SLP Coffee Talk

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie finally tells her own story. From an undecided freshman at University of Buffalo to accidentally falling in love with speech pathology through a friend doing phonetics homework in the library, to getting peed on the morning of her one job interview in 2009 — yeah, that happened. If you’ve been listening for a while and always wondered how Speech Time Fun...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Victoria Dertouzos—SLP and founder of Speech and Stuttering Therapy of New Jersey—about why stuttering therapy looks so different than it used to, and why that’s a good thing. Victoria breaks down what a modern, neurodiversity-affirming approach to stuttering actually looks like in practice, how to assess what you’ve been missing, and what to...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Mary Woodward—speech-language therapist, justice and mental health specialist, and university lecturer based in Sydney—about why trauma-informed care belongs in every SLP’s toolkit, no matter where you practice. Mary shares what trauma actually means clinically, how it shows up in communication and behavior, and the core principles that can sh...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Emily Byers Chaney—pediatric SLP, private practice owner, and neurodiversity affirming advocate—about why following directions goals might not be telling you what you think they are. Emily shares how working alongside Jessie Ginsburg shifted her entire clinical lens, what’s really happening when a child doesn’t follow a direction, and how to b...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Sarah Bishop—14-year school-based SLP, California Speech-Hearing Association president, and union rep—about why being a generalist is actually your biggest flex. Sarah shares her winding path to the field (spoiler: it starts with an art history degree and museum tours), why school-based SLPs need to stop apologizing for knowing a little of ever...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie gets honest with new grads and CFs who are quietly wondering if they’re already behind. She talks through what imposter syndrome actually looks and feels like in those early weeks — the brain-blank first session, the late-night Google spiral — and why all of it is completely normal. If you’re a new SLP asking “what if I can’t do this?”, this one was made...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie breaks down the realistic SLP toolkit that no grad program actually prepares you for. She walks through what new grads really need before stepping into their CF year — from skipping the summer shopping spree to treating week one like a recon mission. If you’re a brand new SLP wondering where to even begin, this one’s for you. Bullet Points to Discuss:  Do...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Daj Mitchell—school-based SLP, online educator, and Illinois State University graduate—about getting everyone on board with AAC. With over six years of experience serving pediatric and adult clients across settings, Daj breaks down her buy-in stair step framework and explains why many SLPs accidentally skip to the last step. She shares practic...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie tackles the real reason your middle and high school students check out the moment you explain the session goal — and it’s not the goal itself. She walks through five signs your explanation isn’t clicking and how to flip each one so students actually get it. If your students would rather do anything but be in your session, this one’s for you.​​​​​​​​​​​​​...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie Sherman chats with Bradi O’Rourke, owner of Braxy Speech Therapy, all about the magic of play-based, child-led therapy. Bradi breaks down how ditching rigid, drill-heavy sessions and leaning into connection, creativity, and a little bit of mess can lead to more meaningful communication. She shares how meeting kids where they are, following their lead, an...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Cary—school SLP, private practice clinician, and creator of the SLP Grad Student Instagram page—about finding your why and holding onto it when things get hard. Cary gets honest about the rejection letters, Praxis failures, and imposter syndrome she pushed through on her way to the field, and shares what the CF year really feels like when you&a...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie gets real about one of the biggest challenges with older students—resistance. From crossed arms to "I'm only here because my mom made me," she breaks down why grades 4–12 students push back in the first place—it's not laziness—and walks through five practical steps for building genuine buy-in. This episode is full of compassion-first s...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Allison Carpenter—elementary school SLP by day and telehealth provider by night—about what it actually looks like to work two jobs without running yourself into the ground. Allison traces her path from a private practice CF in small-town Texas to a school SLP in Dallas, and gets real about why burnout pushed her to make the switch. She breaks...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Ebony Green—speech-language pathologist, private practice owner, and founder of a thriving multidisciplinary clinic, The SPEAK Center for Language and Learning—about what it really takes to bet on yourself and build a business from scratch. Ebony shares her winding path from Teach for America teacher to SLP to CEO, gets real about the fears th...

Hallie chats with Lauren Catellier about how the 3:1 model supports school-based SLPs in managing burnout In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Lauren Cattelier—school-based SLP, mom of two boys, and co-instructor and owner of Therapy Advanced Courses—about a model every overwhelmed SLP needs to know: The 3:1 Model. Lauren shares her experience using this workload approach in her f...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Renee Brown—school-based SLP, mom of two teenagers, and the voice behind @TheBusySpeechMom on Instagram—about a topic every SLP needs to hear: how to advocate for yourself so you don't burn out. Renee shares her unexpected journey from elementary education teacher to medical SLP to school-based clinician, and gets real about what it actua...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie is serving up some real talk about IEP goal writing—and it might just change the way you look at your entire caseload. If you’ve ever stared at a goal and thought, wait, why am I even working on this? This one’s for you. Hallie introduces the “so what?” test—the one question you should be asking before you write any goal—and breaks down what functional a...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Karin Hartunian Koukeyan—a speech-language pathologist with 28 years of experience and founder of SpeechFit—about a topic that might surprise you: public speaking. Karin shares her winding SLP journey from bilingual child interpreter to telepractice pioneer to private practice owner, and dives into why SLPs are uniquely equipped to help client...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie is serving up some real talk about data collection—and it might just change the way you run your sessions. If you've ever felt more like a clipboard than a clinician, or wondered why your students seem disengaged halfway through therapy, this one's your permission slip to breathe. Hallie breaks down why constant data collection can actually blo...

Hallie chats with Maddie Burrington about having fun in your work and remembering your “why”! In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Maddie Burrington—an elementary school SLP in Dallas and social media creator—about making speech the coolest club in school, setting boundaries to avoid burnout, and remembering your why. Maddie shares her journey from private practice burnout to fal...

 Hallie chats with Tamara Anderson about language and literacy connection and more! In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie chats with Tamara Anderson—a speech-language pathologist, education specialist, and passionate literacy advocate—about the powerful connection between language and literacy in our therapy rooms. Tamara shares her journey into literacy specialization, breaks down the diffe...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie is tackling something we’ve ALL felt—the Sunday Scaries. You know that pit in your stomach when the weekend winds down and suddenly you’re spiraling about therapy plans, data collection, that one impossible group, and your inbox? Hallie shares the story of Jay, an SLP Elevate member who has every material she could ever need at her fingertips but still me...

Hallie chats about using videos for speech goals. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk , Hallie is warming up the speech room with one of her favorite low-prep tools: winter-themed YouTube videos. If you’re looking for ways to engage older students with activities that are motivating, free, and take the reading piece out of the equation, this one’s for you. She’s sharing five specific video recommen...

Hallie and Tricia Detig chat about high school speech therapy. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie sits down with Tricia Detig — creator of Thoughtful Talk and a high school SLP working with resource and life skills students. Tricia shares her journey from middle school to high school, getting real about the differences. She talks about building rapport with older students, ditching lecture...

Hallie chats with Malka Arnstein about making AAC more accessible for communication partners. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie sits down with Malka Arnstein — SLP, private practice owner, and AAC specialist on a mission to make AAC less intimidating and way more accessible. Malka gets real about the judgment that can creep into AAC work, why reframing it as just another communication too...