Today's speech therapists face many challenges. However, the field of speech pathology is unique in that when the speech pathologist overcomes a challenge, it is very often not a significant triumph in the patient's life. It is of enormous importance that the speech pathologist has the following traits: good interpersonal skills, ability to take another's perspective, and problem solving skills. Good interpersonal skills are vital for communication. Interpersonal skills not only include good spoken communication, but also non-verbal communication. Speech-language pathologists are often one of the few people in the patient's environment who serve as good role models for communication. Success in the field of speech therapy is rooted in the therapist's ability to work as a team. For example, in a school setting the therapist interacts with students, teachers, counselors, parents, and administrators, all of whom form the ecological systems surrounding the student. Interpersonal skills allow for clear, effective, and positive communication while minimizing communication breakdowns resulting in strong therapist-patient bonds, as well as professional bonds. Another important skill that a speech pathologist must possess is the ability to see a situation from another's perspective. Poor communication often occurs when one person fails to take another person's point of view. When a therapist takes the patient's perspective, he or she can modify therapy based on the patient's circumstances and developmental level. Taking another person's perspective will also help the SLP sympathize with the patient, increasing positive goal outcomes while creating a strong communication bond. Additionally, the speech pathologist must possess the ability to problem solve… middle of paper… .f moments of high stress for Judeen and avoid approaching her at these times. Brenda spoke to Judeen but this incident put a strain on our relationship for a few weeks. It also began to affect my working relationship with other members of the special education team. I scheduled a formal meeting with Judeen and discussed the incident. We talked about how to increase our communication. We agreed to set goals and do “check-ins” every month. Towards the end of the school year our communication increased and we worked as a team to tackle the task we had been assigned. We have achieved our goal of providing all makeup sessions while keeping the speaking sessions current. We also entered all makeup and current notes into the computer system. Although it was a stressful process, I learned that open communication and honesty are the key to a successful work environment.