Saint Vincent Speech Therapist Karla McAuliffe Explains the Life-Changing Impact of Speech Therapy

By-Hank Stolz

Worcester, MA-Saint Vincent Speech Therapist Karla McAuliffe provides Radio Worcester with a comprehensive overview of the field of speech therapy.  She tells us that speech therapy is a broad field that addresses speech articulation, language disorders, cognitive skills (memory, attention, concentration), and swallowing disorders.

McAuliffe says the work being done has a profound impact, “Think about all the best times in your life, Hank. The best times in your life are probably when you’re with friends and family and you’re sitting around and you’re talking and you’re sharing good food and I’m so lucky that I get a chance to help bring folks back…” 

The approach to therapy at St. Vincent’s is person-centered, focusing on an individual’s quality of life and personal goals rather than applying a universal, impairment-based model. “We really do try and tailor it to the person. In fact, we’re really trying to shift from that medical model of focusing on the impairment to a more person-centered philosophy in that every person is individual and their needs are going to be specific to them.”

In explaining why therapy must be tailored to the individual’s personal experience of their condition, McAuliffe said,  “There’s definitely a difference between handicap and impairment. I consider impairment your medical diagnosis… but your handicap, your perception of difficulty may be on a different level and that depends on the person and their needs for a daily life.” She also offered practical, everyday advice for vocal health, including proper hydration, avoiding yelling, and managing acid reflux. “I really could talk about this all day. I love my job. I love my field and I love to talk.”