Hallie chats with Maddie Burrington about having fun in your work and remembering your “why”!

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Maddie Burrington—an elementary school SLP in Dallas and social media creator—about making speech the coolest club in school, setting boundaries to avoid burnout, and remembering your why. Maddie shares her journey from private practice burnout to falling in love with elementary schools, how she creates themed sessions that have kids begging for their turn, and why leaving work at work changed everything. You'll also hear about gratitude journaling, hobbies outside of speech, and building community through relatable content. Whether you're a new CF or a veteran SLP, this conversation is packed with practical tips, real talk, and reminders that you can't pour from an empty cup.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Maddie's SLP journey—from grad school through her CF year 
• Making the leap from private practice to elementary schools 
• Jumping into SLP social media and building community 
• Setting boundaries, work-life balance, and hobbies that keep you sane 
• Remembering your why and using gratitude journaling to avoid burnout

Here’s what we learned: 

• Themed sessions keep kids engaged—they're working on goals without even realizing it. 
• Setting boundaries early prevents burnout—leave your laptop at work, there are no speech emergencies. 
• Making speech fun creates buy-in—kids should feel like they're in an exclusive cool club. 
• Gratitude journaling helps you reflect and grow—both personally and professionally. 
• Finding community matters—sharing relatable content connects SLPs who understand what you're going through.

Learn more about Maddie Burrington: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missmaddieslp/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@missmaddieslp

Hoo.be: https://hoo.be/missmaddie 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets