Meet Alinoel Navia, M.S. CCC-SLP! Ali has been with GentleCare since 2016 and currently serves as Senior Clinical Director of GentleCare’s Speech Therapy Program.
What do you love most about your job?
Whether it happens in a SNF or a preschool, the impact that being an SLP makes on others’ well-being is incredible. Enabling people learn to communicate and connect with their families, peers, and loved ones for the first time or re-learn a new system is amazing to see. Especially with the little ones, I find fulfillment in seeing little ones build their self-advocacy skills and confidence!
Any advice or tips for new early intervention providers?
Two things: communication and focusing on strengths! One of the most helpful tools in your toolbox is your immediate access to communication! Even if it isn’t a daily update, sending a quick text to a parent, leaving a sticky note for the teacher, or emailing the whole team to loop everyone in on what you are working on is critical! It can promote carryover across different providers/environments. The other tip is focusing on a child’s strengths. A common misconception is that therapists are there to “fix”, but we are there to listen, support, advocate and emphasize and build on the child’s strengths. Also, be timely with your documentation. As more time passes, your recall is less accurate. So the sooner you can, make sure to get your notes in!
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love spending time with my boyfriend and our pets (a very big dog, a medium-sized cat, and a little floppy-eared bunny)! I also enjoy reading romance or true crime novels and trying out different boutique fitness gyms, with [solidcore] and F45 being my absolute favorites!
What techniques help you stay organized and productive?
3 things: Checklists, Notability, and Google. Every day, I use checklists to organize what needs to get done that day versus other tasks that can be completed at a later date, with the due date stated
next to the task. I also have a calendar for everything on my Notability App! Google has really pulled through and worked wonders for organization: Google Voice (for calling/texting families and schools), Google Drive (repopulating sheets, documents, data collection), Google Calendar (time-blocking sessions, administrative time for documentation and responding to emails).
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