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, this mismatch could negatively impact student outcomes. Throughout the episode, I propose simple actions that SLPs can take to help make increased diversity a reality in our profession.

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 can be accessed here:___

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 challenges of transitions, and helping students connect to their core values. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here:___

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 emphasize the importance of reaching out for support from a mental health expert if you are concerned about yourself or others. The show notes for the episode include links to multiple resources and can be accessed here:___

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:

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.

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: