We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Denay Woodruff a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Denay thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

My upbringing instilled a strong entrepreneurial spirit in me. My dad and sister were always watching Shark Tank and dreaming up the next invention or business idea that could go viral. As a speech-language pathologist, it’s always been in the back of my mind to start my own private practice, but I never seriously considered it until a friend asked me if I could provide speech therapy to her son. I looked into what it would involve to start up a private practice to see clients on the side of my job and found that it wasn’t as intimidating as I had thought. I started researching the startup process and connecting with other private practice owners in my area. I’m a huge questions asker, so I picked their brains and soaked up their knowledge. I felt even more energized to create Rooted Speech Therapy and my practice was born out of  the desire to address speech sound disorders through mobile therapy that is both convenient and fun! Many private practice owners don’t enjoy the business administrative side of owning a business. However, I loved it! I found so much joy in creating my logo, professional website, and business plan. Starting a practice requires resilience and adaptability. Be prepared to overcome obstacles, learn from setbacks, and pivot your approach as needed to achieve success. I always joke that I should start writing a book about “funny fails”, but every time I try a new system and it doesn’t work, I’ve learned to adapt and try something new. As a private practice owner, I get to decide how things are run in the way that best supports my clients, my passions and my lifestyle. By staying focused on my passion for helping others and embracing my entrepreneurial spirit, I’ve been able to create a practice that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of my clients.

Denay, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a pediatric speech-language pathologist and owner/founder of Rooted Speech Therapy. I am certified by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) and am licensed to practice in the state of Texas. I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Westmont College and a Master of Science in Communication Disorders from the University of Texas at Dallas. I have worked in a variety of settings, including private practice, public schools and teletherapy. I started Rooted Speech Therapy to help children overcome speech sound disorders through mobile therapy that is convenient and fun. I love that I get to help children feel confident  and speak clearly by helping them correctly say speech sounds.

In my practice, you can find me incorporating play into therapy sessions because kids learn best through play and it’s just plain fun! Growing up, I always loved playing board and card games. I’m not the most competitive person, but I enjoy games because they unite people and reveal their unique personalities through strategy, humor and wit.  A couple of my favorites to incorporate into therapy are Zingo, matching games and Pop up Pirate!

When I’m not running my private practice, you can find me traveling to new places around the world, grabbing coffee with friends, and spending time with my husband, son, and our Dalmatian.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Patience and flexibility. Changing the brain takes time. Like creating any new habit, change does not happen instantly. Children’s brains are constantly learning new skills, however, it can take some time for the new skills to become habitual. This is where patience and flexibility come into play. Children require patience as they learn skills in speech therapy and practice them outside of the therapy session. There have been so many times where I show up to a speech therapy session, prepared with an amazing lesson plan and activity, and it ends up going out the window for various reasons. It’s challenged me to be creative in adapting my sessions to the child’s needs.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

If I could go back, I would choose the same profession. This field is CONSTANTLY evolving. It’s amazing how much it has changed, even since I finished graduate school. This excites me because I get to be a part of something dynamic. As a private practice speech-language pathologist, I get to wear many hats- therapist, counselor, educator, advocate, researcher, evaluator, collaborator, writer, speaker, administrator, business owner and marketer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rootedspeechtherapy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rooted_speech_therapy/?hl=en
• Other: denay@rootedspeechtherapy.com

Image Credits
Jenny Brower Photography