Wine with Wita | Speech Pathology & Parenting Support

Hey everyone,

This week’s episode was inspired by a very relatable moment in the car when I repeatedly asked my phone to call someone, only for it to misunderstand me every single time.

I changed my tone, slowed down, repeated myself, tried a different accent and eventually spelled the name out. When the call finally worked, it made me think about how naturally we adjust the way we communicate with technology.

We give ChatGPT more context. We speak more slowly to Alexa. We repeat ourselves when our car does not understand us. We change the words we use until the message is clear.

But how often do we make those same adjustments for our children?

​In this episode, we talk about:

💫 Why communication is about adjusting, not getting it right the first time

💫 Slowing down and simplifying the language we use

💫 Giving children more time to process and respond

💫 Using repetition, pauses and clearer instructions

💫 Learning from the way we communicate with AI and technology

💫 Helping children feel included, understood and valued

​

This episode is a reminder that when communication is not working, it does not always mean the other person is not listening or understanding.

​Sometimes, we need to change the way we are delivering the message.

We already do this every day with technology, so let’s offer our children that same patience, flexibility and willingness to try again.

🌿 Connection Creates Communication

Wondering what to do while you wait for speech therapy?

Connection Creates Communication is my new 6-week program for parents of children aged 0–5, designed to give you practical, everyday strategies to support your child's communication at home.

​

👉🏼 Learn more & Join: ⁠⁠Connection Creates Communication⁠⁠​

​

Questions? Email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ or send me a DM on Instagram.

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provide information. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,

This week, I’m joined by Nikolina Kharoufeh, a journalist,writer, podcast host and mother of three. Nikolina shares honestly about the identity shift she experienced after becoming a mother, the postnatal anxiety and sadness that followed, and how asking for help helped her begin to feellike herself again.

​
She also opens up about becoming pregnant with identical twins and the devastating moment she learned that one of her sons, Micah, had passed away at 24 weeks.
​At the same time, she still had to keep going for his twin brother, Hugo.
​​In this episode, we talk about:

💫 Losing yourself in the transition to motherhood
💫 Recognising when you are not okay and asking for help
💫 Navigating pregnancy loss while still carrying another baby
💫 Mother’s intuition, faith and finding meaning during grief
💫 Giving birth at 30 weeks and spending 62 days in the NICU
💫 Holding grief and gratitude at the same time
💫 The support that helped Nikolina keep going
💫 Giving yourself permission to stop, feel and rest

​
Nikolina’s story is a powerful reminder that grief does not follow a timeline and strength does not mean pretending everything is okay.
Sometimes strength is asking for help.

Sometimes it is allowing yourself to cry.
​
And sometimes it is simply continuing to take the next step, even while carrying heartbreak.

🌿 Connection Creates Communication

Wondering what to do while you wait for speech therapy?

Connection Creates Communication is my new 6-week program for parents of children aged 0–5, designed to give you practical, everyday strategies to support your child's communication at home.

​

👉🏼 Learn more & Join: Connection Creates Communication​

​

Questions?
Email [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram.

Lots of love,

Rita x

P.S.: follow me on Instagram for more tips, insights and updates.

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provide information. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,

This week, I’m joined by Pauline Sorell, an early years specialeducator, support worker and children’s book author.
​
Pauline saw a lack of autism awareness in schools and the wider community and began asking herself how she could help children better understand their autistic peers.
​
In this episode, we talk about:

💫 Why autism awareness should begin early
💫 Teaching children about AAC and different ways of communicating
💫 The importance of representation in children’s books
💫 Encouraging curiosity, empathy and inclusion
💫 Why support workers are essential for many families
💫 Carer burnout and the need for meaningful support
​This episode is a reminder that not speaking does not mean a child has nothing to say. When we help children understand communication differences, we help create classrooms and communities where more children feel seen, heard andincluded.
Grab a glass of wine and listen to the latest episode of Wine with Wita.​
❤️ Get your copy of Jassy Bear

🌿 Connection Creates Communication

Wondering what to do while you wait for speech therapy?

Connection Creates Communication is my new 6-week program for parents of children aged 0–5, designed to give you practical, everyday strategies to support your child's communication at home.

​

👉🏼 Learn more & Join: Connection Creates Communication​

​

Questions?
Email [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram.

Lots of love,

Rita x

P.S.: follow me on Instagram for more tips, insights and updates.

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provideinformation. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,

This week’s episode is a solo episode, and it is all about two songs I cannot hear without thinking about communication.

Whitney Houston’s How Will I Know and Justin Bieber’s What Do You Mean

​Now, yes, they were written about relationships, but every time I hear them, I think about the children and families I work with because in therapy and at home, these two questions can be so powerful.

• How will I know what your child wants if they do not show me or tell me?
• How will your child know what to say if we do not model it for them?
• What do they mean when they say “that thing” or point across the room?
  

And how can we help them find the words without nagging, testing or making communication feel stressful?

In this episode, I share how parents can use simple phrases like “How will I know?” and “What do you mean?” to support their child’s communication in everyday moments.

​We talk about:

💫 Helping children use more specific words
💫 Modelling language instead of guessing
💫 Supporting longer sentences naturally
💫 Encouraging children to repair communication breakdowns
💫 Why gestures, tone and showing matter
💫 Helping children move beyond “that thing over there”
💫 Using everyday moments to build communication

​This episode is a reminder that communication does not have to be complicated.

Sometimes the simplest phrase can help a child pause, think, try again and use the words they already have.

And sometimes, as adults, we need that reminder too.​
We do not need perfect words.

​We just need to keep showing up, keep trying and keep creating opportunities for communication to grow.

Grab a glass of wine and listen to the latest episode of Wine with Wita.

Lots of love,

Rita x

🌿 Connection Creates Communication

Wondering what to do while you wait for speech therapy?

Connection Creates Communication is my new 6-week program for parents of children aged 0–5, designed to give you practical, everyday strategies to support your child's communication at home.

👉 Learn more & Join: Connection Creates Communication

 Questions? Email [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram.

P.S.: follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠ for more tips, insights and updates

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provide information. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,

This week, I am joined by Maha Corbett, co-founder of SWIISH, wellness advocate, author and mum of two.  Together, we talk about motherhood, raising neurodivergent child and the practical and heartfelt lessons

Maha has learnt while supporting her son Joshua, who has adiagnosis of level three autism.

Maha shares openly about the early signs she noticed,including speech delay, sensory differences and the period of Googling, questioning and wondering what her child needed.

She also shares how speech therapy became one of the firststeps in their journey, and how she learnt that communication is about so much more than speech alone.

It is about regulation, connection, understanding andsupporting the whole child.

​We talk about:

💫 Early signs of autism and speech delay

💫 Why communication is more than just talking

💫 The importance of nervous system regulation

💫 Working with speech therapists, OTs and educators as a team

💫 Advocating for your child across different environments 💫 Asking for help in ways that actually support you

💫 Celebrating small wins, not just focusing on challenges

This episode is such a beautiful reminder that every child’scommunication journey looks different. It is also a reminder that the small wins are never really small.

​

These moments matter because they show growth, connection and possibility.

And sometimes, when so much of the journey can focus on what a child cannot yet do, we need to pause and celebrate what they can.

Lots of love,

Rita x

🌿 Connection Creates Communication

Wondering what to do while you wait for speech therapy?

Connection Creates Communication is my new 6-week program for parents of children aged 0–5, designed to give you practical, everyday strategies to support yourchild's communication at home.

👉 Learn more & Join: Connection Creates Communication

 Questions? Email [email protected]or send me a DM on Instagram. 

P.S.: follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠ for more tips, insights and updates

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provideinformation. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy.

You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about yourchild's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,

This week, I am joined by women’s health expert, holistic wellness advocate and founder of Pagoda Tree, Natalie Kringoudis.

​Together, we explore how stress and nervous system regulation can impact our hormones, wellbeing and the way we show up as parents.

Natalie shares why our hormones often follow the state of our nervous system, the importance of listening to the signals our bodies are sending us and why caring for ourselves is not selfish.

​It is part of caring for our families.

​Natalie also opens up about raising her son Jordy, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at just four weeks old.

​She shares how she navigated the fear that came with his diagnosis, learnt to ask difficult questions and advocated for her child while continuing to focus on the ways he was healthy, thriving and capable.

We talk about:​

💫 How stress impacts women’s hormones
💫 The connection between our nervous system and wellbeing
💫 Giving ourselves permission to rest
💫 How our own regulation can influence the way we parent
💫 Advocating for a child after a diagnosis
💫 Moving from reacting in fear to reflecting with curiosity
💫 Trusting your instincts and asking questions
💫 Focusing on what is working

This episode is a beautiful reminder that looking after your selfish not something you need to feel guilty about.
​

When we understand our own bodies, recognise our capacity and give ourselves permission to pause, we are better able to support the people who need us.

It is also a reminder that a diagnosis does not define your child or determine everything they will be capable of.
​

Sometimes empowerment begins with one simple question:
​

What if everything is going to be okay?
​

Grab a glass of wine and listen to the latest episode of Wine with Wita.

Lots of love,

Rita

​

P.S.: follow me on Instagram for more tips, insights and updates.

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provideinformation. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,

This week’s episode is a solo episode celebrating four years of RS Speech Pathology and two years of Wine with Wita.

​But this is not just an episode about business.
​It is about motherhood, creativity, communication, consistency and the quiet moments that taught me how to show up long before I had a business.

I share the story of entering competitions while breastfeeding my daughters, how reading children’s books helped shape my understanding of language and humour and how those early lessons carried into business opportunities, grants, podcast growth and the way I advocate through communication today.

I talk about:
​💫 The power of having a go
💫 Why consistency matters
💫 How motherhood shaped my business mindset
💫 The “just enter” mentality
💫 Communication, creativity and advocacy
💫 Rejection as redirection
💫 How small moments can lead to big opportunities

​

A beautiful reminder that growth does not always begin where we think it does.

Sometimes the lessons that shape us most are found in the ordinary moments.

​The late nights.

The stories.

The small yeses.

The moments where we simply decide to have a go.

Lots of love,

Rita

​

P.S.: follow me on Instagram for more tips, insights and updates.

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provide information. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,

This week, I am joined by ⁠Anita⁠ and ⁠Valinda⁠ for a beautifulconversation about sisterhood, diagnosis, culture and the power of simply showing up.

​

Valinda is a client I have had the honour of working with, and Itreated both of her beautiful boys. In this episode, she shares what it was like coming to terms with diagnosis, navigating cultural expectations, and learning how to advocate for her children.

​

We also talk about the love between sisters, and how supportdoes not always need to be big or perfectly worded.

​

Sometimes it is school pick ups, a check-in message, sittingbeside someone in silence, or simply saying, “I’ve got you.”

​

We talk about:💫 Sisterhood and unconditional love💫 Coming to terms with diagnosis💫 Cultural expectations💫Supporting someone through a hard time💫 The power of showing up

​

A beautiful reminder that sometimes the greatest support is not knowing what to say.

​

It is being there.

Lots of love,

Rita

​

P.S.: follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠ for more tips, insights and updates.

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provideinformation. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about yourchild's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,This week’s episode is inspired by a phrase I use often in thetherapy room… teach, don’t test.

​We so often ask children questions like, “What’s this?”, “Who’sthat?” or “What colour is this?”… but sometimes, without realising, we are testing their communication rather than teaching it.

​

In this episode, I unpack how children learn language bestthrough natural, meaningful moments. Instead of asking a child to say the word watermelon over and over, we can model the word in conversation. “That’s watermelon. You love watermelon. It’s so juicy.”

​

Because communication should feel joyful, not like aninterrogation.

​

I talk about:
💫 What “teach, don’t test” really means
💫 Why constant questioning can feel overwhelming for children
💫 How to model words during everyday moments
💫 Why children may communicate more when pressure is reduced
💫 How to support your child’s vocabulary in natural conversation
💫 The importance of making communication feel fun, safe, and connected

​

This episode is a gentle reminder to pause and think about how we are inviting children into communication. Because when we teach instead of test, we help children feel more confident, connected and understood.

Lots of love,

Rita

​

P.S.: follow me on Instagram for more tips,insights and updates.

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provideinformation. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.

Hey everyone,

This week, I am joined by Lael Stone, speaker, educator and author, for a beautiful conversation about connection, parenting, play and helping children feel truly seen.

​

I first met Lael at the Seen documentary, and what stood out to me straight away was how deeply aligned our messages are.

​

Connection is the key.

​In this episode, we talk about how parents can foster healthier, happier relationships with their children, why play is such a powerful tool, and how simple moments of presence can make such a lasting impact.

We also discuss how connection can support children with additional needs, and how Lael’s strategies have helped me not only as a parent, but also as a clinician.

​

We talk about:

💫 The importance of connection
💫 How connection supports communication
💫 Building healthier relationships with our children
💫 The role of play in parenting
💫 Supporting children with additional needs
💫 Why small moments of presence matter

​

A beautiful reminder that our children do not need perfection.

​They need connection, safety and someone willing to truly see them.

Learn more about Lael here!​

​

Lots of love,

Rita

​

P.S.: follow me on Instagram for more tips, insights and updates

Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provide information. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.