In a recent staff meeting with my supervisor, I was really struggling on how to help one of my students. After my session with her, I felt totally awful as an SLP. I felt like it wasn’t a good session. I take that really personally and then try to overwork in order to fix it. My therapist told me I need to put less pressure on myself to fix my work related challenges, because they aren’t always something I can fix. That might be my mantra for the week because it would reduce so much stress for me.

 In the end, I told my supervisor and coworker that I was totally lost. I don’t normally do that, I like to solve problems on my own, but accepting that you need help is so important in a CF. A lot of the feedback I got in undergrad/grad was that my demeanor was so calm and natural as an SLP, I was advanced for my level and that always felt great. At the same time, I have so much room to grow, and now is the time for me to let that happen and get as much help as I can. 

So many of my lessons for me revolve around shifting my mindset. One shift I’m trying to make is that asking for help isn’t a weakness, but a strength. I will never have all the answers and the answer I do have might not always be the best one. It could also be improved by others’ insights and perspectives.

Another benefit is that these struggles I have may mirror the one’s my clients have. Feeling lost, overwhelmed, not sure how to change. Needing tools to succeed or even make it through the day. Doing the bare minimum sometimes because the thoughts get to much. I can empathize even more with them and make a stronger connection. 

Let me know if you resonate with any of the above and how you work through accepting that you’re lost or need help. 

To read my previous CFY lessons, click here.