Student clinicians see approaches to therapy

Many schools, large and small, offer major in Communication and Sciences and Disorders, but it is rare for students to have a campus clinic.

With a full-service clinic, Augustana student clinicians help about 85 families a term. The clinic doesn’t require insurance; families can pay out-of-pocket for session at prices which are significantly lower than other clinics.

“The average Augustana student is 18 to 22 years old and they are dealing with and helping real people who pay for their services. You’re dealing with faculty members children, faculty members spouses, faculty with hearing loss, as well as community members and other college students,” said Dr. Kathy Jakielski.

“They have to operate under a serious code of ethics and HIPAA. There are things you want to go home and tell your roommates and you just can’t.”

For many, the appeal of CSD is the opportunity for a creative approach to therapy; it is crucial, of course, to know the science behind habilitation and rehabilitation, but also to get to know your clients.

Junior Paul Samatas was interested in speech language pathology for this very reason: One goal for a disorder can be met in many ways.

“Even if you have six clients with autism working on language or speech goals, they could be completely different from one another, but have the same diagnosis,” said Samatas. "What works with one client may fail with another."

• Read more of this story by Maggie DelVecchio at the Augustana Observer.