De-Mentor

I'm not talking Harry Potter.  I am talking Amanda DeL.  DA MENTOR.  Today I had- count 'em- not one but TWO mentor visits BACK TO BACK... suckas.  I'm pretty sure that none of ya'll know what the heck I am talking about, and more than likely the ones who do know, don't give a hoot-nanny.

But I am gonna 'splain you...

Today I had 2 mentor visits.  Where I was the mentor.  I have sought mentor visits in my last 18 months as an employed, licensed SLP.  I have been the mentee for many a client, some times when I asked for it and some times when I didn't.  These little episodes in my short career have certainly taught me lots- both when warranted and un.(warranted). Regardless of the context, I have always learned something about my therapeutic style, whether it was something I could improve on or something I should be proud of.  I have had the great opportunity to see other, more experienced therapists at work, which has been been an eye-opener on some accounts and pretty much always invaluable to my understanding of a trans-disciplinary practice.  It's been G-double O-D for me.  And I've learned a lot.

But for the first time today, I was the more experienced therapist.  And I am not talking years of experience.  What I mean is that I had the great pleasure of working with a highly experienced motor therapist who said to her families "I don't know the answers, we need the help of a specialist."  And here's the crazy part... the specialist WAS ME! (pause for drama...).

So at the request of my supervisor, I accompanied this awesome therapist on a couple of visits this morning.  I was super nervous and definitely feeling the pressure.  I know what parents see when I walk through the door for the first time "How old is this girl?" "What kind of training does she have?" "What could she possibly know that I don't?"  I have even had the ballsiest of parents ask what type of degree is required to practice Speech-Language Pathology.  I could literally see the wheels turning in their heads as they calculated how young I could possibly be.  I try not to let it bother me.  I've been schooled and now I've got a year under my belt.  Boo-ya. I just do my best to wow them with my uber intelligence and super human strength (as I hoist their chubby two year old above my head while targeting an approximation of "up"--> super fun therapist right here).

Anyway.

So I go on these mentor visits and the PT is all "so here's a specialist in the area of language/feeding development... be sure to ask her all your questions!"  WOAH- Ok, kudos to me for being dubbed specialist.  I guess I have never thought of myself in that context before.  Professional?  Yes.  Trained?  Indeed.  Certified?  Certainly!  Specialist?  Well, apparently.  So ask they did.

And I answered.  At least I think I did.  I am pretty sure it was my autonomic nervous system kicking in (you know...SNS.. fight/flight...nerd/geek...anyway...), but miraculous gems of professional, specialized goodness escaped my lips and before I knew it, parents were nodding their heads in agreement and.... dare I say it... asking FOLLOW UP questions.  Which I was also somehow able to answer.  Remarkable.  Autonomic.  Sympathetic.  Do you follow?

So then I wonder... have I gotten complacent in the last 18 months with my own clients?  I mean, I feel like I was a more successful speech therapist for 2 hours out of my work day today than I will be for the other 38 hours.  Don't get me wrong- I really feel like I am problem solving/treasure hunting/doing my best to read a foreign map every day of my job.  Some days are more successful than others.  Some days I solve the puzzle/find the treasure/get to my destination.  Some days are good, others are hard.  Some days I win and some days I'm off the mark.  But for some reason, today.... I was able to find the star on the map.  I found the answers and I delivered.  It was incredible and I fully credit the awesome motor therapist who gave me great backgrounds and case histories and scaffolded the structure of the mentoring visits in a way that was efficient and productive.  I need more days like this in my regular routine.  Just a change of pace where my services are sought urgently and not expected on a weekly or biweekly basis.  Where I get to be the specialist, not the one with the best educated guess.  I worked hard to obtain this career because I wanted to make a small but meaningful difference in the big world of families in my community.  Today I learned that I need reminders that hard work pays off.  Today I learned a lot.

Today... was a good day.  I feel like a super hero.

super source