getting my ideas across to others, especially when pressured.”
“My boss needs me to explain what has happened in my sessions with my clients and I can’t. I’m worried about losing my job.”
“I don’t understand how to learn the information from all the textbooks I am asked to read in my program at college.”
“In spite of the fact that I was told I do excellent work the promotion I deserve went to someone else. In addition, my co-workers often ask me to repeat myself. Not only that, they rarely include me in their conversations.”
“When I present my dissertation, I don’t want to worry about my speech.”

Can adult speech-language services help improve communication skills, needed to succeed at school and work? Yes!

Poor communication skills can impede work and school success

Communication disorders impact many areas. For instance, they make learning new skills on the job challenging. In addition, poor skills can impact one’s ability to interact with peers and employers. Finally, weak speech and language skills can make organizing and completing work seem insurmountable. Communication deficits can range from mild to severe. Meaning that the impact of the deficit can be relatively unnoticeable to others to extremely impactful in all communication endeavors. Regardless of the level of severity, communication disorders impact self-esteem, especially when left untreated.

What are adult speech-language services like?

Adult speech-language services are goal-oriented and time limited. It can last as few as 2 sessions or up to a year, depending on needs, goals, and personal motivation. The initial session involves a formal and/or informal assessment. Meanwhile, the assessment and client goals are used to create an individualized treatment plan. At each session, the treatment plan is modified and updated. Sessions include discussions on thoughts and attitudes toward communication challenges, self advocacy training, practice of targeted behaviors, and home assignments to generalize the skills. Similar to building strength and fitness, changing communication behaviors requires regular practice and a commitment to change.

Adult speech-language services include:

Online college academic support – academic, executive function and social skills coaching
Writing content support
Reading comprehension
Social skills training and coaching
Stuttering remediation
Articulation
Verbal expression
Accent reduction

RESOURCES

TedTalks that motivate change...

The Power of Believing You Can Improve – Carol Dweck discusses her research on growth mindset
The Power of Belief -Mindset and Success | Eduardo Briceno – Eduardo’s TedTalk is based on Carol Dweck’s work and is my personal favorite on this subject
The First 20 Hours – “The major barrier to learning is not intellectual but emotional.”