Speech and Language Kids Podcast

Grab the Fast Track to Dismissal Toolkit Now at www. SpeechAndLanguageKids.com/Fast Are you spending a huge chunk of your time on students who are technically "still on your caseload"… but honestly should be transitioning out of direct services? In this episode, we're talking about one of the biggest drains on SLP time: students who linger in direct services longer than necessary — even after they...

If you've ever had a client who  just cannot get the /r/ sound no matter how many times you model it, you are not alone. The /r/ is one of the trickiest sounds in speech therapy… and it's also one of the most common reasons kids stay on caseloads way longer than they should. In this episode, I'm sharing 15 practical, therapist-tested strategies for teaching the /r/ sound (especially for those kids...

Every effective SLP has it…even if they don't realize it. There's a hidden decision tree guiding their therapy choices: what areas to target, what skills to teach, what to do next, and when to move on. It's not something you're explicitly taught in grad school. It's something you slowly build over years of experience. In this episode, I'm making that invisible decision tree visible . We'll walk th...

Speech-language pathologists are quitting left and right.  And some are leaving the profession all together. When we talk about SLP turnover, the conversation usually turns to caseload size, pay, or work-life balance. And yes, those things matter. But they're symptoms, not the root problem. In this episode, we zoom out and look at what's actually driving burnout and turnover in speech-language pat...

Children aren't meant to linger in speech and language therapy for years, but many do. In this episode, we're breaking down why that happens and exactly how to move students efficiently toward dismissal without abandoning support. You'll learn a clear, tiered workflow for speech-language services that helps teams: Teach missing skills directly (without over-servicing) Reduce pull-out time as soon...

An increasing number of SLPs are noticing something new: word-final repetitions, breathing or pauses in the middle of words, and extra sounds popping up between words. These atypical disfluencies don't always look like "classic" stuttering and the research on what to do about them is…messy. In this episode, I walk through a real-world case review of word-final stuttering and other atypical disflue...

Teletherapy doesn't have to feel chaotic, complicated, or exhausting. In today's episode, we're breaking down a simple, no-fluff system for running effective and engaging speech-language teletherapy sessions, whether you're supporting speech, language, fluency, social skills, or functional communication. You'll learn how to confidently define your role, identify exactly which skills to target, and...

Ever cried in the school break room because you were doing everything you could for your students… and it still didn't feel like enough? Yeah. Me too. In today's episode, I'm sharing my origin story of how I went from an overwhelmed school SLP (piecing together random activities, constantly behind, constantly doubting myself) to creating this amazing company where I'm now selling my own Curriculum...

School-age language therapy can feel like the Wild West!  There are too many different skills to teach and no clear answer on what will actually move the needle for our clients. In today's episode, we're cutting through the chaos and laying out a clear, practical roadmap for real-world therapy activities that will actually help your language clients. You'll learn: How Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 su...

Dreading one (or more) of your sessions this week? You're not alone—every SLP has those "please don't make me go in there" moments. And most of the time, that dread comes from one thing: not having the right materials or a clear plan for progress. In Part 2 of our Caseload Makeover series, I'll walk you step-by-step through how to match each client's goals with the right Therapy Packet inside the...

Are you working with a child or teen who stutters?   In today's episode, Carrie breaks down four simple, research-supported exercises that help school-age children and teens communicate more effectively.  This episode is action-packed, full of exercises and strategies that you can use in speech therapy right away or at home to support a child or teen who is struggling. We're moving beyond theory. ...

What should we focus on in middle school and high school speech/language therapy? In today's episode, I'll share with you a practical, no-fluff framework for supporting teenagers on real-life communication skills through our speech/language therapy sessions. We'll cover the four big areas that matter most for helping adolescents thrive in school, work, relationships, and independence: Executive Fu...

Get ready for a totally transparent, behind-the-scenes walk through how I actually run speech and language therapy.  No jargon, no overthinking, and definitely no fluff. In today's episode, I'm breaking down my entire therapy system from start to finish. You'll learn exactly how I choose goals, organize materials, run sessions, and streamline data collection using the SLK Curriculum and Goal Packe...

Whether you've inherited a messy caseload… …or you've simply been in survival mode so long that things are a bit chaotic…. Our Caseload Makeover will help you clean up your caseload and get rid of inefficiencies. This month, join us on a journey to streamline your caseload, fast track clients who are close to dismissal, and make your planning process smooth and easy. In this episode, we kick off o...

How Do We Help Non-Speaking Children? Helping an autistic child learn to speak can feel overwhelming—it's so hard to know where to start.  But these 6 simple strategies are easy to use and create big impact for our autistic clients and children. Whether you're a speech-language pathologist in the therapy room, a parent at home, a teacher in the classroom, or a childcare provider, these strategies...

In today's episode, I'm diving into one of the most important communication skills we can teach our neurodivergent children and teens:  conversation . Some children are natural conversationalists, while others need more support—and neither way is "better." But when a child struggles with the nuances of back-and-forth interaction, they deserve tools that help them feel confident, understood, and co...

Too many SLPs feel pressured to bring brand-new activities to every session—but that actually slows progress and burns you out. In today's episode, I explain why sticking with one structured teaching activity (like the workbooks inside our Curriculum) creates better, faster results… and how AI can fill in the gaps with unlimited, customized practice. We walk through a real example targeting vocabu...

Is it actually OK to teach perspective-taking to autistic youth? In this episode, Carrie breaks down the current controversy, explains why so many SLPs feel confused about whether they're "allowed" to teach these skills anymore, and unpacks how traditional Theory of Mind instruction became entwined with masking, judgment, and deficit-based thinking. You'll learn what the real issue is (hint: it's...

Today I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes look at a HUGE upgrade coming to the SLK Curriculum: data probes for all 84 of our speech, language, and communication goal packets! In this episode, I share why I'm adding these probes (including my recent experience in a rural school district), what the new system looks like, and how these quick assessments will help you set goals, track progress, and str...

It's Caseload Makeover January, and today I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what's happening on my end. This month, I'm not only helping three amazing SLPs inside my private coaching program overhaul their systems—I'm also doing a full caseload makeover myself after taking on a surprise "caseload takeover" at a rural school. In this episode, I share: ✔️ How I stepped into another SLP's ca...

Why is it often so hard to motivate a child or teenager with ADHD to get things done?  In this episode, we're reframing "lack of motivation" and getting to the real issue: motivation doesn't disappear in ADHD—it gets blocked. Often, what looks like laziness, defiance, or avoidance is actually a breakdown in specific executive functioning skills. As part of Hyperfocus January, I'm walking you throu...

Executive functioning challenges can show up everywhere—getting started, staying focused, managing emotions, handling transitions, and keeping track of what needs to happen next. In this episode, we break down what executive functioning really is, why it's so foundational for neurodivergent children and teens, and how to support these skills in a way that builds independence instead of pressure. T...

What do all neurodiverse children and teens truly need in order to learn, communicate, and thrive? In this kickoff episode of our Hyperfocus January series, I break down the four foundational pillars that support neurodiverse individuals across diagnoses, ages, and settings—whether they have communication differences, learning differences, are autistic, have ADHD, are gestalt language processors,...

Our voice and resonance curriculums provide a clear, structured approach for helping children and teens improve their vocal quality, projection, and resonance in healthy, sustainable ways. Each plan includes practical strategies and guided activities that teach students how to use their voice effectively and comfortably across real-world settings—from the classroom to the stage. Give your students...

Our fluency curriculums provide a clear, organized framework for helping children who stutter or have other disfluencies develop the tools they need to communicate effectively. Each plan teaches practical, real-world strategies that help students navigate speaking situations with greater comfort, confidence, and control—whether they're in the classroom, with friends, or out in the community. Give...