Beyond Words by Pop Family

Building from last episode "Keeping Kids Engaged Over Telehealth" , this episode is an essential guide for parents, caregivers, and health professionals who are looking for tools to choose the right speech therapist, ask the right questions, and build a partnership that accelerates progress. Whether you're navigating speech therapy remotely or in person, discover how strengthening relationships, a...

Is teletherapy worth it for kids? Speech Pathologists Heidi and Lucy break down the frequently asked questions about speech therapy when it comes to keeping children engaged.  They explore the critical role of connection in speech therapy, emphasising the importance of collaboration between therapists and parents. This episode discusses how relationships and trust are foundational to successful th...

Thinking of getting the snip? Heidi dives into the world of tongue ties with Lyndal Thomas, Pop Family's Head of Speech Pathology. Together, they explore their personal and professional journey of understanding and treating tongue ties, highlighting the impact on speech, eating, and overall health.  Lyndal shares her own experiences and insights from tongue tie surgery as an adult (aka a lingual f...

Heidi and Monique simplify the complexities of speech therapy costs in Australia, exploring various funding sources such as community health services, schools, NDIS, and private therapy options. The discussion emphasises the importance of understanding how therapy is billed, the expected costs, and the role of family support in achieving therapy goals. Heidi and Mon also touch on the significance...

In this extended cut of "What is Neurodiversity", Heidi interviews Tina Evans, a speech pathologist and clinical lead for neurodiversity at Pop Online Speech Therapy. They discuss Tina's journey into the field, the concept of neurodiversity, and the importance of understanding and advocating for neurodivergent individuals. The conversation covers the evolution of terminology, the significance of e...

In this conversation of "What is Neurodiversity", Heidi interviews Tina Evans, a speech pathologist and clinical lead for neurodiversity at Pop Online Speech Therapy. Heidi asks questions as a mum and they explore the concept of neurodiversity and its implications for parents. They discuss the importance of understanding neurodiversity, and the need for empathy in therapy. The conversation emphasi...

Rural stay-at-home mum of 4, Sarah Giltrow joins Heidi Trusler as she shares her harrowing experience of a choking incident involving her daughter and discusses the importance of emergency preparedness, particularly in rural and remote areas.  She emphasises the need for first aid knowledge and advocates for the LifeVac device as a potential lifesaver. The discussion also touches on the importance...

In episode 30, Heidi has a conversation with Pop's Clinical Lead for Language and Literacy, Monique, to explore the complexities of navigating speech therapy funding in Australia. Heidi quizzes Monique on what parents need to know about Medicare and NDIS options. Monique provides her top insights into Medicare's Chronic Condition Management Plan, the importance of preparation for GP appointments,...

In Episode 29 of Beyond Words (our first episode of season 2!), Heidi Trusler shares her journey as a mum, a speech pathologist and as the founder of Pop Family, a telehealth speech therapy service. She reflects on her childhood experiences, the challenges she faced in her career, and her passion for empowering mothers with knowledge about child development and communication. The podcast aims to p...

Bonnie's journey through Trimester Four is the focus of today's episode and it is a true testament to her unending strength and resilience! During her pregnancy, Bonnie experienced complications in the form of severe preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and hip pain that prevented her from walking more than a few metres. But it was after her son Patrick was born (at 37 weeks and 2.5 kilograms) that...

Welcome back to the Pop Family Podcast! Today we're covering Heidi's fourth trimester (we'll hear all about Bonnie's fourth trimester in the next episode!). She walks us through her time at the hospital after giving birth and explains how she diagnosed her baby's tongue tie, why the hospital was not helpful with the issue, and the frenectomy she decided on. We also discuss the expectations we have...

Welcome back to another episode of the Pop Family Podcast! The beautiful Bonnie is back with us again today to share her and Heidi's birth stories from January this year (2022). The accounts of their birthing experiences are quite detailed and may be triggering for some. We begin with Bonnie's journey as she tells us of her pre-labour experience, why she had to be induced, and why her options arou...

Welcome back to the Pop Family Podcast! Today, CEO Heidi is joined by Bonnie once again, this time to discuss the third trimester of their pregnancies. We dive deep into our struggles such as weight gain, self-confidence, swollen ankles, gestational diabetes, and everything in between! We also take a look at the highlights of the third trimester and the special feeling you get when people are so l...

Today's guest, Kate, is a freelance content creator, Mum of a child with dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD, and the co-founder of the Read3 Literacy Program (if you're interested in learning more about Read 3, tune into our previous podcast with Robyn, Kate's co-founder!). In today's episode, we have an open-hearted discussion (interspersed with a few tears!) about Kate's journey of dealing with her s...

When it comes to literacy difficulties, early intervention is everything. Today on the Spot Family Podcast we're joined by one of the best in the business to discuss early literacy difficulties, how to identify them, and some insightful tips on how to treat them! Robyn Monaghan has been a working speech pathologist for almost 40 years and, for the past 20, has focused her practice on assisting you...

Everyone's pregnancy journey is different, with its own unique challenges and highlights. In this episode of the Spot Family Podcast, resident speechies Bonnie and Heidi recap their respective experiences of trimester two! We hear about Bonnie's struggle with chronic pelvic pain and Heidi's seemingly everlasting food aversion, and how they managed these challenges. Our hosts fill us in on the imme...

Hyperactivity, endless energy, incessant speaking, and impulsivity... These are some common signs of classic ADHD in little ones that many of us may recognise. Today on the Spot Family Podcast we're speaking to Olwen Forker from Backchat Speech Pathology in Brisbane, who's bringing her extensive ADHD expertise to the conversation with a particular focus on awareness around inattentive ADHD markers...

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the Spot Family Podcast!   Today is the next instalment in our series on early child development and pregnancy! We discuss how each pregnancy is different, what we expected versus the reality of what our bodies were asking for, and some ways each of our lives have improved over the last few months.   Bonnie shares a very personal scare that happened in he...

There are times where traditional sensory feeding therapy is ineffective and it is in these cases where a more holistic, environmental approach might be taken. Here at Spot, we firmly believe that preventative or environmental measures are the most important step in making a difference to your child's oral development journey. We are so grateful to welcome Melanie Potock back onto the show to cont...

Thanks for tuning in to the Spot Family Podcast! Today we have the first in a series of special episodes on early, early, early child development. These episodes will focus on two of the Spot team members' unique journeys towards motherhood with over ten years of experience working as child development professionals.    Tune in to our conversation to hear the changes both Bonnie and Heidi implemen...

Despite what ads and movies would have us believe, mealtime with a young one can be a source of anxiety for many parents, particularly if that child is a picky eater. Today, we chat to international speaker, author, therapist, and mother Melanie Potock, who brings her blend of vast experience and practical therapy to help us manage this common issue. 'Coach Mel' talks us through everything on this...

This week on the Spot Family podcast, we get together with Danielle Copplin to learn more about educational and developmental psychology. In our conversation with Danielle, we discuss her role in diagnosing neurodevelopmental disorders like dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD, to name a few. We delve into how a formal diagnosis can help families seek out and access the support they need and why parents...

Janice Zee from Little Birdie Books joins us on the Spot Family Podcast today to talk about reading  with  children, how to deeply engage the important parts of a child's brain, the philosophy at her company, and so much more! We get to hear from Janice about the research that informs and underpins all the work at Little Birdie Books, and she also shares some basic information on how parents can m...

Fifteen years ago, when Dr David McIntosh was in the process of becoming a paediatric ENT, a study came out that showed how common it is for sleep-disordered breathing pathologies to be misdiagnosed as having ADHD. This is one of the many ways in which children suffer negative impacts of poor quality sleep. Others include detrimental impacts on cognitive function and cardiovascular health. If you...

A lack of sleep impacts our concentration, behaviour, emotions, energy levels and ability to learn, and it appears that children suffer more than adults. However, until quite recently, this vital activity was largely neglected by the medical profession. Our guest today, Dr David McIntosh, is a paediatric ENT who has centred his practice around improving the way children breathe at night in order t...