Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Hancock.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Christian. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always known serving others, particularly families and young children was important to me in a career. My studies at Texas Christian University led me to embrace speech-language pathology as not only a career but also something that felt really purposeful. Before attending graduate school at Texas Tech University, I had the opportunity to teach English to students ages 3-18 in Los Andes, Chile. I was able to continue studying Spanish and learning about child development and cultural diversity, all of which strongly influences my practice today.
After becoming a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist, I continued my learning in the home health setting. I was honored to serve hundreds of rural families in their homes, many of whom were Spanish-speaking. I recognized supporting families through caregiver coaching and sustainable practices is extremely important, especially in treating medically complex disorders and culturally diverse populations. I am so thankful for the support of my colleagues and the opportunity to be welcomed into these families’ homes during this time.
I decided to open my own practice after starting a family, and created Heart & Soul Speech in McKinney, Texas. I feel strongly about continuing to serve my community and supporting the needs of families in their homes. I also want to be present for my own children, and owning my own business has given me the gift of doing both.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I love being a speech-language pathologist. The flexibility and challenge to work with all people in a variety of settings, and to schedule around my family’s needs is incredibly appealing. Working with all ages and disorders is humbling, rewarding, and fascinating. But to be honest, building my vision of Heart & Soul Speech was hard work. Thankfully, I had immense support from my colleagues and friends and encouragement from other local businesses. I quickly realized the importance of networking and connecting with my community.
I had to create a clear and purposeful philosophy, one that described my dream business of service and my personal principles. With humbled grace, I accepted the need to serve others with my whole heart and soul. My purpose in this life is to empower and uplift others, share knowledge, teach skills, and to provide natural and sustainable services. That is what my private practice is founded upon and why I decided to open my own business, Heart & Soul Speech.
Heart & Soul Speech – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At Heart & Soul Speech, we partner with individuals and families with speech, language, feeding, and hearing goals. Using a naturalistic approach and evidence-based strategies define our treatment plans. We work with children and adults in most settings, including your home, group homes, private schools, child care centers, preschool or early childhood intervention/Headstart centers, after-school care facilities, and other community settings. We are proud to have experience and specialty training to support bilingual families, high-risk infants, and medically complex disorders.
An important part of our approach involves caregiver coaching, which is different than many other practices. Caregiver empowerment is a huge part of our progress, so we offer caregiver training and supported practice in the home. This allows families to continue growth in environments outside of therapy sessions, and therefore live with increased confidence and independence.
Research shows caregivers may be as effective as therapists in implementing intervention when they receive appropriate guidance and teaching from a therapist. This means one of my jobs as a speech-language pathologist is to facilitate and collaborate with families, giving them tools through modeling and supported practice, and then give them space to be successful. I want families to know they are the experts on their child’s needs, and I am just a part of the team that helps them meet their goals.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Although I am now a business owner, I am very much still a speech pathologist at heart. This means the families we serve come first. It’s our responsibility and privilege to support caregivers and young children. Our practice believes therapy is the most sustainable and effective when needs are met in the individual’s most natural and comfortable environment.
Our success as a business depends on the trust of families in our community. That’s why we serve with our heart, with our soul, and with everything we have. We are humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be a small part of their journey and purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://heartandsoulspeech.com
- Phone: 972-439-5351
- Email: info@heartandsoulspeech.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartandsoulspeech/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/heart-and-soul-speech-mckinney
Image Credit:
Claire Jackson
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