English
Français
Español
Since March 2023, Dr. Sapthami Patel Hebbal Raju has been part of our network as a speech language pathologist at Souderton Mennonite Autistic Support Montgomery County Intermediate Unit - Preschool Early Intervention.
In addition to her amazing contributions to the children she treats, she recently was recognized with the ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE). The ACE Award highlights her commitment to lifelong learning and her dedication and extra professional development effort.
Sapthami shared with us how she got started, what she loves most about school-based pediatric speech language therapy, and her advice for others considering this rewarding role.
What inspired you to be a therapist?
During my time volunteering at an NGO, I encountered a young child who was living with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. This child had just received an AAC device but was struggling with bleeding ears and had difficulty expressing pain. When I reached out to the assigned special education teacher, I learned that this child had been abandoned by her birth parents after the diagnosis. The NGO and the school had stepped in to provide shelter, healthcare, and education because, unfortunately, in India, there are many children like her who have been left behind. I was heartbroken to hear how the stigma surrounding disorder and therapy services had led some parents to abandon their children. In our community, the challenges are compounded by a lack of support and sufficient resources. While there are some government services and NGOs offering limited free therapy, it often isn’t enough. This experience ignited a deep passion within me to raise awareness in local and rural areas. I feel driven to provide support and services and to enhance my knowledge so that I can make positive differences in these children and their caregivers in navigating these challenges
What do you like about being a school-based therapist?
I am an independent contractor for the flexibility at work and for allowing me to pursue my passion for traveling and exploring new places.
What do you like about working with Kelly Pediatric Therapy?
As a first-generation immigrant in the healthcare field and having moved to the USA just two years ago, I can wholeheartedly say that Kelly Pediatric Therapy has been a gamechanger for me! This incredible opportunity has allowed me to not only work but also learn and grow. From learning every new format of documentation to receiving unparalleled support, the experience has been nothing short of amazing. The Kelly Pediatric Therapy team is truly fantastic, and I feel so lucky to have an incredible director and co-worker who has become a good friend along the way. Every day brings a new adventure!
Let's make a better world together and normalize our differences.
Grow your career with Kelly Pediatric Therapy.
More and more school districts are seeing the benefit of using a company to hire their school-based therapists. At Kelly Pediatric Therapy we work with occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, psychologists, mental health professionals, and other clinicians to help you find the right school-based placements.
If you're looking to move forward in your professional career in a way that supports growth, balance, and impact—consider working with us as a school-based therapist.
When you work with Kelly Pediatric Therapy, you’ll enjoy competitive pay, compensation for documentation, access to mentorship, free professional development, and work-free nights, weekends, and holidays.
Learn more about joining our team.
