Speak Out February 2016

professional practice news

Five reasons to create a peer support relationship Speech pathologists Hilary Cleator and Elaine Lang share how their peer support relationship has enriched their careers.

Some months ago a colleague and I began meeting regularly at a local cafe. We had gotten to know each other during meetings of speech pathologists working in private practice in the area where we live. Over coffee we would talk mainly about personal and social matters although professional issues became increasingly prevalent in our conversations. Having each previously worked as a speech pathologist for around ten years in the public health system, we had experienced the value of discussing professional issues with colleagues on a regular basis. Now in private practice, the opportunity to be involved in such discussions was limited. It soon became clear to us that discussing professional issues was fulfilling an important role in the running of our respective private practices. As a consequence, we decided to formalise our meeting arrangements. Now we meet during each school holiday and allocate a certain period of time to focus exclusively on professional issues. SUPPORT Our meetings provide a safe, trusting environment in which to share openly and truthfully areas of concern we might have regarding the running of our respective practices. Within the context of our peer support relationship we are provided with an opportunity to discuss clinical issues relating to client management and to seek a second opinion where necessary. TRUST Trust is at the core of our peer support relationship. Our meetings provide an opportunity to voice our perceived limitations along with strengths and to air grievances and frustrations in confidence.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT During the meetings, we frequently discuss journal articles and new assessments, as well as keep abreast of ever-changing administrative issues relating to private practice. The meetings offer an opportunity to clarify and explore these issues thoroughly. EXPLORATION Our peer support meetings also give us an opportunity to float and explore ideas, thoughts, and clinical perspectives. We are provided with the freedom to discuss sensitive issues relevant to professional practice that might not otherwise be raised within the context of a larger group of speech pathologists. DIVERSITY While our private practices share many similarities there is also significant diversity within the two caseloads. This allows for interesting discussions as we share with each other our knowledge of specific areas of clinical interest. The peer relationship meetings offer an opportunity to float innovative ideas and explore their practical application to our respective areas of interest. The readiness with which we have embraced and mutually benefited from our peer support relationship seems to indicate that we both felt a need for this additional professional interaction. After working in private practice for over sixteen years, it is hard to understand why we didn’t do it sooner. Hilary Cleator Elaine Lang

Speak Out February 2016

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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au