What is your role?
Speech Pathologist
What is a fun fact about you that people may not know?
I have a black belt in Taekwondo!
Why did you choose to work in this industry?
To help people use their strengths, build resilience and to overcome adversity.
What do you love about your role?
Seeing participants improve their communication and how the impact of having the right support makes a person thrive.
What does an average day in your role look like?
The day usually starts with a bit of admin work, and then in the afternoon I am out seeing clients in the community.
Can you recall a time when you helped make a difference in someone’s life?
One moment that has stayed with me was supporting a single mother who had been carrying an immense emotional burden while raising her son with a disability. Throughout our sessions, she shared that she was constantly criticised by family members and friends, who blamed her for the way her son had developed. Over time, these comments had affected her confidence, leaving her questioning whether she was doing enough for her child despite the incredible effort she invested every single day.
Rather than focusing only on her son’s communication goals, I recognised that she also needed a safe, non-judgemental space where she could feel heard, understood, and valued. I listened to her experiences with empathy, acknowledged the challenges she was facing, and intentionally highlighted the strengths I observed in her parenting. I praised the patience, consistency, and love she demonstrated, reminding her that her dedication was making a meaningful difference in her son’s progress.
As she began to feel seen and supported, I noticed a significant change in her confidence and engagement. She became more active during therapy sessions, asked thoughtful questions, and eagerly practised the strategies we discussed at home. Instead of doubting herself, she became empowered to take an active role in her son’s intervention. Over the following six months, the impact extended beyond the mother herself. Her son’s communication skills improved remarkably, progressing from producing only a few speech sounds to using short and simple phrases and sentences. While this progress reflected the collaborative effort between therapist, child, and family, it was the mother’s renewed confidence and consistent implementation of strategies at home that became one of the greatest drivers of his success.
This experience reinforced for me that meaningful change often begins by supporting the people around the client, not just the client themselves. By creating a space where this mother felt genuinely seen, heard, and valued, I helped restore her confidence in her abilities, which ultimately transformed both her engagement and her son’s developmental journey.
If you’d like to chat with one of our friendly clinicians like Kirushna, you can get in touch here. Alternatively, if you are interested in a career at LiveBig or would like to find out more on positions available, click here.
