Today we’d like to introduce you to Ruth Maldonado.
Hi Ruth, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started my career as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in 2011, right after I graduated with my master’s from Loma Linda University. I knew I wanted to work with kids since undergrad, and I decided to work for a school district in the Inland Empire – Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District. That district was very supportive in shaping me into the SLP I am today. I worked for them for 10 years until I relocated to sunny San Diego. On top of having a full-time job, from 2015-2019, I decided to work for different private practices to see early intervention clients in their homes. This was a good way for me to have supplemental income during the summer and throughout the school year as well. In 2020, I decided to open up my own private practice, Be Brave Speech Therapy, on the side of being a full-time SLP. I figured, why not see clients under my own business instead of working for another private practice. COVID really opened up my eyes to being able to see children 1:1 (through Zoom) instead of in a group setting (which is what is usually done in the schools). I loved seeing how each child progressed through their goals quicker. I also enjoyed the parent interaction throughout my sessions since they were on the call with their child. In 2021, I got married and moved to Escondido, CA, and started building up my private practice. It’s been a fun and wild journey, and I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have always been bumps along the way! Initially, when I worked for both the schools and my own private practice, it was hard to handle both jobs and wearing the private practitioner “hat” as well as the school SLP “hat.” Both settings are different, and having to juggle both jobs during that 2020-2021 school year was hard. Many long nights and weekends were poured into making my private practice dream bigger and better. I got engaged in the summer of 2021 and decided to relocate to where my fiancé lived (north county San Diego). We decided now would be the perfect time to “start over” since I would have a clean slate. Getting my practice situated to start taking new clients in Escondido has been busy but worth it when I was able to get to full-time status in the fall/winter of 2022. Now new challenges are arising as I think about expanding my practice and possibly hiring another SLP to help see more clients in the surrounding areas!
As you know, we’re big fans of Be Brave Speech Therapy. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Be Brave Speech Therapy is a privately-owned pediatric speech and language therapy practice serving children birth to 18 years of age. I serve children in their families virtually through teletherapy for all children residing in CA as well as in person in the city of Escondido, CA, and surrounding areas. At Be Brave Speech Therapy, my top desire is for your child to speak clearly, be understood, express their ideas better, and most importantly make long-lasting friendships with kids their age. I am a nationally certified and state-licensed bilingual (Spanish-English) speech-language pathologist in California. I specialize in working with children in early language development (those who are late talkers), tricky speech sounds (like lisps, r, sh, ch, j), those who stutter/clutter, and older Autistic students. Be Brave Speech Therapy is committed to providing individualized therapy specifically designed to meet the needs of each client. I am dedicated to using evidence-based therapy, strategies, and interventions that will yield the best outcomes. I believe that each child is special and has the capacity to communicate and make their voice heard. I want to help parents become their child’s best therapist/advocate so they can work with them when I’m not there. I want there to be a connection and bond formed with each child and their family. If I’m not the right person for them, I hope to refer them to an SLP who would be better suited for their child!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
So many people deserve credit! Yes! I would not have been able to make it this far without the support of the following people:
Chris – my husband, He is my #1 supporter and cheerleader. He helps my brainstorm ideas and always pushes me to try new things in my practice. I shared the dream of owning a private practice when we were still dating. He never made me forget about it until I finally started it 🙂
My parents – my parents are also very supportive and always pushing me to do something that brings me joy. They have seen how hard I’ve worked to grow my private practice and they hear the joy in my voice when I tell them all the good things that are happening with Be Brave.
Jena Castro-Casbon – Jena is the founder of The Independent Clinician and the coaching classes – Start Your Private Practice and Grow Your Private Practice. I would not be where I am today without her guidance. I enrolled in Start Your Private Practice in the summer of 2019. Her modules and the supportive Facebook groups that I’m a part of really provided a solid foundation and were the bones of getting everything set up. When you’re first starting a business, it can be daunting, especially if you don’t have any business experience. Jena’s classes helped me to go from “this is scary” to “I got this!”
Former/Current Clients – honestly getting text messages, emails, gifts from you letting me know how great your child is doing and how much they’ve improved makes my day! It makes all the long days/nights worth it. I’m happy that you’ve entrusted me as your child’s SLP.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bebravespeechtherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bebravespeechtherapy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bebravespeechtherapy
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/be-brave-speech-therapy-escondido
