Tyler Choate is doing what he loves as a speech language pathologist in Chicago.
СAPPThere are so many reasons why I am in love with what I do,СAPP Tyler said. СAPPOne piece is related to the power of storytelling and the unique role speech language pathologists can play in mobilizing it to solve problems and support healing.
СAPPSpeech language pathologists understand how stories can create shared meaning and, on a broader level, carve out spaces for our shared humanity. I like to think about these as healing spaces that can support all people.СAPP
Tyler is the director of speech and language services at LEEP Forward, Inc., a community-based developmental therapy center in Chicago. In his role, he works in clinical, administrative, and consulting capacities.
СAPPAs a clinician, I provide assessment and treatment for families navigating neurodevelopmental differences,СAPP Tyler explained. СAPPI also serve as the director of the speech and language program, supervising other speech-language pathologists and managing intakes and clinic-wide communication-focused programs.СAPP
Tyler oversees all clinical education at the center, where he supervises and trains staff members and develops the therapeutic preschool curriculum. As a licensed speech language pathologist, he provides therapy to the centerСAPPs clients. As an Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, he supports staff as they build relationships with children and families.
As a student in the Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology program, Tyler began working with clients in the .
СAPPI still talk about my undergraduate clinical experience to this day,СAPP Tyler said. СAPPIt was one of those smack-you-in-the-face lessons about putting theory into practice СAPP a hard but valuable experience.СAPP
After graduating with his undergraduate degree, Tyler applied to other masterСAPPs programs but found himself back on campus and enrolled in the at UL Lafayette.
СAPPIn true Cajun hospitality, I was welcomed for another two years after not getting into my СAPPdream school,СAPPСAPP he said. СAPPI learned quickly that the graduate program in speech-language pathology was a very special place. There is a culture in Burke-Hawthorne Hall that holds students closely and pushes them to be against-the-grain thinkers.СAPP
After moving to Chicago, Tyler completed a two-year postgraduate training program in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health at Erikson Institute. The program provided a deep look at parent-child relationships, how to support them, and the obstacles they face.
СAPPI was able to tailor this experience to learn more about childhood adversity and traumatic stress, a great interest of mine. I want to overlay what I know and practice as a speech language pathologist on top of what IСAPPve learned about trauma and resilience,СAPP Tyler explained.
"Specifically, IСAPPm interested in the role speech pathologists could play in mitigating the effects of macro-level trauma caused by things like poverty, health and education inequity, and racism.СAPP
Since graduating, Tyler has come to think of his work as an art and a science.
СAPPSima Gerber (a mentor of mine) calls our work as speech-language pathologists an СAPPart and a science.СAPP It is rooted in rigor and science, but it expands to make space for the human experience,СAPP Tyler said.
СAPPNot many professional arenas can hold the fluid nature of art and the structure and reliability of science, but thatСAPPs what we strive to do every day in this work,СAPP he said. СAPPWhen Sima said this, I thought to myself, СAPPYes! This is what it was like in Burke Hall every day.СAPPСAPP