The Authentic SLP

In this episode, Nicole sits down with Bayside Therapy Specialists’ clinical director, Courtney , for a candid conversation about growth — as clinicians, as leaders, and as a team committed to doing things differently. Courtney shares her full-circle journey from SLPA to clinical director, what drew her back to Bayside after grad school, and why continuous learning has become such a core part of h...

Are you a tired, anxious parent trying to figure out feeding, reflux, breastfeeding, or “gut stuff” with your baby… while the medical system tells you to just wait and see ? 🍼😩 In this episode of The Authentic SLP , Nicole sits down with Jamie Perez, MS, CCC-SLP , pediatric feeding therapist, lactation counselor, and owner of Thriving Joy Pediatric Therapy . Jamie shares her journey from wedding...

Christy DelCamp, PA-C , shares how her NICU-to-mom journey led her to functional pediatrics—covering gut health, picky eating, anxiety, sleep and airway, the first 1,000 days, and simple changes parents can make right now. Topic: Practical, evidence-informed ways families can address root causes behind common pediatric issues—eczema, reflux, picky eating, anxiety, sleep/airway concerns, and freque...

Former special-education teacher and Certified Lactation Counselor Meredith J. joins Nicole to simplify IEPs and 504s, compare public, charter, and private school options, and share down-to-earth breastfeeding guidance—without the pressure. This episode helps parents know what to ask, when to advocate, and how to trust their intuition. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & who Meredith is (teacher → UAE...

In this heart-felt, practical conversation, Nicole Yates sits down with Giselle Madera-Rodriguez —SLP/educator, EI specialist, teletherapy pro, and founder of Growth in Connections . We cover how to build authentic parent partnerships, what truly makes teletherapy work, why parent coaching is the secret sauce, and actionable steps for toddlers (2–3) with emerging speech/behavior concerns—especiall...

Description: In this inspiring episode, Nicole Yates, MS CCC-SLP, sits down with Jessica Bird , founder of Tweet Like a Bird Speech Therapy , to talk about building a private practice, balancing motherhood, and creating meaningful connections with families. Jessica shares her journey from discovering her calling as a speech-language pathologist at age 11 on Kodiak Island, Alaska, to building a thr...

In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode of The Authentic SLP , host Nicole Yates, MS CCC-SLP sits down with Dr. Joleen Fernald , a nationally recognized speech-language pathologist and DIRFloortime® training leader whose journey from aspiring Broadway performer to pioneering therapist reshaped the way she—and thousands of others—see children. Dr. Fernald shares how her daughter’s selective mutis...

In this episode of The Authentic SLP Podcast , host Nicole Yates, MS CCC/SLP , sits down with Kristina Madden, MS CCC/SLP, CLC , founder of Madden Therapy Solutions . With over 18 years as a speech-language pathologist and 10 years as a certified lactation counselor, Kristina shares her professional journey from hospitals to private practice, highlighting the heart, challenges, and evolution of fe...

In this episode of The Authentic SLP , Nicole unpacks one of the most overlooked roots of feeding, speech, and sleep challenges: oral-facial function. She explains how tongue/lip/“buccal” ties, low tongue posture, mouth breathing, enlarged adenoids/tonsils, pacifiers/thumb-sucking past 12 months, and true oral-motor weakness can shape a child’s palate, airway, behavior, and articulation over time....

In this second episode of The Authentic SLP , Nicole dives into one of the most common concerns parents bring to her clinic: toddlers who aren’t talking by age two. She shares the most frequent reasons behind delayed speech—from ENT issues like fluid in the ears and enlarged adenoids, to autism spectrum differences, bilingual language learning, attention challenges, and more. Nicole speaks candidl...

✨ “If you’ve ever wondered whether your child is truly being understood… you’re in the right place.” In this very first episode, Nicole Yates, MS CCC-SLP, shares the heart behind The Authentic SLP and why this space was created. You’ll learn what to expect in future episodes, the mission of helping every child feel seen, valued, and understood, and how you can connect for resources and coaching....