The Holistic Speech Path Podcast

In this conversation, Kacey Holland MS, CCC-SLP, a board-certified pediatric Speech Language Pathologist, shares her journey as both a professional and a parent of an autistic child, her incredible son Zander. She discusses her journey of "becoming" from a traditional SLP to shifting toward a more holistic approach to therapy, the challenges of navigating autism diagnoses, and the role of alternative treatments and functional medicine. The conversation emphasizes the need for collaboration among professionals, the impact of social media in sharing experiences, and the evolving nature of speech therapy practices to better support children and families.

In this conversation, Kacey, Megan, and Fatima explore the importance of grounding presence and co-regulation in therapy, the process of unlearning traditional methods, and the transformative power of spelling as a communication tool for non-speaking individuals. They emphasize the need for belief in a child's potential and the significance of holistic practices in therapy, sharing personal experiences and insights that highlight the emotional journey of parenting and professional practice.

Connect with Kacey:

Penfield Play Lab: https://penfieldplaylab.com/

IG and social media: @penfieldplaylab

BG Mancini, AP, MHSc, is an Advanced Certified Functional Medicine Clinician,Licensed Acupuncture Physician, and Neurodevelopmental Specialist with 30+ years of clinical experience. As founder of The Brain & Gut Institute, she has worked with thousands of patients and trained clinicians worldwide on how physiological states influence regulation, behavior, and healing. Her Brain–Gut–Sensory Axis Framework integrates neuroscience, the microbiome, sensory physiology, and autonomic function to optimize how we feel and interact with the world around us and within us. Her FID model consists of using the Frequency, Intensity and Duration Framework to help individuals and clinicians to understand how Inputs, Response, and Rewiring through MicroResetsTM support building reserves, resilience and deepened capacity.

BG shares that the state of our nervous system will determine whether we can process and release ongoing stress or trauma or whether it will be filed and stored in our cells and tissues. With her unique framework, she integrates neuroscience and functional medicine, showcasing how small changes in our gut health can have profound effects on our overall well-being.  We discuss the importance of the Family Nervous System (TM) and how she intricately supports the whole family ecosystem. 

Understanding the brain-gut-sensory axis is crucial, especially for parents navigating their child's developmental challenges. BG emphasizes that the right interventions at the right time can create a safe environment for healing.  

Connect with BG:

Linked In

Instagram

Website: https://www.braingutinstitute.com/

Dr. Sabrina Baxter is a pelvic floor physical therapist and birth doula in South Florida. She is the founder of Floor Friendly, a pelvic health practice focused on helping women through chronic pelvic pain, bladder and bowel dysfunction, pregnancy, postpartum recovery. Dr. Baxter blends her clinical PT expertise with strength training and education to help women feel strong, supported, and confident in their bodies. 

This conversation explores pelvic floor anatomy and functions, signs and symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction and most especially the role of pelvic health in fertility and pregnancy. Dr. Baxter uses a holistic approaches to support pelvic pain and endometriosis and shares in depth the importance of cycle awareness and self-care. 

In her practice, she combines hands-on body work and therapeutic exercise to restore posture, build strength and provide her clients with long-lasting results and relief. 

Floor Friendly : https://www.drsabrinabaxter.com/pelvic-pt

Instagram: @floorfriendly @drsabrinabaxter

Dr. Dana Johnson, PhD, MS, OTR/L, is the Founder of Spellers Center Tampa and Spellers Center Atlanta, the Founder of Invictus Academy Tampa Bay, and the co-founder of the Spellers Method™. She holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and a PhD in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Development. 

Dr. Johnson is a producer of the award-winning documentary SPELLERS, executive producer of UNDERESTIMATED: The Heroic Rise of Nonspeaking Spellers, and co-author of The Spellers Guidebook: Practical Advice for Parents and Students. She also serves on the Medical Science and Advisory Board for Documenting Hope.

With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Johnson specializes in helping individuals with autism, apraxia, and other neurodevelopmental disabilities develop intentional motor skills and improve their overall health. Her work is rooted in a deep belief that these individuals are capable, intelligent, and deserving of the support needed to unlock their full potential.

As she shares, whole-body apraxia  is consistently inconsistent. This episode is will help any professional who is look to reframe or shift their mindset as a good starting point in better understanding our non-speakers, whole-body apraxia as well as presuming competence. 

Connect with Dr. Dana Johnson on You Tube, Instagram, X and Facebook.

 https://www.youtube.com/@DrDanaJohnson

www.drdanajohnson.com

https://www.spellers.com/tampa

CHAPTERS

00:00
Introduction to Dr. Dana Johnson

02:09
Dr. Johnson's Journey in Occupational Therapy

04:49
The Shift to Whole Body Apraxia

10:22
Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection

14:10
Presuming Competence in Clients

17:38
Practical Strategies for Therapists

26:20
Managing Expectations with Whole Body Apraxia

27:36
Mindset Shifts in Therapy

32:37
The Role of Parents in Advocacy

36:59
Self-Regulation and Co-Regulation

43:22
Challenging Traditional Testing Methods

51:33
The Importance of Vision in Motor Planning

In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Svitlana Koval shares her journey into airway-focused orthodontics, emphasizing the importance of understanding the airway in relation to orthodontic treatment. She discusses the impact of sleep disordered breathing with children and adults, the significance of oral anatomy in speech therapy, and the role of the oral microbiome. Dr. Koval also explains innovative procedures like MARPE (Miniscrew-assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) highlighting their benefits for airway health and overall well-being. The discussion underscores the need for an interdisciplinary approach in treatment, guiding parents on how to seek the best support for their children and how fundamental it is to assess a child's airway when symptoms arise. 

Website: https://www.drssk.com/

Instagram: @drsvitlanakoval

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drsvitlanakoval

00:00
Introduction to Dr. Svitlana Koval

02:33
The Journey to Airway-Focused Orthodontics

06:26
Understanding Airway and Orthodontics

11:05
The Impact of Sleep Disordered Breathing

15:52
Anatomy and Oral Motor Observations

20:30
The Role of Mouth Breathing in Oral Health

24:58
MARPE and Palatal Expansion Procedures

32:28
Posture and Airway Treatment

36:22
Finding the Right Support for Airway Issues

In this episode of the Holistic Speech Path podcast, we welcome Austin Moore, a spelling coach based in Atlanta who shares his journey into the world of spelling and communication for non-speakers. An absolute brilliant mind with a big heart, Austin discusses the importance of presuming competence, the challenges faced by practitioners, and the various methodologies available for teaching spelling. The conversation delves into the brain-body disconnect, gestalt language processing, and the transformative power of spelling in the lives of autistic individuals.  Austin emphasizes the need for humility, trust, and community support in this field, while also looking towards the future of communication. What an inspiring conversation!

Connect with Austin on social media: Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @spellingmoore

https://spellingmoore.org

00:00
Introduction to Spelling and Communication

02:51
Austin's Journey into the Spelling World

05:37
The Importance of Presuming Competence

08:16
Humility and Learning in Practice

11:16
Navigating Different Methodologies

14:03
Building Communication Through Spelling

16:55
The Role of Trust and Regulation

19:29
The Journey of Non-Speakers to Communication

22:17
The Challenges and Triumphs of Spelling

25:17
Gestalt Processing and Communication Patterns

29:25
Understanding Rote Speech and Communication Challenges

31:56
The Complexity of Sensory Processing and Communication

35:56
The Importance of Presuming Competence

40:10
Empathy and Understanding in Communication

42:42
Personal Stories and Transformative Experiences

46:14
Analogies for Understanding Communication Barriers

51:23
Neuroplasticity and Building Communication Pathways

Dr. Pauline K. Buck, O.D., FOVDR, is a fellowship trained optometrist with the OVDRA.

 Dr. Buck developed and is the optometric director of Dr Buck Vision, in Miami, Florida. The clinic focuses on improving the efficiency of the visual system in individuals of all ages, from children with visually based learning dysfunction to teens with concussion to post stroke adults. Dr. Buck utilizes tried and true vision therapy technologies and techniques and has been known to occasionally create her own.  However, her strength is in the collaborative way she works with allied health professionals, teachers, and tutors. Her relationships with these professionals and their numerous information exchanges over the years has cultivated an awareness and understanding of how vision and the therapeutic disciplines of occupational, physical and speech therapy complement each other for improved patient outcomes.  

There is a big difference in vision "can I see" and vision as in "how are the eyes behaving." In this episode, Dr. Buck discusses numerous paradigm shifts that helped her recreate her visual pyramid and hierarchy of support in partnering with OT's, functional medicine doctors and other professionals. Vision is related to brain growth and development, sensory, motor, speech and other functions in the body. This is a hugely insightful episode and visual behavior must be taken into consideration as you look at the "whole-child."

Dr. Pauline Buck: https://www.drbuckvision.com/ 

Note: since recording the workshop took place. 

Welcome back to Season 2 of The Holistic Speech Path Podcast. HSP has been on our hearts and minds for the last 8 months as we took a break to recalibrate and focus on our health, shifting our clinical work and taking the time needed to make sure we are in full alignment. We have some incredible guests this season and will be further exploring airway health, vision and visual behavior, spelling and supporting non-speakers, pelvic floor health, motor planning from an OT lens and so much more. We are in deep gratitude that you chose to share your attention and time with us. HSP is our contribution to the collective so that we can all grow and learn together. 

Suzy Miller is a pioneer in the field of Speech-Language Pathology having been one of the very first SLP's to understand the depth and magnitude of energy and vibration in working with autistic children. Her experience in becoming multi-dimensional from a spiritual level is mind-blowing and has paved and continues to pave the way in allowing for us to truly understand what unconditional love and understanding is in working with autistic children. To truly listen to what they are conveying to us and the collective. 

Suzy is a visionary speaker, author, telepathic communicator, multidimensional seer and integration specialist. She began her life’s work after a child diagnosed with autism requested that she integrate his light body with the physical body so that he could function more fully here. Her success with his integration and many thousands of others with a similar request has encouraged her to use her skills to support anyone seeking to more fully express the essence of their true nature.

A former Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, with a Master’s Degree in Education, Suzy has collaborated with professionals in a variety of fields from psychology, social work, mainstream education and medicine to leading edge scientists, metaphysicians, healers and new thought leaders.

A lifelong student of consciousness, Suzy has personally facilitated the growth and mastery of hundreds of Awesomism practitioners and thousands of private clients worldwide. She supports the integration of unintegrated aspects of Self through private sessions, courses, workshops, articles, speaking engagements, and live events! She specializes in the integration of autism, childhood traumas and heightened spiritual experiences. 

Suzy's website which hosts a plethora of resources and information, monthly offerings and her enlightening newsletter:

https://suzymiller.com

Suzy's brilliant must-read book Awesomism can be found here:

https://www.amazon.com/AWESOMISM-New-Understand-Diagnosis-Autism/dp/1440102856

Most SLP's are not paid enough in comparison to the heavy work loads they carry. We are often taught to practice from a  "lack mindset" instead of an "abundance mindset" with money and to function from a personal and professional lens of do more for less. A shift is urgently necessary to help avoid burnout. While there is always a need for advocacy, the truth is, a holistic mindset toward your relationship with money starts with YOU. All roads and paths will lead back to "self." 

Our conversation with Cleo Matlou, a Money Mindset Coach was expansive and very empowering. She shares some foundational ways to make the necessary shift toward creating more capacity to receive wealth and abundance in your business, career and life. We speak about how many SLP's have subconscious beliefs that are controlling their internal narrative holding them back to try something new or reach their full alignment with their own unique footprint. Entrepreneurship is far from easy but keeping in mind the importance of "impact" and "income" can help set you up for success. 

Website: https://www.womenaboutfinance.com/about

Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/cleo-matlou

Instagram: @cleo_matlou