Why SLPs Have Speech Problems Too

We’ve all got our bag of tricks for correcting speech errors. My favorite for the S sound is to remind kids to “keep their snake in the cage!”

As SLPs we are no strangers to troublesome words. They flow misarticulated, disorganized and dysfluent from the mouths of those we serve. We are equipped to listen, identify and treat within minutes. BAM! What a gift we have learned, using it to help, encourage and guide our clients.

Why is it so hard then for me to control the words that exit my own mouth? Y’all the struggle is real.

Perhaps you’ve heard that your greatest strength tends to be your area of greatest weakness and I’m curious to know if you have found this to be true for yourself.

In treating my own disordered mouth, I’ve logged a million hours. I’ve made progress, then plateaued and quickly regressed. Sometimes all in one day! I’ve read all the books and yet continue to have to manage the consequences of an uncontrolled tongue.  Harsh words, a sharp tone, a story told that was not mine to tell.

You need to know that taming my tongue is a constant companion struggle.

If this echoes a familiar challenge for you, don’t you wish we could correct our own speech with a simple adjustment in tongue placement?

“For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34

Well, there you go. The source of all those pesky errors and indiscretions that exit our mouths trace back to our hearts.

• When our hearts are anxious, words come out negative.
• When our hearts feel hurried and hustled, the tone is sharp and impatient.
• When comparison colors our hearts green, speech comes out catty and unkind.

The list could go on for days, right?

“Keeping the snake in the cage” is so much harder than it sounds.

Thankfully I have discovered a few strategies, therapy techniques if you will, that help guard my heart and thereby tame my tongue.

I look forward to sharing these strategies in the months ahead. But for today….

May you screw up a little extra courage and consider this:  What are your personal speech or language problem areas? Are you able to trace it back to a heart issue?

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