ASHA Voices

Guests on this podcast episode characterize work with pediatric disorders of consciousness as a "marathon, not a sprint." Through long stretches of rehabilitation, speech-language pathologists work closely with these young patients’ families, who may be in a process of grieving. Two SLPs from a children’s hospital in Texas discuss counseling families in this second of two episodes exploring disord...

Disorders of consciousness, often associated with brain injuries, vary in severity and can include patients who are unresponsive or experiencing confusion. What comes next for these patients and their families and care partners can be a long, emotionally difficult journey through uncertainty.   SLP Emily Silverberg of Spaulding Rehabilitation shares her insights from treating patients all along th...

Two SLPs share how they arrived where they are today and what they learned along the way. First, Kelly Peña (Rutgers University/former president of ASHA’s Hispanic Caucus) shares a story of the people who brought her into the profession and what she’s passing on to the next generation of multilingual practitioners. Later in the episode, hear from Anusha Sundarrajan (San Francisco State University/...

In our second episode recognizing Disability Pride Month and the 35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Eileen Nordmeyer shares a personal story about the influence of disability on her career. Nordmeyer has worked in many different settings and practiced as a speech-language pathologist for more than 30 years. When her son was born with a genetic disorder, it changed the way she...

In recognition of Disability Pride Month and the 35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, two CSD professionals share personal stories of disability advocacy. Angela Evenich—who has previously written about the influence of cerebral palsy on her career as a speech-language pathologist—discusses the people and ideas that have changed her perspective on disability. Then, audiologist...

SLPs Meg Lico and Kaitlin Hanley from NYU Langone Health share their story of working with Aaron James, the recipient of what’s being called as the first ever full-eye and partial-face transplant. They describe how they worked with James to reach his goals, such as eating solid foods with his family. Central to the story is their collaboration and the interdepartmental communication that made succ...

When people with cancer are treated with ototoxic drugs and interventions, they may experience hearing loss and tinnitus. The audiologist's role in addressing the needs of cancer patients can be critical to fostering awareness and preventing hearing loss.   On this podcast, a panel of three audiologists discuss the services they deliver, the interprofessional collaboration at the heart of their ca...

As we approach graduation season, we’re turning our attention to speech-language pathologists’ role in helping students move from high school to the next phase of their lives. Twyla Perryman-Brownlow (University of West Georgia) shares ways SLPs can equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate a meaningful transition to whatever comes next—such as employment, trade school, or...

SLP Derek Daniels says stigmatizing actions, like imitating stuttering, can lead people who stutter to remove themselves from opportunities and create a diminished quality of life. Daniels unpacks an example from his own life to give a glimpse into three different ways people can experience stigma. He shares how SLPs can address stigma in their work, and later in the episode, discusses his researc...

As a podcast host, husband, and occasional stand-up comedian, Jules Rodriquez uses his voice in many ways. But as a person with ALS, Rodriquez knew intonation was going to be a challenge until he tapped into the use of artificial intelligence. On this episode of the podcast, a panel of guests—including Rodriquez—discusses how AI and voice-cloning technology are changing the way AAC users communica...

AAC users and their families stand to benefit from preparing for natural disasters—like a hurricane, or the recent fires that spread through parts of Los Angeles. On the podcast, two SLPs discuss disaster preparedness, specifically what this means for people who use AAC devices and their care partners. They discuss how SLPs can help AAC users be ready to navigate the unexpected. And hear a persona...

Life in the intensive care unit can be overwhelming. Patients may be intubated, disoriented, and scared. Families may be looking for answers from any provider who enters the room. For SLPs, the environment is noisy and ever-changing, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. On the podcast, SLPs take us behind the scenes to share stories from the ICU. In a wide-ranging discussion, they tackle the signifi...

Patients receiving intensive care may experience emotions that affect their care and services. After a traumatic brain injury or tracheostomy, for example, patients may face many unknowns. SLP Jasmine Keaney realizes this, which helps her navigate where to start and how to reach a patient. Counseling can be as important as direct intervention, she says. Keaney is an assistant professor at the Univ...

Five years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, SLP Rebecca Boersma of George Washington University Hospital’s Long COVID Rehabilitation Clinic says patients with long COVID are often feeling “left in the dust” as they navigate cognitive concerns, including brain fog and fatigue. Boersma shares what she’s learned about the condition, and what she’s hoping to see next for the clinic and the pe...

Singers and other vocal performers can require complex care. As our guests explain, these “vocal athletes” may need a team of interdisciplinary providers on the sidelines. Speech-language pathologist and researcher Aaron Johnson (NYU Langone Health) and singing coach Tyley Ross (New York University Tisch School of the Arts) join the podcast to have a conversation on voice care. They discuss habili...

Speech-language pathologist Jennifer Cripps-Ludlum says her entire life is a mask. As an adult, she discovered she is neurodivergent. The revelation arrived at the 2023 ASHA Convention, during a presentation on recognizing the signs of autism in young girls. After a subsequent panic attack, Cripps-Ludlum asked the presenter this question: “What do you do if you spend so much time masking that you...

“Autistic masking” refers to concealing or changing aspects of oneself to fit in or generally avoid stigmatization. In her research and work with autistic students, SLP Siva priya Santhanam has seen the damaging effects stigma and masking can have on autistic students' mental health and well-being. An assistant professor at Bowling Green State University, Santhanam is a creator of neuro-affirming...

In the years before Jim Henry became an audiologist, he developed hyperacusis, hearing loss, and tinnitus while performing in surf rock bands and working in carpentry. Following more than 35 years as a research audiologist with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Henry is now the author of The Tinnitus Book and several others about managing the condition. In anticipation of Tinnitus Awareness...

SLP Kim Murza visits the podcast with a message of strength. Murza often speaks on strengths-based service delivery. On the podcast, she shares the form that takes in the schools, and what it means for students and SLPs alike. Reflecting on her career, she shares the things she knows today that she wishes she knew early in her work in the schools. Later in the podcast, hear parent, consultant, and...

When dealing with a parent’s concern about their child's communication, a pediatric audiologist may face multidisciplinary issues and need to make referrals.   This episode's guests say pediatric audiologists may be the first step in a larger health care journey. They highlight the importance of delivering appropriate services to families at a critical time.   Hear from two pediatric audiologists...

In this panel discussion, guests address how SLPs can empower themselves to effectively provide their services cross-linguistically. The guests share stories of their personal and professional connections to multilingualism, demonstrating the link between language, identity, and their work. (This conversation was originally published in March 2024.) Learn More: Practice Portal: Multilingual Servic...

SLP Christina Bradburn once faced the challenge of a caseload exceeding 100 students. Hear what she learned from that experience and how, today, she empowers herself by putting a spotlight on the needs and successes of her students. Bradburn also shares three, specific ways school-based SLPs can advocate for themselves to help meet their students’ needs, including: ·     Asking for access to the c...

SLP Elissa Larkin shares three stories showing how communication strategies--like using communication boards and acknowledging patient competence--help patients access health care. A research speech-language pathologist and a bioethicist at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Larkin is the mind behind the Communication Champions interprofessional training program, where she leads courses aimed at improv...

In this second part of our conversation with SLP and health services researcher Jen Oshita, she expands on strategies people with communication disabilities can use to express themselves and more fully participate in their own health care. Hear why Oshita feels SLPs play a pivotal role in improving health care equity for these patients, and what organizations can do to increase communication acces...

SLP Jen Oshita provides strategies SLPs can share with people with communication disabilities to facilitate effective communication in health care. She discusses how communication access in health care interactions can contribute to health disparities, and she addresses barriers to care related to communication, such as rushed appointments with providers or the use of confusing medical jargon. Thr...