Inspiring Conversations with Amanda Donaldson of CommuniCAN Speech Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Donaldson.

Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, My name is Amanda and I am a speech-language pathologist in the Phoenix, AZ area. Although I am originally from Canada, I spent most of my childhood in northeast New Jersey before moving to Arizona after graduation. Growing up I also had a passion for being around children and helping others. So when it was time to select a college major, the initial instinct answer was to become a teacher, but my parents shone a light into the pros and cons of that field. My mother reminded me of my experiences working with a speech therapist and shared some of the “before and after” recordings with me. When I was a child, I had a speech therapist who came to my house to help me with some of my articulation skills as I had difficulty with the production of the “s” and “r” sounds. I began to look into the field a little more and realized it was a perfect fit. It allowed me to work with children but on a smaller more individualizedscale while serving others and making a difference in the lives of others while giving back to a field that made a difference in my own life. I am so glad I took the path I did because it led to me to so many new doors and opportunities many of which I would not have had if it weren’t for being in this field.

I went to school in Scranton, Pennsylvania, yes, where the office is filmed although, no, I have never watched all the seasons. There I completed an accelerated five-year program where I received my bachelor’s, master’s, and teaching certificates. After graduation, I came out to Phoenix, Arizona: my brother was in Tucson and we knew my parents would also be making their way west upon retirement a few years later. I worked in schools for 4.5 years full-time and at a rehabilitation hospital for 3 years part-time on the weekends. Now, I have used all of those experiences to allow me to start, maintain, and grow a successful private practice.

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?
Change is never easy but without change, we would be stuck in our old ways. In order to grow and further ourselves, we have to face obstacles as challenges are what make us stronger and provide teachings. As a first-time business owner and entrepreneur, every step in the process was a challenge in some way: from learning how to create a website to marketing, to getting the required business and legal operating documents, to hiring and continuing to grow. What has made it smooth is my drive and motivation pushing me to follow my heart and chase my dream, while having a strong support system behind me through it all.

The more I grow, the more challenges I face, but the more I know I am capable of. Now, I face the challenges of hiring, payroll, and navigating different schedules. In the end, every struggle has made me and my business better and stronger and brought me closer to my end goal.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In 2019, I opened up CommuniCAN Speech Therapy, as a part-time business on the side of my other commitments. I focused on providing in-home services since (a) I did not have the time or means to open a clinic and (b) it allowed me to see children in their natural setting while making things convenient for the family. In January 2022, I quit my job in the school system and transitioned to being a business owner and speech-language pathologist full-time! Being mobile, traveling to our clients, definitely sets us apart from many other businesses.

From there, my business quickly grew and expanded and continues to do so. Now, I have a team of three therapists including myself and an administrative assistant. We cover a wide area of the Phoenix, Arizona areaserving children and adults at home and via telehealth. Our team is a small family-feel business that puts our clients and families first believing in collaboration and individualized approaches in a natural environment.

CommuniCAN Speech Therapy is dedicated to delivering skilled, individualized, and high-quality services backed by evidence and experience. We believe in family involvement and a client-centered approach to foster progress and help every individual achieve maximum success. Our mission is to help clients overcome challenges and to provide support and resources to families and the community. We are fueled by our passion for making a positive lifelong difference in the lives of others.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Visit our website to learn more about our company, follow us on social media, and spread the word to families you know who may be in need of speech therapy services.

We are currently hiring part-time therapists and have new client openings available. Visit our website at www.communicanspeechtherapy.com and submit an online consultation form or email us at info@communicanspeechtherapy.com to get in touch with our staff.

We look forward to working with you and hope to hear from you soon!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.communicanspeechtherapy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/communicanspeechtherapy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057067825449

Image Credits
Steve Whitt