The SLP Now Podcast

Show Notes: slpnow.com/254

The vast majority of school-based SLPs don’t have perfectly matched groups, and that doesn’t mean therapy has to be less effective. With the right structure and planning strategy, mixed groups can actually become a powerful way to target multiple goals, support peer learning, and simplify your workload. In this episode, we walk through a practical framework for running structured, efficient therapy sessions, even when your groups include different grade levels and goals.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How to segment your caseload so you can plan therapy more efficiently
2. Why language-rich thematic units help you target multiple goals at once
3. A simple way to let students build on each other’s responses in mixed groups
4. How the "Check in → Assess → Teach → Practice → Wrap up" structure reduces cognitive load
5. Three small strategies you can implement immediately to make sessions easier

If you'd like help setting this up for your own caseload, you can explore the tools and units inside a free trial at slpnow.com/pod.

Show Notes: slpnow.com/253

If you had five extra hours this week (completely protected from meetings, paperwork, and emails), how would you use them? Many school-based SLPs say they’d spend that time collaborating with teachers, analyzing student progress, planning more intentional therapy, or simply taking a real lunch break. In this episode, we explore why those meaningful parts of the job often get squeezed out + what you can do to start reclaiming that time.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. Why the gap many SLPs feel isn’t a competence problem
2. How reducing rework can save hours of therapy planning each week
3. Simple ways to batch decisions and reduce decision fatigue
4. Why tracking your “invisible work” can help advocate for a more manageable workload

If therapy planning, paperwork, and prep are taking over your evenings and weekends, you can start your free trial at slpnow.com/pod to explore tools designed to help you streamline the process and get that time back.

Show Notes: slpnow.com/252

School-based SLPs don’t struggle with planning because they’re disorganized; they struggle because their workload is overflowing. And when something has to give, therapy planning is often the first thing sacrificed. But thoughtful, structured planning is what actually makes therapy more efficient and effective.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. A simple 5-step session structure to reduce cognitive load
2. How to use goal-aligned materials to plan in minutes (not hours)
3. Why thematic units dramatically cut decision fatigue
4. A 30-second habit that makes future planning easier
5. How structure improves student progress and behavior

If you’re ready to make therapy planning sustainable, start your free trial at slpnow.com/pod and put these systems into action.

Show Notes: slpnow.com/251

A caseload of 63 students doesn’t tell the full story of your job. School-based SLPs juggle therapy, evaluations, IEP meetings, Medicaid billing, AAC programming, travel time, and more — yet capacity is often measured by one number. In this episode, we unpack the difference between caseload and workload, why “the math isn’t mathing,” and how to shift the conversation with clarity and confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. The difference between caseload and workload (and why it matters)
2. Four principles to manage impossible workloads
3. How to protect your contract hours without guilt
4. Simple ways to document and make your workload visible
5. How to approach administrators with clear, objective data

If paperwork and planning are part of your overwhelm, check out our free trial at slpnow.com/pod.

Show Notes: slpnow.com/250

Paperwork doesn’t have to be the reason this job feels unsustainable. In this final episode of our paperwork series, we zoom out and look at why burnout is often a systems problem (not a passion problem), and what actually helps school-based SLPs get paperwork done more efficiently. You’ll hear practical ways to reduce cognitive load, create repeatable workflows, and make steady progress without adding more stress to your plate.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

1. Identify your biggest paperwork stressors and prioritize what matters most
2. Use a “buffet” approach to implement systems without overwhelm
3. Plan IEPs and evaluations in a way that supports working ahead
4. Create reliable workflows that make paperwork feel manageable and sustainable

If you’re ready to make paperwork feel lighter, pick one strategy from this episode and try it this week.

Show Notes: slpnow.com/249

Writing IEPs and evaluations doesn’t have to feel like starting from scratch every single time. In this episode, we break down simple, systems-based strategies that help school-based SLPs write reports faster—without cutting corners or second-guessing their clinical decisions. You’ll learn how small shifts, like templates and text expanders, can reduce overwhelm, boost confidence, and make paperwork feel far more manageable.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

1. Eliminate “blank page syndrome” when writing reports
2. Use templates to streamline IEPs and evaluations
3. Avoid common copy-and-paste mistakes
4. Save hours during progress note season

👉 Tune in to start building a calmer, more efficient paperwork system you can actually sustain.

A simple paperwork system can save you hours and protect your focus during the school week. In this episode, I’m sharing an easy way to organize pending IEPs and evaluations so your desk stays clear, you always know what to work on next, and nothing slips through the cracks. You’ll hear my go-to folder + checklist setup, plus flexible options for SLPs who prefer printable systems or digital workflows.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. A “one-folder-per-student” system to keep paperwork contained
2. How to prioritize paperwork by due date automatically
3. Why checklists reduce errors and last-minute scrambling
4. Printable vs. digital ways to stay consistent and organized
5. How SLP Now can streamline forms, progress monitoring, and reminders

Ready to make paperwork easier? Start your free trial of SLP Now at slpnow.com/pod.

Paperwork doesn’t just take time. It takes up mental space. In this episode, we’re kicking off a 4-part series to help you reduce paperwork overwhelm by building a simple planning system that supports your deadlines (and your sanity). You’ll learn how to map out what’s coming, spot your busiest months, and create realistic weekly goals so you’re not carrying every IEP and eval in your head at once.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

1. Do a quick paperwork inventory to identify your biggest stress points
2. Audit upcoming IEPs/evals by month to plan ahead with confidence
3. Set weekly paperwork goals that reduce decision fatigue and mental load
4. Protect focus time using simple schedule boundaries

Try the SLP Now free trial at slpnow.com/pod to access the Paperwork Course + workbook and start building your system.

Show Notes: slpnow.com/245

Narrative graphic organizers are a simple tool that can unlock stronger storytelling, richer language samples, and better generalization across therapy sessions. In this episode, I’m sharing four practical ways to use a narrative graphic organizer with students across grade levels—whether you’re targeting personal narratives, story retells, or literacy-based therapy goals. These strategies are easy to implement, highly flexible, and designed to reduce overwhelm while supporting clear narrative structure.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

1. Use graphic organizers to scaffold personal narratives
2. Build pre-story knowledge before reading a book or article
3. Support accurate and meaningful story retells
4. Create parallel stories to promote generalization

If you want to see these strategies in action and grab free graphic organizers, check out my on-demand SLP Summit course for a deeper dive.

Narrative graphic organizers are a simple tool that can unlock stronger storytelling, richer language samples, and better generalization across therapy sessions. In this episode, I’m sharing four practical ways to use a narrative graphic organizer with students across grade levels—whether you’re targeting personal narratives, story retells, or literacy-based therapy goals. These strategies are easy to implement, highly flexible, and designed to reduce overwhelm while supporting clear narrative structure.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

1. Use graphic organizers to scaffold personal narratives
2. Build pre-story knowledge before reading a book or article
3. Support accurate and meaningful story retells
4. Create parallel stories to promote generalization

If you want to see these strategies in action and grab free graphic organizers, check out my on-demand SLP Summit course for a deeper dive.