Today we’d like to introduce you to Olga Utley-Rodriguez
Hi Olga, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born and raised in San Antonio, I had the unique opportunity to live in the big city but also visit my grandparents in rural South Texas every weekend of my childhood.
After graduating Cum Laude with my Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), I began my career as an teacher in South Texas. I started teaching in the very rural Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco Independent School District (ISD). I also taught in San Diego ISD, Premont ISD, and in Brooks County ISD. I just love working in the small towns and with the children who reside there.
I married my husband, David Roland Rodriguez, at the Basilica of the Little Flower in San Antonio. He worked as a police officer in Alice, Texas. Sadly in 2004, I was widowed at the age of 31, leaving me a single mother to a three and four year old. I persevered and dedicated my life to raising my children and educating students. I eventually returned to my hometown of San Antonio, Texas and taught several years in San Antonio ISD.
I earned my Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Texas Woman’s University (TWU) through the distance learning program. I was able to work as an Assistant Speech Language Pathologist at Northside ISD while I completed my studies. Once I graduated, I continued working at Northside ISD as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) for nine more years.
I retired from the school district in 2023 and established my own private practice on the Far West Side of San Antonio due to the limited availability of speech clinics for children in areas west of the city. I was later able to obtain an office space in Castroville, TX, I knew how important it was to establish my private practice where it would be most needed and could do the most good. UTLEY Speech Therapy accepts Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Tricare insurances. We also welcome private payments and assist clients in obtaining reimbursement from their insurance, whenever possible. I just want to help as many people as I can and provide a beneficial service to the community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey to becoming a speech-language pathologist is extremely challenging and highly competitive. I was fortunate to be accepted into Texas Woman’s University (TWU), where I dedicated myself to the rigorous graduate studies. The demands of my coursework were significant, and resulted in time away from my children. I am immensely grateful to the other parents who supported me by transporting my children to practices and games while I focused on my schoolwork. Many times, I even attended their events with my textbooks in hand.
As a single parent and graduate student working as a speech language pathology assistant (SLPA), I sometimes struggled to meet the high standards of my SLP supervisors, but I kept doing my best and gaining experience. Each semester brought with it a wealth of on-the-job training and new information, which was overwhelming at times.
The rewarding experience of working with individuals with special needs highly motivated me. Witnessing students when they had an “ah-ha” moment made me certain that this was what I wanted to do with my life.
But at the heart of it all, it was important to set a good example to my own children and show them that hard work can really pay off.
As you know, we’re big fans of UTLEY Speech Therapy, PLLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I have always had a flair for the creative and a passion for art. In my Neurology classes, I learned that when we are taught new and challenging concepts, we engage the analytical left hemisphere of the brain. In my practice as a speech pathologist, I always try to incorporate creative elements into my treatment sessions. Creativity engages the right hemisphere of the brain. So by doing art projects at the same time as drilling speech or language concepts, the entire brain is stimulated. A client’s success and retention of information is enhanced when paired with enjoyable activities.
Parents love to receive something their child created and it becomes their homework for the week. Encouraging practice at home is essential for reinforcing clinic-based lessons and building confidence. I believe that my unique blend of creativity and artistic expression distinguishes me from other speech therapy clinics- at least that’s the feedback I receive from parents. It brings me so much joy to share my love of art with children.
UTLEY Speech Therapy stands out in another way as well. I have a therapy dog that accompanies me to the office periodically. She is a Shih Tzu named Mila. Her presence significantly motivates my clients to engage in their learning. I have seen the effect she has on children with stuttering, articulation, or language disorders. Her presence relaxes clients which results in more fluent and clear speech. The clients also practice speech sounds by giving Mila commands such as “sit,” “stand,” “spin,” “stay,” “roll over,” “lay down,” or “dance.” They are encouraged to use their best speech to make sure she understands their instructions. Additionally, children can learn socialization skills, following directions, describing, and more when they work with Mila. It’s amazing how well this works! It’s a win-win situation for the kids, who improve their speech and language, and Mila earns treats and gets lots of attention at UTLEY Speech Therapy.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I use social media a lot for sharing my successes and letting the community know about my services. I frequently post informative messages @UtleySpeechTherapy on Facebook and TikTok, and @OlgaUtleyRodriguez on Instagram. Liking my posts is great, but the best way to support the work I do is to SHARE my posts on social media. By sharing, we can get the word out to more people that there is a speech therapy clinic just west of San Antonio. I am available for collaboration with others via email at [email protected] or just call 210-570-7272.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.UtleySpeechTherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olgautleyrodriguez/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UtleySpeechTherapy/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olga-utley-rodriguez/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/utley-speech-therapy-castroville
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@utleyspeechtherapy
Image Credits
Isaiah Orozco
