We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Suzanne Moore. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Suzanne below.

Suzanne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

After graduating for Mississippi University for Women with my mastered degree in Speech Language Pathology, I spent 8 years working as a pediatric speech language pathologist in a variety of setting including private practices and schools. Although the settings were different, they all contained underlining pressure to see as many child as possible. They were all focused on the quantity of children I could treat during a week verses the quality of speech therapy services I provided. This is a common undercurrent of my profession; however, I found myself dissatisfied and wanting to be able to focus on providing quality speech therapy services to the child and families I served. This lead to the founding of Moore Pediatric Therapy in August 2020. My goal with opening Moore Pediatric Therapy was to be able to cultivate an environment where there was less focus on the weekly numbers of appointments scheduled and more focus on providing quality speech therapy services and meeting the needs of the children and families we served. Quality over quantity.

Moore Pediatric Therapy started as a one-man-band with myself being the only Speech Language Pathologist offering speech therapy in Southaven, MS. Since then we have expanded by adding a second location in Oxford, MS and several other like minded Speech Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, and COTAs. With every expansion, I have strived to hold true to my fundamental believe that the quality of therapy matters. That my therapist and I can provide better quality therapy if our focus is taking the time to meet the needs of each of the children and families we serve rather than the number of appointments we schedule weekly. That if a child is engaged and having fun they are learning and growing.

I would not change the journey that led me to Moore Pediatric Therapy. The experiences I gained during those 8 years before opening Moore Pediatric Therapy shaped me into the Speech Language Pathologist and business owner I am today.

The advice I would give to a young professional who might be considering starting their own practice is not to discount the journey. Every clinical experience, every child and family you treat, every job you work is a learning experience. These experiences matter they shape you as a clinician. Be patient and take the time to gain these experiences while holding true to the beliefs that lead you become a Speech Language Pathologist.

Suzanne, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I graduated for Mississippi University for Women in Aug 2012 with my masters degree in Speech Language Pathology. I have worked as a pediatric Speech Language Pathologist for 13 years and have been a practice owner for 5 years. I am a wife and mother. I have been married to my husband Josh Moore for 17 (in July years). My son is 11 years old.

We provided speech therapy and occupational therapy to child ages birth to 18 years. Our goal is to provided quality speech therapy and occupational therapy to the children and families we serve. We employ a child led play base approach. Focusing on providing speech therapy and occupational therapy engagement fun environment where skills are taught and practices in natural play base activities. We firmly believe that a child who is engaged and having fun is a child who is learning and growing. At Moore Pediatric Therapy we play with a purpose.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

If I could go back, I would choose to be a Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist and walk the same professional path. Each job, each setting, each employer, and each child I have treated has shaped me into the induvial I am today. Each experience has taught me lessons that are the foundation of our practices at Moore Pediatric Therapy. Throughout my professional journey I have learned to hold true to the ideas and concepts that I have seen bring change in a child’s life over and over again. Being a Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist is the most rewarding job. The feeling of helping a child communicate with words, signs, or Alternative Augmented Communication device is the most rewarding feeling in the world. I am so privileged to play a part in the story of each child and family I have worked with.

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

All experiences teach us something and different is not wrong. I firmly believe that there are many paths to success and my job and privilege is to help child and families find the path that works best from them. The mindset of me met you where you are and walk beside you and offer assistance as we figure this path out together is the key to success in my field.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.moorepediatric.com
• Instagram: @moorepediatrictherapy
• Facebook: Moore Pediatric Therapy
• Linkedin: Moore Pediatric Therapy

Image Credits

Courney Charles