ASHA Voices

Many people turn to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) when they lose­—or never have—their voice or ability to speak. But today’s guests say AAC should not be viewed only as a last resort. Autistic advocate endever* corbin (who uses lower-case letters and an asterisk as part of their name) and SLP Amy Donaldson are supporting access for all autistic people—some of whom may choose to...

We’re kicking off 2023 with a replay of some of the podcast’s most memorable moments from the past year. We’ll start with two SLPs who address how their work intersects with high-interest stories: the continued opioid crisis and the increased public attention on aphasia after Bruce Willis announced that the condition has ended his acting career. Plus, in the spirit of new beginnings, we’ll hear th...

Hear two conversations about working and studying outside the United States in communication sciences and disorders. Audiologist/SLP Mershen Pillay from Massey University in New Zealand and audiologist Ishara Ramkissoon from Gallaudet University join the podcast. They discuss a service-learning trip they designed for students from the U.S. traveling to South Africa, and share what the experience r...

Researchers are still learning about the effects and path to recovery for those with “long COVID”—a lingering, often-grueling condition following COVID-19 infection, with symptoms that can include fatigue, loss of taste and smell, lingering fevers, and brain fog. SLP Julie Sullivan is the first point of contact for long COVID patients at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital COVID Recovery Center. She...

This conversation was originally published in April 2022. From University of Pittsburgh, audiologist Elaine Mormer and pharmacist Lucas Berenbrok say over-the-counter hearing aids could create new opportunities for both professions. They say it’s important for pharmacists to be able to spot hearing health “red flags.” Find out why, and how that help spurs more referrals to audiologists.

Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are now available for purchase without a prescription, but the implications of this change for audiologists and the public is just beginning to play out. Audiologist and researcher Marcia Hay-McCutcheon is asking questions about what these devices might mean for people living in rural areas with no audiology services, and she’s taking those questions on the road...

Meet two audiologists who use their clinics on wheels to reach people who have unaddressed hearing loss. From designing their space to finding their clients, these audiologists tell us what it’s like to run a business and serve patients on the road. Look for the transcript for this episode online at on.asha.org/podcast

People with disabilities affecting speech, language, and voice are at higher risk for avoidable health care errors and negative health care outcomes, says SLP Megan Morris, a faculty member at the University of Colorado. Her work addresses health care disparities experienced by people with disabilities and disabilities related to communication. She discusses the role that CSD professionals play in...

We all speak in different dialects. Today’s guest, John Baugh, provides history and context for those differences in the way we speak in the U.S., and explores their effects.   Baugh, president of the Linguistic Society of America, shares how dialect can be used to discriminate against people, which he refers to as linguistic profiling. Baugh explains how linguistic profiling can affect all facets...

SLP Emily Kornman discusses her work as a part of Team Gleason, a nonprofit supporting people with ALS. When ALS erodes someone’s ability to speak, many turn to augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, to find their voice. Kornman discusses her work with AAC devices and voice and message banking. Plus, we’ll hear a first-hand account from a family Kornman assisted with message banking i...

Audiologist Laura Coco and otologist Carrie Nieman join the podcast to preview their talks at the Research Symposium on Hearing, part of the 2022 ASHA Convention in November. The two focus on health care disparities and access issues, sharing innovative ways to meet hearing care needs—including the use of community health workers. Both researchers look at how these trusted community members can he...

If you’ve ever looked at someone else and thought, “How do I get that job?”—this episode is for you. ASHA Voices is bringing you three SLPs' accounts of moving from something familiar to something new. These SLPs took a risk or made a move, and their careers haven't been the same since. They tell how they’re applying their CSD skills and knowledge to entirely new challenges.

How can a blow to the head result in difficulties with hearing and listening? Audiologist Gail Whitelaw discusses what clinicians may want to consider when assessing or treating a person who's had a brain injury. She tells the story of one patient's long road to hearing care after acquiring a TBI during the Boston Marathon bombing. Plus, author and researcher Nina Kraus (“Of Sound Mind”) takes us...

First, hear from two SLPs in Chicago. This mentor-mentee duo shares lessons and stories from the more than 35 years they’ve known each other. In the second half of the episode, we hear from two bilingual SLPs. The way they met would have been impossible just a few years ago. Hear what resulted from this international mentorship.

Amanda Piper is one of just a few audiologists in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago. Inspired by a personal connection, Piper traveled to the U.S. to study audiology, and today, she works as a clinical audiologist for the Trinidad and Tobago Association for the Hearing Impaired. In recounting her education at UNC Greensboro and Vanderbilt University and career path back to her home country, ...

How do society’s expectations of people who stutter affect those speakers’ experiences?   As a person who stutters and as an SLP specializing in stuttering, Chris Constantino of Florida State University discusses how concepts like neurodiversity and the social model of disability can influence and inspire intervention. He shares what these ideas mean to him and how they might look if they’re appli...

This conversation was originally published in August 2021. Clients need to feel that they are valued and respected, and for gender-diverse clients, this often begins with the language we use. The consequences of not showing this respect can be large. They can even lead to negative client outcomes, as our guest today shares. SLP Greg Robinson is a faculty member at the University of Arkansas for Me...

On this episode of the podcast, we’re joined by SLP Wendy Olsen for a conversation of interest to SLPs in health care. Olsen discusses the effects of opioids on respiration and how collaboration may be the key to meeting patients’ needs.   Olsen is a post-doctoral researcher at the Breathing Research and Therapeutic Center at the University of Florida. The interprofessional research center focuses...

Two SLPs invite you to rethink your approach to swallowing disorders. Ed Bice and Alicia Vose advocate for taking the fear out of dysphagia treatment—starting with the language we use. In recognition of Dysphagia Awareness Month, we hear their insights on the words they choose and how they approach conversations with physicians. We also discuss what a person-centered approach looks like, and why i...

In this episode, we feature two SLPs who have been interviewed on the podcast. We’ll hear from the voices behind the words on the page: an SLP whose children’s book is equal parts personal and professional and a school-based SLP collecting and sharing real-life stories of cultural responsiveness.

It’s graduation season at many colleges and universities, and ASHA Voices is taking the occasion to look forward and explore the pipeline into the professions. What might the future of CSD look like? Increasing diversity, representation, and inclusion in the pipeline through colleges and universities continues to be critical. On this episode of the podcast, we’ve gathered three leaders from CSD pr...

You’ve surely read the headlines: Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting due to the effects of aphasia. Amidst the many career retrospectives and heartfelt appreciations of him online are scores of articles offering varying definitions and explanations of his condition. SLP Fabi Hirsch joins the podcast for a conversation about this complex disorder, and her work with public figures who have it...

From University of Pittsburgh, audiologist Elaine Mormer and pharmacist Lucas Berenbrok say the forthcoming over-the-counter hearing aids could create new opportunities for both professions. They say it’s important for pharmacists to be able to spot hearing health “red flags.” Find out why, and how that help spurs more referrals to audiologists.

Gayla Poling, director of diagnostic audiology research at Mayo Clinic, joins the podcast to discuss ototoxicity and the role audiologists play in preventing and managing medication-related hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular issues. Poling describes her work co-leading subgroups on aminoglycosides and cancer treatment as a part of the International Ototoxicity Management Group. The interprofes...

This conversation was originally published in September 2021. Often associated with race and socioeconomic status, health care disparities can have a devastating impact. The disparities affect everything from finances to health care outcomes. Guests explain how the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn public attention to disparities in care that have always existed. And they say everyone has a role to pla...