Today we’d like to introduce you to Bria Gibson.
Hi Bria, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was in college in 2015 and was struggling with the major I was in. There were a lot of math classes and I was not a math girl. My grades were terrible and my GPA was so low. So I talked with a family member and she encouraged me to look into the field of being a Speech Therapist. I was interested because in this field you can work with kids and I realized that I was really good at working with kids. Around this time I also had just grown in my faith and this really encouraged me to walk in purpose and use my life to help others around me. I made the major switch and my life changed forever. I began to make As and Bs. I had so much more joy, and I just felt so purposed. I graded college with a 3.3 GPA which was a high accomplishment for me. I then realized quickly that with this major you have to get a master’s degree. My GPA at the time was only a 3.1 and to be competitive for grad school you at least needed a 3.5. I was a senior and I was nervous about what I would do. This is when my faith kicked in. I prayed and ask God to make a way for me. I only applied to 2 grad programs and was told by my advisor that I more than likely would not get into a program that year. I got accepted into Jackson State University in Jackson, MS and they gave me a scholarship that covered my tuition, books, conferences, and gave me a monthly stipend. I graduated from Jackson state in 2019 and started my journey as a speech therapist. I started working in an elementary school In a rural city and I quite frankly hated it. I moved to Houston , TX and I thought I would like working in the schools better if I was in a different state/city. Still hated it. I then moved to the DFW area of TX and working in a private practice clinic and I loved it but I was about to get married and I needed better work life balance. I went back to the schools but this time I worked with high schoolers and I loved it! It changed everything for me. I found my joy and reason in being a speech therapist again. Helping children find their voice. I loved working with high schoolers so much that my passion for being a speech therapist came back and I finally took the step to start my own private practice, Speech Up. I was now working in the schools during the day and Speech Up afterschool hours. I had a baby and realized I still wanted to help children find their voice but needed a way to do it digitally so I started a YouTube channel for kids called Speech Up TV.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest struggle has been maintaining my passion as a speech therapist. There are times where it’s easy to get burned out but if you align your passion with your purpose it helps keep things flowing better.
We’ve been impressed with Speech Up, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am a pediatric speech therapist and I specialize in working with children from the ages of 4-21. I specialize in language therapy, social skills, autism, early language skills, stuttering/fluency, and parent coaching.
I am known for helping school-age/older children understand how to socialize appropriately.
Our practice is a hybrid approach. We provide virtual teletherapy sessions as well as in person speech therapy in public areas around the city like libraries or play spaces.
What sets me apart is that I am a minority speech therapist. Only 4% of speech therapist are black. This allows me to be able to relate to clients who might not usually see someone that looks like them.
Our brand is ever evolving but always solid on this one thing: we do what we do because we love children. Children are so special and they deserve to be protected and guarded. Helping them find their voice supports this principle.
We are in network with multiple primary insurances and Medicaids.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can work with us by connecting with us on social media @speechuptv, visiting our website www.myspeechup.com and filling out a form to connect with us or by giving us a call to say hello 682-402-9003
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.myspeechup.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechuptv
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1bGjUn6wvV/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@speechuptv
