By Ainsley P. Vergara, M.Ed., CCC-SLP

Hi there! If you are reading this, you are most likely a speech language pathologist looking to expand your career or working towards becoming one. Regardless of what brought you here, I am thrilled you are taking time to learn more about Theracare Pediatric Services.

First, a little about me: I am in my fourth year as an SLP, and I like to joke that I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I have worked in schools spanning all grades, from preschool to high school and above. I have also provided therapy through a nonprofit and worked as a trainer for families/support teams using AAC devices. One of my favorite roles, though, has been working for Theracare.

A couple years ago, I was looking to transition out of the schools. An SLPA friend of mine suggested Theracare, and I was immediately taken with the attentiveness of the staff who interviewed me. After learning more about the company and receiving the job offer, I was excited to begin. Check out some of the reasons I have loved working as an SLP for Theracare!

  • Meaningful Relationships

    As I touched on above, I have been looking for my ideal setting since graduating with my master’s degree. I loved the idea of working in a school, but the large caseloads made therapy feel impersonal at times. When I was drowning in initial evaluations, IEPs, re-evaluations – you name it – forming relationships with my coworkers was also difficult. Theracare’s focus on individual sessions improved my relationships with clients, while the large system of therapists helped me meet like-minded professionals. The company offers employee events and creates regional networks to connect therapists with each other; these regional groups make a large company feel more personal and less overwhelming.

  • Flexible Roles

    • Another thing I have really appreciated about Theracare is the opportunity to use the large variety of skills we learned in grad school. From the beginning, I have worked as a therapist, evaluator, and supervisor. I loved conducting evaluations in the clinic, and the broad range of clients always kept me on my toes. I met pediatric and adult clients whose needs spanned from overall communication to fluency to articulation and beyond. This summer, my husband and I moved to a new state, so I no longer provide evaluations. However, I continue to provide therapy and supervision for an SLPA via telepractice. Supervising an SLPA is a great way to build another meaningful relationship while continually sharpening your skills as a clinician and mentor; I absolutely love supervising and would recommend it to any SLP who fits all the requirements. Theracare also routinely shares helpful resources, therapy materials, and information on continuing education courses to support employees as they build their therapy toolboxes.

  • Flexible Setting/Schedule

    • As you may have guessed, I really love trying new things. Theracare offers services both in-home and in the clinic; both were relatively new to me when I began, but I felt fully prepared following my training. I have worked in both settings, and I loved the community of therapists at the clinic and the ability to grow close with my clients’ families in their homes. In addition to flexible settings, therapists create their own schedules, which is perfect for someone (like me) who wants to keep her options open! While working for Theracare, I have maintained SLP roles in other capacities including the nonprofit and consultant roles I mentioned above. Upon moving to our new state, I picked up a full-time job in a specialty school, but Theracare’s flexible options have allowed me to continue working with some of my clients via teletherapy! Fellow therapists have agreed that the flexible schedule is hard to beat – knowing you can create your schedule around your kids, additional schooling, varying jobs, etc. is an amazing feeling.

These bullet points can only capture a small fraction of what makes working for Theracare worth it. I have been able to grow as a therapist, and I am so grateful for the close friends I have made while working here. I know you will be happy if you decide to join our team!