This episode focuses on top sleep tips for SLPs. The topic of sleep has a strong connection to the work that SLPs do, because being well-rested can support us in navigating complex clinical issues and managing stressful situations. The episode includes research-based tips from sleep scientists and experts, but it is not medical advice. The first part of the episode explores the importance of having a consistent sleep schedule and going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. Next, the e...
May 06, 2025•14 min•Ep. 144
This episode is about what SLPs need to know about reading comprehension. It begins by acknowledging that SLPs have a large scope of practice, and that they are not typically seen as the primary professionals who work on reading comprehension, especially in the school setting. It invites SLPs to make slight adjustments to their practice to ensure that students get the best support possible. The episode then emphasizes the idea that reading is an umbrella term composed of many sub-skills. It then...
Apr 01, 2025•12 min•Ep. 143
This episode is about sensory strategies for speech therapy sessions. It opens with an acknowledgement that OTs are the primary sensory experts, and offers resources for reviewing sensory basics. The episode then discusses the difference between being “sensory-defensive” and “sensory-seeking,” reviews the sensory system, and then moves into a discussion of strategies to support students with sensory differences or a diagnosis of sensory processing disorder. These strategies come from SLP and res...
Mar 04, 2025•15 min•Ep. 142
This episode is about essential counseling skills for SLPs. It begins by acknowledging that even though counseling is a daily component of our work as SLPs, it’s not necessarily something that we focus on. Research also indicates that counseling is an area where many SLPs lack confidence. The episode goes on to assert that counseling is simultaneously a bigger and a smaller part of speech-language pathology than we might think. It’s bigger because it’s part of everything we do, and it’s smaller ...
Feb 04, 2025•11 min•Ep. 141
This episode is about how to thrive as a preschool SLP. The episode opens with an acknowledgement that working as an SLP will probably never be easy, but it asserts that thriving is possible. It then moves into a brief recognition of the uniquely challenging and exhausting work that preschool SLPs do each day. The episode then goes on to offer three strategies to thrive as a preschool SLP. The first strategy is embracing authenticity. There’s a common idea that preschool SLPs are bubbly all the ...
Jan 07, 2025•10 min•Ep. 140
This episode is about SLPs and conflict management. It opens with a discussion of Nonviolent Communication, an approach that focuses on using empathy during challenging interactions. There are four main components in Nonviolent Communication: observation, feelings, needs and requests. A core understanding within Nonviolent Communication is that everything we do is in service of our needs. This idea can help us understand why others do what they do—and why we do what we do! Nonviolent Communicati...
Dec 03, 2024•15 min•Ep. 139
This episode shares communication tips to use during situations that tend to involve complex and nuanced conversations; e.g., at family gatherings over the holidays, and during meetings with parents or caregivers. The strategies that are included in the episode come from three recently released books about communication. The first book I discuss is Permission to Speak , by Samara Bay. The tips from this book include deep belly breathing and an intentional approach to glottal fry and upspeak. The...
Nov 05, 2024•14 min•Ep. 138
This episode discusses the reasons why it’s important to support increased diversity in the SLP profession. I provide demographic information related to the SLP field, and then share results from two studies that indicate improved outcomes for patients and students when they have a shared racial or ethnic identity with their medical providers and/or teachers. I explain that in school settings, approximately 80% of students who receive SLP services are not white, and because 90% of SLPs are white...
Oct 01, 2024•15 min•Ep. 137
This episode covers the top five evaluation tips for SLPs. I discuss the difference between the terms “evaluation” and “assessment,” and offer five practical tips to help make the evaluation process easier for SLPs. These tips include learning about the student’s strengths, making the language sample analysis process more efficient, using templates for reports, collaborating with families and teachers, and gathering baseline data during the evaluation process. The show notes from this episode ca...
Sep 17, 2024•16 min•Ep. 136
This episode focuses on building belonging in speech therapy sessions. I share three different definitions of belonging, and then focus on simple principles and strategies to help our students and clients experience a sense of belonging in the speech room and beyond. These include fostering a sense of ownership and agency, establishing routines that encourage belonging, honoring student identities, having high expectations for students and helping them meet these expectations, addressing the cha...
Sep 03, 2024•15 min•Ep. 135
This episode is about finding simple ways to incorporate nature into speech therapy sessions. I share highlights from the research about how nature supports learning, and then explore a variety of strategies for helping students connect with nature as they work on speech and language skills. I focus on activities that don’t require access to green spaces, including several variations of forest bathing, working with nature photography, using nature-focused books, and creating nature poems and art...
Jun 04, 2024•15 min•Ep. 54
In this episode, I discuss mental health basics for SLPs and their students and clients. I share why I’m passionate about this topic, and why I decided to focus on it in this episode. I talk about the variety of mental health crisis lines that are available, and encourage listeners to use them if needed. I also share basic information about common mental health warning signs, and highlight some of the communities that are at increased risk for mental health concerns. Throughout the episode, I em...
May 21, 2024•13 min•Ep. 133
This episode discusses the importance of hearing care and protection. I review the concept of decibels and the difference between sound intensity and sound loudness, and talk about how excessive noise exposure damages our hearing. I focus on how to educate students and clients about hearing protection, and share some hearing protection tips for a variety of age groups. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here:
May 07, 2024•17 min•Ep. 132
This episode is about neurodiversity-affirming speech therapy. I review the basic terminology of the neurodiversity paradigm, and explain what inspired the creation of this episode. I acknowledge the concerns that some SLPs have about the neurodiversity movement, and share why I’m excited to be a neurodiversity-affirming SLP. I also offer my favorite idea for getting started with neurodiversity-affirming speech therapy.
Apr 16, 2024•14 min•Ep. 131
This episode is about using music to support speech and language skills in our speech therapy sessions. I introduce some of the research that supports connections between music and learning, and then provide a variety of practical ideas for how to use music in speech therapy with both older and younger students. The episode concludes with a brief exploration of how music is experienced in the Deaf community. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here:
Apr 02, 2024•13 min•Ep. 130
This episode is about ideas for spring-themed speech therapy sessions. I discuss how to use nature in spring-themed speech therapy sessions, including observing the weather, going on nature walks, and planting seeds. I include options for adapting these ideas for different contexts, including teletherapy. I also share spring-themed picture book recommendations, and ideas for spring-themed speech therapy sessions with middle school and high school students. The show notes from this episode can be...
Mar 19, 2024•17 min•Ep. 129
This episode focuses on the important role that SLPs can play in helping their students and clients feel safe and ready to learn. I review basic information about trauma, and then cover topics related to trauma-informed speech therapy. The episode includes an explanation of the principles of trauma-informed care, and practical suggestions for how to put them into practice during your speech therapy sessions. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here:
Mar 05, 2024•14 min•Ep. 128
This episode discusses how to be an anti-ableist SLP. In the episode, I talk about the importance of recognizing ableism's influence, and then actively pushing back against it by using inclusive language, being thoughtful about our goal choices, supporting accessibility for disabled SLPs, and addressing ableist microaggressions. Go here to access the show notes ==> https://www.thedigitalslp.com/podcast/how-to-be-an-anti-ableist-slp/...
Feb 20, 2024•15 min•Ep. 54
This episode is all about new perspectives on stuttering and it's the second half of a 2-part series. Make sure to listen to part one first so it all comes together. In this episode, I address topics like stuttering gain, concepts of stutter-affirming therapy, key elements of effective self-disclosure, and intersectionality. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/TSSEP126
Feb 06, 2024•12 min•Ep. 126
This podcast episode is all about new perspectives on stuttering. This is the first of a two-part series, so be sure to tune in for part two in two weeks. Listen to part one to learn more and don’t forget to check out the links and resources by accessing the show notes here: https://bit.ly/TSSEP125
Jan 16, 2024•14 min•Ep. 125
This episode's topic focuses on embracing imperfection. Join our podcast as we explore the liberating journey of pushing back against perfectionism, fostering growth, and celebrating the beauty of authenticity. Go here to access the notes = = > https://bit.ly/3H1Cr4L
Jan 02, 2024•15 min•Ep. 124
This episode's topic involves a lot of complexity and nuance. We’ll talk about what a growth mindset actually is, and why it could be beneficial to have one. We’ll also discuss some of the criticisms and caveats when it comes to a growth mindset, and explore healthy ways to cultivate growth mindsets, both with our students and in ourselves. Go here to access the show notes: https://bit.ly/TSSEP123
Dec 19, 2023•15 min•Ep. 123
This podcast episode is all about how NOT to use digital resources. I wanted to mention that this isn’t the first time we have talked about this topic on the podcast. In 2019, I recorded an episode called “How Not to Use Technology in Speech Therapy.” I’ll be covering some of the same themes today, and expanding on some of the ideas that were mentioned in that episode. I’ll also bring some new suggestions into the mix. Go here to access the show notes: https://bit.ly/TSSEP122
Dec 05, 2023•9 min•Ep. 122
In this episode, I’ll be talking about some simple strategies to minimize overwhelm during the holiday season. Go here to access the show notes: https://bit.ly/TSSEP121
Nov 21, 2023•11 min•Ep. 121
In this episode, we’ll be exploring the emotion of awe - what it is, why it’s important, and how to help our students access it - and hopefully access it ourselves, too! Go here to access the show notes: https://bit.ly/TSSEP120
Nov 07, 2023•13 min•Ep. 120
This episode is all about anxiety. I will focus on how anxiety impacts learning, and what SLPs can do to support their students and clients who experience anxiety. Go here to access the show notes: https://bit.ly/TSSEP119
Oct 17, 2023•15 min•Ep. 119
Previously, I published two podcast episodes about the eight parts of speech, different types of phrases and clauses, sentence types and classifications, and the most common syntax issues we might see with our students. In this episode, I'll be discussing evidence-based grammar interventions for speech therapy. Go here to access the show notes: https://bit.ly/TSSEP118
Oct 03, 2023•9 min•Ep. 118
In this episode, we’ll be talking about lateral lisps. A lateral lisp affects sounds that require centralized airflow, like /s/ and /z/. When a client exhibits a lateral lisp, the airflow isn’t centralized - it’s lateralized. This results in a distortion that causes the sound to be “slushy” or “mushy.” Go here to access the show notes: https://bit.ly/TSSEP117
Sep 19, 2023•14 min•Ep. 117
In this episode, I will be talking about how to integrate virtual reality, or VR, into speech therapy. Essentially, VR involves using computer technology to create a simulated 3D environment. In general, I think VR can be incredibly useful for many different scenarios in speech therapy. It’s especially helpful in terms of generalization of skills, because it allows the student or client to have experiences that go beyond the walls of the school or clinic setting, although of course they’re not p...
Sep 05, 2023•14 min•Ep. 116
In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite tips for surviving scary meetings. Meetings can be especially tricky, because they’re so time-consuming, and often we don’t control the scheduling. Meetings are also challenging for those of us who are introverts or struggle with anxiety. There are also some meetings that are just rough, no matter how confident or extroverted we are. Those are the types of meetings we’ll be talking about today. We can’t always change the meetings, but we ca...
Aug 15, 2023•16 min•Ep. 115
