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​My private practice had its highs and lows in 2018, but it ended on a positive note because I learned how to set up systems and find resources to make my work life run more smoothly. Here are my private practice essentials for 2019:

1. Simple Practice EMR. In 2018, I emerged from the Stone Age of documentation and switched from hard copies of paperwork to an EMR (not sure what an EMR is? Check out this blog post). I've saved SO MUCH time and effort by having all of my paperwork in one place, with paperless intake forms and a secure client portal to communicate with my clients. If you're on the fence about choosing an EHR, I wrote a blog post to help you out, and also have an entire module in my course devoted to evaluating EHRs (and whether you need one).

2. Victorinox Werks Traveler Tote.  My old SLP bag gave up the ghost this year, so I  upgraded to this amazing bag. It's roomy, with

• 4 inside pockets (all large enough to hold the spiral-bound edition of Secord's Eliciting Sounds book)

• a large zippered inside pocket that's big enough for a 15 inch laptop or many file folders

• 2 outside pockets that are both big enough for a Kindle or small iPad

• a zippered top to keep little hands out of your business.

It's even big enough to hold a Cariboo game! Very professional and extremely functional. 

3. FIGS scrubs. I choose to wear scrubs to see my clients because

• I sit on a lot of floors with my younger clients, and

• I don't love trying to keep my business casual wear clean while trekking from home to home.

I also like to look professional and represent the medical side of our field. After a year of ironing other scrubs, I switched to FIGS because they do not need to be ironed, are astonishingly comfortable and easy to clean, and look very professional. Bonus- if you purchase them through my referral link, you get $20 off ! They have scrubs for both men and women.

4. A Throat Scope tongue depressor with light. This little device is practically magic at getting kids to (literally) open up for oral mechanism exams, and is wonderful for seeing enlarged tonsils or other oral structures. It has made evaluations much easier and even fun!

5. Piecing It Together: A Systematic Approach to More Effective Language Therapy by Martha Frimer Cheslow. This is an excellent framework for approaching language therapy for any age of client. It includes goal lists and sequential targets for different language areas, which are invaluable for planning FUNCTIONAL therapy. 

All of these resources have made my life easier this year, and I hope they make yours easier too! Let me know if you have other amazing tools in the comments!

Want to see all of my recommended resources in one place? My Amazon page has specially-curated lists of my favorite office supplies, teletherapy materials, and other must-have resources!