The Speech Space Podcast

Jessica Cassity, M.S., CCC-SLP
The Speech Space Podcast

Looking for some fresh ideas for your speech therapy sessions? The Speech Space podcast is a podcast full of tips and resources for speech-language pathologists working in the schools or private practice.

  1. MAR 4

    Sensory Strategies for Speech Therapy Sessions

    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 comfort, the second strategy is including movement in speech therapy sessions, and the third strategy is supporting students during transition times. The episode then discusses the connections between interoception and emotions, and offers three strategies to help students begin to notice and understand these connections in their own bodies. These strategies come from occupational therapist Kelly Mahler, and they are objective labeling, “I wonder” statements, and descriptive language.

    15 min
  2. Essential Counseling Skills for SLPs

    FEB 4

    Essential Counseling Skills for SLPs

    This episode is about essential counseling skills for SLPs. It begins by acknowledging that even though counseling is a daily component of our work as SLPs, it’s not necessarily something that we focus on. Research also indicates that counseling is an area where many SLPs lack confidence. The episode goes on to assert that counseling is simultaneously a bigger and a smaller part of speech-language pathology than we might think. It’s bigger because it’s part of everything we do, and it’s smaller because it’s not an additional task—it’s embedded in our interactions. The episode then cautions that not every type of counseling is within the SLP scope of practice, and sometimes referrals to mental health professionals are necessary. According to ASHA, the two types of counseling within the SLP scope of practice are informational counseling and personal adjustment counseling. Research done by Dr. David Luterman indicates that most SLPs are less confident with personal adjustment counseling. The remainder of the episode focuses on personal adjustment counseling tips from Dr. Luterman’s work. They include recognizing the role of grief, listening actively, and tending to our own personal growth.

    11 min
  3. How to Thrive as a Preschool SLP

    JAN 7

    How to Thrive as a Preschool SLP

    This episode is about how to thrive as a preschool SLP. The episode opens with an acknowledgement that working as an SLP will probably never be easy, but it asserts that thriving is possible. It then moves into a brief recognition of the uniquely challenging and exhausting work that preschool SLPs do each day. The episode then goes on to offer three strategies to thrive as a preschool SLP. The first strategy is embracing authenticity. There’s a common idea that preschool SLPs are bubbly all the time, but students value authenticity more than a specific personality type. The episode also notes the importance of encouraging our students to be authentic as well, and this may mean adjusting some of our behavioral expectations. The second strategy involves being willing to seek out preschool experts, especially because preschool intervention can be a niche area. It’s difficult to thrive when we believe that we have to figure everything out on our own! The third strategy is about simplifying our therapy and focusing on activities that are backed by research and can target multiple skills at once.

    10 min
  4. SLPs and Conflict Management

    12/03/2024

    SLPs and Conflict Management

    This episode is about SLPs and conflict management. It opens with a discussion of Nonviolent Communication, an approach that focuses on using empathy during challenging interactions. There are four main components in Nonviolent Communication: observation, feelings, needs and requests. A core understanding within Nonviolent Communication is that everything we do is in service of our needs. This idea can help us understand why others do what they do—and why we do what we do! Nonviolent Communication also uses animal metaphors to describe different communication styles. Jackal communication is aggressive and judgmental, and operates with a limited perspective. Giraffe communication comes from the heart, and it uses a more expansive perspective. After exploring Nonviolent Communication, I talk about strategies from Harvard’s Program on Negotiation. These strategies focus on finding common ground during a conflict. I close the episode with a reminder that listening can be one of our most powerful actions in a conflict. In his book Never Split the Difference, well-known hostage negotiator Chris Voss emphasizes that the listener is the participant who controls a conversation.

    15 min
  5. Powerful Communication Tips for SLPs

    11/05/2024

    Powerful Communication Tips for SLPs

    This episode shares communication tips to use during situations that tend to involve complex and nuanced conversations; e.g., at family gatherings over the holidays, and during meetings with parents or caregivers. The strategies that are included in the episode come from three recently released books about communication. The first book I discuss is Permission to Speak, by Samara Bay. The tips from this book include deep belly breathing and an intentional approach to glottal fry and upspeak. The second book I discuss is Supercommunicators, by Charles Duhigg. The tips from this book include knowing what type of conversation you are having, looping for understanding, and preparing for conversations ahead of time. The third book I discuss is How to Know a Person, by David Brooks. The tip from this book is all about working towards using communication to see the best in others.

    14 min
  6. Supporting Increased Diversity in the SLP Profession

    10/01/2024

    Supporting Increased Diversity in the SLP Profession

    This episode discusses the reasons why it’s important to support increased diversity in the SLP profession. I provide demographic information related to the SLP field, and then share results from two studies that indicate improved outcomes for patients and students when they have a shared racial or ethnic identity with their medical providers and/or teachers. I explain that in school settings, approximately 80% of students who receive SLP services are not white, and because 90% of SLPs are white, this mismatch could negatively impact student outcomes. Throughout the episode, I propose simple actions that SLPs can take to help make increased diversity a reality in our profession.

    15 min
  7. Top Five Evaluation Tips for SLPs

    09/17/2024

    Top Five Evaluation Tips for SLPs

    This episode covers the top five evaluation tips for SLPs. I discuss the difference between the terms “evaluation” and “assessment,” and offer five practical tips to help make the evaluation process easier for SLPs. These tips include learning about the student’s strengths, making the language sample analysis process more efficient, using templates for reports, collaborating with families and teachers, and gathering baseline data during the evaluation process. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here:___

    16 min
  8. Building Belonging in Speech Therapy

    09/03/2024

    Building Belonging in Speech Therapy

    This episode focuses on building belonging in speech therapy sessions. I share three different definitions of belonging, and then focus on simple principles and strategies to help our students and clients experience a sense of belonging in the speech room and beyond. These include fostering a sense of ownership and agency, establishing routines that encourage belonging, honoring student identities, having high expectations for students and helping them meet these expectations, addressing the challenges of transitions, and helping students connect to their core values. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here:___

    15 min
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    4.8
    out of 5
    112 Ratings

    About

    Looking for some fresh ideas for your speech therapy sessions? The Speech Space podcast is a podcast full of tips and resources for speech-language pathologists working in the schools or private practice.

    Information

    • Creator
      Jessica Cassity, M.S., CCC-SLP
    • Years Active
      2017 - 2025
    • Episodes
      91
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Show Website
      The Speech Space Podcast

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