SLP Learning Series SpeechTherapyPD.com

Guest: Matthew Guggemos, MS, CCC-SLP - Join us as we sit down with the extraordinary speech therapist and professional drummer Matthew Guggemos for an unforgettable exploration of the intersection of speech therapy and music mastery. Uncover the secrets of meta-learning and the transformative power of embracing diverse skills. From the beat of the drum to the cadence of communication, Matthew shares profound insights on how being a musician enhances the therapist's toolkit. Music may have a reputation for being a soft science, but there are multiple evidence-based and practical ways of using music to increase the efficacy of speech therapy. For example, helping to distinguish signal-to-noise in this world of increasing noise and distraction. Tune in to this rhythm-infused episode to groove your way through the world of speech therapy CEUs. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, there's something for everyone in this harmonious blend of expertise and music magic.

Guest: Chucky Kim - This deep episode explores the metaphorical bridges between speech and music, revealing their shared elements that foster deep connections with others. Our guest, with a background in music education, music technology, and philosophy, unpacks the parallels between musical expression and the subtleties of speech. The episode emphasizes how both speech and music play vital roles in forging profound emotional connections. Additionally, we explore the integration of cutting-edge technologies in music for speech therapy. From low-cost digital tools to AI-assisted musical experiences, discover the exciting potential of these innovations in therapeutic interventions.

Guest: Isabelle Engler, MT-BC, NICU-MT - In this captivating episode, the host and a previous colleague in music school (now a successful music therapist and children’s book author) will discuss a wide range of topics, exploring the enchanting synergy between speech, music, children's books, and developmental narratives. Discover the profound impact of music and storytelling and how they go together on childhood development. Our hosts share anecdotes, illustrating how melodies become catalysts for expressive growth. Gain insights into specific strategies, from incorporating music into speech exercises to selecting narrative-rich materials for therapeutic sessions. Tune in for practical tips on leveraging the captivating fusion of music and narratives to nurture the potential within every child. Join us for a delightful exploration that creates a symphony of growth and expression in young storytellers.

Guest: Heather Leavy Rusiewicz, PhD, CCC-SLP - While music is often integrated into many speech-language pathology (SLP) areas, the specific art of beatboxing remains a novel but potentially impactful tool to support communication goals and objectives. This session aims to introduce professionals to beatboxing through a clinical lens. By way of observation and guided practice with a professional beatboxer and SLP, participants will be familiarized with the history and fundamentals of beatboxing. The theoretical and empirical connections of beatboxing to SLP, including speech and voice production, will be discussed. The potential impact of beatboxing on engagement during the intervention, especially within a group setting, will be explored. Participants will reflect on ways to integrate beatboxing into practice for individuals of different ages and communication needs.

Guest: Brea Murakami, MM, MT-BC - Research demonstrates that musicians often have better speech-processing skills than non-musicians. This episode provides an overview of the OPERA hypothesis, which outlines five mechanisms (Overlap, Precision, Emotion, Repetition, and Attention) and explains how music experiences can benefit speech and language processing. The guest will share real-life case examples of how singing can be used to practice speech-related goals, along with intervention ideas and variations that non-musician speech-language pathologists can lead.

Guest: Erik X. Raj, PhD, CCC-SLP - This exciting episode features an interdisciplinary SLP, associate professor, and rock musician discussing the intersection of music and speech theoretically and experientially. Discover how music technology and music-based tools can be implemented as practical, evidence-based interventions in your practice, as well as how your own personal musical journey (or any creative journey) can fruitfully influence your contributions to a disparate field such as speech therapy.