Speech Talk

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Welcome to Speech Talk, a podcast for SLPs who are hungry to stay on top of the latest research but don’t have the time to read it. Every other week, join hosts Emily and Eva, two working SLPs who have taken it upon themselves to dive into the data so you don’t have to. Together, they’re turning clinical studies into real-life solutions. From cognitive screening to medication management, adult neuro rehab to discharge planning, they break it all down with evidence, empathy, and a healthy dose of sarcasm. It’s smart, practical, and very real. It’s also, ahem, your new favorite podcast! — New Episodes Every Other Week —

  1. 6 Oct

    So Burnt Out You Mix Up the Podcast

    In this episode we discuss burnout and productivity pressure in adult medical speech-language pathology and related rehab settings. We focus on how long workdays, inconsistent hours, documentation demands, and holiday coverage contribute to stress in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, hospitals, and outpatient clinics.We look at a 2024 study of rehab practitioners in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities that used the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The study found that one in five practitioners scored in the extreme range for burnout, and 25% scored in the extreme range on all three burnout domains: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment.We also review how productivity standards relate to burnout and ethically questionable behaviors. The study found a measurable link between productivity requirements and all three burnout domains, even after other factors were accounted for, and productivity standards were tied to five of six ethical gray-area behaviors that were measured.We discuss how these pressures are shaped more by role and workplace culture than by facility type alone. The conversation highlights differences between evaluators and assistants, the demands placed on SLPs in particular, and the impact of settings where clinicians are expected to meet numbers while still providing clinically appropriate care.We close by reflecting on three burnout-related questions from the inventory: feeling emotionally drained, not caring what happens to patients, and feeling that work has accomplished worthwhile things. We emphasize that these responses can signal the need to step back, get support, and recognize burnout early. Citations Coleman A, McLaughlin E, Floren M. Practitioner Burnout and Productivity Levels in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living Facilities, Part 1: A Descriptive Quantitative Account. Am J Occup Ther. 2024 Jan 1;78(1):7801205090. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2024.050341. PMID: 38224353. Mahrukh, Malik , S., Khan, H., Khalil , R., & Akram , A. (2023). Level of Stress Among Speech and Language Pathologists Working in Clinical Setups. Journal of Health and Rehabilitation Research, 3(2), 30–36. https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v3i2.58 Get in Touch: hello@speechtalkpod.com Or Visit Us At: ⁠www.SpeechTalkPod.com⁠  Instagram: @speechtalkpod Support: buymeacoffee.com/speechtalkpod Part of the Human Content Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. 22 Sept

    Do You Know Apraxia When You See It?

    How do we actually diagnose apraxia of speech when there’s no gold-standard diagnostic test? In this episode, we break down recent research on apraxia differential diagnosis and discuss how to distinguish apraxia from aphasia and dysarthria. We cover common characteristics of apraxia, clinical impressions, the Apraxia of Speech Rating Scale (ASRS), and why relying on obvious signs like groping may cause us to miss milder presentations. We also talk about why accurate diagnosis matters for treatment planning—and what clinicians can do differently during their next evaluation. Citations Haley, K. L., Jacks, A., & Mailend, M.-L. (2026). Diagnosing apraxia of speech in children and adults when there is no gold standard: A scoping review about the diagnostic process. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 35(2), 840–859. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_ajslp-25-00178 Get in Touch: hello@speechtalkpod.com Or Visit Us At: ⁠www.SpeechTalkPod.com⁠  Instagram: @speechtalkpod Support: buymeacoffee.com/speechtalkpod Part of the Human Content Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. 8 Sept

    Why Do We Care About Diet Texture? The Rationale Behind Diet Texture Recommendations

    In this episode of Speech Talk, Emily and Eva explore how chewing, food texture, and swallowing are connected—and why diet texture matters for swallowing safety and patient care. Why do we care about diet texture? Because the texture of the food changes as we chew or don’t chew and food factors like gumminess, hardness, and moisture impact the strength we recruit for the swallow.  They break down the basics of mastication and the pharyngeal swallow, discuss IDDSI texture modifications, and take a closer look at healthy chewing patterns. They also explore why certain foods, like bread, can be surprisingly challenging and why swallowing recommendations need to be individualized for each patient. Whether you’re an SLP, SLP student, or interested in dysphagia and swallowing, this episode offers a practical look at the complex process behind something we do every day Citations Matsuo, K., & Fujishima, I. (2020). Textural Changes by Mastication and Proper Food Texture for Patients with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia. Nutrients, 12(6), 1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061613 Sari KI, Rafisa A. Chewing and Swallowing Patterns for Different Food Textures in Healthy Subjects. Int J Dent. 2023 Jun 17;2023:6709350. doi: 10.1155/2023/6709350. PMID: 37361412; PMCID: PMC10290560. Gandhi, P., Barrett, E., Mancopes, R., Panes, V., Peladeau-Pigeon, M., Simmons, M. M., & Steele, C. M. (2026). What about foods? The influence of food texture on the safety, timing, kinematics, and efficiency of pharyngeal phase swallowing in healthy adults. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 69(4), 1528–1541. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00546 Free Resources on Dietary Textures with educational hand outs: https://www.iddsi.org/  Get in Touch: hello@speechtalkpod.com Or Visit Us At: ⁠www.SpeechTalkPod.com⁠  Instagram: @speechtalkpod Support: buymeacoffee.com/speechtalkpod Part of the Human Content Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. 25 Aug

    Can You Hear Yourself Talking?

    What happens when the brain can’t hear its own speech errors? In this episode of Speech Talk, Emily and Eva explore the speech-auditory feedback loop and how it can be disrupted after brain injury. They unpack new research on error detection, automatic versus voluntary correction, and what these findings mean for aphasia therapy. Plus, practical strategies for helping patients build awareness, self-monitoring, and more successful communication. Citations Impairment of Speech Auditory Feedback Error Detection and Motor Correction in Post-Stroke Aphasia," from Bereznyak and colleagues out of the University of South Carolina, published in 2021  Get in Touch: hello@speechtalkpod.com Or Visit Us At: ⁠www.SpeechTalkPod.com⁠  Instagram: @speechtalkpod Support: buymeacoffee.com/speechtalkpod Part of the Human Content Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. 11 Aug

    Don't Fear the Tracheostomy

    This week on Speech Talk, we're diving into one of the most medically complex—and often intimidating—areas of speech-language pathology: tracheostomy rehabilitation. We break down the research on how speech-language pathologists are involved (or unfortunately, often not involved) in tracheostomy care and why early SLP intervention can make a significant difference in communication, swallowing, and successful decannulation. We discuss speaking valves, swallow evaluations, common barriers to rehabilitation, and what every clinician should know when working with patients with tracheostomies across acute care and rehabilitation settings. Plus, we cover this week's SLP headlines, including: New evidence linking dysphagia as a primary predictor of malnutrition in head and neck cancer. Dysphagia as a primary predictor of malnutrition in head and neck cancer. Oral Oncology Reports. ⁠https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772906026000087 Research showing circumlocution may help identify very mild aphasia. Circumlocution as a diagnostic marker for very mild aphasia. ⁠https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003999326007367⁠ An exciting AI model improving dysarthria detection through speech analysis. AI-based dysarthria detection using deep learning. Digital Signal Processing. ⁠https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1051200425006840 Whether you're a student, medical SLP, or simply want to feel more confident around trach patients, this episode translates the latest evidence into practical clinical takeaways you can use tomorrow. Citations Ash S, Weyh A, Salman SO, Madbak F, Fraker JT. Speech Pathology Services Are Integral, but Underutilized in Tracheostomy Rehabilitation. ⁠https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8108103/ https://www.passymuir.com/education/ Get in Touch: hello@speechtalkpod.com Or Visit Us At: ⁠www.SpeechTalkPod.com⁠  Instagram: @speechtalkpod Support: buymeacoffee.com/speechtalkpod Part of the Human Content Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. 28 Jul

    How Do We Even Treat Dysarthria?

    Do oral and pharyngeal exercises help post-stroke dysarthria? Emily and Eva examine a recent review (Yunusova et al.), unpack why swallowing outcomes often show benefit while speech outcomes do not, discuss goal-writing pitfalls, and get into practical treatment. Talking about their own practice and how they address dysarthria treatment- because if we don't talk we can't learn from each other. Citations: Marzouqah R, Huynh A, Chen JL, Boulos MI, Yunusova Y. The role of oral and pharyngeal motor exercises in post-stroke recovery: A scoping review. Clin Rehabil. 2023 May;37(5):620-635. doi: 10.1177/02692155221141395. Epub 2022 Nov 25. PMID: 36426582; PMCID: PMC10041576.  Get in Touch: hello@speechtalkpod.com Or Visit Us At: www.SpeechTalkPod.com Instagram: @speechtalkpod Support: buymeacoffee.com/speechtalkpod Part of the Human Content Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. 14 Jul

    The Art (and Science) of Clinical Supervision

    Supervision is so much more than signing off on competencies. It shapes clinician confidence, patient care, and the future of our profession. In this episode of Speech Talk, Emily and Eva welcome their very first guest, Olivia, to reflect on her completed externship and unpack what effective supervision really looks like. Together, they explore the research on clinical supervision, discuss different supervisory styles, and share honest stories about balancing mentorship with productivity demands in skilled nursing facilities. Whether you're supervising students, preparing for an externship, or reflecting on your own clinical training, this episode offers practical strategies grounded in research and real-world experience. Research discussed:Terry, D., Nguyen, H., Perkins, A. J., & Peck, B. "Supervision in Healthcare: A Critical Review of the Role, Function and Capacity for Training." Get in Touch: hello@speechtalkpod.com Or Visit Us At: ⁠www.SpeechTalkPod.com⁠  Instagram: @speechtalkpod Support: buymeacoffee.com/speechtalkpod Part of the Human Content Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. 30 Jun

    Finding the Right Dose for Dysphagia Treatment

    How many repetitions does it take to improve swallowing? How hard should dysphagia exercises be? And are we prescribing enough therapy to make a meaningful difference? In this episode of Speech Talk, Emily and Eva tackle a question many clinicians have asked but few were formally taught to answer: how do we dose dysphagia therapy? Using the article Exercise Prescription for Dysphagia: Intensity and Duration Manipulation by Sapienza and colleagues, they explore how principles of exercise science can help guide swallowing rehabilitation. The discussion breaks down the concepts of treatment intensity and duration, why different energy systems matter for swallowing function, and how direct and indirect dysphagia exercises may target different physiologic goals. The conversation also moves beyond the research and into real-world practice. Emily and Eva discuss the challenges of delivering adequate treatment intensity in skilled nursing facilities, strategies for increasing patient participation outside of therapy sessions, and practical ways to improve carryover without overwhelming patients or clinicians. Whether you're prescribing effortful swallows, EMST, Shaker exercises, lingual strengthening, or sensory-based swallowing tasks, this episode will leave you thinking differently about the question: not just what exercise should I use, but how much exercise is enough? Citations Exercise prescription for dysphagia: Intensity and duration. Perspectives on Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia), 17(2), 50–55.https://doi.org/10.1044/sasd17.2.50 Get in Touch: hello@speechtalkpod.com Or Visit Us At: ⁠www.SpeechTalkPod.com⁠  Instagram: @speechtalkpod Support: buymeacoffee.com/speechtalkpod Part of the Human Content Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Trailer

About

Welcome to Speech Talk, a podcast for SLPs who are hungry to stay on top of the latest research but don’t have the time to read it. Every other week, join hosts Emily and Eva, two working SLPs who have taken it upon themselves to dive into the data so you don’t have to. Together, they’re turning clinical studies into real-life solutions. From cognitive screening to medication management, adult neuro rehab to discharge planning, they break it all down with evidence, empathy, and a healthy dose of sarcasm. It’s smart, practical, and very real. It’s also, ahem, your new favorite podcast! — New Episodes Every Other Week —

Information

  • Channel
    Human Content
  • Creator
    Eva Johnson & Emily Brady
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Eva Johnson and Emily Brady. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Speech Talk

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