The Untethered Podcast™

Maxillary expansion isn't just an orthodontic intervention - for adults navigating narrow palates, compromised airways, and chronic TMJ dysfunction, it can be a total health transformation.

In this episode, Hallie Bulkin sits down with Jeannie Nelson, MS, CCC-SLP, to share an unfiltered, first-hand account of their personal experiences undergoing MARPE (Minimally Invasive Micro-Implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion). Together, they pull back the curtain on the procedure itself, comparing their treatment approaches, pain management strategies, and the physical and emotional realities of the recovery process.

Hallie and Jeannie dive into the profound functional benefits that go far beyond aesthetics—including drastic improvements in nasal breathing, sleep quality, reduced systemic inflammation, and even unexpected shifts in vision. They also discuss navigating speech challenges, dietary changes, lymphatic support, and essential tools to prepare if you or your patients are considering advanced expansion.

Jeannie Nelson, MS, CCC-SLP, is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, certified myofunctional therapist, and pediatric feeding specialist. With an extensive clinical background in evaluating and treating complex orofacial myofunctional disorders, pediatric feeding difficulties, and airway-centric cases, Jeannie brings both high-level clinical expertise and personal patient experience to the conversation. In this episode, she joins Hallie to share her first-hand journey navigating adult maxillary expansion (MARPE), shedding light on the intersection of structural anatomy, speech clarity, and whole-body functional recovery.

• The Functional Power of the Maxilla: Understanding why expanding the maxillary bone directly impacts nasal vault volume, airway capacity, and structural posture.
• Comparing Expansion Approaches: Exploring how individual anatomy influences protocol choices, appliance designs, and overall treatment timelines.

"Opening up my nose has been completely life-changing. You don't realize how much energy you spend fighting to breathe until that restriction is lifted."

"Breathing properly has drastically improved my sleep architecture, nervous system regulation, and daily recovery."

"The maxillary bone impacts everything—from your nasal airway and posture to how your vision, jaw, and neck organize."

• 00:00 – Introduction to MARPE and Personal Treatment Backgrounds
• 02:49 – Comparing Treatment Approaches, Protocols, and Individual Experiences
• 05:41 – Pain Management Realities and Practical Recovery Insights
• 11:36 – Navigating TMJ Issues, Jaw Alignment, and Airway Stabilization
• 21:21 – The Interconnectedness of Maxillary Structure, Oral Health, and Whole-Body Function
• 39:09 – Speech Clarity, Articulation, and Communication Challenges
• 42:47 – Pain Perception, Nervous System Response, and Emotional Recovery
• 51:43 – Preparing for Advanced Expansion: Essential Preparation Tools and Protocols
• 57:32 – Final Thoughts and Resources for Patients and Clinicians

• Fast Myo Screening Tool: Identify structural and airway red flags in your clinical practice at FastMyoScreening.com.
• Connect with Jeannie Nelson: Learn more about her practice, clinical services, and myofunctional expertise at Breathe Eat Sleep Talk. 

• Episode 137: The Evidence Based Research Behind Tethered Oral Tissues with Richard Baxter, DMD, MS.
• Don't Ignore the Snore: The Hidden Link Between Airway, Sleep, and ADHD.

💬 Join the Conversation: Catch behind-the-scenes insights, collaboration tips, and daily clinical pearls on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn.

If Hallie and Jeannie's personal MARPE journey gave you a clearer understanding of structural airway expansion, please take a moment to leave a review! Your support helps us bring these vital, transparent conversations to clinicians and patients everywhere. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taking a weekend course can make you see tongue posture, restricted movement, and mouth breathing everywhere you look. But recognizing a pattern is vastly different from truly understanding it.

In this solo episode, Hallie Bulkin addresses "The Myo Gap" - the space between noticing an isolated anatomical finding and developing the clinical depth to understand how it fits into a child's connected, multi-system picture. She unpacks why a restricted frenulum or forward resting tongue is merely a data point rather than an automatic diagnosis or treatment plan, and explains how shallow understanding leads clinicians to jump directly to conclusions, quick referrals, or "cookbook" exercises.

Hallie breaks down how to conduct a deeper assessment by analyzing real-time compensations, motor coordination, sensory processing, and overall physical development. You'll learn why true clinical competence often leads to making fewer but far more valuable referrals, how to navigate honest parent conversations without false certainty, and why real clinical judgment requires mentored practice over quick information.

• The "Sensitization" Trap: How new clinical learning creates pattern-recognition bias where every finding looks like the primary root cause.
• Observation vs. Diagnosis: Why a restricted frenulum or forward tongue posture is an initial observation point, not an immediate reason to prescribe exercises or surgical releases.
• Reading the Connected System: How to evaluate tongue function relative to jaw mechanics, lip seals, nasal breathing, overall muscle tone, sensory processing, and motor coordination.
• Selective, Value-Driven Referrals: Why advanced clinical discernment leads to fewer automatic referrals for releases and results in clearer, function-based communication with ENTs, dentists, and surgeons.
• Honest Parent Conversations: The shift from presenting false certainty ("Your child has a tie, so they need a release") to leading transparent, nuanced clinical discussions.

"Recognizing a pattern can feel a lot like understanding it before the depth is actually there. An observation is not a diagnosis, and it's definitely not a treatment plan."

"Structure matters, but function matters more. Context determines what the structure actually means."

"Confidence isn't giving parents a quick, simple answer—it's being able to separate what you know from what you suspect."

001:04 - The Gap Between Knowing and Understanding Myo 

02:50 - Clinical Sensitization & Pattern Recognition 

04:23 - Case Study: 3-Year-Old with Low Tone 

06:23 - What Deeper Assessment Looks Like 

07:35 - Assessing a 2-Year-Old for Feeding Concerns

09:04 - Myo Does Not Replace the Rest of the Child 

10:20 - Structure vs. Function & Better Referrals 12:03 - Assessing Infants & The Feeding Dyad 

13:28 - Communicating Honestly with Parents 15:20 - Myo vs. Feeding Therapy & Multi-Disciplinary Care 

16:26 - How to Build True Clinical Competence

18:21 - The Myo Method & Closing Thoughts 

• The MYO Method: Elevate your clinical reasoning, bridge assessment gaps, and master orofacial patterns at TheMyoMethod.com.
• Fast Myo Screening Tool: Stop guessing during your intakes and download the checklist at FastMyoScreening.com.

• Episode 132: Feeding With A Twist of Myo with Hallie Bulkin, MA, CCC-SLP, COM.
• Episode 150: Where To Start And End With TOTS?.

💬 Join the Conversation: Catch behind-the-scenes insights, collaboration tips, and daily clinical pearls on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn.

If this episode challenged you to look deeper at the whole connected system on your caseload, please take a second to leave a review! Your support helps us share these critical clinical perspectives with the therapists who need them most.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we think about core stability, digestive efficiency, or functional breathing patterns, we rarely consider the foundational muscle group resting at the base of our pelvis. Yet, pelvic floor health directly dictates everything from diaphragmatic excursion to bowel regularity, posture, and systemic stress management.

In this episode, Hallie sits down with Dr. Svetlana Mehlman, a physical therapist specializing in pelvic health, back pain, and lymphatic drainage. Dr. Svetlana breaks down the complex anatomy and mechanics of the pelvic floor, explaining why a tight, tense pelvic muscle is often a hypertonic, weakened one rather than a strong one.

Dr. Svetlana Mehlman is a physical therapist specializing in pelvic health, back pain, and lymphatic drainage. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Human Development from Cornell University and completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at New York University. Her passion for pelvic floor physical therapy was ignited early in her career while treating pregnant and postpartum patients suffering from pain and pelvic dysfunction.

• The Pelvic Core Connection: Understanding how the pelvic floor acts as the true base of your deep stabilization system, working in tandem with the diaphragm and abdominal wall.
• Tightness vs. Strength: Demystifying the myth that a tight pelvic floor is a strong one, and why muscle hypertonicity restricts blood flow, movement, and functional length.
• Breathing and Digestive Motility: Exploring how diaphragmatic movement mechanically massages internal organs, directly impacting gut motility, constipation, and bowel transit time.

"The pelvic floor is an integral part of your deep core system. It cannot function in isolation from how you breathe or sit."

"Muscles need to move through a full range of motion. A tight pelvic floor is not a strong pelvic floor—it’s a fatigued, restricted one."

"When we fix the breathing mechanics at the top, we relieve the mechanical pressure on the pelvic floor at the bottom."

• 000:01:04 — Hallie Bulkin introduces guest Svetlana Mehlman (DPT, CSCS).
• 00:02:41 — What is the pelvic floor and how does it function as part of the core?
• 00:05:00 — The role and mechanics of using a Squatty Potty.
• 00:08:08 — The link between chronic constipation, bladder issues, and incontinence.
• 00:10:46 — Practical tips: The "I Love You" abdominal massage.
• 00:12:00 — How diaphragmatic breathing regulates the pelvic floor and nervous system.
• 00:15:16 — Why travel and routine changes trigger constipation.
• 00:22:30 — Common symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction (and why tight doesn't mean strong).
• 00:29:31 — Why you should never "hover" or rely on "just-in-case" peeing.
• 00:32:14 — Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) principles and how posture connects to pelvic health.

• Connect with Dr. Svetlana: Explore specialized care programs, resources, and consultation details at Pelvic Harmony.
• If this episode changed how you see the body, that's just one case. Inside The Integrated Therapist™, you grow the clinical reasoning to spot the root cause, think past your own discipline, and feel sure about what to assess, treat, refer, and co-treat. Come join us at: https://theintegratedtherapist.com/

• Episode 233: Understanding Your Pelvic Floor with Britnie Hornsby, PT, DPT, Cert DIN, Cert VRS, PCES.
• Episode 185: Laura Glazebrook, DPT The Pelvic Floor and Jaw Connection.

💬 Join the Conversation: Catch behind-the-scenes insights, collaboration tips, and daily clinical pearls on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn.

If Dr. Svetlana's whole-body approach reframed how you look at the connection between breathing, posture, and pelvic health, please take a quick second to leave a review! 

Your support helps us bring these essential clinical conversations to more providers and families.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a child walks into your clinic presenting with a tongue thrust, a high-arched palate, or a complex feeding delay, what is your immediate clinical instinct? Is it to reach for a specific exercise in your toolkit, or is it to zoom out and analyze how the entire system is functioning together?

In this solo episode, Hallie Bulkin dives into the powerful paradigm shift of becoming an integrated therapist. She challenges the common trap of relying on isolated techniques and instead lays out a roadmap for evaluating children holistically.

Hallie breaks down how to run multiple clinical lenses simultaneously - from airway and breathing considerations to structural vs. functional anatomy, neurological diagnoses, and the sensory-motor layers of feeding.

• The Integrated Mindset: Why focusing too closely on a single tool or therapy protocol creates clinical blind spots, and how to zoom out to assess the whole child.
• Running the Airway Lens First: How structural issues (like mouth breathing and palate shape) directly impact downstream oral motor habits like a tongue thrust.
• Deconstructing the Feeding Layers: Organizing feeding challenges into clear mechanical, sensory, and behavioral tiers to know exactly where to begin treatment.

"Look at the whole connected system. If you only look at the mouth in a vacuum, you miss the structural foundation driving the compensation."

"We have to ask: what is the whole system doing? When you treat a symptom without treating the root cause, you're just chasing shadows."

"Find the fire, not just the smoke. Clinical discernment is about finding exactly where the dysfunction originates so we can intervene with precision."

• 00:00:00 – Intro Hook: The Feeding Lens vs. The Loudest Voice in the Room
• 00:00:29 – Welcome to the Untethered Podcast & Host Introduction
• 00:01:05 – What Separates a Good Clinician? Introducing the "Integrated Therapist"
• 00:01:48 – The Shiny New Tool Trap: Single-Lens vs. Whole-System Thinking
• 00:04:50 – Lens 1: The Airway Picture (Mouth Breathing & Tongue Thrust)
• 00:07:15 – Lens 2: Pediatric Feeding (Mechanical, Sensory-Motor, & Behavioral Layers)
• 00:08:03 – Case Study: 8-Month-Old Bottle Refusal & Cleft Lip Repair
• 00:09:56 – The Pain Differential (Reflux, Thrush, Torticollis)
• 00:11:53 – Lens 3: Neurological Frameworks (Apraxia, Dystonia, Dysarthria)
• 00:15:06 – Lens 4: Anatomy & Structure (High Narrow Palate Constraints)
• 00:17:49 – Mastering the Referral: How to Communicate Cross-Discipline
• 00:20:38 – Summary: The 6 Key Pillars of an Integrated Approach
• 00:22:31 – Outro: Join The Integrated Therapist Community & Disclaimer

• Become the clinician who finally sees the whole picture https://theintegratedtherapist.com/.
• Our Digital Home: Catch past episodes, resources, and show notes anytime over at The Untethered Podcast.
• Fast Myo Screening Tool: Stop guessing during your intakes and download the checklist at FastMyoScreening.com.

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Why Two Therapists Get Different Feeding Outcomes (And How to Fix It)
• Screening vs. Assessment vs. Treatment: Why Every Clinician Needs to Know the Difference

STAY CONNECTED

💬 Join the Conversation: Catch behind-the-scenes insights, collaboration tips, and daily clinical pearls on

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⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

If this episode inspired you to step into an integrated mindset and analyze the whole connected system for your patients, please take a quick moment to leave a review! 

Your support keeps us climbing the charts to help pediatric therapists think more critically. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a child exhibits behavioral challenges, facial recession, or struggles with sleep, the root cause is frequently hiding in plain sight: their breathing habits. Unfortunately, these vital signs of compromised airway health are often overlooked by traditional medical models.

In this episode, Hallie sits down with Dr. Leslie Pasco, an expert in airway health, pediatric development, and the author of The Great Contraction. Dr. Pasco breaks down the profound impact that mouth breathing, poor jaw development, and tongue-ties have on a child’s long-term physical and neurological growth.

About the Guest: Dr. Leslie Pasco, DMD, OFM, CBBI

Dr. Leslie Pasco is the visionary founder and President of MyoWay Centers for Kids. With almost three decades of experience in dentistry, Dr. Pasco has dedicated her career to understanding how airway health and muscle function deeply influence growth, sleep, learning, and overall health in children. 

Rather than simply addressing surface symptoms, she emphasizes early screening, thorough functional assessments, and close collaboration with other healthcare professionals to ensure her young patients receive truly comprehensive care. Her clear, driving mission is to help children grow right, breathe right, and live better.

Key Topics & Takeaways

• Mouth Breathing as a Danger Signal: Why mouth breathing should never be dismissed as a "phase," and how it actively derails midface growth, jaw position, and dental alignment.
• The ADHD & Sleep Link: How sleep-disordered breathing frequently mimics or exacerbates symptoms of ADHD, leading to misdiagnoses that could be resolved with airway support.
• A Call for Holistic Care: Understanding the environmental stressors driving facial recession and contraction, and why true patient healing requires organic, multidisciplinary collaboration.

Soundbites

"Mouth breathing is a danger signal. It is your body’s emergency backup system, not a functional way for a growing child to live and develop."

"Breathing therapy can change lives. When you restore nasal breathing and correct sleep architecture, you aren't just changing a habit—you're shifting a child's entire behavioral and developmental trajectory."

"Holistic care requires collaboration. No single provider can fix a contracted airway or a system-wide dysfunction completely on their own."

Timestamps 

• 00:00 - The Impact of Airway Health on Families
• 01:12 - Introducing Dr. Leslie Pasco
• 02:20 - Shifting from General Dentistry to Airway Care
• 07:23 - The Dangers of Chronic Mouth Breathing
• 12:04 - ADHD Misdiagnosis vs. Sleep Disordered Breathing
• 19:02 - The Connection Between Palatal Expansion and Myofunctional Therapy
• 28:44 - Functional Assessments for Tethered Oral Tissues (Tongue & Lip Ties)
• 30:53 - The Critical Role of Pre-Op and Post-Op Preparation for Releases
• 44:00 - What is the Buteyko Breathing Method? (Form, Function, Fuel)
• 52:39 - Breaking Down Medical Silos: A Holistic Approach
• 54:16 - The Great Contraction Book Overview
• 58:52 - Medical Disclaimer & Outro

Links & Resources

• Connect with Dr. Leslie Pasco: Learn more about her clinical work at https://buteykoclinic.com/pages/instructors/dr-leslie-pasco?srsltid=AfmBOoqEmYjR8y3SzFHFpgr-JpFWFgfyViaOItLvpazcPnDMqwDwd7w0.
• Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/DrLesliePasco/
• Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-leslie-pasco-03a096a1/?isSelfProfile=false

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Dr. Richard Baxter on How to Know If a Tongue Tie Is Really the Problem
• Don’t Ignore the Snore: The Hidden Link Between Airway, Sleep, and ADHD

STAY CONNECTED

💬 Join the Conversation: Catch behind-the-scenes insights, collaboration tips, and daily clinical pearls on

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⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

If Dr. Pasco's insights on pediatric breathing reframed how you analyze your complex developmental cases, please take a brief moment to leave a review! Your support helps us share these crucial airway answers with the clinicians and families who need them most.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As therapists, it is easy to fall into the trap of protocol-based treatment—treating a clinical diagnosis like a strict recipe book. But true, transformative patient care requires us to step back from the "cookbook" approach and lean heavily into intentional clinical reasoning and pattern recognition.

In this episode, Hallie Bulkin takes the mic for an essential masterclass on the critical distinctions between screening, assessment, and treatment in clinical practice. She unpacks how blurring these clinical boundaries leads to stalled progress and directly impacts overall patient safety.

Hallie explores the delicate balance between structural anatomy and true muscle function, provides practical strategies for sustainable habit formation, and highlights why patient-centered decision-making is the key to successful therapy. If you are ready to confidently look at the whole patient, break out of professional silos, and elevate your interdisciplinary collaboration, this episode will completely reframe your daily practice.

Key Topics & Takeaways

• Unblurring the Boundaries: Clear, non-negotiable definitions separating screening, comprehensive assessment, and actual functional treatment.
• The Clinical Reasoning Shift: Why relying strictly on protocol-based "cookbook" therapy limits your growth as a clinician and slows down patient outcomes.
• Anatomy vs. Function: Understanding that structural differences (like a tongue-tie) are only half the battle—how the muscles actually move and compensate dictates the treatment plan.
• The Referral Strength: Normalizing interdisciplinary care and seeing specialized cross-referrals as a position of clinical strength rather than a limitation.
• Integrated Care Systems: A high-level look at breaking down professional silos to build a truly holistic, collaborative network for your patients.

Soundbites

"Screening is simply deciding if more evaluation is needed. It’s a decision point, not a roadmap for immediate therapy."

"Assessment is about understanding exactly why the dysfunction exists, looking at the entire system from the bottom up."

"Treatment is about fundamentally changing muscle function and building sustainable new habits, not just checking exercises off a list."

• 00:00:36 – Welcome to the Untethered Podcast
• 00:01:12 – Defining the distinction between screening, assessment, and treatment
• 00:02:43 – The primary purpose of a screening
• 00:06:23 – Why assessment requires clinical detective work
• 00:11:02 – Treatment: Changing function rather than just exercises
• 00:15:25 – Normalizing the non-linear path of progress
• 00:21:49 – The problem with collecting interventions without clinical reasoning
• 00:25:01 – Anatomy versus function: Why function must drive clinical decisions
• 00:30:13 – Shifting from rigid silos to integrated care
• 00:39:07 – Conclusion and final thoughts on serving patients

Links & Resources

• Fast Myo Screening Tool: Stop guessing during your intakes and download the checklist at FastMyoScreening.com.
• FREE TRAINING: Ready to bridge the gap between screening and assessment? Join the free Screen The Peds to Feed The Peds Training.

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Why Two Therapists Get Different Feeding Outcomes (And How to Fix It)
• Episode 145: The Missing Link In Your SLP & OT Screenings with Hallie Bulkin, MA, CCC-SLP, COM

STAY CONNECTED

💬 Join the Conversation: Catch behind-the-scenes insights, collaboration tips, and daily clinical pearls on

 Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

If this episode inspired you to take a closer look at the functional clinical reasoning behind your treatment plans, please take a quick moment to leave a review! Your support keeps us climbing the charts to reach the providers who need these exact answers. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a child presents with complex speech or feeding challenges, it’s easy to focus solely on the surface-level behaviors. But true, long-lasting transformation happens when we dig deeper to look inside the mouth and assess the underlying muscle function.

In this episode, Hallie sits down with Galina Kislin, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and myofunctional therapist, to discuss her clinical journey and the shift that led her to prioritize root-cause assessments. Galina shares her experiences transitioning from Early Intervention into private practice, highlighting how a myofunctional approach became the "missing piece" for her stalled feeding and speech cases.

Together, Hallie and Galina dive into the critical importance of looking at a child from the bottom up, executing thorough oral-motor exams, and building local interdisciplinary care teams. Galina also shares actionable, naturalistic strategies to help families integrate therapy seamlessly into their daily routines without feeling overwhelmed.

About the Guest: Galina Kislin, M.A., CCC-SLP, CMT®

Galina Kislin is a bilingual (Russian/English) speech-language pathologist and Certified Orofacial Myologist (CMT®) with 28 years of rich clinical experience. Her journey began in Early Intervention, where an early exposure to oral-motor therapy ignited her lifelong passion for pediatric feeding. Over nearly three decades, Galina has served children across preschools, elementary schools, and multidisciplinary outpatient clinics.

Key Topics & Takeaways

The Missing Piece:

The Root Cause Approach:

Interdisciplinary Collaboration:

Soundbites

"Why has nobody else looked in the mouth? We cannot treat what we don't thoroughly assess."

"We need to look at everything from the bottom up. Understanding the underlying root causes completely changes your clinical outcomes."

"Therapy shouldn't feel like an extra burden for parents. When we integrate functional, naturalistic strategies into daily life, families feel truly empowered."

Timestamps

01:01 – Galina's Journey: From Early Intervention into Myofunctional Therapy

03:10 – Facing Structural Hurdles and Stalled Feeding Challenges in EI

04:46 – The Missing Piece: Embracing a Myofunctional Lens & Finding the Root Cause

09:40 – Intentional Parent Education and Functional, Hour-Long Sessions

10:58 – Crafting Naturalistic Home Strategies That Blend Into Daily Routines

14:03 – Navigating the Real-World Limitations and Rules of Early Intervention

16:33 – The Vital Importance of Thorough Oral Motor Exams Over Assumptions

24:22 – Boutique Service: Guiding Families Through the Treatment Process with Empathy

27:42 – The Clinical Value of True Root Cause Tracking (The Middle School "R" Case)

30:11 – Unpacking a Case: Speech, Feeding, and Myo Evaluation Integration

33:22 – Unlocking Speech Clarity and Intelligibility Without Traditional Targeting

37:58 – Private Practice Growth Mindset, Autonomy, and Overcoming Limitations

40:37 – Final Thoughts, Where to Connect with Galina, and Closing Resource

Links & Resources

Connect with Galina: Explore her courses and resources at www.Love2communicate.com and follow her updates on Instagram.

Clinical Assessment Tool: Easily screen for muscle patterns and oral dysfunction at FastMyoScreening.com.

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• EP 343: Inside a Mission-Driven Pediatric Feeding Practice
• Episode 145: The Missing Link In Your SLP & OT Screenings with Hallie Bulkin, MA, CCC-SLP, COM

STAY CONNECTED

💬 Join the Conversation: Catch behind-the-scenes insights, collaboration tips, and daily clinical pearls on

 Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

If Galina's root-cause approach inspired you to collaborate with new providers in your area, please take a second to leave a review! Your support helps us reach the pediatric professionals and families searching for these exact answers. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a child struggles with swallowing, chewing, or food transitions, our first instinct is often to look directly at traditional feeding strategies. But what if the missing piece of the puzzle isn't the food itself, but the foundational resting posture and function of the orofacial muscles?

In this solo episode, Hallie Bulkin demystifies myofunctional therapy (Myo) and explores its critical, undeniable overlap with pediatric feeding therapy. She breaks down how addressing underlying myofunctional dysfunction can drastically accelerate your clinical progress, protect airway safety, and create long-term, sustainable outcomes for the children on your caseload.

Hallie addresses common misconceptions surrounding Myo, discusses structural considerations like tongue-ties, and explains why a whole-system approach—looking at tongue posture, breathing, and body alignment—is non-negotiable. If you're ready to stop looking at oral motor function in a vacuum and want practical steps to seamlessly weave myofunctional thinking into your next feeding evaluation, this episode is exactly what you need.

• Defining the Scope of Myo: Understanding what myofunctional therapy actually is and how it targets the resting postures and functions of the oral and facial muscles.
• The Perfect Partners: Why feeding therapy and Myo should never be treated as entirely separate disciplines, but rather as deeply interconnected systems that support one another.
• The Trifecta of Function: Exploring how tongue resting posture, nasal breathing, and physical body posture directly dictate a child's success with chewing and safe swallowing mechanics.
• Debunking Common Misconceptions: Shedding light on the myths surrounding myofunctional therapy and highlighting the evidence-based research that supports its clinical efficacy.
• Integrating the Assessment: Practical, realistic steps to incorporate orofacial muscle function and structural considerations (like tongue-ties) into your standard feeding evaluations without blowing your timeline.

"Feeding and Myo are partners, not separate disciplines. When you treat them as a connected system, your outcomes transform."

"Addressing myofunctional dysfunction speeds up feeding progress. We cannot build functional feeding skills on top of poor oral resting postures."

"Myo literacy makes you a better clinician in any specialty. It completely shifts the lens through which you analyze a child's struggles."

• 00:02:29 | Defining Myofunctional Therapy
• 00:03:32 | The Root Cause vs. Symptom Lens
• 00:07:09 | Breaking Through Feeding Plateaus
• 00:11:56 | Where Feeding and Myo Overlap
• 00:14:41 | Airway Management & Nasal Breathing
• 00:18:12 | Debunking the "Just Exercises" Myth
• 00:23:54 | How to Run a Myo Assessment
• 00:30:12 | The 5-Step Integration Framework
• 00:33:33 | The Connected Child System

• Clinical Tool: Streamline your assessments and screen for muscle dysfunction 

F.A.S.T. MYO SCREENING PACKET: Need a simple & science-backed way to screen your patients for potential orofacial myofunctional disorders?

WORTH A LISTEN: CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY

• The 4 Layers of Feeding: How to Finally Know Where to Start
• When You Screen a Child and Think 'Now What?

💬 Join the Conversation: Connect with our community, catch weekly clinical breakdowns, and get daily practice tips on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn.

If this episode helped you see the connection between muscle posture and feeding progress, please leave a quick review! Your support helps us reach the pediatric professionals and families looking for these vital puzzle pieces.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As pediatric therapists, we know that our time with a child is only one small piece of the puzzle. Real, lasting progress happens when parents and caregivers feel confident carrying strategies into everyday family life. Yet, navigating parent communication can sometimes feel like its own clinical challenge.

In this episode, Hallie sits down with Johanna Stadtmauer, MS, CCC-SLP, a pediatric speech-language pathologist, feeding therapist, and owner of Ready Stadt Speech. Johanna shares her passion for family-centered care, breaking down how clinicians can intentionally weave counseling skills and active listening into their daily practice to meet parents exactly where they are.

They explore how Johanna uses innovative practice models like caregiver classes to build a supportive local community, and dive into how private practice owners can leverage social media and AI tools responsibly without losing the human connection that defines excellent therapy. Whether you’re looking to deepen your rapport with families or want actionable insights on clinical entrepreneurship, this interview offers a refreshing, holistic roadmap.

Johanna Stadtmauer is a pediatric speech-language pathologist, feeding therapist, and the owner of Ready Stadt Speech, serving families in Northern Bergen County, New Jersey. Specializing in the early stages of speech, language, feeding, and literacy development, Johanna is also an SLP consultant and advisor. 

As both a clinician and a mother to three young children, she brings a uniquely relatable perspective to child development, helping parents feel genuinely empowered rather than overwhelmed.

• Counseling Skills in Action: Moving past rigid clinical updates and incorporating active listening to facilitate goal-focused, empathetic conversations with caregivers.
• Building Community Beyond the Table: How designing and promoting local caregiver classes transforms isolated parenting struggles into shared community experiences.
• Responsible Tech Integration: Navigating the role of AI in modern practice—using tools like Glint to support administrative tasks or visual creation while fully preserving human judgment and clinical intuition.
• Grounding in Your "Why": Why keeping your core mission at the forefront is the ultimate guide for sustainable private practice growth and marketing alignment.
• The Multidisciplinary Approach: Empowering families by fostering a holistic care team that treats the whole child.

"Be transparent with families about what to expect. True collaboration starts with setting clear, honest expectations."

"AI can support but it can never replace human connection. Our empathy and clinical intuition are irreplaceable."

"Know your 'why' to guide your practice and growth. When things get complex, your core mission is your compass."

• 02:18 The Importance of Communication in Therapy 
• 05:25 Navigating Challenges in Therapy 
• 11:11 Building Community Through Caregiver Classes 
• 14:38 Marketing and Positioning in Private Practice 
• 19:09 The Absolute Importance of Human Connection 
• 22:42 Navigating AI in Therapy Responsibly 
• 27:44 Understanding Your Why 
• 31:32 Building a Holistic Care Team 
• 33:58 Empowering Families in Therapy 
• 37:48 The Journey of an SLP Entrepreneur

• Visit Johanna’s Website: readystatsspeech.com
• Follow Johanna on Instagram: @ReadyStadtSpeech

WORTH A LISTEN: CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY

• Episode 371: When You Screen a Child and Think 'Now What?'
• Episode 372: From Guessing to Growth: How a Clear Framework Transformed My Practice

STAY CONNECTED & GROW YOUR PRACTICE

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When a child struggles with feeding, it’s easy to get laser-focused on oral-motor exercises or sensory strategies. But what if the root cause isn't a lack of coordination, but a struggle to breathe?

In this solo episode, Hallie Bulkin dives deep into a critical, yet frequently missed, component of pediatric feeding therapy: airway screening. Airway issues often hide in plain sight, quietly undermining feeding progress and leaving clinicians wondering why their traditional treatment plans have stalled.

Hallie breaks down the undeniable connection between airway health, posture, and feeding mechanics. She highlights the specific signs of airway obstruction every therapist should look out for, outlines clear referral pathways, and explains why screening the airway is fully within your scope of practice. If you want to elevate your clinical outcomes and treat the whole child with true clarity and intention, this episode is a must-listen.

• Airway in Scope: Why airway screening is not a luxury or a sub-specialty—it is a foundational part of your clinical scope as a feeding therapist.
• Signs of Airway Obstruction: Recognizing the red flags of compromised breathing, from subtle mouth breathing and poor daytime posture to severe nighttime sleep disturbances.
• Feeding Mechanics & Tongue Position: How an unsupported airway forces compensatory tongue resting positions, instantly disrupting the mechanics required for safe and efficient chewing and swallowing.
• The Posture Connection: Why children with airway issues alter their head and neck alignment just to breathe, and how this compromised posture stalls feeding progress.
• Navigating the Referral Pathway: Knowing exactly when to step back and coordinate care with an ENT or airway-focused specialist before proceeding with direct feeding intervention.

"Airway screening is not outside your lane - it is a vital part of your scope as a feeding therapist."

"If a child is struggling to breathe, their nervous system will always prioritize oxygen over eating. Tongue position impacts feeding mechanics, but airway dictates tongue position."

"We cannot out-therapy an airway obstruction. Sleep disturbances and daytime breathing struggles will always affect feeding outcomes."

• 01:15 Why Airway Screening Matters
• 03:00 The Biggest Mistake Feeding Therapists Make
• 06:01 Why Airway Is Often Missed in Training
• 09:00 What Airway Dysfunction Looks Like
• 12:00 The Medical System's Blind Spot
• 15:02 Airway Screening: What to Look For
• 18:00 Real-World Case Results & Outcomes
• 21:00 How to Start Screening for Airway Issues
• 24:00 Final Thoughts & Resources 

Download the Packet here: https://www.feedthepeds.com/f-a-s-t-myo-screening-packet-3

WORTH A LISTEN: CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY

• Episode 371: When You Screen a Child and Think 'Now What?'
• Episode 369: The 4 Layers of Feeding: How to Finally Know Where to Start

STAY CONNECTED & GROW YOUR PRACTICE

Join the conversation: Get behind-the-scenes insights, clinical pearls, and real conversations over on Substack.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.