Common Questions
1. Why do I need professional help to improve my social communication skills?
2.
Why do I need professional help to improve my executive function skills?
3. I have no problems with my speech. Why would I see a Speech-Language Pathologist to improve my communication or executive function skills?
4.
How can this specialized coaching help me?
5.
Do you take insurance, and how does that work?
Why do I need professional help to improve my social communication skills?
Clients who seek services for social communication challenges experience communication difficulties on an ongoing basis. Examples of just a few common experiences are:
- Feeling like people are picking up on social cues that you’re missing
- Misinterpreting nonverbal cues (facial expressions, body language, tone of voice)
- Being told your explanations provide too much or too little background info
- Getting annoyed when people don’t just say what they mean
- Being confused by sarcasm or idioms
- Taking things literally
- Not knowing how to join in a conversation or “going blank” in a conversation
- Being told that you are insensitive to other people's perspective and expectations
- Not knowing how to communicate in certain situations (e.g. expressing encouragement, compliments, apologies)
These types of difficulties impact how you navigate your career, school and personal life. In a work environment, you may have difficulty gaining support from peers, collaborating on group projects, supervising others, and being promoted. Academically, you may misread an instructor’s expectations or struggle to work collaboratively in a group setting. On a personal level, you may have difficulty maintaining friendships.
Why do I need professional help to improve my executive function skills?
Clients who seek services specific to executive function challenges have a long history of difficulty with organizational skills and time management. Examples of just a few common experiences are:
- Difficulty organizing materials needed to complete a task
- Trouble prioritizing tasks
- Problems initiating or breaking down large projects
- Struggling to stay on task and maintain attention
- Difficulty managing multiple schedules (work, school and home)
- Getting easily derailed by unexpected events
- Allowing procrastination to result in last minute, subpar completion of a task
- Starting numerous projects but completing few of them
- Missing deadlines
In a work environment, talented employees can be perceived as scattered and unreliable, unable to meet the demands of the job. Academically, bright students have difficulty meeting due dates and demonstrating what they know. On a personal level, executive function challenges can have a huge impact. Being chronically late or not following through on commitments gets translated into a reputation of being irresponsible or uncaring.
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I have no problems with my speech. Why would I see a Speech-Language Pathologist to improve my communication or executive function skills?
As a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), I am trained in the science of communication and evidenced-based practices. Communication is a broad term as defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and it includes but is not limited to pragmatic language (social use of language) and cognition. The clients I see speak clearly, but they are challenged by interpersonal communication and/or executive functions, a facet of cognition.
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How can this specialized coaching help me?
Some clients come with a fairly clear understanding of their unique challenges; others only have a vague understanding of where their communication or executive function skills break down, based on feedback from family, friends or co-workers. We begin by identifying your specific strengths and challenges. You will learn about underlying concepts and skills that target your unique needs. You will also learn about obstacles that get in your way and how to either minimize or eliminate these roadblocks. Early on, clients are given assignments to practice skills and strategies between appointments. As sessions progress, coaching focuses on analysis of what worked or did not work and why. A client’s willingness to reflect, tweak and practice is key to success. In addition, it can be helpful to enlist the support of a trusted friend or family member to provide constructive feedback on a day-to-day basis.
Examples of a few underlying concepts that may apply to our work together are:
- Understanding the impact of your emotions and how you mentally frame events
- Acknowledging another person’s perspective (emotions, thoughts and intentions)
- Importance of focusing your attention on small “wins”
- Learning the unspoken rules of effective communication and how adherence to these rules varies based on context
- Understanding the importance of nonverbal communication and how it far outweighs our word choice
- Learning how to effectively lean into the discomfort of change
Do you take insurance, and how does that work?
Unfortunately, my coaching services are typically not covered by medical insurance. Although I am a speech-language pathologist, it is important to emphasize that private sessions fall under the category of coaching, not speech therapy. The coaching service that I provide cannot substitute for, and is not an alternative to, medical or other healthcare diagnosis and treatment. You are advised to seek diagnosis, treatment, and advice regarding medical or other health-related conditions from physicians, mental health professionals and allied health specialists who are licensed in your state or country of residence.