Program Reviews

The ‘22 Dominican Republic Therapy Abroad trip was an unforgettable experience. Coordinators Alejandro and Bridget were extremely accommodating and proactive to ensure safety, comfort and ease into the country. They were a wonderfully diligent team that provided a positive educational experience for students. Their commitment to their work and mentorship as well as their dedication to getting to know each student created an opportunity for student development and educational growth. Their guidance and support was truly unparalleled and incomparable to that of other professionals in the field. Bridget provided an essential sense of security and support in a new environment while Alejandro ensured structure and ease into the expectations of the program. Karla, liaison between our team and the kids, conducted efficient work prioritizing the needs of the kids as well as providing us feedback onto how best to work with each child. She was a huge resource when talking/translating to parents, working with other teachers and providing us the materials we needed to conduct therapy at our fullest. Angel and Bright served as our global travel liaisons as we navigated the island. They invited us to take a step into their culture through unforgettable travel excursions, language/cultural education, and support navigating and learning about the children. These individuals and their commitment towards creating a unique learning travel experience defined the positive impact of my trip. Would ABSOLUTELY recommend.

This experience was opened my eyes to the provision of therapy services outside of the US, and how culture and background play a role in how we as professionals are to provide care to those in our communities. Therapy Abroad provided an immersive experience in Belize, teaching about the people, the country, and their need for more therapy resources and services. It was a beautiful and memorable trip, and an amazing way to start the rest of my career as an SLP! I got to know 10 other students and 2 professionals with the same goals for providing quality care to others, and gained hands-on and observational experiences!

This was an amazing trip that I cannot recommend highly enough! It was perfect for our diverse group of students. We had many first time international travelers and it was awesome getting to see them flourish with the staff's help (especially Chad and Katie)! This trip was also great for experienced travelers. I wasn't too sure how much I'd enjoy a large group experience but Therapy Abroad was able to find an excellent balance between collaboration in the schools and encouraging independent exploration during our free time.

The program coordinators understand the importance of building relationships in the communities we were working in and it made all of the difference. The food, housing, transportation, and cultural education were all provided by local Belizeans. All of the little details add up when traveling and this program was thoughtfully and intentionally built around the little things.

I walked away feeling like a more culturally competent clinician and even more confident in my ability to travel in the future. I would highly recommend Therapy Abroad and I hope to travel with them again next summer.

I had never been abroad prior to this trip, so I was understandably nervous about how I would handle myself in a new environment without having prior clinical exposure due to being an undergraduate student, I had no idea how this trip would be, but I was extremely relieved by how organized, helpful and friendly the therapy abroad team was throughout the trip. The trip allowed me to become more confident in myself as a clinician, producing some of the best experiences I’ve had! (food was amazing)

Therapy Abroad has an amazing team. Our group leaders made sure we were where we needed to be and handled unexpected events with professionalism and grace. I'm so thankful that I participated in this program because I grew as a clinician and as a person. The people in Belize were so kind and welcoming, and the food (especially breakfast at Martha's Guest House!) was fantastic. There was a nice balance of work and play. We provided services at multiple sites and still had time each day to enjoy something new in Belize. I can't wait to go back.

A group of 8 speech pathology grad students, 2 professors, and about 8 Therapy Abroad professionals were part of the team which traveled to the beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands. The Special Needs Unit of the Dept of Education hosted us very generously and we enjoyed the beaches and local food. We met families of children with communication difficulties, did evaluations, and ran a camp for three days. I had the privilege of working with four autistic boys between ages 3 and 6 as well as some overlap with other campers whose diagnoses varied. I loved seeing their comfort level change from day one (clinging to the parent's leg, teary-eyed) to day three (running in to the gym for a hug and leading me by the hand to our first activity). I think we could have been more effective if we had meetings with the campers' parents and completed informal evaluations of the kids before we launched into camp. This was the first time Therapy Abroad ran a camp like this in Turks and Caicos, so it served as a good starting place. It was also interesting to visit schools and observe members of our team strategizing with local special needs advocates to work on ways to improve access to services throughout the country. In our spare time, we enjoyed a truly unforgettable boat tour and I was introduced to a bright, colorful world under the ocean's surface as we snorkeled. We also enjoyed a fish fry in the community and visits to local restaurants. Overall, this experience was intensely difficult and intensely fun - very formative for me as a student clinician, a traveler, and a friend within my cohort.

The Therapy Abroad trip I took to Turks and Caicos was one I will never forget. It was the first time Therapy Abroad had gone to Turks and Caicos, so there was some typical bumps and miscommunications as we got set up and provided evaluations to some kids and therapy camp for other kids for 3 days. The amount of growth that each child and student had was unbelievable. The staff on the trip was warm and welcoming, and when we weren't providing services to the children of TCI we were making memories together!

This Therapy Abroad trip to Turks and Caicos was a wonderful experience in which I gained a lot of experience doing speech therapy with autistic and non verbal children. There is a large need of services in the area, and I hope that others get the chance to go back. The activities that were done outside of the therapy camp were super fun, and the area was beautiful! We went snorkeling and to the beach often. The hotel we stayed at was very nice and I felt safe there. Overall, very glad I went and it was totally worth it!

My experience was unique because it was the first every speech-language pathology therapy aboard to Turks & Caicos island. I had the opportunity to work with other professionals like PT/OT, behavioral specialist, other SLPs, and the TCI special needs unit. I gained so much clinical knowledge and hours towards my graduation requirements for my masters degree. I also learned a lot of skills involving parent and teacher education. I gained more cultural competence working in the Turks and Caicos Islands!

Traveling abroad to provide services to children on the Turks and Caicos islands was the most fulfilling and educational experience I have had so far in my life. I learned so much about working with children with Autism,. dealing with children's sensory needs, working with different cultures, schools and services in other countries, AAC use with young children, and working with other professionals, all while influencing young childcare's lives and forming life long relationship. I cannot wait to hopefully return someday.