Today we’d like to introduce you to Janita Gilliam.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I always knew that I wanted a career that involved helping others when I was younger. I honestly thought I would be a psychologist because I enjoyed giving people sound advice. While in high school, I took a career aptitude test that highlighted two careers that would be great to explore based on my knowledge and interests. Those areas included Psychology and Speech Pathology- a career that I had never heard of. My high school career counselor advised me to introduce myself to the school speech-language pathologist. I was able to get a crash course about what the field offered, what settings SLP’s work in, and the opportunities left me in a bit of shock, yet very interested.
After experiencing Hurricane Katrina, attending three universities to get through my undergraduate studies, and two grueling years of graduate school, I obtained my Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders. This was the start of my journey to becoming a licensed speech-language pathologist. I have had the privilege of working across various settings (ex., home healthcare, early intervention, private practice, schools, etc.) and with specialized populations with rare developmental and genetic disorders. I started as a novice clinician and later gained leadership roles as a clinical supervisor, alternate director of therapy, and even a clinical director for a small organization. These were titles and roles that I never imagined obtaining. My work ethic shined through, and many administrators were amazed by the leadership strengths that I contributed to the company. The clinician I am today has been shaped by many of the countless experiences and relationships that I have made with my clients. They have molded me into a stronger clinician who is more culturally aware, sensitive, and present to meet the needs of my clients and families. I am forever grateful to experience a career that fuels my purpose.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Although I am proud of my accomplishments, accolades, and even the titles, I think enduring a pandemic over the last two years has allowed me to see that often titles are just that, “a title.” The title does not define one’s character or heart. I faced several obstacles throughout my career. Many people have no clue what a speech-language pathologist is or what we do. And might I add I represent only 3% of African American speech-language pathologists in the field. I have been practicing as a licensed speech pathologist for over 10 years and have been fortunate to work with fantastic clients and families. I have learned about cultural backgrounds, values, and traditions that I like to incorporate into my treatment sessions. However, there were times along the way when I was met with challenging administrators and colleagues. Even toxic work environments made the career I love a challenge to bear. Being the only minority in a work setting has always felt isolating and difficult. Maybe this was an area where I should have been equipped in. See, from elementary school through my college tenure (except my beloved HBCU #AAMU), I was always the only African American person in a classroom or work-related setting. Honestly, the lack of representation in my field is still a controversial topic today. It is an area that has been discouraging to not have a peer or someone to talk to that could relate to your differences. It also reflects clients lacking representation to work with professionals who represent their shared cultural values and beliefs. I struggled to find commonalities with colleagues, and I think my colleagues and administrators had a hard time, along with a decreased sense of cultural awareness and humility. These areas make it a challenge to excel as a clinician and a person because what I now know as “imposter syndrome” weighed heavily on me.
In the Fall of 2021, I was fortunate to gain a lead clinical position where I managed both occupational therapists and speech pathologists. It was a goal that I had set myself up to achieve in the future, but it unexpectantly came quicker. After being faced with a complicated work dilemma, I was forced to choose myself or endure the toxicity of the work environment. I instead chose myself because that environment left me feeling undervalued, unappreciated, and unsure of myself as a person and leader in that role. After a week of processing the emotions behind leaving such a high-capacity role, God planted the vision that inspired me to start my own company. I thought to myself, if I can lead, market, and consult with other professionals for someone else’s company, I can put that same energy into my own. This was the beginning of how Jabber Talk Speech and Consulting was established. It led me to my “why.” I wanted to establish a company that seeks to serve others in need, offer flexibility to be with my family and be the representation that is so desperately needed in the field of SLP.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am Janita Gilliam, a licensed speech-language pathologist and the owner of Jabber Talk Speech and Consulting, PLLC. We are a mobile private practice specializing in the birth-three population. Jabber Talk provides speech and feeding therapy in the home, daycare, and private school settings. We aim to enhance children’s communication skills by educating caregivers in their naturalistic environments. We currently work with children who present with language delays, language disorders (receptive/expressive), late talkers, and pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. Jabber Talk offers a client and family-centered approach to intervention services. We believe in providing evidence-based practice and culturally relevant services to all families. Jabber Talk advocates early intervention and parent coaching, as we know parents are their child’s first teacher. We want to equip our parents and caregivers to be effective across all daily routines and settings related to communicating and engaging with their children.
Jabber Talk offers comprehensive speech-language evaluations, feeding evaluations, and speech therapy in-person and via teletherapy. We also provide educational consulting to early childhood centers, daycares, Head Start, and Montessori centers. Lastly, we partner with local charter schools, private schools, and ECI agencies to offer comprehensive services for students.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I wish I had known the significance of mentorship and networking in my younger years. These are two key elements that every entrepreneur must have. I highly suggest that individuals secure a mentor to whom they feel comfortable talking to, listening, and having a collaborative relationship. Whatever profession you are in, reach out to your local and national agencies to find a mentorship program. Also, feel free to contact professionals via phone or email to introduce yourself and ask if they can mentor you for 3-6 months to learn the ins and outs of their particular area of expertise. I signed up for my professional organization’s mentorship program. I am currently going through this process. This is the first time I intentionally sought help and support in an area that I knew I was not strong in. My mentor and I meet via phone once a month for about 45-minutes to an hour. I present my goals and action items to her, and we schedule regular follow-ups so that she can hold me accountable. A great benefit from this relationship is that my mentor is also helping me with my networking skills (or the lack thereof). She has invited me to special committees, referred me to well-known individuals in our field, and provided suggestions on places to connect virtually to improve my networking skills. It has been a true blessing and something that I encourage all to seek.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@jabber-talk.com
- Website: www.jabbertalkspeech.com
- Instagram: jabber_talk
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100073710583550
