Like many rehabilitation therapists, speech therapists help people regain the use of something very important to day-to-day life. In the case of a speech therapist, that something is the ability to speak.

A speech therapist will help people who are unable to speak or who cannot do so clearly. Speech therapists also help people who stutter, have inappropriate pitch, a harsh voice or speech quality or who have rhythm and fluency difficulties.

Stuttering is a well-known and common speech disorder, one that often is caused by anxiety. A speech therapist will help someone who stutters with a regimen  of speech exercises. The therapist also may work closely with a psychologist or psychiatrist to help alleviate the stress or anxiety that causes the stuttering.

Other typical patients of a speech therapist are those individuals who have had a stroke, have loss of hearing, a mental disability, cerebral palsy, or even a brain injury.

Many speech therapists start their day with paperwork. A therapist will begin his or her day at the rehabilitation center or hospital and review the day’s caseload and also will review and edit notes made from sessions with other patients the previous day.

Speech therapists keep detailed records on the original evaluation and subsequent progress of their patients and will work with a team of physicians, social workers and counselors to come up with a treatment plan for each patient.

A speech therapist also may act as a type of counselor as he or she helps the patient and his or family members cope with the stresses of different speech disorders. A therapist may train family members on treatment techniques to use at home with the patient.

A speech therapist often can become professionally close to a patient, celebrating successes and overcoming setbacks. Speech therapy can be a painstaking process so speech therapists need patience, a great attention to detail and focus.

If you’re a speech therapist with an interest in traveling all over the country, contact Centra Healthcare Solutions. We have many short- and long-term assignments at rehab facilities all over the country. Send us your CV today!

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