Bridging OT and SLP for stronger, more meaningful outcomes.

Guest: Erin Heyn, OTD, OTR/L, CLC

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The OT–SLP relationship can be a powerful alliance. For neurodivergent children and their families, collaboration across disciplines can make a meaningful difference in relationships, regulation, access to learning, and the ability to build new skills. In this episode of The Gestalt Get-Together, Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, sits down with pediatric occupational therapist Erin Heyn to discuss centering caregiver regulation and cue-reading to create a strong foundation for skill acquisition. Erin shares how sensory processing and nervous system regulation shape everything - from attention and movement to feeding and connection - and why caregiver education and training are essential in early development. Together, they highlight simple ways to build stronger OT-SLP relationships that honor each child’s communication style and help them access their environment with confidence. You will come away with ideas for connecting with the OTs on your clients’ teams on this topic to enhance language acquisition.

About the Guest: Erin Heyn, OTD, OTR/L, CLC, is a pediatric occupational therapist and lactation counselor who specializes in infant and toddler feeding and development. She started Tiny Tides Therapy, a mobile therapy practice, in January of 2025. Erin is passionate about supporting little ones and their families by meeting them where they are (literally) and finding ways to help them achieve their unique goals.

Show Notes:

The Pyramid of Learning

Rethinking language development through rhythm, improvisation, and real connection.

Guest: Garrett Oyama, MS, CCC-SLP

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In this episode of The Gestalt Get-Together, Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, sits down with speech-language pathologist, researcher, musician, and Beyond Words podcast host Garrett Oyama, MS, CCC-SLP, to explore jazz as a framework for thinking about speech and language development. Garrett shares how his background in jazz performance shaped his understanding of communication as a dynamic, improvised skill built through timing, interaction, listening, and real-world use rather than drills or isolated practice. Together, Corinne and Garrett discuss why fluency emerges through meaningful participation, how rhythm and motor learning support language development, and the shifts that occur when therapy moves from correcting errors to supporting connection, flexibility, and authentic communication.

About the Guest: Garrett Oyama, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist, musician, and research coordinator with over eight years of experience working in clinics and schools throughout California. A graduate of Emerson College (2014), he integrates his background in communication sciences with creative approaches to therapy, technology, and education. His interdisciplinary work bridges clinical practice, research, and the arts to support innovative, evidence-based care.

Guest: Courtney Katzenberg, LGPC, M.Ed

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In this episode of The Gestalt Get-Together, Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, welcomes Courtney Katzenberg, LGPC, M.Ed., for a thoughtful conversation about Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), the Three Systems of Regulation, and how these frameworks can meaningfully support parents of neurodivergent children.

Together, Courtney and Corinne explore the shared foundation of regulation that connects CFT for caregivers and Gestalt Language Processing (GLP)-informed approaches for children. You will gain a clear understanding of how CFT can serve as a supportive resource for parents experiencing grief, chronic stress, burnout, confusion, dysregulation, or feelings of defeat, while also strengthening the co-regulation systems that benefit the entire family.

This episode offers practical insight into how SLPs can better understand caregiver experiences, collaborate with mental health professionals, and thoughtfully integrate regulation-centered perspectives into family-centered care.

About the Guest: Courtney Katzenberg, LGPC, M.Ed, is a psychotherapist at Be. Psychotherapy in Baltimore, Maryland. She joined the practice in 2021 after a career transition from education, seeking a clinical internship that would allow her to use evidence-based, compassionate, and mindfulness-focused modalities with the perinatal population. In 2024, she pursued training with the Compassionate Mind Foundation to build her knowledge and skills employing Compassion Focused Therapy, which she uses with individuals and couples.

Show Notes:

Compassionate Mind Foundation

Short CFT video on the Three System Model

The Compassionate Mind Book by Paul Gilbert

The Compassionate Mind Workbook by Chris Irons and Elaine Beaumont

Mindful Compassion by Paul Gilbert and Choden

Podcast: Compassion in a T-Shirt by Stan Steindl

An Exploration of Compassion Focused Therapy for Grieving Individuals by Darcy L. Harris

Guest: Salena Jacob, DPT

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In this episode of The Gestalt Get-Together, Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, sits down with Salena Jacob, DPT, to talk about her experience supporting gestalt language processors (GLPs) in physical therapy settings.

Salena shares how she brings the GLP profile into real PT sessions, from following children’s special interests to using musical language, rhythm, and familiar phrases to build connection and support regulation. Through concrete examples, she explains how these approaches support engagement as children develop motor skills, highlighting the value of interdisciplinary collaboration across therapy environments.

About the Guest: Salena Jacob, DPT, is a doctor of physical therapy, a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, and a musician who uses her experience to provide an individualized therapeutic plan for pediatric clients. She incorporates learning preferences of Gestalt Language Processors with cutting-edge PT research findings in her sessions.

Guest: Elizabeth (Biz) Freund, CCC-SLP

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In this episode of The Gestalt Get-Together, we explore how exploratory process art can support meaningful communication and flexible play for Gestalt language processors (GLPs).

Host Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, interviews Elizabeth Freund, CCC-SLP, about how she uses process art in therapy to create child-directed, choice-driven experiences that prioritize expression over outcomes. Unlike traditional crafts, process art is not about a finished product. Instead, it invites exploration, autonomy, and creativity, even when the process feels messy or nonlinear.

Elizabeth shares how clinicians can shift their mindset, learn to observe patterns and symbolism in a child’s creations, and use these moments to support expressive communication and deeper engagement. This conversation offers a refreshing perspective for SLPs looking to embrace flexibility, follow the child’s lead, and recognize communication opportunities in unexpected places.

About the Guest: Biz Freund, CCC-SLP, is a late-identified AuDhd speech pathologist working in home health in the Phoenix area. She has been working with GLPs and AAC users for the past 10 years in both clinic and home settings. Biz uses exploratory process art with her clients as a modality to facilitate creative, accessible, curiosity-led play and language development.

Guest: Janine Benner, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, ASCS

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In this episode, Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Janine Benner, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, ASCS, to tackle a practical challenge: how do you collect meaningful data and write goals that truly reflect how gestalt language processors communicate? This conversation highlights strategies that preserve connection, minimize disruption, and support clear clinical decision making. You will hear why even brief documentation moments can interrupt the flow of a GLP session and learn alternatives that protect both rapport and accountability. The discussion includes rethinking existing goals, developing goal frameworks that move beyond accuracy-based metrics, using rubrics with intention, recognizing early gains through a prelinguistic lens, and designing simple data tools that parents and educators can use with confidence.

About the Guest: Janine Benner is a speech-language pathologist with 33 years of experience, including 26 years in pediatric settings. She is a Board-Certified Specialist in Child Language, credentialed by the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders (ABCLL), with a focus on autism and early intervention and a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS). Before returning to working in public schools, Janine was an assistant professor at the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Loma Linda University. She developed and taught undergraduate and graduate courses, including an SLPD course on neurodiversity; supervised graduate students in autism and early intervention clinics; mentored student research; and developed and implemented service-learning programs in China and Mexico. Janine utilizes strength-based, evidence-based, neurodiverse affirming approaches to evaluate and support young children with autism and complex language disorders. Beyond her clinical practice, Janine provides continuing education courses, professional development, parent education, and consultation and training for international programs. Janine is dedicated to mentoring, service, and teaching, and enjoys traveling.

Guest: Amy Zembriski, MS, CCC-SLP

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In this episode, Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, sits down with Amy Zembriski, MS, CCC-SLP, for an engaging conversation about the role of executive function in supporting Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs). Amy explains how perception, attention, and nonverbal working memory influence a child’s ability to access and use language effectively. By learning how to identify signs of perceptual challenges, you’ll gain a better understanding of how these often-overlooked factors may contribute to what presents as receptive language delays or behavioral concerns. You’ll leave with practical, neurodiversity-affirming strategies to strengthen perception and attention—key areas that go far beyond “just modeling” and are especially important for GLPs who seem “stuck” in their language development.

About the Guest: Amy Zembriski, MBA, MS, CCC-SLP, is a certified speech-language pathologist with a diverse clinical background spanning acute care, skilled nursing facilities, schools, early intervention, and private practice. She has also served as an adjunct professor, supervising graduate students during their diagnostic clinical practicum. Amy is the owner of *Speech Therapy Connections* in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where she specializes in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and gestalt language processing. She provides expert support to families with autistic children, guided by a commitment to neurodiversity-affirming practices. Her passion lies in educating and empowering both professionals and families, fostering inclusive communication strategies that honor each child’s unique voice and developmental path.

Guest: Andi Bordash-Colen, MS, CCC-SLP

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Join Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, as she sits down with Andi Bordash-Colen, MS, CCC-SLP, to explore the dual experiences of being both an autistic SLP and a Gestalt Language Processor. Andi shares their own early communication patterns, how being a GLP shapes their therapy sessions, and what it means to bring that perspective into practice.

Together, Corinne and Andi reflect on a memorable piece of “detective work” that uncovered the source of one of Andi’s early gestalts. You’ll also hear how Andi navigated GLP sessions in a non-public school setting and how those skills have translated into their current telehealth role.

About the Guest: Andi Bordash-Colen, MS, CCC-SLP, is a clinician who brings both professional expertise and lived experience as an autistic person to their work. They earned dual Bachelor’s degrees in Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology and Psychology, followed by a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from Towson University. Andi began their career working in a non-public special education setting, where they developed a passion for supporting neurodivergent students and complex communicators. Their clinical interests center on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for gestalt language processors and creating environments where children feel respected and safe. In their sessions, Andi is dedicated to reinforcing communication in all its forms and supporting autonomy at every step. They strive to build trust and self-directed expression in ND kids. Andi provides telehealth and private practice services for a range of etiologies, but their GLP clients are certainly a highlight.

Guest: Cristina Easton, Educational Consultant

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Join Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, as she interviews Cristina Easton about raising a musical Gestalt Language Processor. Corinne and Cristina will discuss the family’s shift from speech-only interventions to a musical language approach rooted in the NLA framework (Blanc, 2012). Cristina will describe her son’s progress arc, including musical and melodic gestalts, her advocacy work, and where her family is headed to help their GLP thrive.

About the Guest: Cristina J. Easton is the founder of imPACT Educational Consulting, LLC, Director at Educator Support Collaborative, and Program Strategy Manager at AdoptAClassroom.org. She majored in Sociology at Smith College, earned her Master's in Teaching as a New York City Teaching Fellow in Special Education, and her Master's in Education Leadership at Bank Street College of Education. Her mission is to guide projects from promise to impact, focusing on measurable actions that promote voice, equity, and joy for youth, families, educators, and institutions. With extensive experience in education, Cristina has designed inclusive instructional models, founded a new school, developed strategic plans, implemented equitable grading systems, and enhanced student voice in course selection while leading teams as a school administrator. She emphasizes centering the voices of marginalized communities in decision-making processes. Cristina holds a B.A. in Sociology from Smith College, an M.S. in Special Education, as a New York City Teaching Fellow, and an M.A. in School Leadership from Bank Street College of Education. A 2024 graduate of the Arc of Maryland’s Partners in Policymaking, she actively works to foster a world that embraces equity and joy for her son and all of us. In 2021, Cristina and her husband learned that their son was autistic. This catapulted their family into Autism acceptance and family advocacy. Together, they founded the Embrace Play playgroup for families of neurodivergent children ages birth to ten. Through Embrace, the Eastons have provided spaces for families to enjoy where their children and their needs and gifts are validated, and where families can learn from and lean on one another. Cristina is a member of the 2025 Kennedy Krieger Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities program and the Arc of Maryland’s Partners in Policymaking 2024 cohort.

Guest: Melanie Singh, MS, RN, NPD-BC

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/from-scripting-to-storytelling

Join Corinne Zmoos, MS, CCC-SLP, as she sits down with Melanie Singh, MS, RN, NPD-BC, for an honest and insightful conversation about navigating gestalt language development from both sides of the table.

What happens when a healthcare provider becomes a parent advocate? Melanie shares her unique dual perspective on her son's gestalt language processing journey, revealing the real story behind balancing multiple therapeutic approaches. From coordinating SLP, OT, and ABA services to making the tough call about when to transition away from formal language therapy, this episode offers a refreshingly candid look at the decision-making process that families face.

Discover how special interests can become powerful tools for building spoken narratives and learn practical ways AAC devices can support language diversification in gestalt language processors. Whether you're a clinician seeking family insights or a parent looking for guidance, this interprofessional conversation bridges the gap between clinical knowledge and lived experience with authenticity and practical wisdom.

About the Guest: Melanie Singh, MS, RN, NPD-BC, is a board-certified nursing professional development specialist and the Program Director of a nationally recognized transition-to-practice program for new graduate nurses. With a background in pediatric nursing, clinical research, and leadership, Melanie brings nearly two decades of experience to the table—but it’s her role as a mom that has shaped her most deeply. A proud mom to two boys (1 GLP and 1 ALP), Melanie blends her clinical expertise with her lived experience to speak openly and compassionately about neurodiversity, advocacy, and supporting families through every step of their journey.