Meet Jasmine Philpot-Slocum of Gifted Integrative Speech Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Philpot-Slocum.

Hi Jasmine, We’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. Before we get into specifics, please briefly describe how you got to where you are today.
I love this question. It always helps me to remember why I got started, so thank you for asking 🙂 I generally attribute my start in Speech Pathology to a childhood friend of mine’s younger sister. She was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (later diagnosed with Chiari Malformation), and she was challenging to understand. Still, of all my friend’s friends, I was the only one who spent time with her and tried to understand what she was saying. That was the beginning. My push into the field ultimately came after I took a career aptitude test in college, and this was in the top 3 fields I would be particularly adept in, and here we are nearly a decade later. I have always had the “Gift of Gab”; if memory serves me, I always got “talks excessively” in school, so I am glad it worked in my favor later in life.

It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Here is my honest, unfiltered answer. No road is smooth. When you are trying to build and help others, many struggles arise. Only some people root for you; most need to be more collaborative. I have experienced culturally incompetent graduate school classmates (who are in a field to service people of various cultures), supervisors who treated mentorship as a hazing process, or other supervisors who capitalized on neurodivergent clients and people who needed our help and even people who tried to compromise the integrity of my practice. All learning processes or speed bumps that I learned to maneuver around to keep on the journey I was meant for. I show up as my authentic self and always try to help as many people as possible. Only some appreciate the time and passion that I bring to what I do. Things fluctuate; in this field, there are a lot of variables that can make doing my job a lot more complicated. When families quit in the middle of the process, it reduces the time we could be helping another family that may be more consistent. Communication is free and a form of consideration that most people do not consider. All the struggles I have faced, whether any of the ones listed above, brought me to where I need to be. That includes answering this question as transparently as possible.

We’ve been impressed with Gifted Integrative Speech Therapy, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
Gifted Integrative Speech Therapy, or “GIST,” is a private (currently pediatric) clinic that serves the Metro Atlanta area. We specialize in various treatments relating to Speech and Occupational Therapies. We are known for our work with neurodivergent populations, feeding therapy, bilingual therapies, and the Augmentative Alternative Communication specialty. We offer multimodal service models that work well for our patient population. Other services are provided, and we offer in-person and telehealth sessions. When people ask me what we do, I say we change lives. What sets us apart is our passion. We see ability, not disability. We meet patients where they are and bring honest and ethical assessment and treatment plans to anyone who enters our practice. We are most proud that we have maintained our integrity while continuing to service our growing population. I want people to know that we are one of them and wholeheartedly love and care about what we do. When people enter our practice, it is not just about being a number or rushing through the process. Families must be heard and considered as teammates for their loved one’s care. We consider ourselves very family-centered. We will soon open our doors to adults, and I am excited to serve the community more comprehensively.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
For those just starting out, I encourage you to find collaborators who are open to sharing information and resources. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek knowledge. Remember, high risk often leads to high reward. I never imagined I’d be where I am today, so I urge you not to underestimate your potential. Don’t let anyone dim your light on your journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.giftedintegrativespeechtherapy.com
• Instagram: Giftedintegrativespeechtherapy