Here you will find what previous staff have to say about the job.
“… I am writing to you in support of Dr. Kristin Rytter who I have worked with over the last 13 years. I began working with Dr. Rytter as an assistant and had the privilege of assisting her through her dissertation project at the children’s therapy center and the successful defense of that dissertation.
I have watched Dr. Rytter overcome every challenge laid at her feet and I consider her to be one of the most capable, inspiring, and driven people I have ever known. Despite the severity of her physical limitations, I have seen Dr. Rytter, when allowed the personal freedoms that everyone is entitled to, shatter boundaries and create an amazing life for herself…”
– Kim
“… I began working for Dr. Rytter during my senior year of college at the University of Washington. I chose to work for her because I saw it as a unique experience for someone who wants to pursue a career in speech-language pathology. It was a very wise choice. I got to see the reality of life for someone who uses an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device (AAC) and lives with a physical disability. The challenges Dr. Rytter had to overcome on a daily basis was something that could never have been taught in a classroom. If other college students could get the opportunity to work for Dr. Rytter, I think it would broaden their perspective for their future careers and get life experience before graduation…”
– Alex
“…Once I started training with Kristin and her staff, I felt much better and less stressed about the responsibilities. This is because Kristin had a very organized method of training that was specific to her needs and allowed for me to observe another staff member working with her performing all the tasks. Then as both Kristin and I felt more comfortable with each other, Kristin would have me start to perform more of the tasks with the staff member helping me as needed and Kristin communicating to me how I was doing. Eventually after several training sessions, I was able to start working with Kristin on my own. Whenever there was an issue with how I was performing the tasks, Kristin would communicate with me through her eye gaze computer…”
– Jessica M.
“… During the period that I worked for Dr. Rytter I witnessed her publish an autobiography, obtain and learn how to use a speech generating device operated by eye-gaze, give a lecture at the University of New Mexico, work with children and families one-on-one in their homes, and create educational materials aimed at improving literacy in children with severe speech and motor impairments. Attending to Dr. Rytter at home during her daily activities, as well as assisting her in her professional tasks, provided insight into the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families that has been valuable to me in my career as a speech-language pathologist…”
– Julie
“… The most valuable lesson from my time with Dr. Rytter was learning how to support rather than take care of someone. The traditional caregiver model does not apply to a person fully capable of living an independent life that only requires physical assistance with some tasks. Unfortunately, my prior experience in home health inoculated me with the idea of doing things for someone rather than empowering someone to do the things they want. But as a cognitively competent adult, Dr. Rytter can and should be enabled to make her own choices in all aspects of life.
The range of experiences I have had with Dr. Rytter immeasurably help my interactions with patients today. Understanding different modalities of communication, seeing how a disability does not mean a person is literally disabled, and learning how to support instead of disenfranchise have affected my whole framework of how to deliver healthcare. And this in turn leads to better communication and better outcomes….”
– Linda
Working for Kirstin has been such an adventure! I started working for Kristin when I was 20. I remember being incredibly intrigued by the thought of having a meaningful job at such a young age. I was glad to learn from the beginning, and Kristin made it clear that we are there to empower and support her lifestyle, not teach her things.
One of my most fascinating take-aways from the job is how importance resilience is. No matter what happens to Kristin in her life, she keeps on striving for more and better. She never takes no for an answer. I also learned the extreme power of listening. Listening is humbling and powerful. When talking to Kristin, it is tempting to assume the end of her sentence because your brain jumps to conclusions faster than her communication device types.
However, this is dangerous. There have been countless times where I thought I knew what she wanted, only to be wrong! The most powerful thing is that Kristin knows when you know what she means, and she will decide when she doesn’t have to finish a sentence and can just nod her head or make another gesture to communicate instead. She literally knows what you’re thinking sometimes! Learning to be patient and not interrupting has made me a better listener which improves my personal relationships as well.
Working with Kristin has also taught me to live more in the moment. Everything I do for and with Kristin is a very intentional act or process. Slowing down and taking real time to complete tasks gives me a sense of awareness and wonder, it creates a special moment out of the most mundane seeming things. Lastly, learning to always keep an open mind and never be judgmental is invaluable. Working with Kristin reminds you that everyone has their own story, journey and path in life, to always be kind, and that it is never productive to judge people.
– Isabelle
