Practicing as a Specialist in Speech-Language Pathology - Admission/Application Essay Example

Application Essay: Ms. in Counseling with Certification in School Counseling and a Bilingual Extension Having worked with various organizations as aSpeech Language Pathologist or offering related services, I have managed to impact many people positively, children especially. In fact, I have seen parents, who had no hope of ever seeing their children learn how to talk, actually smile when they see “impossibilities” happen. I have also come to realize that I am gifted when it comes to work with children.

In spite of this fact, I realize that I am yet to offer the best service possible to those that I serve, since I lack vital counseling skills. I have been in active service in my area of specialization for close to a decade with a little to show when it comes to helping patients overcome self-stigma and anxiety. Many people with speech and hearing problems that I have dealt with in the past, suffer a lot psychologically due to the problems associated with their conditions. The situation is even worse for those with additional health conditions such as asthma, autism, cleft palate, receptive and expressive language delays, and those with mute characteristics.

In many cases, those close to such patients are, to some extent, psychologically affected by the conditions that their loved ones suffer from. The stigma and anxiety that are felt by the patients and their loved ones may be a result of different factors. However, one of the main factors in this respect is culture. In such cases, there is a need to create an environment that is reassuring and conducive for positive response to the interventions being administered. In this respect, the need to encourage positive attachment, improve client satisfaction, and understand the cultural variables that affect the client cannot be underscored.

Romano, Fitzpatrick and Janzen (2008) emphasize the importance of attachment and culture in psychological intervention. In order to properly fulfill these needs, in-depth knowledge of counseling is vital. By choice, my educational background has been biased toward learning how to help people with speech and hearing problems. This is because I consider communication a vital part of life. With a BA in Speech and Hearing Sciences I have been able to assist patients - young and old- with learning problems in various ways, including designing, learning and treatment programs and offering therapeutic services.

The experiences I have gained working with Focus Children’s Rehabilitation Center, Bronx Organization for Learning Disabilities, Manhattan Center for Early Learning, and Hospital San Juan De Dios Del Pen among other organizations are, beyond doubt, invaluable in so far as my self-actualization is concerned. In the school environment, for example, it is often the case that bilingual and culturally diverse students are referred to special schools for their poor academic performances, a situation that is harmful to their wellbeing.

In several occasions students are misdiagnosed and assumed to have conditions that they have not. The interventions directed their way by teachers in such circumstances are far from appropriate and mostly do more harm than good to the targets. This state of affairs can be avoided when specialists in Speech Language Pathology apply their skills in the school environment. My aspiration today, having achieved all that I have so far, is to offer high quality special education and counseling services in a culturally diverse community.

In this respect, I hope to help individuals realize their potential in spite of their differences and disabilities, offering them assistance aimed at overcoming stigmatization and anxiety. My interest in counseling has grown over a long period of time. More so, my interest in the discipline has been boosted by my ever growing desire to see young children overcome their fears caused by various factors. My interest in the field has seen me attend several seminars and read several books. I appreciate that life is more fulfilling when one positively impacts other people’s lives in one way or another.

I have managed to offer good service to people in need by applying my professional knowledge in various situations. In order to overcome the challenges that I am currently experiencing in my practice as a specialist in Speech Language Pathology, I recognize that it is necessary to pursue further education. My preferred course is Master in Counseling with Certification in School Counseling and a Bilingual Extension from a reputable institution. With the knowledge that I will gain by taking the course, I hope to impact people’s lives positively and at a higher level of proficiency.

Reference Romano, V., Fitzpatrick, M., &and Janzen, J. (2008). The secure-base hypothesis: Global attachment, attachment to counselor, and session exploration in psychotherapy. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55(4), 495–504.