So if it isn't obvious by now, this blog is officially an "archive website". I started this blog in 2019. Sounds like only yesteryear, but A Few Things have happened both in the world and in my life since then. I continue to grow and change as a speech/thinking/swallowing therapist, as a writer, and as a person. These old posts and pages contain outdated terms and information. I'm still learning and growing! Rather than going back and updating all my pages and posts to contain updated terms and information all the time (exhausting to even think about), I'm working on new writing projects and learning how to be a better SLP--always an ongoing process. :)
Re: writing: I'm regularly publishing as a freelance writer, which is exciting and doesn't leave much time for blogging. Huzzah!!
Where to find me on the internet: I haven't started a new website, so I'll continue to update my Writing Page and List of Publications on this blog. At some point, maybe I'll make a new website.... definitely not soon. Occasionally I post on Instagram @speakingwithkiki, but as Someone From The Past Who Is Not Good At Technology*, I make no promises.
For SLPs and families: As more and more research emerges, I'm evolving my therapy practice to keep up with current best practice as best as I can.... I stopped updating the SLP tabs of this website a while ago. Hopefully some of the resources are still helpful as a starting point. Please be aware that the info and handouts are old, and many need to be updated. Feel free to email me at speakingwithkiki (at) gmail (dot) com if you have questions about any of the resources I've provided; if I don't have updates myself, I will do my best to try to connect you with someone who does.
Re: the Muses. Ah, the Muses. They will continue to inspire me, but I won't torture the internet with my attempts to draw comics of them at this time. For now, rest assured that Mneme, Aoide, and Melete (and Beowulf, my forever-Muse) still continue to inspire me. Maybe you'll see them again too but only time will tell ;)
*Why am I "Someone From The Past Who Is Not Good At Technology"? As a grad student, I struggled to learn touch screens long after everyone else in my generation had smart phones and iPads. Once, at an event where I was representing the lab I worked for, I encountered the 501st Legion and wanted to take photos with a Stormtrooper. Seeing my difficulty operating my professor's smart phone camera, the Stormtrooper tilted his head and asked, "Are you from the past?"
While I can usually use touch screens now, I'm still pretty sure the answer to that question is "yes, I am indeed from the past". Which is why I've never been good at the internet. It's Modern Technology. I think I roll with disadvantage for all technology-related checks (read: social media, websites, even AACs--I am learning but slowly, and I get lots of help on the AAC front from AAC techno-geniuses and my fellow SLPs).
If you somehow found this post, thanks for reading :) I wish I had a witty way to close out this post, but I can't think of anything particularly clever, so I'll close with a prayer request. If you are a person of prayer, pray for my writing and my speech therapy practice; pray that I will listen to God's call and continue to learn to support and care for all I encounter. Pray that I will use words to connect, heal, empower, and foster compassion and love of others. I sure could use the prayers; I've still got a lot of learning to do!!
