Speak Out April 2021

member PROFILE

of speech, language and swallowing have increased. I think that the range of test instruments available today supports this! This is probably similar across most professional areas and enables us to meet the specific needs of our clients with more confidence. GERRY: Our profession has grown which means it has also become increasingly diverse. This has enabled appropriate services to be offered to a far greater number of community and cultural groups than would have been possible in the past. There are more tertiary institutions offering speech pathology courses and Speech Pathology Australia is supporting us like never before with professional development opportunities, employment and mentoring guidance, resources and advocating for the profession on many platforms. "Look after YOURSELVES, then look after your clients." Would you recommend private practice for starting out new graduates? MEREDITH & GERRY: It is VITAL that mentoring and other supports are made available for young speech pathologists. This may become a problem in the profession if young clinicians are not provided with the "good start" in their early days. New clinicians should certainly ensure that they become SPA members as the support provided is immeasurable. Do you have recommendations for other clinicians? MEREDITH & GERRY: Look after YOURSELVES, then look after your clients. Stress is a real thing and especially now with COVID 19, NDIS, and PAPERWORK, it is important to care for yourselves. Finally, how has SPA influenced your working lives? MEREDITH & GERRY: We have been long term members. Gerry has received a 40 year recognition award and Meredith is heading that way. We try to attend SPA conferences every two years, and despite being the more "mature" participants, we really appreciate the opportunity to add to our knowledge base and kick up our heels amongst such an inspirational group of professionals. As an organisation SPA has had to grow and change to meet the needs of our profession and it has done so brilliantly.

Annette enjoying the scenery at Halls Gap.

Coping through COVID By Annette Mikecz CPSP

I remember it was March last year 2020 and it hit us like a wave. I was working in Shepparton enjoying the regional Victoria experience in a wonderful rural allied health team at Goulburn Valley Health. The news about COVID seemed to engulf us like a wave. I remember the anxiety and the daily news reports, the daily updates, the working from home, how fast everything happened. I could feel the anxiety rising, the fear of the unknown, the reality of the "pandemic", the daily broadcasts of the deaths overseas, the daily updates on the news from our Premier. I am sure like many others in allied health we had to harness our strengths, manage our or own stress and anxiety levels, lean in on colleagues, teams and for those lucky to have family or friends nearby. Some of us like myself were working away from home, or like myself I have worked in rural and remote settings for some time now, home was ever changing. I remember the wonderful Lake Victoria in Shepparton, the daily rituals of walks and pounding the pavement, listening to music and an effort to keep the mind and body occupied and fit. The daily coffees, the lunch with colleagues, the routine, the walks in nature, the phone calls to friends and family. we were in survival mode and the evolving fear of the unknown of COVID-19. Was it going to spread to our community, our workplace our homes? Were we going to be exposed? Will I ever see my family or friends again? I remember standing there at social services Centrelink

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April 2021 | Speak Out