But first… Introductions
Hello, and thank you for clicking, or simply having a nosey around my website.
The sun is shining where I am today, so I hope it is shining where you are too, whether internally or externally.
Although this is my first blog post here, writing is something I have enjoyed since I was a child. I am excited to let this website be a place for duality: a place where I can work with clients, families, schools and organisations, but also one where I can make room for creativity and reflection.
Naturally, this blog will mainly orbit around my field of work. I plan to share honest reflections from clinical practice, including successes, failures, lessons learned and questions I am still exploring. You can expect posts about Autism, social communication, Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), professional development and the realities of working as a Speech and Language Therapist.
My approach is shaped by neuroaffirming and trauma-informed practice, curiosity about the communication needs that can sit beneath behaviour, and a belief that reflection is an essential part of doing this work well.
Okay, enough of that. On to the real introductions.
If you have not gathered by now, I am Katrina J. Bradford. The J stands for Jensen, which was my mother’s maiden name. For those of you who take a linguistic approach to life, yes, I am indeed half Danish. My surname is unmistakably English, making me a fairly even Danish-English split.
I grew up moving between England and Denmark before eventually landing in London, where I am now based. Before that, I studied for a BSc (Hons) in Speech and Language Therapy at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.
London, as it does to many people, pushes you to your limits, especially if, like me, you grew up somewhere much more rural. But perhaps that is also why some of us choose to stay. It challenges you, changes you and offers opportunities you may not have found elsewhere.
Fast forward to the present, and here I am, having just launched SLCN: a space that brings together the services, support and reflections I believe I can offer.
Why SLCN? Thank you for asking.
SLCN stands for Speech, Language and Communication Needs. It is an umbrella term covering difficulties related to speech sound development, understanding and using language, and communicating and interacting with others. It is widely used across education, health and children’s services.
There will be a separate post exploring SLCN in more detail, along with posts about why I became a Speech and Language Therapist, projects I have been involved in, lessons I have learned and my ongoing professional journey. After all, my relationship with Speech and Language Therapy began long before I wrote my university application.
For now, please continue having a look around the website to find out more about me and the services I offer. I hope you will come back as the blog begins to grow.
Enjoy!
