Courtney Clemmons is a Speech Language Pathologist and Therapist manager located in Mobile, AL. She has worked in various settings: schools, autism center, live in facility for adults with disabilities, and teletherapy. She is a mom of two littles, ages 3 (girl) and 18 months (boy), and a military spouse, stationed at Keesler AFB. She is currently a therapist manager at E-Therapy and is responsible for hiring and placing therapists all over the United States. You can reach her at courtney.clemmons@electronic-therapy.com.
Written by: Courtney Clemmons, M.Ed. CCC-SLP
As a military spouse and mom of 2 littles life can be a bit crazy. Typically, we move every 2-3 years with notice of about 3 months before hand. That means a new house, a new daycare, and for me, well a new job. After a bit, it can become quite discouraging. You are on yet another wait list, you’ve applied for new jobs, looking for a new house, another state is added to the resume, and now you are trying to apply for new licenses to even be able to work. Add together all those factors and nothing in your life seems quite constant other than your family, and for me my faith.
That’s when I started looking for ways that I could be all three. I wanted to be an involved mom, a passionate SLP, and find happiness in the Military way of life. In 2019 we moved to a new location in Alabama, and I was offered a job in a district where I would travel between two schools and see over 50 kids on Monday/Tuesday and 70 for the remainder of the week. It was on that day that I closed the book on a career in speech therapy in a physical school. I knew there was more out there, and there was!
I found E-Therapy, a teletherapy company, in the winter of 2019 and have not looked back since. It provided all that I needed and we needed as a family. Teletherapy opened doors for me both professionally and personally that I am so grateful for! Now wherever we go I have consistency!
Here are 3 key takeaways on teletherapy and the benefits it provides:
Consistency
Teletherapy provides consistency in multiple ways. You have a set schedule, your caseload is not going to drastically increase, and you have job security. Our world has shifted, and people realize that the same job can happen at your home. As a now therapist manager with E-Therapy, I can confidently say that virtual work is not in short. In fact, it’s in high demand. We serve students all over and the job remains the same. Providing services to students so that they can meet their needs and progress is made.
Licensure
Licensure is required for the state in which you reside, and the state in which you serve. Sometimes these are the same but having a few licenses can also increase your market in the teletherapy world. You can have more students, more opportunities, and possibly even negotiate a higher rate of pay. Thankfully, as a military spouse, there is an expedited license process, or a temporary license that can be given at each new state, making it quicker and easier to obtain. This way there is no lapse in pay and your students do not have a lapse in service. Check with your state board to see if these processes apply to you!
Flexibility
I cannot dream up a better job! I get to attend all my kid’s events at “school,” I can attend events on base, and still do my job from anywhere. If I want to pick up and work from the park today, I can do it. If I need to block my schedule for an hour appointment, I can do it. All while being comfortable in my home or out and about, I can serve people well and still have a professional career. In a way, you are the boss of your own schedule and who doesn’t want that?
Community
For me these are the wonderful women on my team that I collaborate with daily. Find you a circle that lifts you up and stay there! Teletherapy can be lonely at times, especially if you are serving students all day without adult conversation but find yourself company that creates community, and you will thrive! That is what drew me into E-therapy and led me to stay. I was embraced as an individual, supported professionally, and given a team that had my back. So, although teletherapy takes away the physical presence of someone, it does not decrease your community if you find the right company.