Unlocking the Power of Communication: 6 Surprising Ways Speech Therapists Can Help

"We should really be called Speech-Language-Swallow-Cognitive-Communication-Pragmatics-Voice therapists, but that doesn't roll off the tongue quite as easily." – Quote from Lauren Herman’s book “But my Speech is Fine.”

If I had a $1.00 for every time I introduced myself to a client and said that I am a speech therapist and heard, “I can talk just fine,” I would be rich! Speech therapy and what we do is so broad that many people don’t know how much we can do. That’s why the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) made May “Better Speech and Hearing” Month to celebrate our field!

ASHA states, “Speech therapists are professionals who work to prevent, assess, diagnose and treat speech, language, voice, social communication, cognitive communication, and swallowing disorders.”

Let’s explore the 6 areas

a speech therapist can help!

Speech

This is the most common area that people think of when they hear “speech therapist.” They may think of a speech teacher in a school working with kids who have trouble saying their /r/ or /th/ sounds. But we also work with adults who have had strokes or traumatic brain injuries, whose speech now comes out mumbled, slurred, or is just hard to understand.

Language

Language is key to communication! So when someone has trouble understanding words that are being spoken or can’t get the words from their brain to their mouth to communicate, it can be detrimental. That’s why speech therapists focus on everyday language and specific strategies to maximize understanding and speaking.

Voice

Did you know that singers, actors, and performers often work with speech therapists? Speech therapists are trained in the muscles and movements of the larynx(voice box) so we can teach how to preserve your voice and keep it healthy.

Social Communication

This falls under the umbrella of what a speech therapist can treat because understanding and using body language, figurative language, and social skills is nonverbal communication. We can target these skills through social groups or role-playing tasks.

Cognitive Communication

These are your brain skills. You need these skills to complete your everyday tasks like paying your bills, remembering your grocery list, taking your medications, etc.

Here at Life speech Services, I target cognitive skills through functional tasks. We will do the things you need to do every day in therapy! This way, we incorporate strategies to make things easier.

Swallowing

This is the area that surprises everyone. Yes, speech therapists help you improve your swallowing! We know all about how the swallow works, recommendations of simple changes to food like adding extra sauce or gravy, and swallowing exercises to help the food go down more comfortably, and to prevent choking or food and liquid going into your lungs, which can cause pneumonia.

I was recently talking with one of my stroke clients about some of the difficulties he was still experiencing, beyond just his speech. He was having trouble reading and understanding what he read, trouble counting out and using money, and was having a hard time remembering things that were important to him. As he shared with me, I was able to share with him that those were all things that we could work on together in therapy! His response was, “I didn’t realize all a speech therapist could do for me!”

If you or a loved one are struggling in any of the areas above, contact us via our website! We would love to connect!