170: Marta Mulligan

Speech Pathologist

A speech pathologist treats a wide range of people including people with brain injuries, strokes, head and neck cancer, and geriatric patients with speech issues. Marta Mulligan is a speech pathologist who provides these services through Compass Rehab. 

Marta did work throughout the pandemic and explained that it is very challenging to do speech therapy with PPE masks. The focus of care is speech and swallowing and it is difficult to focus on either of those skills and not have access to facial expressions. She had to learn to speak loudly and adapted her treatment by writing things down, repeating things, and being very patient. 

She knew many people with covid. She experienced many personal difficulties during covid. Marta lost her father who died during the pandemic. Marta also became divorced, lost a house, and had to move. The pandemic made all of it more difficult. Through all of it she had to do much of everything alone. Not being able to have a traditional funeral and be able to mourn her father with others was very hard.

Marta is a very inspirational woman. She believes time is a healer and appreciates “alone time” for reflection. Her wish for the future is that people are more caring and humanitarian and less partisan. Her hope is that we don’t forget what it was like during the pandemic and remember what our priorities are each and every day.