The Speech Source

This episode will have you captivated, motivated and in awe!  Kim and Mary feature Barbara Fernandes, an SLP, author, CEO of Smarty Ears and Smarty Symbols, advocate, and educator.  To say she has taken her business and created something so unique and on her own terms is an understatement.  She is a testament that staying true to who you are and on the path that you believe in will create a life f...

In this episode, hosts Mary Brezik and Kim Dillon discuss all things AAC, podcasting ( The Speechie Side Up Podcast ), presenting and more with guest Venita Litvack, a speech therapist and entrepreneur. Venita details her progression in specializing in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and her eventual roles including an AAC consultant (where she helped numerous SLPs get insurance a...

SLP Annie Gist joins us this week to share her remarkable journey from an employee to a proud owner of the speech therapy practice, Play on Words.  After working for a private practice for several years, Annie was staying home with her 2 little girls and living the mom life when she found herself in a position as a single mom needing to bring in income.  Annie shares about the growth from seeing k...

Ashley Christensen, an experienced speech language pathologist with a background in educational settings, leveraged her expertise to create My Magic Words Speech Sound Academy, a digital speech course born out of a successful Zoom session.  The name of the program stems from affirmations she would consistently use at the beginning of each speech session with her students, which were a central part...

In our 6th episode of this season's "How I Built My Speech Path Business," Kim and Mary talk to Jenna Rayburn Kirk, a pioneer in the world of digital creation and blogging and owner of Speech Room News. Her story begins in graduate school, with a literacy intervention program that set the stage for her online venture.   Working as an SLP in the schools for many years, Jenna has crea...

On this episode of the series "How I Built my Speech Path Business," we talk with SLP Jacey Bullock.  Jacey spent the beginning of her career as a speech therapist in the school setting, and once she became pregnant with her 3rd child, she knew she wanted to create an opportunity for herself that would allow more time with her children while still using her passion and knowledge as a the...

Whitney McMullin joins us on the Speech Source Podcast with an insightful conversation that shares her experience of balancing contract work with the entrepreneurial spirit. She discusses how she sidestepped the pressures of productivity quotas to craft a career that's both fulfilling and flexible. Her journey is a testament to setting boundaries that work with her dual role as a clinician an...

In this episode, we talk with speech pathologist Belle Ormiston about her journey in blending creativity with the discipline of speech pathology. Belle's entry into entrepreneurship began as an endeavor to fill a gap she observed in the market during the global pandemic—an absence of merchandise that connected and appealed to speech therapy professionals. The creation of her product line, Bee...

In the first episode of our new series "How I Built My Speech Path Business," we talk to pediatric speech pathologist Marcia Church .  Over the last few years, Marcia has built her private practice in the Dallas, Texas area called Pediatric Speech Stars .  Not only has she grown her pediatric private speech practice into a thriving business, but she has also created resources for other s...

As a speech therapist, have you ever been curious about the entrepreneurial world?  This season, we are so excited to bring you a line up of remarkable professionals who've taken that leap. From clinic owners to digital innovators, hear firsthand accounts of how these passionate and driven individuals manage to create a dream that becomes success. Get ready to be inspired by the stories of ou...

It's been such a fun and exciting season with great topics and interesting guests.  Listen to Episode 67 to hear clips from some of our favorites, and a little reflection from Kim and Mary about why we really enjoyed these episodes. Episodes we talk about: 58. The Movement Mama:  Kailee Noland 60. What is Apraxia of Speech 61. How to Motivate Kids 62. Sara Lopez 63. Love Languages for Kids 64...

Oral Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is all about the interconnectedness of eating, speaking, and sleeping. Yes - these things are all related! Discover how common issues like pacifier use, mouth breathing, and tongue ties can shake this delicate balance. We dive into the importance of proper nasal breathing and touch on structural issues such as enlarged tonsils and tongue ties, reinforcing why under...

Today's guest is Emily French, registered dietician, co-owner of RDs for Little Eaters, and mother of two.  As a working mother with two children, she is in the thick of it with activities, appointments, and a busy lifestyle! She gets it when it comes to what it takes to have healthy eating habits on the go. Emily shares her biggest tips and tricks to helping children have healthy eating habi...

What are the most common first words?  How do those words become phrases and sentences?  Kim and Mary talk through the process of how children learn to talk and make a very complicated process simple. Join us to learn about how you can help teach your child their first words and sentences! Link to resources for moving through our First Words plan First Words Bundle by Speech Source | TPT (teachers...

Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell's book "The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively" is a great book for anyone who works with children. Love languages are not a foreign concept to most adults in relationships, but have you ever thought about your children having their own love languages? Knowing your child or patient's love language empowers you...

Join us for an inspiring conversation about the importance of advocacy and community with the Sara Lopez, a dedicated mother of two, Enrique and Joaquin. Sara shares her personal journey of advocacy, revealing how she navigated the emotional journey of IEP meetings and dedicated herself to ensuring the best educational opportunities for her sons. The conversation explores the critical role of comm...

What does it take to successfully motivate children, whether in a therapy session or day-to-day parenting? Imagine if you could seamlessly infuse your goals into the time spent with a child while establishing a deep bond built on trust, respect, and genuine care. In our discussion, we draw from our 25 years of experience as pediatric speech-language pathologists to reveal the crucial elements in a...

Episode 60:  In this episode, Kim and Mary break down the definition of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), a speech disorder that affects the motor planning of language from the brain to the mouth, much like a glitch in computer coding. They discuss how parents and providers can be aware of the unique markers of apraxia, and the vital role of a speech therapist skilled in using a motor-based thera...

Episode 59 Kim and Mary talk about two of their favorite interactive books, All Better, a beautifully illustrated book that cleverly incorporates colorful bandaids and cute animals to teach children about colors, body parts, and empathy and Let's Find Momo, a captivating search-and-find book with real-life images.  We share our insights on how these books can be used to engage with your child...

How about a holistic approach to empowering your parenting journey?  As a Doctor of Pediatric Physical Therapy and the founder of The Movement Mama, Kailee Noland brings a wealth of knowledge to our latest episode. We talk about her innovative Thriving in the First Year Summit , the true necessities for new babies, and explore the sometimes complex world of baby development, Kailee shares her jour...

Episode 57:  Tune into this episode and uncover the power of a unique tool - The Ribbon Game - that's helping take the anxiety out of feeding therapy. Imagine a game that awards ribbons for various food properties like 'most spicy', 'most soft', or 'best squish', turning food exploration into a fun, stress-free experience for children. We share how this game can...

Co-host Mary Brezik shares her personal story of navigating the needs of her third child, Jack. As a pediatric feeding therapist, the very last thing she expected was to be put in the position of now being the patient of exactly the children she has always served. Mary shares her struggle putting together the puzzle pieces of his medical needs, leaning on her medical team, the significance of advo...

Episode 55! Tune into our latest podcast episode where we host the savvy travel-content creator and founder of @AdiosTeam, Kate Team. Kate has mastered the art of traveling with young kids and shares some of her tips and tricks for success with us!  Kate takes us on a journey through her hands-on experiences, planning and executing trips with her two little adventurers.   She shares her go-to stra...

Episode 54!  Activity books!  This Friday Kim and Mary share several of their favorite activity art books they have used over the years.  Whether you have a 4 year old or a 12 year old, there is an idea for you! Here is a link to some of our favorites! My First Learn to Draw Farm Animals My First Learn to Draw Baby Animals My First Learn to Draw Bible Stories Totally Awesome Mazes and Puzzles Step...

Say goodbye to the mystery that often surrounds swallow studies. As a parent or healthcare provider, you'll come away with a better understanding of this necessary, yet often misunderstood procedure. Tune in as we deep dive into this topic with our special guest, speech pathologist Ashley Stone. We start off our conversation with telltale signs indicating that a child might be having difficul...