Rachel Cohen Coaching

16/03/2026

1️⃣ Communication expertise within mainstream education
As expectations around inclusion increase, schools may need more support understanding the communication demands within learning environments. SLT's have so much experience and knowledge to offer here

2️⃣ Strategic collaboration
SEND reform emphasises collaboration across education, health and care.
SLTs who position themselves as partners within that system will be increasingly valuable.

3️⃣ Earlier communication support
If systems shift toward earlier intervention, speech and language expertise will be needed earlier in the pathway. Again SLT's have so much to offer!

None of these opportunities require SLTs to become different clinicians, they may require us to think differently about how to position ourselves

This kind of strategic thinking is something I love exploring with independent SLTs through coaching and mastermind work.
Because when clinicians start to see their expertise through a wider lens, new possibilities often emerge.

11/03/2026

SEND reform is prompting a lot of questions for Speech and Language Therapists working in independent practice.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been reading through the new SEND White Paper and consultation documents carefully to understand what the proposals might signal for SLTs and other AHPs working with children and schools.
Rather than reacting quickly to headlines, I think it’s important to consider the direction of travel within the system.

I’ve prepared a short strategic briefing for independent SLTs sharing some reflections.
If you’d like a copy, send me a message and I’ll happily share it.

Rachel
The Cheshire Coach

14/02/2026

One day you’ll look back and think, damn, I really went for it.

Not halfway. Not safely.

You took the risk when nothing was guaranteed and kept going when it got uncomfortable.

You chose the life you wanted over the life that felt acceptable.

It wasn’t clean or confident the whole way.

There were doubts, missteps, and moments you almost quit.

But you stayed in the fight.

And that choice changed everything.

That’s the kind of memory that hits deep.

12/02/2026

There’s something very special about sitting in a room (or on a screen) with therapists who care deeply about doing good work… and want to build businesses that feel aligned, ethical and sustainable.

Today was my Integrity-Led Therapist in Independent Practice Mastermind.

We covered business planning.
We did hot seats.
We gently unpicked limiting beliefs that have been quietly shaping decisions for years.

And what struck me most wasn’t the strategy (although there was plenty of that).

It was the honesty.

Independent practice can feel exposing. There’s no banding, no annual appraisal framework, no built-in team reflecting things back to you. Just you, your clinical judgement, and a business that suddenly requires a whole different skill set.

So today we created that reflective structure on purpose.

We asked:

What actually matters to you as a clinician?

Where are you making decisions from fear rather than values?

What assumptions are you carrying about money, visibility, expertise or “readiness”?

What would your business look like if it genuinely reflected your integrity?

The hot seats were generous and brave.
There were moments of challenge.
There were reframes.
There were practical actions written down — not vague inspiration, but real next steps.

And at the end, one participant said:

“I felt like I have had 3 wise best friends in my corner"

I believe so strongly in structured, reflective spaces for therapists in independent practice. When you remove isolation and add intentional reflection, clarity follows. And when clarity comes, decisions become steadier.

If you’re building (or quietly thinking about building) a practice that feels aligned rather than exhausting, you don’t have to do it alone.

Sometimes what changes everything isn’t another course.

"It’s three wise best friends in your corner".

10/02/2026

Fabulous book launch tonight in Liverpool. A real insight into lived experience, looking forward to reading and learning!

10/02/2026

The people you admire didn't have a plan. They had a problem that wouldn't leave them alone.

That's how most great things start. Not with a business plan. Not with clarity. Just someone annoyed enough by something to keep picking at it.

Then they figured it out as they went. Made mistakes publicly. Changed direction multiple times. Looked like they didn't know what they were doing because they didn't.

You're waiting to feel ready. They started before that feeling arrived and it never showed up anyway.

Here's what nobody tells you. The clarity you're waiting for doesn't come from thinking. It comes from doing. You act, you get feedback, you adjust. That's how you figure out what works. Not in your head. In the world.

Sitting around planning is just procrastination that feels productive.

→ You don't need the full picture
→ You need the first step
→ The second step reveals itself after you take the first one

The willingness to look stupid for a while is the whole price of admission. Pay it or stay where you are.

Everyone who's ahead of you just started before they were ready. That's the only difference.

—

I write a weekly newsletter where I unpack these ideas.

→ newsletter.scottdclary.com

10/02/2026

“The greatest difficulty is the mental resistance to things that arise and the underlying assumption that they should not.” —Eckhart Tolle

10/02/2026

Looking forward to these focused events.

HCPC CPD Week is coming up and it’s a timely reminder of something we care deeply about at ASLTIP.

Continuing Professional Development isn’t just about meeting regulatory requirements. Done well, it supports safe, effective practice, professional confidence, and long-term sustainability in our work.

During HCPC CPD Week, we’ll be sharing practical support, prompts and reminders to help you:
• reflect on your learning
• recognise everyday CPD
• feel confident evidencing the impact of what you do

HCPC’s CPD Week provides a series of free webinars across the week to support reflection, growth and confidence in your CPD journey.

📅 CPD Week 2026: Monday 2 – Friday 6 March 2026
🔗 Find out more and register for sessions: www.hcpc-uk.org/cpd-week

09/02/2026

Going back to my own basics and practising what I preach!

First Mastermind of the year for me and I am replenished!

05/02/2026