Professional Development in Speech and Language Therapy Mentoring for Therapists

In this book, Mary Heritage shows how mentoring can have a powerful impact on the speech and language therapist and their professional development. The text sets out the impact of mentoring at each stage of the speech and language therapist’s career – students, novice practitioners, and leaders – and explores how mentoring is distinct from other supportive relationships that are available, such as counselling, coaching line management, and education. The reader is guided through the process of finding a mentor and making the most of the mentoring relationship. The book goes on to outline what makes a good mentor and concludes with a vision and call to action for the profession to embrace mentoring more widely, with particular focus on creating a more inclusive professional community. Each section concludes with a space for reflection and action planning to guide the reader through their own journey of understanding how to use mentoring to unlock their own professional development needs. This resource is relevant for all speech and language therapists: those embarking on a new career in speech and language therapy, those needing guidance at a career crossroads, leaders looking to develop a workforce, and those wishing to diversify their communication skills to support their colleagues.