We’re excited to present our newest editorial series, Mom About Town. In this series, we will highlight mothers in Flagstaff that are doing amazing things! From business owners to volunteers and community ambassadors we hope these interviews are encouraging and inspirational.
Elizabeth Morrison
:: Meet Elizabeth ::
Tell us a little about yourself, and your family:
Elizabeth Morrison, M.S., CCC-SLP is the co-founder and co-owner of Dynamic Interventions of Arizona, LLC. Elizabeth received both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in Clinical Speech-Language Pathology from Northern Arizona University. Elizabeth is currently a Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology candidate at Northwestern University and is scheduled to complete her degree in March 2020. Elizabeth currently provides speech-language pathology services to individuals of all ages and abilities in home and school-based settings. Additionally, Elizabeth is a Clinical Educator for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program at Northern Arizona University and teaches graduate-level student clinicians in the field. Elizabeth is the mom of one daughter, aged 10, and has been happily married for 16 years. Elizabeth has lived, studied and worked in Flagstaff for 26 years.
Share a little history behind your passion, and how you got started:
Dynamic Interventions of Arizona, LLC grew out of a desire to build a practice from the ground up that was reflective of our mission, values, and ethics. We started out very small and organically grew to an organization with 16 therapists throughout Northern Arizona. Most recently, we opened up our first clinic in Golden Valley, AZ where we are able to provide critical speech-language pathology and occupational therapy services to individuals with developmental disabilities in Mohave County (a designated Health Professional Shortage Area and Medically Underserved Population). We started Dynamic Interventions of Arizona, LLC out of my home office with zero funding and no formal business plan. We learned everything along the way and made the very best decisions we could with the information we had at the time. We continue to learn, evolve, and grow every day–it’s humbling, to say the least!
What’s a bit of insight you would share with yourself if you could go back in time?
Be more confident and trust myself.
What motivates and inspires you?
I am motivated by a strong desire to elevate my practice in everything I do. I am a lifelong learner and I want to continue to develop my leadership skills and business acumen. I’m inspired by the success of the numerous strong, hard-working women in my life including my mom, aunts, sisters and mentor.
What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
Being able to work with individuals and their families and make a positive impact on their lives is the entire reason I pursued this career. I’m incredibly fortunate to know what my purpose is and to feel continually rewarded for my work. I also love supporting and mentoring new and prospective Speech-Language Pathologists.
What is the most challenging thing you encounter as a mother pursuing her passions?
The myth of “work-life balance.” I honestly don’t believe it exists. I continually feel that I have to work as if I’m not a mother and be a mother like I don’t have a career. Having an incredible partner in my husband helps to ease this dissonance as he equally shares in all family responsibilities.
What advice would you share with another mother starting her own journey to follow her passion?
Have grit and don’t quit! Perseverance pays off–just keep working towards your goals. Small setbacks will usually teach you a lesson so learn from them, adapt or modify and keep moving forward.
What are some of your Favorites?
I am an avid coffee drinker and Late for the Train, Cedar House Coffee and Matador are my go-to caffeine spots! I’ve lived in Flagstaff for 26 years so I’ve had the opportunity to watch it evolve and grow. Overall, the heart of Flagstaff remains the same for me and I’ve enjoyed watching it shift, change, ebb and flow. My favorite activities continue to be hiking and enjoying the beautiful four-season outdoor opportunities that Northern Arizona offers. Every day when I drive to work, I look at the mountain and feel immense gratitude for being able to live in such a majestic setting.
