First Bite: Fed, Fun, Functional SLP Insights

Guest: Claire Martin, M.Ed., CCC-SLP - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Claire, a recent James Madison University Speech-Hearing-Association of Virginia Leadership and Advocacy Academy graduate, to discuss all things AAC. Claire creates a safe space to walk us through the process of establishing accessible AAC for outpatient clinics, explains the requirements for submitting a permanent device request to insurance, and tackles some of the most common barriers an SLP will encounter when initiating an AAC trial, all while offering functional advice on how to overcome these.

Guest: Brooke Nutting - Join Erin and Brooke, a mother of an autistic child, in this deep and heartfelt discussion regarding advocating for children and their right to neurodiversity-affirming care. Erin and Brooke discuss the challenges of finding the right team and knowing what is right for your child in a world full of voices thinking they know best. As clinicians, we discuss the importance of working with caregivers and listening to autistic voices, but how often do we truly take the time to listen to the lived experiences of caregivers? This discussion will hopefully open your eyes to taking a step back and truly understanding a family’s core values, how to best support the families of our neurodivergent clients, and knowing that we don’t always have the answer.

Guests: Memorie Gosa, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S & Jeanne Marshall, Ph.D, B Sp. Path- In this episode, Michelle is joined by two powerhouses in the world of pediatric feeding disorder (PFD): Dr. Memorie Gosa and Dr. Jeanne Marshall. This conversation, which was many moons in the making, addresses a crucial topic in the world of PFD; we are talking all things PROM. (Rhinestones and tulle are not required) 😊 PROM, or patient-reported outcome measures, are truly a clinician’s greatest ally, as they help demonstrate the value of intervention in improving the child and their caregiver’s quality of life surrounding mealtime. So, if you have been looking for a way to chart growth and improvement with your patients with a pediatric feeding disorder but are unsure which evidence-based tool to use, folks, these two ladies have you covered!

Guest: Nathaniel B. Ellis, M.S., CCC-SLP - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Nate, a school-based phonetics and phonology specialist! In addition to being an active member of the Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia (SHAV), serving on its Conference Planning Committee and CE Administration Team, he regularly lectures on clinical phonetics, clinical phonology, and developmental speech-sound disorders… bringing unbridled passion and new insight into the topic to both current and future colleagues. Today, “Nate” takes listeners on a journey that unites the formally separated theoretical and clinical practice realms of phonetics and phonology. If you are a fellow speech-sound nerd, join this fabulous conversation to learn how to improve your accuracy in analyzing typical and atypical speech-sound errors… and how this carries over to improved intervention and outcomes for the children we serve!

Guest: Madilyn "Madi" Metcalf, MS, CCC-SLP - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Madi, the delightful host of “Making Sense of Selective Eating,” a podcast miniseries with Speech Therapy PD. Over this hour, Madi speaks from her heart, sharing insight on the journey that she took to be able to competently serve the pediatric feeding disorder (PFD) patients in her hometown. So, if you, too, have looked around your community and recognized that PFD services are in need but are unsure where to begin, this is the conversation for you! Madi shares how she overcame imposter syndrome by bravely taking numerous courses, volunteering with her state association, and entering the field of early intervention and private practice to cast a wide net, all to meet caregivers and patients right where they are (both figuratively and literally!). Let her illuminate the path forward through functional recommendations for growing your PFD evidence-based practice!

Guest: Gillian Boudreau, PhD - Join Erin and Dr. Boudreau to discuss the intricacies of the psychosocial component of pediatric feeding disorders and how a caregiver’s relationship with food can impact the overall dynamics of mealtime. Dr. Boudreau and Erin dive into the neurobiology of safety to help guide our understanding of what a child and caregiver truly need. We hope this episode helps you take a step back and better understand the importance of relationships and how the intimacy of eating can play a large role in how those relationships play out at mealtime.

Guest: Taylor Anderson, MS, CCC-SLP - Erin is joined again by her wonderful colleague, Taylor Anderson, to discuss a topic near and dear to their hearts: autonomy, trauma-informed care, and DIR/Floortime. Erin and Taylor have worked with many medically complex kids and found the value of utilizing these strategies to promote their self-advocacy and feel like they have a say in the world around them. This is critical for building communication as well as opening their world to promote imagination and new ideas. Erin and Taylor will dive into what trauma-informed care is and its collaboration with DIR/Floortime strategies to best serve our patients and their families.

Guest: Casey Rovinksi, SLP - In this episode, Erin is joined by the lovely Casey Rovinksi, SLP and owner of Speak Outside the Box practice in Tampa, Florida. Casey and Erin discuss the value of relationship-based therapy with our clients and within ourselves.They dive into the value of building community with our families and coworkers. Casey talks about finding like-minded clinicians when growing a private practice and how to learn to step outside the box in our sessions. This episode truly comes from the heart, and we hope that you allow yourself to open up by listening.

Guest: Martin B. Brodsky, Ph.D., Sc.M., CCC-SLP, F-ASHA - In this episode, Michelle is joined by none other than THE Martin B. Brodsky, Ph.D., Sc.M., CCC-SLP, F-ASHA, Section Head for Speech-Language Pathology in the Integrated Surgical Institute at Cleveland Clinic and Adjunct Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Martin opens this hour, sharing his journey into critical care for adults and the role of mentors. Then Martin and Michelle deep dive into ICU delirium, discussing potential etiologies that could trigger it and how it could impact a patient’s cognition and deglutition. The hour wraps with a discussion on the speech-language pathologist’s role and responsibility to support patients across the life continuum with respect to the ethical timing of intervention. If you are an SLP who treats across the life continuum or are interested in working with adults, this is the episode for you!

Guest: Farwa Husain, MS CCC-SLP - Farwa, a bilingual speech-language pathologist and private practice owner of One-on-One Speech Therapy in New Jersey, recognized as an ASHA Innovator in 2023, spends this hour sharing her passion for growing culturally and linguistically appropriate therapy for gestalt language processors (GLP) and their caregivers! So, if you want to learn more about GLP, how it compares to analytic language processors (ALP), and how to support GLP in their natural environments, then tune in and let Farwa share her brilliance and compassion!