What Makes A Good Teletherapist?

I’ve had several administrator types ask me this question. It sounds like a big, open, challenging question.

But I often reply with, “Who would you want working with your own children?”

And then the question seems pretty straightforward . . . I’d want someone patient, detail-oriented, and a creative thinker. Someone who knows their career stuff as a speech therapist.

The last piece I ask about when interviewing someone for an online position is someone’s experience or comfort level working online. I can teach technology. I can teach how to use a platform.

But if you’re patient, detail-oriented, and a creative thinker, you’re going to do just fine transitioning to using tools online.

The icing on the cake is our hiring strategy as a company. We hire people willing to share and ask questions. It’s not an accident that our folks (schools, clinic, and online) rely on other coworkers to help problem-solve tough questions. Working online means Therapist A sitting in Oregon can be working with a client in Washington and seek consultative advice from Therapist B in California and is comfortable inviting them online to observe and engage.

So, what makes a good teletherapist? Beyond the speech therapist’s professional skills,  it might be a good idea to consider the company with whom they are affiliated. Is this a group that nurtures collaboration? That rewards asking for help? That teaches the perspective of the client comes first? What does the company value? Because your teletherapist operates within that context, too.