I love connecting with people, ALL people.

It is that connection that fills my happy tank. It is what has made a dream career of my over 25 years as a practicing speech-language pathologist. The connections that I have made along the way have made my life so full and blessed. My career path, however, didn’t start in speech-language pathology.

When I first arrived on campus at the University of Arkansas, I chose a major which I thought at the time was a good fit. I was a communications major. I knew I loved to talk and communicate and surely that would be something I would be good at “studying” and making a living doing. What I didn’t know was that the degree “communications” isn’t exactly just talking to people and making a living. It was giving speeches and learning to argue a point amongst other things. Well, I am not exactly a public speaker and I run (as fast as I can) from confrontation.

While sitting in my apartment after the Spring semester of my sophomore year of college, I looked at the plan for the rest of college coursework and felt sick. The major I had chosen and the coursework that came with it was not what I wanted to do.

I remembered a dear Sunday school teacher of mine, Lisa Carroll. She was a speech-language pathologist and it was evident that she loved her job. I wanted a career like that. Beyond this desire, deep to my core I felt so much compassion for people who struggled to communicate.  

While considering my career options I reconnected with Lisa who encouraged me to visit St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, OK. After shadowing a speech-language pathologist during one day of my spring break, I was sold! This is what I was going to do — I was going to help people communicate. I went back to the University of Arkansas and when I registered for my junior year, I changed my major and never looked back.

I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology/audiology and then went on to attain my master’s degree from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. I later co-founded Children’s Therapy TEAM and feel honored to have the opportunity to work alongside an amazing  TEAM of therapists today. I can’t put into words the joy I feel when I can help a child communicate or improve their communication skills.

Building Connections

Once I became a mom, I was ready for that first cry, my girls’ first means of communication with me and my husband, their dad. There is nothing like that connection and it builds from there. 

We connect daily. Dad saying, “good morning” to his son. Mom asking, “what would you like for breakfast” to her daughter. A child letting a caregiver know he / she doesn’t feel well. Communicating basic wants and needs is one way we build connections (ie, even that first cry is an example of this type of communication)— it is the early foundation of communication. It is important for these types of communication to happen. 

One way we build connections is not only by expressing our basic wants and needs but also by sharing our thoughts and opinions. As humans, we desire to connect with others. Communication is something we do EVERY day and is so important (I like to think the most important skill). 

Parent Concerns

As a parent/caregiver, if you notice that your child has any signs identified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, this could affect their ability to communicate with others. Don’t hesitate to connect with our TEAM to discuss your concerns. We believe that EVERY child should have some way to communicate with those around them.

About the Author

Cindy Watson, CCC-SLP, has been a practicing pediatric speech-language pathologist for over 25 years. She is Co-Founder of Children’s Therapy TEAM and serves as Children’s TEAM’s Chief Experience Officer. In addition to her ongoing treatment of children, she is also a mentor to therapists and instructor in the Communications Disorders Department at the University of Arkansas.