Kevin Simmons SLP

Kevin is The Singing SLP.  He talks with Brennan and Bethany about his first 2 years as an SLP.  He encourages new therapists to ask questions, make mistakes, and play!  He also has experience as a Sensory Barber, and talks about practical at home tips to make haircuts less traumatic for kids with sensory processing differences.  

Transcript:

Bethany Darragh   

Today on the podcast, we have Kevin Simmons, The Singing SLP. Hi, Kevin.

Kevin Simmons  

Hi

Bethany Darragh 

Will you just start by telling us a little bit about yourself and your background.

Kevin Simmons  

Yes, super excited to be here. I am a pediatric speech therapist, and I work in Atlanta, Georgia, more specifically, in Dawsonville, Georgia. I like to say Atlanta, just because you know when you say a county, a lot of people don't know where that's at, but I work up north, and I've been working for two years. Got my graduate degree at Radford University, small little school in southwest Virginia, and ever since then, I've just been enjoying working with kids and helping them communicate. And we'll talk more about, you know, some of the things I do with music integration, sensory haircuts. But, yeah, very excited just to continue to grow and develop in my career. 

Bethany Darragh   

I wanted to ask a follow up question about that. I'm very aware of Dawsonville, Georgia. I went to the University of Georgia.  And my husband is from Gainesville, so we know the area very well. So tell me a little bit more about your transition from school to getting into practice. What did you feel like you were really prepared for? What did you feel like you weren't prepared for? I think that I hear that a lot from students or new grads, sometimes that overwhelming first year can make people run away from the profession. So just helping educate people as much into what you can expect when you get out of school and get started.

Kevin Simmons   

Yeah, that's a great question. I think coming out of school, I had a great amount of professors that poured into us. We did. It was during covid, so we had simulations, but we were able to get on the end of covid where patients were coming back, we were masked up, and so they prepared us very well for real therapy. And I think a lot of us, a lot of speech therapists in general, we struggle with the grad school course of like sitting down talking about an AAC device, but not seeing it in practice. So we have all the book knowledge, but putting it into application is hard, and so I think they did a great job with that. So I felt very prepared to see, you know, an AAC device and program. We would do simulations with real individuals. We would do simulations with ourselves. So I think that prepared me, at least, to have a diverse background and articulation, language, AAC, how to parent coach, and that's another thing that I think I felt prepared for, but for the upcoming grad student, getting into speech therapy, it can be overwhelming, because there's no way to practice that, you know, it just comes with time. And I, you know, I hopefully speaking to the grad student, or soon to be, SLP, listening. I think that's one thing to give yourself grace with, is to be okay with not knowing all the answers. As soon as I stepped foot on my first job, I wanted to know all the answers. I was the new hire, all eyes on me, and it's like, oh, okay, this SLP should know everything that needs to be known, and that just wasn't the case. So I think showing yourself grace, asking questions, and that's that's not a weakness. I think that's a strength to be like, Hey, I don't know this. I don't know how to bill. I don't know how to do this. I haven't seen this in grad school. Can you help me? I need help. So I think that shows strength and vulnerability to know that this field, we continue to grow. We don't want to get to a point where it's like, Oh, got my degree. Like, that's it. Like, I'm good. I, for one, want to continue to learn and make mistakes. Alright, that didn't work. Let me try out this strategy. So, yeah, a lot of successes with application and real time feedback with my professors, and then also a lot of failures, which I love. I love to look for failure because I know that I can look back and not make that mistake again. So yeah, showing grace and then also asking questions is a big thing. 

Brennan Barber   

I'm going to jump back in time a little further. I'm curious to know what your motivation was to get into speech therapy and become an SLP.

Kevin Simmons   

Great question. I actually went to Kennesaw State for a bachelor's in exercise science and psychology. I was trying to follow my sister's footsteps in physical therapy, but went back to the drawing board, looked at my grades, and I was like, I don't know if I want to repeat all those classes, you know, to earn A's and apply to grad school. So I took a year off, and that's another piece of advice. I tell anyone listening it's okay, like, don't look at what society is telling you to do with like, straight out of college. You need to have this job or whatever. I took a year off to figure out what I wanted to do, instead of blindlessly going into all right, I'll just do this because I have this degree. I started shadowing SLPs, OTs and PTs, so healthcare, I knew I wanted to be in health, and it was the last go round. I had already seen PT, I already talked to an OT and I talked to a speech therapist and shadowed her. And long story short, it was just a beautiful moment of meeting this one client who just really didn't talk to guys like she just did not have a trust with guys. And skip ahead, towards the end of the session, we were talking, talking about Marvel and superheroes, and she left with the SLP, and when the SLP came back, she was like, sorry. It took so long. I was talking with the mom, and she had just broke down in tears, because it was, like, the first time in three years that she had talked to a male figure, like, let alone, you know, be in that area. So it was a quick moment where, I think we've all experienced it, where it's like, Ah, okay, this is, this is something that I need to continue down. So I found my love of kids. I've already had that love for kids, but just to help them communicate and blend that together, it just made so much sense. So after that, the rest was history.

Bethany Darragh   

We have so many Georgia intersections because I went to high school in Canton, Georgia, so yeah, over near Kennesaw, for sure, I think I took some AP tests at Kennesaw. But, yeah, I love your account, and I love the things that stand out to me as an OT, a pediatric OT are that camaraderie that you have with your team and your boss and the OTs. You know, I can see you guys have a really fun, fun team, and I love your play based approach, your child led approach. So I just want you to talk a little bit about your speech therapy approach. And I know you're new to the profession, so I think a lot of times new therapists kind of fall into an approach, and it's not as like intentional, but I do want to hear kind of how much of that is just your personality, your style, and how much of it is an intentional decision to be play based child-led. 

Kevin Simmons   

no, and I'm glad we're talking about it. I think coming out of grad school, I had the mindset. I was scared. I mean, just like we all were, you leave grad school and then it's like, Alright, you're on your own, like you're practicing. So I  wanted to buy into just like, let me do what I've read in books, let me do what research has said, and not go against the grain. So I did that for the first couple of weeks. I separated our OTs. That's y'all sensory approach. I don't want to touch up on that. We'll just work on communication and here, and then I'll transfer you to OT but I've noticed a huge shift in from my failures, which, again, we talk about failures, and learning from that. And I think a lot of the kids they were developing, but they just weren't having the best experience. And I thought that it was me. I thought that I needed to do something different. So it really wasn't until working with those OTs and talking about sensory integration and inviting that where it's like, okay, I'm a speech therapist. No, I don't have an occupational therapy license. But that doesn't mean I can't implement some strategies that are going to help support this child. So what I mean by that is, take, for example, I told you that I was just by the book. Alright, we're going to work on communication, even if you're dysregulated. I just need you to look at this book, point to the letters, stuff like that. I've noticed, I noticed a huge shift when I made it play based, I made it child led and incorporated those sensory strategies. You know, I work with a lot of kids that have sensory processing issues, and one of the things that I would experience as a first year clinician was stemming. I didn't know how to approach it. To be honest, I didn't know if I should interrupt them, should I join in and so learning from that, I embrace it. You know, I write in my notes, verbal and visual stemming, acknowledge and accepted, because I'm trying to meet the child where they're at. So that play based approach has truly shifted how I am as a therapist, because that same child where I was having point to the book, I'm engaging with them, they're humming. I'm like, Alright, let me hum and let me meet them where they're at. And even today, it was so cool. I was trying to understand what this kid was singing. I couldn't pick it up. And then finally, he was singing Five little monkeys jumping on the bed, and he was using bears as the models, and he kept putting them down. And I joined in with him. And he, like his eyes, shifted towards me. He was like, what, you know, this song, um, and he's had, he has minimal vocabulary, but he's made a ton of progress, um, so like that moment right there. It just completely changes how language and speech therapy is approached, versus, you know, back then, if I heard that humming, and I'm like, Okay, well, back to the book, you know it, it's that experience we talk about. So it's been rewarding to have that experience and make it fulfilling so that a child is coming in not thinking that, Oh, it's speech therapy. It's like, this is, this is a place where I can grow. This is a place where I can be safe. So, yeah, my mindset has completely shifted to that and providing tactile support, swinging, and I'm still learning about sensory input. But like it, it changes a lot of your approach, not only as a speech therapist, but just as a therapist in general. I'm sure Bethany for the OT side of things.

Bethany Darragh   

I totally agree, and I love that, and I get frustrated with some OTs that become the gatekeeper on sensory and I say, hey, we all have senses. I mean, every child has a sense, and isn't the way they use those senses a huge form of communication. I mean, a lot of times the stimming is saying, I like it or I don't like it, you know. But you can tell the difference, and you gotta communicate that way. And if that's the way they're communicating, right, we gotta listen.

Kevin Simmons 

Yeah. And I think I can't remember who said it or where I saw it, but it's been so true that when I'm able to regulate and help them swing, use a vest, whatever it is, there's been more communication than me, just like ignoring that those sensory needs So it, I'm telling you, it's been mind blowing, because you think about it, if you're dysregulated like yourself, if lights are flashing in front of my face like all these things are happening, there's going to be some breakdown in communication between us. You're going to be distracted. I'm going to be like, Whoa, look at all those lights. So we just have to look at, you know, for the grad student, for anyone coming into the field, you have to take your perspective and think about that as a child or any adult, whoever you work with, yeah, and just place yourself in their shoes.

Brennan Barber   

Kevin, you talked about parent education, I guess sticking with the play based therapy approach. Can you talk a little bit about how you educate parents to implement those strategies at home?

Kevin Simmons  

Yeah, so I think there's a, I talk about a shift, but I think that there before was that compliance base where, you know, I was treating compliance base parents, you know, would say, Oh, do this, do this, do this, and then we can do whatever. And, of course, there's a reward. Like, I think that's motivating, but I think there's a difference with, yeah, placing a demand and and just like forcing that habit where they expect you to do their talking, they're walking.  So I try to explain to parents that that play based at home, like not only provides autonomy, um, but it places like a better communication style with your child. And I think one of the fears, especially for myself, going into speech therapy was okay, this parent wants to see their child succeed, of course. So speech therapy, I have a lot of kids that are just going to be in speech therapy for a while, and I'm sure that can be frustrating when you see you know PT, it's more of like physical therapy is more just like, alright, we have this goal for eight weeks, most likely you'll succeed. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, you have a goal set for eight weeks. You meet that goal, but then we have another 10 other goals we need to focus on. So I'm sure it can be discouraging to the parent when they're in sessions every week, but I try to educate that play based approach, because you're not going to see therapy and development be so linear, where it's like, oh, first words, oh, they're good, they're rolling along, like there's not going to be any hiccups. Again, it's taking that perspective, and it's like, I have bad days, like, I don't have good days as a therapist, so there's going to be some dips, there's going to be some valleys. But doesn't mean that we're not making the right way. So I try to educate parents on just if they're able to offer like a rich language environment, meaning books on the shelves, toys. It doesn't have to be the high end toys. I have kids that play with spoons, you know, so like just engaging in that and a lot of there's three things I tell my parents and caregivers. One of them is that you don't have to have all the toys. You can do therapy for free at home, just engage with your child.  Two,screen time is fine, as long as you don't just plug on the TV and then, like you dip out. I tell them that Miss Rachel. Oh, I love Miss Rachel. I'm huge advocate for her. Sit down with your child and she's like, Oh, we made a pancake. Say that back with them. You know, it's all about engagement and just sharing that connection with your child. And then the last piece is, just have fun with it like I mean, there's no right way to do a play based approach. Everyone is going to be different, but having fun with it. And I call myself the singing SLP, but I'm not any Mariah Carey. I don't have like those notes. If I could sing, then I wouldn't be a speech therapist. But I tell parents, sing like they your child thinks you're probably Mariah Carey because you're engaging with them. So have fun with it, make mistakes. So those three things are the important pieces I tell parents.

Brennan Barber   

Yeah, that's awesome feedback. And I think I certainly want to get to AAC in a minute too, because I have a lot of experience with AAC. My son uses an eye gaze AAC device. And just touching on the point that you made about you know, progress being somewhat non linear at points in time. You know, it's one of the things that we do. Like, we love his SLP, she's great and you know, we will spend certain sessions working on his AAC device and modeling, then we will spend certain sessions working on actual speaking language and trying to get him to really make certain vowel sounds. Right now, you know? I mean, we are certainly a long way away from, I think, complete sentences, but like we celebrate those little victories, you know, he makes an O, he makes an A sound and, like, that's huge. And he's starting to string together those sounds, you know, even like a I love you sentence, it doesn't sound exactly like, I love you, but he's starting to, like, make it work. And, yeah, it's definitely, you know, you celebrate the little victories along the way as a parent. So I can totally relate. 

Kevin Simmons   

Yeah and that's a good point. Brennan, you made a point where it's you. Sometimes I work on one goal. Sometimes I don't even, I mean, I target goals, especially for insurance. But what I mean by like meeting the child where they're at. Say your son comes in and yeah, vowel sounds or what have you. But it's just been a tough day for him. He's in tears. You know, I'm telling the grad student, I'm telling the new SLP, forget goals like we're talking about communication. So let's meet your son where he's at. Like, okay, let's talk about emotions. It may not be a specific goal on my plan of care, but let's talk about, oh, how do you feel about that? Like, let's look at a social story. So I think therapists are becoming more and more flexible, which I'm loving because insurance and some grad schools, they try to put our goals and just like treatment, in a box where it's like, No, don't, don't try to counsel. You're not a counselor. Of course, we're not, but in our scope of practice, it's communication, right? We don't. It just wouldn't make sense for me to, oh, wipe your tears away like we got things to do, you know. So you made a good point there where a lot of the therapists, OTs, PTs, they're becoming more flexible with meeting the child where they're at, you know.

Bethany Darragh   

Yeah, okay, we have to talk about your sensory barber stuff.  That is so cool. And I need to know, one, how you discovered that you had this gift to work with kids that, I mean, how did that even come together? And two, I can't send all of my clients to Atlanta. So what do you have for me that I can share with them today to make this more tolerable for these children? I mean, it is the biggest question I get all the time is those buzzers or scissors around the ears in the face, and it just sends them into fight or flight, and it is hysteria. So please tell us more.

Kevin Simmons   

I definitely have some strategies. So for the first part, I started cutting my own hair at a young age because my dad would just give me the one guard all the way around. And in middle school, like, I don't know. I just in middle school, you got to look good. So those were the prime times. We all understand that. So started learning, watching YouTube videos and learning how to fade and so skip ahead past grad school, went into my first job, and first couple weeks I would have parents come in, of course. And so one time, a parent was just talking aloud, I was playing with the child, and she said, Man, I need to get him a haircut. And I was like, Oh, okay. And she was like, but it's so, like, it's a traumatic experience, like, the whole family has to get prepared. It's like, four hours long. And I, as I was hearing this, I was like, I cut my own hair. Do you want to? Like, let me try. You know, I've cut my cousin's hair. I've cut family member’s hair. And she was like, Kevin, it's, it's traumatic, like you don't want to and I was like, Well, I have some OTs. So again, talking about collaborating with occupational therapists, and that's when I started to learn more about sensory input and needs within those first couple months. So I said, Hey, let's get, you know the OT that works with your son. Let's get him regulated. Let's let them do their thing, and then they'll be in the set the haircut, like I was able to have them come in, and then we'll just do it. And she was like, alright, so yeah, they helped regulate on the swing. Had the sensory brush, so that was, like one of my first experiences seeing that. And I went into it not knowing a lot about sensory haircuts. I mean, it was my first haircut. But with mom there, we took breaks. We sang songs. When he got frustrated, we backed off, we took a second, played videos. So we did a lot, and I'll talk more about the strategies, but we did that haircut from what three, four hours long to, I think we got it done in 40 minutes. So it was, I mean, it was remarkable. And after that, it was word of mouth, but like, it just blossomed from there. And a lot of the haircuts I experienced, yeah, there's, there's tough ones, like, I mean, not the kid is tough, I'm more so saying, you know, it may be the environment, it may be just the new person me, but we get through it. I There's only been one haircut out of, like, honestly, three or 400 haircuts. I've done one haircut that was not able to do and but I'm glad we didn't, because I don't want to force it and make it even more traumatic. So to speak on that, to speak for the parent, caregiver that is struggling with haircuts at home and are not able to go, you know, to a barber shop, I have a list, a laundry list, so the first thing I would do at home is just to turn on the Clippers so they don't have to be in sight, just like a way. Hey, Kevin, I'm just going to turn on the Clippers just so that they see and hear that the clippers are on. They're not hurting them, yeah, so just having that visual input. And you know, each time it gets better, it may be a day to day thing. Maybe at night, you just turn on the Clippers before bed, oh, haircut, and then turn it off, and then keep that cycle going, and then once there's more comfortability with it, use yourself as a model. I always tell parents that kids, kids don't know. It's almost like communication, like you can't hear or you can't make that sound if you don't hear it. So some kids I serve that haven't had a hearing test in a while, like, that's one of my first things. When speech output isn't as high as they wanted to. It's like, have we done a hearing test? If you can't hear that sound, you're not going to be able to make it if you can't see that. Oh, the Clippers look good tickling mom that it doesn't hurt they they may still base that experience of clippers as like, oh, man, it's so loud it's going to hurt me. So yeah, model on yourself. I've had a lot of success too. There's really no number here. I just have, like, a laundry list, like I said, um, but use, use the toy. So this toy I have, I'm going to use the clippers and count. I'm going to do 12345, take a break. And I like to turn take so with your child at home, you're modeling on that toy, their favorite toy too, where it's like, oh, Woody just got a haircut. Now it's Kevin's turn. Then enacting that. Kids are very routine based they're going to get the hang of it. And I've had a lot of kids where it's like, my turn, your turn, and that counting strategy really works. Well, um, going to five, going to 10, whatever it may be, how take a break. That's the biggest thing. Um, even if you don't cut hair like you just don't cut hair, um, and you just put a comb to their head, knowing that 12345678910, and you're taking a break, they get the hang of it, and they're like, Okay, that was safe. I had the comb to my head. Now let's try the brush. Now let's try the clippers. And again, using that approach where you place the clippers on the forearm, the arm all the way up to the neck and then to the head. Really works well, um, some other strategies that worked well is that wetting the hair before you actually cut it, so that the hair doesn't get on your child, because you think about tactile and that sensory input that they need or maybe not want, is that hair falling on them. So you, if you do it right now, the listener, you use your hair to poke your skin. That hurts right? So wetting the hair, it makes the hair fall down easily and it doesn't touch them. So you can just easily brush it off. And then I can still leave, leave some links and other strategies in the description, but the last one I'll say is, if the Clippers don't work and you desperately need to use the Clippers for a haircut, try scissors to start with. And even if it's like such a short length that you can't cut it. There are Amazon clippers where, and I actually have a link with a partner I'm with, and they're called calming clippers. So there's scissors that have a clipper guard, so you just attach it, but there's scissors, and a lot of kids don't mind the quietness of the clippers. Don't mind you put placing the clipper, or, excuse me, the scissors on their head. So using that approach, because clippers are so scary, but using scissors first to start with can bode well. As you can see, I'm very passionate about it.

Bethany Darragh 

These are all really practical tips. This is exactly what I was looking for but just hadn’t thought of them.

Kevin Simmons

It’s trial and error.  

Brennan Barber

So I promised I was going to jump back in with AAC quickly.  Can you talk about how you develop your product knowledge with AAC?

Kevin Simmons

I will say that I have learned a lot through the AAC referral  process, going through insurance.  To answer that question, it definitely comes with time.  You don’t have to know everything.