SLP Coffee Talk

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Alyssa Antcliff—SLP and founder of IndiAide—about what's actually happening with your clients between sessions, and how technology can finally give you the full picture. Alyssa shares how her frustration with paper handouts and vague "it went fine" updates led her to build a between-session therapy management platform, and why remote therapeutic monitoring might be the reimbursement pathway you didn't know existed. If you've ever wished you had more data to work with before your clients walked back through the door, this one's for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why paper-based home materials keep falling through the cracks 
• How a pre-COVID teletherapy client reshaped Alyssa's thinking on carryover 
• What remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) is
• Which clients benefit most from between-session support
• How IndiAide works, from clinician dashboard to family-facing tools 
• Who qualifies for RTM reimbursement—and how to pitch it to your supervisor

Here’s what we learned: 

• The gap between sessions is where progress gets lost—or made. 
• Paper handouts don't fail because families don't care—they fail because there's no follow-through built in.
• RTM is a reimbursement pathway that's actually growing—and SLPs are largely missing out on it. 
• IndiAide lets families mark activities complete, rate difficulty, and send photos or videos—so you're not flying blind at the next session.
• More data between sessions means better decisions when they're back in the room. 

Learn more about Alyssa Antcliff: 

Website: https://www.indiaide.com/home 

Website: https://www.indiaide.com/blog/rtm-for-slps-webinar 

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/IndiAide-61582771767836/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-antcliff/ 

RTM Guide: https://info.indiaide.com/rtm-guide 

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Ana Hernandez—SLP and founder of Adult Stuttering—about why she ditched fluency therapy and never looked back. Ana breaks down the adaptation effect, why you can’t sit in the middle ground, and what it actually looks like to run an affirming stuttering session from start to finish. If stuttering has always felt like uncharted territory, this one’s your map.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why the middle ground between fluency and acceptance is hurting your students
• The adaptation effect and why fluency strategies fail in real life
• Using the five stages of behavioral change to meet students where they are
• Ditching “bumpy speech” and reframing how we talk about stuttering
• Starting sessions with a positive speaking moment

Here’s what we learned: 

• You can’t tell a kid their stutter is okay and drill fluency strategies in the same session.
• Fluency strategies don’t fail because the student didn’t try hard enough—they’re just unreliable by design.
• Safety comes before progress. Some kids need the whole session just to feel okay being in the room.
• “Stutter” is not a bad word. “Bumpy speech” is out.
• If you’re shifting away from fluency therapy, just tell your student. Kids love honesty.

Learn more about Ana Hernandez: 

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/adult-stuttering

Website: www.adultstuttering.com

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adultstuttering-ana/

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

Adult Stutter – Goals List: https://adultstuttering.myflodesk.com/slpgoals 

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie finally tells her own story. From an undecided freshman at University of Buffalo to accidentally falling in love with speech pathology through a friend doing phonetics homework in the library, to getting peed on the morning of her one job interview in 2009 — yeah, that happened. If you’ve been listening for a while and always wondered how Speech Time Fun actually started, this one’s for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• How Hallie stumbled into speech pathology sophomore year — completely by accident
• Why her CF year in preschool was the push she needed to find her people
• The one student who forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew
• How a Pinterest gap in 2012 turned into Speech Time Fun, Teachers Pay Teachers, and eventually SLP Elevate
• The boardwalk conversation in 2023 that made it all official

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Victoria Dertouzos—SLP and founder of Speech and Stuttering Therapy of New Jersey—about why stuttering therapy looks so different than it used to, and why that’s a good thing. Victoria breaks down what a modern, neurodiversity-affirming approach to stuttering actually looks like in practice, how to assess what you’ve been missing, and what to say to students who’ve never felt heard in a therapy room. If stuttering therapy isn’t your jam, this one’s for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why fluency-chasing has let down generations of people who stutter—and what to do instead
• What covert stuttering is and why your assessment might be missing it
• How secondary behaviors develop—and why they’re not actually part of the stutter
• What to ask a student who stutters before anything else
• How to handle teachers and parents who just want it “fixed”
• What a neurodiversity-affirming stuttering session actually looks like

Here’s what we learned: 

• You can reduce the struggle around stuttering—but you can’t remove the stutter itself.
• If you’re only counting disfluencies, you’re missing the whole picture.
• A student who seems fine might be switching words, skipping answers, and falling behind without anyone noticing.
• Say “stuttering”—not “bumpy speech.” Normalizing the word helps normalize the experience.
• Ask the student what they think before you ask what they do. That’s where therapy actually starts.

Learn more about Victoria Dertouzos: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stutteringtherapyslp/a 

Website: https://www.stutteringtherapynj.com 

Supporting Preschoolers Who Stutter: A Teacher's Guide: https://sstnj.myflodesk.com/fssfj7n1d8 

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Mary Woodward—speech-language therapist, justice and mental health specialist, and university lecturer based in Sydney—about why trauma-informed care belongs in every SLP’s toolkit, no matter where you practice. Mary shares what trauma actually means clinically, how it shows up in communication and behavior, and the core principles that can shift your sessions from unintentionally harmful to genuinely healing. This one’s for every SLP who’s ever wondered why a student shuts down, says “I don’t know,” or gets labeled non-compliant.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What trauma actually means clinically—and why it’s relevant to every SLP regardless of setting
• How trauma affects communication and what it might look like in your sessions
• Why labels like “non-compliant” and “unmotivated” are worth a second look
• How SLPs can accidentally cause harm—and the simple shifts that help
• What trauma-informed practice actually looks like inside a therapy room

Here’s what we learned: 

• Trauma-informed practice is good practice—for every student, every session.
• If a student doesn’t feel safe, learning isn’t happening.
• “I don’t know,” shutting down, and avoidance are nervous system responses, not attitude problems.
• Even small choices—where to sit, what order to do tasks—can restore a sense of control.
• The therapeutic relationship accounts for more of your outcomes than the tools you use.

Resources:

Strategies for Working With Students Who've Experienced Trauma: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/strategies-for-working-with-students-whove-experienced-trauma/full/ 

Insights Into Connecting With Students Experiencing Trauma: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.SCM.25112020.42/full/ 

A Pandemic's Pain: The Need for Trauma-Informed Services for Children: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.FTR1.26102021.38/full/ 

Bruce Perry: https://www.bdperry.com 

Trauma-Informed Speech-Language Pathology: Application of Universal Precaution: https://journals.lww.com/topicsinlanguagedisorders/abstract/2025/01000/trauma_informed_speech_language_pathology_.2.aspx 

Learn more about Mary Woodward: 

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/woodwardmary 

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Emily Byers Chaney—pediatric SLP, private practice owner, and neurodiversity affirming advocate—about why following directions goals might not be telling you what you think they are. Emily shares how working alongside Jessie Ginsburg shifted her entire clinical lens, what’s really happening when a child doesn’t follow a direction, and how to build therapy that’s meaningful, motivating, and actually carries over. This one’s for every SLP who’s ever wondered if there’s a better way to work on receptive language.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why following directions tasks often measure compliance—not comprehension
• What neurodiversity affirming therapy looks like compared to compliance-based approaches
• How dysregulation, executive functioning, and sensory needs can all interfere with following a direction
• What PDA profile is and how demands affect those students differently
• Why adult-directed tasks are less effective—and what to do instead

Here’s what we learned: 

• Comprehension ≠ compliance. A child can understand and still not follow through.
• Connection first. Safety and relationship aren’t a detour—they’re the work.
• Go beyond the assessment. Play-based observation reveals what standardized testing misses.
• Watch for overcompliance. Too much compliance-focused therapy can erode autonomy and self-advocacy.
• One small shift. You don’t have to overhaul everything—just start somewhere.

Learn more about Emily Byers Chaney: 

Website: https://www.ndaffirmingslp.com 

Website: https://www.boundlessspeech.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ndaffirming.slp/ 

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Sarah Bishop—14-year school-based SLP, California Speech-Hearing Association president, and union rep—about why being a generalist is actually your biggest flex. Sarah shares her winding path to the field (spoiler: it starts with an art history degree and museum tours), why school-based SLPs need to stop apologizing for knowing a little of everything, and how to keep growing without losing your mind. This one’s for every SLP who’s ever felt like everyone else has a specialty except them.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why the generalist label gets a bad rap—and why it shouldn’t
• How to figure out what continuing education you actually need
• What a PLC is and how to start one even if your district doesn’t have one
• The mindset shift that makes it easier to grow without burning out
• How school-based SLPs define their expertise differently than private practice

Here’s what we learned: 

• Own the generalist title. Any kid walks through your door, you know where to start. That’s not nothing—that’s everything.
• You will get things wrong. So will every SLP who’s been in the field for 14 years. Let it go and keep moving.
• Connection is the intervention. Showing up, caring, and actually paying attention to a kid? That’s already therapeutic.
• Find your people. You don’t need a huge community. Start with one SLP buddy or one district PLC meeting.
• Know your role. Private practice treats the disability. You remove barriers to education. That’s a different—and equally valid—job.

Learn more about Sarah Bishop: 

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

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie gets honest with new grads and CFs who are quietly wondering if they’re already behind. She talks through what imposter syndrome actually looks and feels like in those early weeks — the brain-blank first session, the late-night Google spiral — and why all of it is completely normal. If you’re a new SLP asking “what if I can’t do this?”, this one was made for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why imposter syndrome hits hardest when no one’s watching
• Four things that will actually get you through those early sessions
  • Shrink the moment — just pick one thing to target
  • One activity, stretched across every group and goal you’ve got
  • Narrate your thinking out loud — that’s the therapy
  • Expect the clunky sessions — even the veterans have them
• Hallie’s recipe for a speech lesson that works no matter what

Here’s what we learned: 

• Feeling clueless doesn’t mean you’re underprepared. It means you’re new.
• Language is hard because it overlaps with everything — slow progress is still progress.
• Adaptability is the skill that will carry you further than any material or lesson plan ever will.
• The confident SLP you’re trying to be right now is built through exactly these messy, uncertain moments.
• You don’t have to do this alone — and there’s no rule that says you have to.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie breaks down the realistic SLP toolkit that no grad program actually prepares you for. She walks through what new grads really need before stepping into their CF year — from skipping the summer shopping spree to treating week one like a recon mission. If you’re a brand new SLP wondering where to even begin, this one’s for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Don’t buy everything this summer — wait until you know your caseload
• Treat your first week like a detective mission, not a performance
• Ask your colleagues everything — they are your lifeline
• Keep therapy simple — one activity can serve multiple groups and goals
• Build systems over perfection — predictable routines beat elaborate lesson plans
• Give yourself permission to be new

Here’s what we learned: 

• Done is better than perfect — especially when you don’t even know what perfect looks like yet.
• Your colleagues have been where you are and most of them are happy to help.
• Adaptability is the one skill that will save your sanity more than any material ever will.
• Simple routines protect your students just as much as they protect you.
• Being new doesn’t make you an imposter. It makes you human.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

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

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Daj Mitchell—school-based SLP, online educator, and Illinois State University graduate—about getting everyone on board with AAC. With over six years of experience serving pediatric and adult clients across settings, Daj breaks down her buy-in stair step framework and explains why many SLPs accidentally skip to the last step. She shares practical strategies for coaching parents and staff, building real collaboration, and improving carryover beyond the therapy room. They also explore Daj’s work in AI, AAC, and neurodiversity-affirming care, along with how she supports fellow clinicians through education and social media. This one’s for any SLP who’s ever handed a family a home program and never heard about it again.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What the AAC buy-in stair step framework actually looks like
• How adult learning theory applies to parent and stakeholder coaching
• Why video modeling works better than handouts for skeptical caregivers
• How to use Google Forms, scheduled emails, and templates to manage AAC collaboration without eating your lunch
• What an AAC profile spreadsheet is and why Daj swears by it
• How to extend the same coaching framework to teachers, paras, and admin

Here’s what we learned: 

• Buy-in has three parts. Acceptance, willingness to support, and active participation are not the same thing—and most caregivers are only at step one.
• Don’t skip ahead. Handing over a home program before a caregiver is ready guarantees the device stays on the refrigerator.
• Adults need a reason. Connect AAC to something that already matters in their life and they’ll move faster.
• Start with one win. Find the routine they actually care about and build from there.
• Set it and forget it. Once your emails and forms are built, your collaboration system basically runs itself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Learn more about Daj Mitchell: 

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

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