Speech-language pathologists are quitting left and right. And some are leaving the profession all together.

When we talk about SLP turnover, the conversation usually turns to caseload size, pay, or work-life balance. And yes, those things matter. But they're symptoms, not the root problem.

In this episode, we zoom out and look at what's actually driving burnout and turnover in speech-language pathology: too many high-stakes decisions without a clear system to support clinical decision-making.

SLPs are expected to:

• Diagnose what's wrong

• Decide what to work on

• Write defensible goals

• Create therapy plans from scratch

• Manage behavior

• Justify services across tiers

• And do it all for dozens (sometimes hundreds) of students

Every. Single. Day.

Meanwhile, other professionals are handed evidence-based curricula and clear workflows. SLPs are handed complexity and told to figure it out on their own.

In this episode, we'll talk about:

• Why "more support" and more PD often increase overwhelm

• The hidden cognitive load that leads even passionate, well-paid SLPs to quit

• Why the lowest-turnover programs don't rely on hero clinicians, they rely on systems

• How a structured therapy framework reduces burnout without removing clinical judgment

• What leaders can do right now to improve retention, confidence, and consistency across their teams

If you're an SLP who's exhausted from constantly second-guessing yourself, or a leader trying to figure out why good clinicians keep leaving, this conversation reframes the problem and points to a solution that actually works.

Because retention doesn't come from asking SLPs to care more. Or see more clients. It comes from giving them clarity, structure, and a shared way to make decisions.

Sign up your team for our SLK Curriculum and get all of the systems and supports you need: https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/slk-hub-teams-program-support-your-speech-team-elevate-your-outcomes/