Step Into My Office

We recently tried a new private speech therapist in town. I had heard good things about her from a few people. Though I adore his school-provided online therapist, I felt like speech might be more effective in-person rather than online. She had developed a video feedback program recognized by ASHA that I was interested in learning more about.

She had some good ideas and approaches. She was Ok with FMO except for physically turning his face toward hers, because... that is natural communication and everyone does that in typical conversation to elicit the other's attention... right?

I tried to make it work for a few months. I didn't want to quit just because I found her condescending to me. I didn't want to stop something potentially beneficial for FMO because of my minor irritations, but they just kept getting more and more numerous and too hard to ignore.

She was constantly late, which I could overlook if she hadn't become inconsistent. She was so insistent on using a "you earned a star" token economy. I am so opposed to it in theory and practice, but I was giving her a chance to do what she does. Then she would forget or skip it altogether.

At first she was on board with using sign language. She even knew Signed Exact English and Cued Speech. Later she told me she didn't recommend it except as a supplementation and abruptly stopped signing to him.

Once she told me, "You need to come to terms with your son's real diagnosis." I personally try not to tell people what they "need to" do, but hey, that's me. More passive-aggressive behavior happened between that statement and the straw that broke the camel's back. So, it took something as tiny as referring to my son (and presumably all other individuals with special needs like his) as "them" and I was done. Just done.

Thank you for your time. Your services will no longer be required.

FMO has a great team with every service he needs, provided by caring, sensitive independent thinking, creative people. His dance card is full.