EP 151: Preventing & Managing SLP Burnout
The Speech Space Podcast
Burnout is a common experience for speech-language pathologists working in schools, healthcare, and private practice. Heavy workloads, therapy planning demands, documentation requirements, and large caseloads can make it difficult to maintain balance over time. In this episode, we discuss what SLP burnout looks like, why it happens in our field, and practical strategies for preventing and managing it. We explore ways to reduce cognitive load, protect your energy, simplify therapy planning, and build sustainable systems that make day-to-day work more manageable. You can
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EP 150 - AI for SLPs: What’s Actually Safe and Helpful in 2026
The Speech Space Podcast
AI is everywhere—but what does it actually mean for speech-language pathologists? In this episode, we break down how SLPs can use AI safely, ethically, and realistically, including privacy concerns, accuracy limits, and where AI can genuinely save time without replacing clinical judgment. You can
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EP 149 - Creative Ways to Move More Every Day
The Speech Space Podcast
Moving more doesn’t have to mean intense workouts or rigid routines. In this episode, we explore creative, realistic ways to add more movement into everyday life — focusing on habits that support energy, mood, and long-term consistency without burnout. You can
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EP 148 - Creating a Culture of Kindness in Speech Therapy
The Speech Space Podcast
This episode discusses how to create a culture of kindness in speech therapy. It gives an overview of Dr. Bruce Perry’s neurosequential model as an evidence-based rationale for the connection between kindness and learning. Next, it emphasizes the importance of prioritizing kindness as soon as we begin working with a student or a group of students. This could involve placing visual kindness cues in the speech room, facilitating kind interactions between students, planning specific kindness-focused activities, reading picture books about kindness, and weaving kindness into familiar activities....
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EP 147 - Behavioral Interventions That Get Results
The Speech Space Podcast
In this episode of The Speech Space Podcast, we share practical behavioral interventions and evidence-based strategies to help SLPs manage challenging behaviors in the speech room. Learn how to use positive supports, function-based assessment, and proactive techniques to create calm, engaging, and productive therapy sessions.
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EP 146 - Communication Techniques that Strengthen Rapport
The Speech Space Podcast
This episode explores practical communication techniques that help SLPs build strong, trusting rapport with students and clients. Jessica discusses why harsh, punishment-based communication often backfires, and offers evidence-informed strategies that foster connection, collaboration, and emotional safety. Listeners will leave with clear, actionable tools to strengthen therapeutic relationships and improve session outcomes.
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EP 145 - What SLPs Need to Know About Childhood Cancer
The Speech Space Podcast
The episode explores what SLPs need to know about childhood cancer. Its goal is to function as a broad introduction to this topic, primarily for SLPs who work in educational settings. The episode begins with some childhood cancer basics, including the most common types of pediatric cancers, as well as an overview of childhood cancer symptoms. The episode then examines the different ways in which childhood cancer can impact different facets of communication, including articulation, cognition, language, voice, hearing, and swallowing. The episode emphasizes the importance of collaboration when...
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EP 144 - Top Sleep Tips for SLPs
The Speech Space Podcast
This episode focuses on top sleep tips for SLPs. The topic of sleep has a strong connection to the work that SLPs do, because being well-rested can support us in navigating complex clinical issues and managing stressful situations. The episode includes research-based tips from sleep scientists and experts, but it is not medical advice. The first part of the episode explores the importance of having a consistent sleep schedule and going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. Next, the episode covers sleep tips that are applicable for both children and adults, with a focus on...
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EP 143 - What SLPs Need to Know About Reading Comprehension
The Speech Space Podcast
This episode is about what SLPs need to know about reading comprehension. It begins by acknowledging that SLPs have a large scope of practice, and that they are not typically seen as the primary professionals who work on reading comprehension, especially in the school setting. It invites SLPs to make slight adjustments to their practice to ensure that students get the best support possible. The episode then emphasizes the idea that reading is an umbrella term composed of many sub-skills. It then moves into an overview of widely accepted reading models, including the Simple View of Reading,...
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EP 142 - Sensory Strategies for Speech Therapy Sessions
The Speech Space Podcast
This episode is about sensory strategies for speech therapy sessions. It opens with an acknowledgement that OTs are the primary sensory experts, and offers resources for reviewing sensory basics. The episode then discusses the difference between being “sensory-defensive” and “sensory-seeking,” reviews the sensory system, and then moves into a discussion of strategies to support students with sensory differences or a diagnosis of sensory processing disorder. These strategies come from SLP and researcher Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin. The first strategy is addressing students’ physical...
info_outlineThis episode is about ideas for spring-themed speech therapy sessions. I discuss how to use nature in spring-themed speech therapy sessions, including observing the weather, going on nature walks, and planting seeds. I include options for adapting these ideas for different contexts, including teletherapy. I also share spring-themed picture book recommendations, and ideas for spring-themed speech therapy sessions with middle school and high school students. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here: