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Championing SLP Voices and Stories with Phương Liên Palafox
SLPs are superheroes— they go from changing lives through communication with their talents and expertise to chasing the sun and bonding with their families like Phương Liên Palafox down in Austin, TX. Her impact let us know that SXSW isn’t the only big thing coming out of the city.
This week, our Women’s History Month honors shines the light on Phương's work in the speech, language, and hearing communities.
Phương is a Vietnamese-Chinese multilingual speech-language therapist, author, and activist who believes in the power of stories to connect, heal, and inspire. Her work is rooted in evidence-based, human-centered practices, with a deep commitment to Culturally Responsive Practices, Narrative-Based Interventions, and Advocacy for Educators.
For over two decades, she has worked within and alongside school districts, helping students on their communication journeys. She also authored The Heartbeat of Speech-Language Pathology and Buoy, a children’s book about her family’s refugee journey.
Today, Phương spends her time empowering clients and their families in her clinic and delivering global keynotes and workshops to validate, refuel, and re-engage attendees in their meaningful work.
Take a look inside of her history-making journey that made it all possible.
What was the defining moment in your career that reaffirmed your passion for this work?
A defining moment in my career came after a state keynote when a Vietnamese-American attendee approached me, holding my children's book, Buoy. This story has been used as a speech-language therapy in my sessions for the last two decades.
After seven years of development—including focus groups with Vietnamese-American children— its publication was a milestone that honored my journey as a multilingual refugee and my work in communication sciences. It was also a powerful reminder that my presence in this field is necessary— that the stories I carry are essential to the work I do.
Women’s History Month is about celebrating impact and progress. How do you hope your advocacy and your work contribute to the progress of the field?
It has been meaningful to witness the impact of my advocacy. Multilingual and multicultural peers have found representation in my work and solace in my efforts to advance equitable practices that support multilingual communicators, such as the ASHA ad-hoc committee report.
My experience, leadership, and vulnerability have also fueled research and initiatives to support school-based speech-language pathologists. I’ve been honored to keynote at various state conferences and hearing Vietnamese students call me cô Phương (Ms. Phuong) have been full-circle moments.
I’ve worked to create the changes I needed 20 years ago, but I haven’t done it alone. When I lost my má in my first year as an SLP-intern, my professional peers carried that love and pride forward. For that, and for our collective progress, I am deeply grateful.
Learn more about Phương's work at www.phuonglienpalafox.com and connect with her on Instagram @PhuongLienPalafox and Facebook at phuonglienpalafoxSLP.
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Here are some courses you might love based on what you’re reading:
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