Graduate /
Parkinson's disease; Speech Pathology SOP [2]
"How many times do I have to tell you?"
"Weren't you paying attention?"
"Why didn't you ask for clarity?"
"I didn't exactly say it, but I gave him that look."
I heard these statements on a regular basis in the beginning of my 20 years in corporate America. As a human resources professional who was trained to view employee relations objectively, I recognized that these phrases were usually not prompted by incompetence or insubordination; instead, they indicated simple miscommunication. Gradually during my career, I discovered that these statements sometimes signaled more significant issues. The issues reflected an important need in the workplace that would prompt me to transition from a career as a human resources manager to a career as a speech - language pathologist.
As a human resources manager, I regularly trained company employees on ways to communicate more effectively. Using information I had acquired from books such as Power Phrases, Lifescripts, and How to Win Friends and Influence People, I conducted interactive training sessions that provided solutions to common communication issues such as turning down requests or giving feedback. Usually after each training session, an employee would ask privately about more personal dilemmas such as, "How do I tell my co-worker to turn his music down?" I received a great deal of satisfaction from knowing that my training seminars helped improve the climate of the workplace. Eager to reach a wider audience, I became an independent training consultant. For six years, I traveled around the country conducting seminars on over 20 business and communication related topics such as Communication for Women, Conflict Management Skills, and Dealing with Difficult Employees.
While conducting seminars across the country, I discovered that participants' concerns were changing and the private questions at the end of the seminars were becoming increasingly more sensitive in nature. For example, participants were asking:
"How do I tell my co-workers that my blank stare is due to my Parkinson's disease?"
"I have a co-worker who is hearing impaired. How do I tell him he is talking too loudly?"
"What is the correct way to give instructions to my team member with autism?"
These questions regarding communication disorders were surprisingly common and yet, because of personal and legal concerns, they were sometimes left unanswered for years. This lack of resolution resulted in corporate environments filled with uncomfortable avoidance, isolation, and resentment. This is when I realized that inclusive business communication requires an awareness of physical, emotional, and neurological differences.
In order to gain this awareness and provide solutions for these companies, I sought formal training in the area of communication disorders. I enrolled in undergraduate classes at Governors State University with the intention of obtaining information that I could share with my clients. To my surprise, I learned that the misunderstanding and isolation I witnessed was not exclusive to the workplace - the workplace simply reflected what people with communication disorders experienced in society at large. Whether the condition is neurological, such as dysarthria, or physical, such as a cleft palate, a communication disorder separates a person from the rest of society unless there is comprehensive intervention.
I would like to become a speech - language pathologist so that I can treat the current population of people with communication disorders. I also want to help prepare society for the changes that will occur in the near future, such as the rising number of people with autism. Not only will this population require dedicated speech - language pathologists to assist them with communication issues but their friends, family, and co-workers will need to learn the most effective ways of communicating with them. There are similar concerns for the growing number of young stroke victims and military personnel with traumatic brain injuries who are returning to civilian life.
My background in training and development will be a definite asset as a speech - language pathologist. As a trainer, I have knowledge of different learning styles and the capacity to present difficult concepts easily. My background in theatre will also be an asset. For the past 25 years, I have taken advanced level acting classes in various schools, including the British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England where I learned valuable vocal techniques, such as Fitzmaurice Voicework and the Alexander Technique.
I am eager to combine my background with a Master of Health Science degree in Communication Disorders from ....University. Ever since my first class at ..., I have been impressed by the real world experience of the professors and their ability to make potentially abstract concepts practical. I would like to learn about all aspects of communication disorders, but I am especially interested in adult language and cognitive disorders. I hope you will give me the opportunity to receive a higher education at ....University, so that I may gain the knowledge and skills necessary to assist people with communication disorders and increase society's awareness of that population.
