120. SLPs Must Do Hard Things: Why We Can't Look Away

This episode is different from anything I've shared before. A couple of weeks ago, I lost a close friend, an 81-year-old former social worker with whom I'd had countless deep conversations over the years. One thing always bothered him: walking into a church and seeing Jesus on the crucifix. He felt it was the wrong image to focus on, as it elicited negative emotions rather than hope. I was with him in his final moments. And in that moment, he looked exactly like that image he hated so much. It was one of the hardest things I've ever witnessed. But I believe there was a message in it, and that message changed how I think about the children we serve. When someone is suffering, the worst thing we can do is look away. The best thing we can do is attend to them. That's what this work is. When you're working with kids who have tantrums for hours, who bite, scratch, self-injure, kids with autism who are so often misunderstood and underserved, the answer isn't a narrow approach that treats a symptom. It's a holistic approach that treats the whole child. Last week, I challenged you to do a brain dump, to look at what's working (what I call "your back porch") and figure out how to translate that success into the areas where you're struggling. This week, I'm asking you to take that reflection and turn it into action. This is more than a profession. It's a mission. You're making the world a better place, one child at a time, and you will always be first. Ready to put this into practice? Join the SIS membership today and receive weekly tools to put evidence-based activities into practice today. Join SIS to take you to the next step: https://www.kellyvess.com/sis 00:00 You Can Do This 00:48 Why I Make This Show 01:28 Losing A Close Friend 02:32 Witnessing The Final Moments 03:56 Don’t Look Away 05:00 Autism Needs Holistic Care 06:27 Patch The Holes 08:10 This Work Is A Mission