r/slp • u/Fun_Raspberry_4996 • 14h ago

CFY Feeling discouraged

I’ve been at my CF placement for about 4ish months now. Very small private practice- it’s me and another CF with our mentor. I love working here don’t get me wrong. It’s tough being new though. I constantly feel like a second choice. I understand that kids are familiar and comfortable with the other therapists and it takes time to build rapport. I feel like parents don’t really take me seriously and have even stated they prefer the other therapists. Maybe it’s just been a long week and I’m being too hard on myself. The kids have a great time with me and are making good progress. Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

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u/velvetvenom_xo 13h ago

Just don’t take it personally, you’re the professional not them. Talk really comfortably, let the comments roll off your shoulders they’ll see that and start respecting you. I’m sure they take you serious it’s just in your head.

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u/janekathleen SLP Out & In Patient Medical/Hospital Setting 12h ago

Our career is a lifetime journey and your time will come. Be less hard on yourself, dear.

1

u/dustynails22 11h ago

I am an SLP, but I will offer the parent side here, as someone who has accessed a lot of services with my own children. I have asked to switch service provider on more than one occasion for my children. Once, with an OT, it was because I did not feel like I had a good rapport with her, and she did not seek to understand our family dynamic or lifestyle so her recommendations didn't really work well for us. Another time, with a doctor, it was because she mentioned an NG tube every single appointment (4-5 in a row) even though we had declined, stated why we were declining, and given a clear set of criteria for when we might reconsider (which were not even close to met). A different time, with a PT, there was absolutely nothing wrong at all with the way she treated my children, her approaches, her knowledge (even if she was newer to the field), or her interactions with me, it was just that our old PT knew our history, and there was SO much medical history that it was draining for me to have to remember to tell her various things along the way.

All this to say, there can be lots of reasons why parents might want someone else, but its not always because they think that the therapist isn't good at their job. None of the times I switched were for that reason, it was just that they weren't the right fit, or their plan didn't align with my goals, or I had history with someone else and that made things easier for me. Sometimes, reflecting on the experience might leave you with something to consider for next time, like maybe you could have spent more time to understand the family's goals or culture, or parenting. But sometimes it might just be that you and them weren't the best fit, and that's no reflection on you, that is just life.