Explore every episode of the podcast SLP Coffee Talk

Tired of reaching for the same generic drills no matter what speech sound error walks through your door? In this episode, Hallie chats with Laura Rinella, MA, CCC-SLP, creator of Laura Teaches Speech and a pediatric specialist in speech sound disorders. Laura breaks down how she builds targeted, individualized treatment plans that move the needle on intelligibility, offers her take on telling articulation and phonological disorders apart in real sessions, and explains why she sees every kid's progress as a step toward letting their voice come through.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

- Why principles of motor learning belong in articulation therapy

- how manipulating practice & feedback results in independence

- When more isn't always better - high trials aren't enough

- The performance trap -  why success during practice doesn't equal learning

- The power of mistakes - update & refine the motor plan

- Variation - the secret sauce/game changer/the closer

Here’s what we learned: 

• Motor learning principles matter for every kid with a speech sound error, not just those with residual/lingering errors
• Mastering a sound in the therapy room isn't the same as mastering it in real life — that's the performance trap
• Variation in rate, intonation, and loudness is what drives carryover to real conversation
• Speech motor chaining builds from syllables to self-generated sentences, leveling up as accuracy improves
• Buy-in matters as much as biomechanics — kids need to believe change is possible before the movement work sticks
  
  
  

Learn more about Laura Rinella

Website

https://substack.com/@laurateachesspeech                        https://www.archspeechtherapy.com/courses-resources/

Social

https://www.instagram.com/laurateachesspeech/ 

Other links: 

https://substack.com/@laurateachesspeech               

https://www.archspeechtherapy.com/courses-resources/

Freebie - include this on the docs so we don’t need to copy and paste from this document (note for podmachine editor)

https://substack.com/@laurateachesspeech/note/p-188451575?r=7jc6eu&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe

https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Struggling to know what "good" data collection actually looks like, especially with older students on your caseload? In this episode, Hallie sits down with Kayla Obenour, an SLP with over a decade of experience across schools, outpatient, home health, and private practice, to chat all about what real, useful data collection can look like. Kayla shares why she's always aimed to "practice what she preaches" as a clinician, how she helps new clinicians cut through the overwhelm of tracking everything at once, and why qualitative data deserves just as much credit as a percentage on a page.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why data collection creates such heavy cognitive load for new clinicians 
• Probe data versus continuous data, and what makes data reliable and valid 
• Rethinking the 80% accuracy standard and other ways to measure meaningful progress 
• The role parents, teachers, and work samples play in painting a fuller picture 
• Breaking annual goals into smaller, more achievable objectives 
• Why starting from a student's strengths builds buy-in and confidence

Here’s what we learned: 

• Ten solid probe data points can be just as valid as tracking data throughout an entire session. 
• Qualitative data, like the type and amount of support a student needed, is still meaningful data. 
• Percent accuracy alone doesn't reveal whether a skill functions for a student outside of therapy. 
• Parents and teachers often notice things in other settings that never show up in session data. 
• Starting with a student's smallest achievable step builds momentum faster than jumping straight to the end goal.

Learn more about Kayla Obenour: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Rooted-in-Connection-Therapy/61577409999013/ 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this solo episode, Hallie breaks down how to stop drowning in back-to-back groups with completely different goals. She covers why you don't need a separate activity for every student, how one resource — a video, book, article, or even a game — can hit multiple goals at once, and why mixed-goal groups can actually work in your favor instead of against you. If planning has been eating into time you don't have and you're tired of scrambling between sessions, this episode is for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why "one activity per student" is a planning trap, not a requirement 
• The case for letting mixed-goal groups work side by side 
• Keeping students in the loop on their own goals and why it matters
• Turning any YouTube video into a multi-goal lesson with Edpuzzle 
• Wordless picture books: the ultimate no-prep, any-goal resource 
• Squeezing more mileage out of articles, storybooks, and games than "intended" 
• Making one resource stretch across grade levels without extra work

Here’s what we learned: 

• You don't need a new activity for every student — one resource can carry the whole group. 
• Mixed-goal groups pick up extra language just from hearing each other get prompted. 
• Edpuzzle lets you drop goal-specific questions right into any video. 
• Nobody's handing out a trophy for asking the exact question printed on the card. 
• The same resource can flex across grade levels — just adjust the difficulty, not the material.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Feeling stuck when it comes to that pesky vocalic R? In this episode, Hallie sits down with Karen Krogg of The Pedi Speechie, a school-based SLP with a serious R obsession, to talk through everything from tongue shape to carryover. Karen breaks down her hand gesture analogies, favorite tools, and how she keeps kids motivated through the long haul of R therapy.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Determining when R work is warranted for older students in schools
• Retroflex R vs. bunched R, and how to tell the difference
• Hand gesture analogies and tools like the typodont and Sketchfab
• Making practice fun without turning it into straight drilling
• Carryover strategies that actually get used at home
• Advice for SLPs and CFs new to treating vocalic R 

Here’s what we learned: 

• Progress often comes down to problem-solving, not repetition — no single method works for every student
• The quicker a student masters R in isolation, the more predictable the rest of therapy tends to go
• A baseline screener at the start of the year makes progress easier to track
• Patience is part of the clinical skill set — R therapy can take well over a year
• New SLPs don’t need to have it all figured out — CEU courses and online resources help fill the gaps

Learn more about Karen Krogg: 

Website: https://thepedispeechie.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepedispeechie/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepedispeechie_slp 

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-pedi-speechie

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thepedispeechie4227 

Speech Therapy Tools

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://thepedispeechie.com/speech-therapy-tools 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Feeling like data collection is eating up all your therapy time? In this episode, Hallie sits down with Michele Rothstein of SLP Madness, a 26-year elementary school-based SLP, to talk all about how to make data collection clean, efficient, and legally defensible. Michele shares her 3:1 treatment-to-probe ratio, how she handles Medicaid billing without sacrificing real therapy time, and why she believes data is her favorite four-letter word.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• The difference between therapy charting and true data collection 
• Why testing your students every session isn't the same as teaching them 
• Using a 3:1 ratio: three weeks of treatment, one week of progress monitoring 
• How to report Medicaid billing data on non-probe weeks 
• Building and organizing probes so they're ready for IEP season 
• Handling inherited IEP goals you don't agree with or understand 

Here’s what we learned: 

• Data collection and therapy charting are not the same thing 
• Consistent stimuli each time you probe is what makes data legally defensible 
• An IEP is a blueprint, not a complete list of everything you're targeting 
• Honesty about inherited goals builds trust with families and teams 
• Starting small with one student or goal is the key to sticking with a new system

Learn more about Michele Rothstein: 

Website: https://www.slpmadness.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slp.madness/ 

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-rothstein-slpmadness 

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/slp-madness 

How to Collect Data Without Stopping Therapy

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:

https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe

https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Struggling with how to support a student who stutters without falling into the “fix it” trap? In this episode, Hallie sits down with Wendy Dietz, an SLP and clinic owner in Colorado who specializes in stuttering therapy, to chat all about what an acceptance-based approach really looks like. Wendy shares how a moving college essay first sparked her interest in stuttering, how the CARE model she learned at UT Austin completely shifted her perspective, and how she helps parents let go of all-or-nothing thinking about their child’s speech.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why fluency-focused early intervention isn’t backed by research and can cause harm
• Helping parents move past “fixed” vs. “held back” thinking about their child’s stuttering
• A student’s journey from a fluency-focused approach to self-advocacy and confidence
• Why observable severity often doesn’t match a student’s internal experience of stuttering
• What stuttering assessment looks like beyond disfluency counts
• Resources for SLPs building skills and confidence in this niche 

Here’s what we learned: 

• The goal is confident communication, not reducing or curing stuttering
• A third path exists for parents beyond “fixed” or “struggling forever”
• A student’s own attitude toward stuttering matters as much as how it sounds
• Early education protects students from internalizing negative experiences later
• Confidence in this niche comes from community involvement, not just coursework

Resources Mentioned:

Stop Guessing with Stuttering Therapy – Victoria Dertouzoc: https://speechtimefun.com/334-stop-guessing-with-stuttering-therapy/ 

A Human Approach to Stuttering and Neurodiversity – Ana Hernandez Episode: https://speechtimefun.com/336-a-human-approach-to-stuttering-and-neurodiversity/ 

Learn more about Wendy Dietz: 

Website: https://www.lifetimespeech.com/about 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifetimestuttering/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-dietz-m-s-ccc-slp-5236561a9 

Email: info@lifetimespeech.com 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this solo episode, Hallie unpacks one of her go-to therapy strategies for grades 4-12: word webs. She covers why this simple visual tool does so much heavy lifting in mixed therapy groups, how it hits multiple goals at once, and why it beats another boring vocabulary worksheet every time. If you've been looking for a way to teach vocabulary that actually sticks (and doesn't require a Pinterest-worthy setup), this episode is for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What word webs are and how they help students connect meaning to a word instead of just memorizing a definition 
• Why word webs support deeper processing and long-term carryover for vocabulary retention 
• Which students benefit most from this visual, low-prep approach 
• Ways to adapt word webs to feel age-appropriate for older, "too cool for therapy" students 
• Using word webs to build emotional vocabulary beyond happy, sad, and mad 
• How to introduce and scaffold the skill so it doesn't overwhelm students early on

Here’s what we learned: 

• Word webs give repeated, meaningful exposure to a word, which is what makes vocabulary stick. 
• No fancy prep needed. A whiteboard or sticky notes will do. 
• One word web can hit different goals for different students in the same group. 
• Start small and build complexity gradually to avoid overwhelming students. 
• Making it relevant to their world (sports, social media, career goals) is what keeps older students engaged.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Feeling unsure about AAC? You're not alone. In this episode, Hallie sits down with Cassidy, a speech therapist and owner of Around the Spectrum Therapy in Pennsylvania, to talk through what makes AAC feel so overwhelming and how to move past the "getting it right" mentality. Cassidy shares her journey from knowing next to nothing about AAC to building a robust vocabulary approach with clients from as young as 17 months, plus practical ways to coach parents and teachers who feel stuck.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why AAC feels overwhelming for so many SLPs, from tech overload to inconsistent caseload exposure 
• The mindset shift from "perfect system" to just diving in and learning alongside the child 
• Robust vocabulary vs. simple grids, and reframing AAC as language input, not just output 
• How to structure sessions around a child's actual interests, including working with action words and motor-driven kids 
• Coaching parents and professionals to focus on small, sustainable wins instead of all-or-nothing use 

Here’s what we learned: 

• AAC should be treated as another tool in the therapy toolbox, not a separate, high-pressure system 
• Starting with robust vocabulary access early, even with very young or emerging communicators, can pay off long-term 
• Small, specific wins (one word, one moment) build more momentum than pushing for constant device use 
• Finding genuine joy and connection with the child matters more than following a rigid AAC plan 
• Meeting parents and teachers where they are is just as important as meeting the student where they are

Learn more about Cassidy Kutchma: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechwithcassidy/ 

Website: https://www.speechwithcassidy.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aroundthespectrumtherapy 

Website: https://www.aroundthespectrumtherapy.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aroundthespectrumtherapy 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie's back with returning guest Shelby Davis, a school-based SLP at Community High School in Teaneck, NJ, and a doctoral candidate at Monmouth University. Shelby's diving into the 5th-year transition program she's helping build for students on the spectrum and others with complex learning needs — designed to bridge the gap between high school and real independence. From vocational skill-building to community partnerships, Shelby walks through how the program came together, what SLPs can offer beyond the classroom, and how any SLP can bring these strategies into their own practice, transition program or not.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why four years isn't always enough — and what a 5th-year transition program looks like in practice 
• Moving beyond classroom goals to communication students actually need at work, in the community, and at home 
• The skill areas worth targeting: self-advocacy, executive functioning, vocational communication, problem-solving 
• Real-world practice — job shadowing, budgeting trips, even a visit to the post office 
• Why repetition and hands-on practice outside the classroom matters most for autistic and other diverse learners 
• Getting SLPs, OTs, teachers, counselors, and families all working from the same playbook 
• The resources behind the program — Speech Time Fun, a monthly themed curriculum, and the NYT Learning Network

Here’s what we learned: 

• There's almost no existing research on 5th-year transition programs — which is part of why Shelby's building her doctoral work around it 
• Real-world self-advocacy starts small: affirmation flashcards students can lean on when asking for help at a register or counter 
• Admin buy-in came down to a clear proposal — mock curriculum, funding, staff certifications, not just an idea 
• Parents said yes faster than expected — once they saw the goal was independence, not delay 
• Bottom line for older students: treat them like people, not projects — connect to their interests first

Learn more about Shelby Davis: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelbyadavis/ 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie sits down with researchers Klaire Brumbaugh and Katy Cabbage, who are part of a team building a nationwide study around something secondary SLPs know all too well: the older student still working on that R who has zero interest in being in the speech room. They're developing tools to actually measure student motivation—so SLPs have real data behind decisions like when to keep kids on, when to discharge, and how to catch that window when a student is finally ready to do the work.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What one SLP noticed in her high school speech room that kicked off this whole research project 
• Why motivation is already being used as a dismissal criteria—but no one's actually measuring it 
• What the research is finding so far—and where the big gaps still are 
• What a nationwide study looks like and how SLPs can get involved

Here’s what we learned: 

• When a student is intrinsically motivated, progress can happen in weeks—not years. 
• Low motivation is already being used to dismiss kids from therapy, but there's no real way to measure or track it. 
• Parents, teachers, and students often see the same speech sound disorder in completely different ways—and that gap can affect every decision you make. 
• The best research ideas are already happening in school speech rooms. This whole study started because one SLP spoke up at a conference.

Learn more about Klaire Brumbaugh & Katy Cabbage: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cablab_wsu/ 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Alyssa Antcliff—SLP and founder of IndiAide—about what's actually happening with your clients between sessions, and how technology can finally give you the full picture. Alyssa shares how her frustration with paper handouts and vague "it went fine" updates led her to build a between-session therapy management platform, and why remote therapeutic monitoring might be the reimbursement pathway you didn't know existed. If you've ever wished you had more data to work with before your clients walked back through the door, this one's for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why paper-based home materials keep falling through the cracks 
• How a pre-COVID teletherapy client reshaped Alyssa's thinking on carryover 
• What remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) is
• Which clients benefit most from between-session support
• How IndiAide works, from clinician dashboard to family-facing tools 
• Who qualifies for RTM reimbursement—and how to pitch it to your supervisor

Here’s what we learned: 

• The gap between sessions is where progress gets lost—or made. 
• Paper handouts don't fail because families don't care—they fail because there's no follow-through built in.
• RTM is a reimbursement pathway that's actually growing—and SLPs are largely missing out on it. 
• IndiAide lets families mark activities complete, rate difficulty, and send photos or videos—so you're not flying blind at the next session.
• More data between sessions means better decisions when they're back in the room. 

Learn more about Alyssa Antcliff: 

Website: https://www.indiaide.com/home 

Website: https://www.indiaide.com/blog/rtm-for-slps-webinar 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiaide_rtm/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/IndiAide-61582771767836/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-antcliff/ 

RTM Guide: https://info.indiaide.com/rtm-guide 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Ana Hernandez—SLP and founder of Adult Stuttering—about why she ditched fluency therapy and never looked back. Ana breaks down the adaptation effect, why you can’t sit in the middle ground, and what it actually looks like to run an affirming stuttering session from start to finish. If stuttering has always felt like uncharted territory, this one’s your map.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why the middle ground between fluency and acceptance is hurting your students
• The adaptation effect and why fluency strategies fail in real life
• Using the five stages of behavioral change to meet students where they are
• Ditching “bumpy speech” and reframing how we talk about stuttering
• Starting sessions with a positive speaking moment

Here’s what we learned: 

• You can’t tell a kid their stutter is okay and drill fluency strategies in the same session.
• Fluency strategies don’t fail because the student didn’t try hard enough—they’re just unreliable by design.
• Safety comes before progress. Some kids need the whole session just to feel okay being in the room.
• “Stutter” is not a bad word. “Bumpy speech” is out.
• If you’re shifting away from fluency therapy, just tell your student. Kids love honesty.

Learn more about Ana Hernandez: 

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/adult-stuttering

Website: www.adultstuttering.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adultstuttering/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adultstuttering-ana/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adultstuttering

Adult Stutter – Goals List: https://adultstuttering.myflodesk.com/slpgoals 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 actually started, this one’s for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• How Hallie stumbled into speech pathology sophomore year — completely by accident
• Why her CF year in preschool was the push she needed to find her people
• The one student who forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew
• How a Pinterest gap in 2012 turned into Speech Time Fun, Teachers Pay Teachers, and eventually SLP Elevate
• The boardwalk conversation in 2023 that made it all official

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 say to students who’ve never felt heard in a therapy room. If stuttering therapy isn’t your jam, this one’s for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why fluency-chasing has let down generations of people who stutter—and what to do instead
• What covert stuttering is and why your assessment might be missing it
• How secondary behaviors develop—and why they’re not actually part of the stutter
• What to ask a student who stutters before anything else
• How to handle teachers and parents who just want it “fixed”
• What a neurodiversity-affirming stuttering session actually looks like

Here’s what we learned: 

• You can reduce the struggle around stuttering—but you can’t remove the stutter itself.
• If you’re only counting disfluencies, you’re missing the whole picture.
• A student who seems fine might be switching words, skipping answers, and falling behind without anyone noticing.
• Say “stuttering”—not “bumpy speech.” Normalizing the word helps normalize the experience.
• Ask the student what they think before you ask what they do. That’s where therapy actually starts.

Learn more about Victoria Dertouzos: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stutteringtherapyslp/a 

Website: https://www.stutteringtherapynj.com 

Supporting Preschoolers Who Stutter: A Teacher's Guide: https://sstnj.myflodesk.com/fssfj7n1d8 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 shift your sessions from unintentionally harmful to genuinely healing. This one’s for every SLP who’s ever wondered why a student shuts down, says “I don’t know,” or gets labeled non-compliant.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What trauma actually means clinically—and why it’s relevant to every SLP regardless of setting
• How trauma affects communication and what it might look like in your sessions
• Why labels like “non-compliant” and “unmotivated” are worth a second look
• How SLPs can accidentally cause harm—and the simple shifts that help
• What trauma-informed practice actually looks like inside a therapy room

Here’s what we learned: 

• Trauma-informed practice is good practice—for every student, every session.
• If a student doesn’t feel safe, learning isn’t happening.
• “I don’t know,” shutting down, and avoidance are nervous system responses, not attitude problems.
• Even small choices—where to sit, what order to do tasks—can restore a sense of control.
• The therapeutic relationship accounts for more of your outcomes than the tools you use.

Resources:

Strategies for Working With Students Who've Experienced Trauma: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/strategies-for-working-with-students-whove-experienced-trauma/full/ 

Insights Into Connecting With Students Experiencing Trauma: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.SCM.25112020.42/full/ 

A Pandemic's Pain: The Need for Trauma-Informed Services for Children: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.FTR1.26102021.38/full/ 

Bruce Perry: https://www.bdperry.com 

Trauma-Informed Speech-Language Pathology: Application of Universal Precaution: https://journals.lww.com/topicsinlanguagedisorders/abstract/2025/01000/trauma_informed_speech_language_pathology_.2.aspx 

Learn more about Mary Woodward: 

LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/in/woodwardmary 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 build therapy that’s meaningful, motivating, and actually carries over. This one’s for every SLP who’s ever wondered if there’s a better way to work on receptive language.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why following directions tasks often measure compliance—not comprehension
• What neurodiversity affirming therapy looks like compared to compliance-based approaches
• How dysregulation, executive functioning, and sensory needs can all interfere with following a direction
• What PDA profile is and how demands affect those students differently
• Why adult-directed tasks are less effective—and what to do instead

Here’s what we learned: 

• Comprehension ≠ compliance. A child can understand and still not follow through.
• Connection first. Safety and relationship aren’t a detour—they’re the work.
• Go beyond the assessment. Play-based observation reveals what standardized testing misses.
• Watch for overcompliance. Too much compliance-focused therapy can erode autonomy and self-advocacy.
• One small shift. You don’t have to overhaul everything—just start somewhere.

Learn more about Emily Byers Chaney: 

Website: https://www.ndaffirmingslp.com 

Website: https://www.boundlessspeech.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ndaffirming.slp/ 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 everything, and how to keep growing without losing your mind. This one’s for every SLP who’s ever felt like everyone else has a specialty except them.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why the generalist label gets a bad rap—and why it shouldn’t
• How to figure out what continuing education you actually need
• What a PLC is and how to start one even if your district doesn’t have one
• The mindset shift that makes it easier to grow without burning out
• How school-based SLPs define their expertise differently than private practice

Here’s what we learned: 

• Own the generalist title. Any kid walks through your door, you know where to start. That’s not nothing—that’s everything.
• You will get things wrong. So will every SLP who’s been in the field for 14 years. Let it go and keep moving.
• Connection is the intervention. Showing up, caring, and actually paying attention to a kid? That’s already therapeutic.
• Find your people. You don’t need a huge community. Start with one SLP buddy or one district PLC meeting.
• Know your role. Private practice treats the disability. You remove barriers to education. That’s a different—and equally valid—job.

Learn more about Sarah Bishop: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sawahfwend 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why imposter syndrome hits hardest when no one’s watching
• Four things that will actually get you through those early sessions
  • Shrink the moment — just pick one thing to target
  • One activity, stretched across every group and goal you’ve got
  • Narrate your thinking out loud — that’s the therapy
  • Expect the clunky sessions — even the veterans have them
• Hallie’s recipe for a speech lesson that works no matter what

Here’s what we learned: 

• Feeling clueless doesn’t mean you’re underprepared. It means you’re new.
• Language is hard because it overlaps with everything — slow progress is still progress.
• Adaptability is the skill that will carry you further than any material or lesson plan ever will.
• The confident SLP you’re trying to be right now is built through exactly these messy, uncertain moments.
• You don’t have to do this alone — and there’s no rule that says you have to.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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: 

• Don’t buy everything this summer — wait until you know your caseload
• Treat your first week like a detective mission, not a performance
• Ask your colleagues everything — they are your lifeline
• Keep therapy simple — one activity can serve multiple groups and goals
• Build systems over perfection — predictable routines beat elaborate lesson plans
• Give yourself permission to be new

Here’s what we learned: 

• Done is better than perfect — especially when you don’t even know what perfect looks like yet.
• Your colleagues have been where you are and most of them are happy to help.
• Adaptability is the one skill that will save your sanity more than any material ever will.
• Simple routines protect your students just as much as they protect you.
• Being new doesn’t make you an imposter. It makes you human.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎓✨ Grab your free spot at CF Bootcamp 2026 here! https://www.speechtimefun.com/cfbootcamp2026

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!

https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 practical strategies for coaching parents and staff, building real collaboration, and improving carryover beyond the therapy room. They also explore Daj’s work in AI, AAC, and neurodiversity-affirming care, along with how she supports fellow clinicians through education and social media. This one’s for any SLP who’s ever handed a family a home program and never heard about it again.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What the AAC buy-in stair step framework actually looks like
• How adult learning theory applies to parent and stakeholder coaching
• Why video modeling works better than handouts for skeptical caregivers
• How to use Google Forms, scheduled emails, and templates to manage AAC collaboration without eating your lunch
• What an AAC profile spreadsheet is and why Daj swears by it
• How to extend the same coaching framework to teachers, paras, and admin

Here’s what we learned: 

• Buy-in has three parts. Acceptance, willingness to support, and active participation are not the same thing—and most caregivers are only at step one.
• Don’t skip ahead. Handing over a home program before a caregiver is ready guarantees the device stays on the refrigerator.
• Adults need a reason. Connect AAC to something that already matters in their life and they’ll move faster.
• Start with one win. Find the routine they actually care about and build from there.
• Set it and forget it. Once your emails and forms are built, your collaboration system basically runs itself.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Learn more about Daj Mitchell: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourslpdaj/ 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Sign #1: Your goal explanation is landing like broccoli — relevant to school, irrelevant to them
• Sign #2: Your worksheets disappear after session and connect to nothing real
• Sign #3: You’re drilling a skill your student thinks they already have
• Sign #4: Your reading passages feel like homework 2.0 with zero payoff
• Sign #5: You’re collecting data the whole session instead of actually teaching​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Here’s what we learned: 

• Don’t lead with school. Lead with what they already care about — gaming, streaming, social media.
• Relevance doesn’t require new materials. A 30-second framing conversation changes everything.
• Students aren’t resistant to learning. They’re resistant to pointless practice.
• Data without teaching is just numbers. Slow down, teach first, collect at the end.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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, and making therapy feel natural (and actually fun!) can create real progress that carries over beyond the session.

If you’re ready to loosen up your sessions and make therapy feel more engaging for both you and your students, this episode is for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss:

-What play-based, child-led therapy actually looks like beyond just “playing games”
-Why connection over compliance leads to more meaningful communication
-How to naturally target speech and language goals within play
-The mindset shift from therapist-led sessions to following the child’s lead
-How to handle parents who expect more structured, drill-based therapy
-Why functional goals matter—and how to rethink them in real-life contexts
-How involving parents during sessions can boost carryover at home

Here’s what we learned:

• If it’s not functional in play, it’s probably not a functional goal.
• Kids learn best when they feel safe, engaged, and in control of their environment.
• You don’t need a perfect plan—your skills as an SLP will show up naturally in play.
• Connection and engagement will always beat rigid structure and drills.
• Educating parents is key—once they understand the “why,” they’re more likely to trust the process.
• Progress doesn’t always look structured—but it is happening.

Learn more about Bradi O’Rourke:

Instagram: @braxy_speech_therapy

Website: www.braxyspeechtherapy.com

Product downloads on my website: www.braxyspeechtherapy.com/category/all-products

Email Address

bradi@braxyspeechtherapy.com

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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're suddenly on your own. This one's for any SLP questioning whether they belong here.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• How a career aptitude test and a sister's nudge pointed Cary toward speech pathology 
• What the transition from grad student to CF actually feels like 
• Why failure in the Praxis isn't talked about—and why it should be 
• How Cary survived grad school time management
• What imposter syndrome looks like five years in—and how she pushes through it 
• Why she chose her specific field and what community means to her

Here’s what we learned: 

• Rejection is redirection. Failing the Praxis shows you exactly where your gaps are—use it. 
• Overstudying isn't productive. Nine to three, then put it down.
• If you don't know something, say so. People appreciate honesty over an answer that doesn't make sense. 
• Imposter syndrome doesn't expire after your CF. Five years in, it still shows up. Push through anyway. 
• Give yourself grace. A kid walking into your session and smiling counts as a win.

Learn more about Cary Mercado: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slpgradstudent/ 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 strategies, reframable language, and low-prep activity ideas that actually meet students where they are.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why resistance in older students is self-protection, not defiance 
• The three things a resistant student is almost always trying to communicate 
• How to start a buy-in conversation—even when you only have 25 minutes 
• Why "world" beats "school" when making goals feel relevant
•  The shift from fixing to coaching, and why it changes everything

Here’s what we learned: 

• Resistance is information. Before you plan the activity, ask what they think they're there for. 
• Students who've been in speech since early intervention are hyperaware of their difficulties—lead with compassion first. 
• Tie your goals to their world: dating, jobs, group chats, driver's ed. Skip the school pitch. 
• Let students have a say in how you work on a goal, even if they can't choose the goal itself. 
• One activity can cover a million goals. Done and engaged beats perfect and checked out. 
• Call yourself a language coach, not a speech teacher. The reframe matters more than you think. 
• Buy-in is like charging a phone—you plug in consistently and watch the battery move.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 down exactly how she landed a part-time telehealth gig, how she structured her schedule to protect her energy, and why she keeps her private caseload at three kids and has zero interest in adding more. This episode is full of practical, permission-giving insight for any SLP curious about picking up extra income—on their own terms.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why Allison chose private practice for her CF—and why she doesn't regret it 
• What burnout in private practice actually looked like for her
• How a Facebook post led to a telehealth job she didn't even know she wanted 
• How she structured her schedule across two jobs without burning out again

Here’s what we learned: 

• Starting your CF in private practice puts you right next to experienced SLPs when you need them most. 
• You control your private schedule. Decide your availability first and protect it like a meeting. 
• A work from home day changes everything—and it's worth asking your district about. 
• Teletherapy offers something in-person private practice can't always guarantee: consistency. 
• Three kids, two days, done by 6:30. Know your number before your boss picks it for you.
• Shutting your brain off on weekends isn't a luxury—it's what makes the whole thing sustainable.

Learn more about Allison Carpenter: 

TPT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/miss-speech-alli 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alli.misspeech/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alli.misspeech 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 that almost kept her playing small, and breaks down how she diversified her income, built her team, and eventually stepped out of the day-to-day to pursue her passion for coaching and courses. This episode is full of practical strategy, hard-won honesty, and a much-needed reminder that you don't have to feel ready to start.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What pushed Ebony out of the schools and into private practice 
• How she built multiple income streams from day one 
• When she knew it was time to stop doing everything herself 
• What seven years of monthly hiring taught her about people and culture 
• How COVID became the catalyst for her courses and coaching community 

Here’s what we learned: 

• Private practice doesn't require a perfect plan — it requires a first step. 
• Diversify your income early so no single stream can sink the whole business. 
• Build your brand online before you ever post a job listing — candidates are watching. 
• Every failed hire teaches you what alignment actually looks like for your team. 
• You don't have to start big — Ebony started solo with a trunk full of therapy materials. 
• Delegation is what makes growth sustainable, not just possible. 
• Working on your business instead of in it is the shift that separates operators from CEOs.

Learn more about Ebony Green: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebony-green-slp/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slpbizqueen/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespeakcenter/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-SPEAK-Center-for-Language-and-Learning-100063620978634/ 

Podcast: https://theslpbusinesspodcast.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theslpbusinesspodcast 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 former district, gets real about the difference she felt when she stopped using it, and breaks down exactly how to implement it, document it, and sell it to the admins and teachers who will inevitably push back. From wording it on an IEP to using that flex week for AAC training, parent coaching, and classroom push-ins, this episode is full of practical strategies, refreshing honesty, and a much-needed reminder that advocating for a better schedule is the same thing as advocating for your students.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What the 3:1 Model is and why it's a workload approach, not a day off 
• How Lauren's district got it off the ground and what made it stick 
• How to explain the flex week to parents, teachers, and administrators without getting pushback 
• All the ways you can use that indirect week to actually serve your kids better 
• Why this model makes it easier to dismiss students when they're ready 
• How to advocate for the model even when you're new and non-tenured

Here’s what we learned: 

• The 3:1 Model is a workload approach — it accounts for everything you do beyond face-to-face therapy. 
• Plan how you'll use the flex week for each student before it arrives, not during it. 
• Teachers need the most convincing — come prepared with specifics about how their students will still be served. 
• Document every flex week so you can always show exactly how each child was serviced. 
• If it's not written into the IEP, it doesn't exist — get it in there explicitly. 
• Pushing into classrooms gives you context you simply can't get from a pull-out model. 
• Spring is the best time to pitch this to admin — everyone's already thinking about next year.

Learn more about Lauren Catellier: 

Website: https://www.therapyadvancecourses.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapyadvancecourses

Courses: https://www.therapyadvancecourses.com/courses 

3:1 Model Toolkit

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 actually takes to push back on impossible caseloads, have hard conversations with admin, and still show up for your kids every single day. From framing service delivery in terms admin actually care about to building a session routine so smooth your kindergartners run it themselves, this episode is full of practical wisdom, refreshing honesty, and a much-needed reminder that advocating for yourself is the same thing as advocating for your students.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• How Renee's background in elementary education and medical SLP shaped the way she approaches school-based practice 
• Why the interview is your first—and most important—opportunity to advocate for yourself 
• How to talk to admin about caseload size in a way that actually lands 
• The real connection between early intensive intervention and long-term district savings 
• Setting boundaries around contracted hours without guilt 
• Simple group session strategies that keep kids engaged and sessions running like clockwork

Here’s what we learned: 

• There's a shortage—they need us more than we need them. Walk into every interview owning that.
• Admin isn't the enemy. They don't know what they don't know, and it's on us to fill in the gaps. 
• Lead with dollars. Early intensive intervention now means fewer students needing services in middle and high school.
• Don't bring a problem without a solution. Admin loves when you've already done the thinking for them. 
• When contract time is up, your time is up.
• Revising an IEP isn't a big deal—it's just good clinical practice. 
• A consistent session format means your students eventually run the whole thing themselves.

Learn more about Renee Brown: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebusyspeechmom/ 

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-busy-speech-mom 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 actually means for different students. She’s covering how to write curriculum-linked goals without crossing into ELA territory, how to squeeze more mileage out of every session, and why our role as SLPs is way more powerful than we sometimes give ourselves credit for.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why not every language skill on an assessment is worth targeting in therapy.
• The “so what?” test: the one question that should guide every goal you write.
• How to define “functional” based on the individual student in front of you.
• Writing curriculum-linked goals the SLP way—without becoming the ELA teacher.
• How to use one resource across a mixed group and hit every student’s goal at once.

Here’s what we learned: 

• If you can’t answer “so what?” clearly and confidently, that goal might be more fluff than function.
• Functional isn’t one-size-fits-all—a college-bound student needs self-advocacy; a life-skills student needs to know how to tell the bus driver where they’re going.
• Overlapping with academics is fine—just do it through a language lens, not a reteaching one.
• One good goal can target syntax, vocabulary, comprehension, and organization all at once. Therapy charcuterie board—one activity, all the skills, everyone eats.
• We’re not tutors and we’re not ELA teachers—we’re the language experts. Writing functional goals is how we step into that power.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 clients (and colleagues!) overcome public speaking anxiety. From IEP meetings to parent nights to real estate presentations, this conversation is packed with practical strategies, an eye-opening look at communication coaching as a service offering, and a reminder that it's never too late to color outside the lines in your career.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• How Karin's multilingual upbringing led her to SLP and eventually public speaking coaching 
• Why SLPs are uniquely qualified to address public speaking anxiety 
• Practical strategies for managing nerves and communicating more effectively 
• How public speaking coaching translates to working with middle and high schoolers 
• Building a communication coaching side hustle or private practice offering

Here’s what we learned: 

• Public speaking anxiety affects up to 90% of people—and SLPs are uniquely equipped to help. 
• The pause is your most powerful tool. Say something, let it land, and resist the urge to fill the silence. 
• Frameworks and scripting train the brain to communicate more confidently—whether it's an IEP meeting or a big presentation. 
• Breath work, visualization, and role-playing are go-to strategies for taming nerves before and during a talk. 
• Adding dialogue to a story instantly makes it more engaging—try it with your middle and high schoolers too. 
• Communication coaching is a real and viable private practice offering for clients who need support but don't qualify for traditional services.

Learn more about Karin Hartunian Koukeyan: 

Website: https://www.speechfitslp.com/ 

Website: https://karin-hartunian-koukeyan.mykajabi.com/sign-up-for-speechfit-slp-courses-8884c4d7-381e-49b9-8f2c-0d41b49592dc 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechfitslp/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hartunian-koukeyan/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-hartunian-koukeyan/

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/speechfit-slp 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 block progress, how to collect better data (not just more of it), and why teaching always needs to come before testing. She's sharing practical strategies for mixed groups, explaining why one quality data point is enough, and reminding us all that connection matters more than tally marks.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why constant data collection turns therapy into testing instead of teaching. 
• The power of anecdotal data over endless tally marks and percentages. 
• How to break down annual goals into smaller, achievable milestones. 
• Teaching first, data second: a framework for more effective sessions. 
• Managing data collection in mixed groups with limited time.

Here’s what we learned: 

• Students don't grow from being measured—they grow from being supported. 
• One quality data point per session is still meaningful data. 
• Anecdotal notes tell the story that numbers alone can't capture. 
• You don't need to target the annual goal every single session—pit stops and detours are part of the journey. 
• Connection over data collection leads to real, meaningful progress and student engagement.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 falling in love with elementary schools, how she creates themed sessions that have kids begging for their turn, and why leaving work at work changed everything. You'll also hear about gratitude journaling, hobbies outside of speech, and building community through relatable content. Whether you're a new CF or a veteran SLP, this conversation is packed with practical tips, real talk, and reminders that you can't pour from an empty cup.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Maddie's SLP journey—from grad school through her CF year 
• Making the leap from private practice to elementary schools 
• Jumping into SLP social media and building community 
• Setting boundaries, work-life balance, and hobbies that keep you sane 
• Remembering your why and using gratitude journaling to avoid burnout

Here’s what we learned: 

• Themed sessions keep kids engaged—they're working on goals without even realizing it. 
• Setting boundaries early prevents burnout—leave your laptop at work, there are no speech emergencies. 
• Making speech fun creates buy-in—kids should feel like they're in an exclusive cool club. 
• Gratitude journaling helps you reflect and grow—both personally and professionally. 
• Finding community matters—sharing relatable content connects SLPs who understand what you're going through.

Learn more about Maddie Burrington: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missmaddieslp/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@missmaddieslp

Hoo.be: https://hoo.be/missmaddie 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

 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 difference between what we do as SLPs versus what teachers do, and offers practical tips for assessments, engaging reluctant readers, and supporting multilingual learners. You'll also learn how to make literacy therapy fun with books, games, and culturally responsive practices that honor the whole child. Whether you're wondering if you're "doing it right" with literacy or looking for fresh ideas to bring into your sessions, this conversation is full of insight, real talk, and reminders that connection always comes before data collection.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• The SLP's unique role in literacy
• Assessment tools and DIY informal probes you can create today 
• Making literacy fun for students who hate books 
• Multicultural considerations and ethical assessment practices 
• Building holistic services that see the whole child

Here’s what we learned: 

• SLPs use a therapeutic language lens—targeting morphology, semantics, and syntax, not curriculum standards. 
• Create your own informal probes for vocabulary, directions, inferences, and verbal reasoning. 
• Engagement is everything—use themed books, games, and enthusiasm to hook reluctant readers. 
• Ethical assessment requires case histories and bilingual resources for multilingual learners. 
• Connection over data collection—know your students as whole people, not just IEP goals.

Learn more about Tamara Anderson: 

Website: http://buildingsuccessfullives.com 

Website: http://andersonmulticulturalbooks.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingsuccessfullives/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BSLSpeechLanguage 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKUwYkbSnH987kX5qxmBkrQ 

Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/presenters/tamara-anderson

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/tamara-anderson

Freebie: WH Questions: The Three Snow Bears

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 messaged saying, “I have everything, why do I still get the Sunday scaries?” If you’ve ever felt this way (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t?), this episode is your reminder that feeling anxious doesn’t mean you’re failing—it means you care. Hallie’s breaking down why the scaries show up, how to give yourself permission to keep it simple, and why your students don’t need you to be perfect on Monday morning—they just need you to show up with a smile and be present.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why the Sunday scaries mean you give a damn (and maybe had too much cold brew).
• The magic formula: log in, pick ONE thing, print it, and close the laptop.
• The key ingredients to successful sessions: compassion, understanding, creativity, and adaptability.
• Why using one resource across your whole caseload isn’t lazy—it’s smart and saves your sanity.

Here’s what we learned: 

• The Sunday Scaries are normal—even with all the best resources.
• Just pick something and let that be enough—because it IS enough.
• Your students feel it too, so use that shared Monday struggle to build connection.
• You don’t have to be 100% to do a good job—presence beats perfection every time.
• Leave Sundays for YOU and protect your weekends like your sanity depends on it.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 recommendations—from the science of shivering to a heartwarming fiction story—that make targeting main idea, inferencing, and vocabulary feel like a breeze. Hallie also shares how to maximize one video across your entire caseload with five practical tips for managing mixed groups, because who has time to prep a million different things? It’s all about working smarter, not harder, and building a speech room culture where students feel successful and safe taking risks.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Five winter video picks to keep therapy seasonally fun.
  • Why does it get cold in winter- - Mystery Science
  • Why Do We Shiver When it’s Cold? | COLOSSAL QUESTIONS
  • https://www.commarts.com/project/24066/lily-the-snowman 
  • The science of snowflakes - Maruša Bradač
  • Does Being Cold Make You Sick?
• Addressing main idea, summarizing, and W-H questions through visual storytelling.
• Utilizing tier 2 words and target sounds found directly in the videos.
• Five tips to differentiate one activity for a variety of goals. 
• Using routines and comfort contracts to encourage student risk-taking. 
• Avoiding burnout by planning one high-quality activity for your whole caseload.

Here’s what we learned: 

• Engagement beats boredom—themed activities keep students motivated and excited to participate. 
• One video can do it all—differentiate on the fly to meet the needs of every student in a mixed group. 
• Strategic pausing is key—don't be afraid to stop or rewatch to check for understanding. 
• Peer learning is valuable—students benefit from hearing each other work on different skills. 
• Efficiency prevents burnout—relying on free, short videos lets you focus on your students instead of endless prep.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 lectures for hands-on activities, and making therapy meaningful through real-world experiences like running a coffee cart and back-to-back drawing challenges. Plus, she dives into push-in services, student buy-in, and why working with secondary students is a "hidden gem." If you're in the high school world or thinking about it, this one's packed with practical tips and real talk.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• The vibe shift from middle to high school (and cracking that "too cool" shell) 
• Building rapport and getting buy-in with older students 
• Push-in vs. pull-out—how it's decided 
• Why hands-on beats lectures (coffee carts > worksheets) 
• Bringing job readiness into everyday therapy 
• Getting students involved in their own IEP meetings 
• Why secondary is a "hidden gem" worth exploring

Here’s what we learned: 

• High schoolers aren't hard—they just need you to meet them where they are. 
• Hands-on beats worksheets every time (especially for carryover). 
• Functional skills like coffee carts teach more than homework help ever will. 
• Progress looks different with older students—focus on life skills, not just data.
• Students in their IEP meetings changes everything (even if they just listen). 
• Secondary isn't scary—it's a hidden gem once you adjust. 
• Ask questions and lean on your team—secondary SLPs stay forever for a reason.

Learn more about Tricia Detig: 

Website: https://www.thoughtfultalk.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtful.talk/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thoughtfultalk.llc 

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/thoughtful-talk-llc-formerly-detig-dialect 

Speech Therapy Goal Bank for Middle School [grades 6-8]

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

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 tool changes everything, and how modeling for adults (not just kids) is where the magic happens. She talks about working with dysregulated students, pushing into classrooms instead of pulling out, and why showing up with fun and connection beats perfect data every time. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by AAC or like you're just winging it, this episode is packed with practical tips and plenty of "just do it and you'll be great" vibes.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why AAC is just a communication tool — and reframing it that way makes all the difference 
• How to make AAC accessible for SLPs, teachers, paras, and parents (not just users) 
• The power of modeling for adults, not just kids — show, don't tell 
• What it looks like to work with dysregulated students and build trust from a distance 
• Why pushing into classrooms instead of pulling out changes everything 
• How to ditch the data obsession for a minute and focus on fun and connection 
• What "modeling without expectations" actually means in practice

Here’s what we learned: 

• AAC isn't scary—it's just a tool, and reframing it that way changes everything. 
• Accessibility isn't just for users; teachers, paras, and parents need it to be usable too. 
• Model for the adults, not just the kids—show them how it's done in real time. 
• Push into classrooms instead of pulling out—let the team see AAC in action. 
• With dysregulated students, start from a distance and let trust build slowly. 
• Ditch the data sheets for a minute—fun and connection come first. 
• If it's not joyful, take a step back and adjust your approach.

Learn more about Malka Arnstein: 

Website: http://www.speakingaac.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakingaac/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/973643611365308

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Speaking-AAC/61568405591784/

Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/speakingaac-llc

AAC Information Card

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Get ready for an inspiring conversation with Hylan Noble Landthorn and Nikki Rosner Jacobs, the powerhouse duo behind The Mentorship Collective! With over 24 years of combined experience as speech and language pathologists, they’re on a mission to support and empower the next generation of SLPs.

As the founders of WordsMyWay, a play-based, child-led speech therapy practice, Hylan and Nikki believe in connection, creativity, and personalized care. After years of mentoring clinicians through fellowships and daily practice, they saw the need for deeper support—and that’s how The Mentorship Collective was born.

In this episode, they share how they’re redefining mentorship to help new SLPs grow with confidence, professionalism, and purpose—so they don’t just survive their fellowships, but truly thrive.


Bullet Points to Discuss

• The gap between grad school and real-world CF work
• Why mentorship matters beyond supervision
• Building clinical confidence and critical thinking
• Preventing burnout in early-career SLPs
• Mindset shifts for CFs and supervisors

Here’s what we learned: 

• Grad school teaches theory, but CFs need help translating it into flexible, real-time decision-making
• Supervision ≠ mentorship; CFs need space for questions, reflection, and growth
• Confidence grows through guided problem-solving, not having all the answers
• Strong mentorship reduces stress, overwhelm, and early burnout
• An open, growth-oriented mindset helps CFs learn faster and thrive long-term

Learn more about The Mentorship Collective:

Website

https://www.mentorshipcollective.com/

Social Media Links

Facebook

Instagram

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie tackles the chaos of returning to work in January. If you're feeling like you need a vacation from your vacation, this one's for you. She's dishing out practical strategies for easing back into therapy mode, getting your students re-engaged (even when they'd rather be literally anywhere else), and turning that New Year energy into actual buy-in. Hallie also shares how one simple activity can hit multiple goals across your entire caseload—because who has time to prep five different things? It's all about working smarter, not harder, and remembering that relationships matter just as much as data.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Starting light: connection before data collection 
• Quick check-ins and warmup games for the first week back 
• Getting student buy-in through goal-setting conversations 
• New Year's themed activities across all goal areas 
• One activity, multiple goals: the SLP magic formula 
• Why student voice and choice matter 
• The secret sauce: creativity, adaptability, and compassion

Here’s what we learned: 

• Stretching before the sprint—ease into the first week instead of going full throttle. 
• Your students are coming back just as tired and unmotivated as you are (totally normal!).
• Asking "what would make speech more useful or fun for you?" is a game changer. 
• One activity can work for your entire caseload when you know how to adapt it. 
• Show students their voice matters, and they'll actually want to show up. 
• You don't need to be perfect—just present, creative, and compassionate.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie wraps up 2025 by reflecting on an incredible year — from presenting at conferences across the country to becoming a New York City approved vendor, publishing the Secondary SLP Roadmap, and meeting thousands of SLPs along the way. She celebrates the impact of SLP Elevate, the success of three Speech Retreat conferences, the launch of a merch store, and all the ways she's been able to support SLPs working with older students. Most importantly, Hallie takes a moment to celebrate you — the SLPs who show up every day for their students. If you're looking for a feel-good year-end recap full of gratitude, excitement, and a couple of truly terrible dad jokes, this episode is your perfect holiday listen.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie sits down with Kylie Helm — school SLP, private practice owner, and PhD student who’s doing the research we all desperately need. Kylie shares how growing up low-SES herself and then working in a Title I school opened her eyes to the massive disconnect between what grad school teaches us and what these kids actually need. She gets real about the dangerous assumptions SLPs make (spoiler: poverty ≠ language disorder), why standardized vocabulary tests are basically useless for this population, and how syntax is actually the diagnostic hero we’ve been ignoring. If you’ve ever felt pressured to qualify a student just because they’re from a low-income family or wondered how to write a report that says “they bombed the test but don’t need services,” this conversation is packed with research-backed truth bombs and practical ways to do better.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• The myth that every low-SES kid has “bad language” and automatically needs services
• Why we need to stop using vocabulary scores as our diagnostic smoking gun
• Language samples and test-teach-retest: where the real answers actually live
• How to tell teachers the difference between functional communication gaps and academic language concerns
• When low vocabulary + low syntax = actual red flag vs. just environmental difference

Here’s what we learned: 

• Stop assuming multilingual + immigrant + low-SES + busy parents = needs speech therapy.
• Syntax is ability-based, vocabulary is environment-based—that changes everything about diagnosis.
• Dynamic assessment (test-teach-retest) shows learning ability, not just current knowledge.
• Strong syntax + weak vocabulary? Probably environmental. Weak syntax + weak vocabulary? Now we’re concerned.
• Teachers need to step outside their comfort zone too—it’s not all on us to adapt.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Learn more about Kylie Helm:  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylietheslp

Study: https://pubs.asha.org/doi/abs/10.1044/2024_PERSP-23-00299 

Developing Cross-Cultural Competence

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Hallie chats with Colleen Ashford of Ashford Speech and Advocacy P.C. about navigating transition process from an IFSP to IEP.

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie sits down with Colleen Ashford — bilingual SLP, private practice owner, and the special education advocate we all need. Colleen shares how she went from planning to be a school SLP forever to accidentally falling in love with advocacy work when families kept asking her IEP questions she couldn’t half-answer. She gets real about taking a special education law course on Saturdays, why we need to stop treating parent rights like secret information, and how she now runs her own practice doing both speech therapy and advocacy. If you’ve ever felt stuck answering parent questions or wondered how to actually support families navigating the IEP maze, this conversation is packed with real talk and “yes, you can totally do this” energy.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why families in private practice were totally lost about basic IEP stuff
• The difference between school speech services and what happens in clinics
• Why SLPs need to stop being scared of “getting in trouble” for educating parents
• Parent education vs. parent advocacy—and when it becomes a whole new service
• When to hand families a community resource list (and how to build one that actually helps)

Here’s what we learned: 

• You’ll never get in trouble for objectively explaining educational rights to families.
• IEP meetings are collaborative—not presentations parents just stamp “yes” on.
• Early intervention families need extra support understanding what happens at age three.
• Translation services aren’t optional—parents have the right to understand in their native language.
• Building a resource list takes time, but tackle it during cancellations and it’s golden.
• Parent education is valuable, billable work—don’t downplay what you know.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Learn more about Colleen Ashford: 

Website: www.ashfordspeechandadvocacy.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theadvocate.slp 

Unfiltered IEPs: Apple | Spotify 

Right to Translation Freebie: https://theadvocateslp.myflodesk.com/kp4nh8184r 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Hallie chats with Luba about how to help parents navigate IEP meetings.

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie sits down with Luba — SLP, bilingual private practice founder, and the brain behind Kidology and The Confident IEP Parent. They dive into the real challenges parents face when navigating IEPs, why so many feel lost (and sometimes overwhelmed), and how Luba helps families show up to meetings with confidence instead of confusion. Along the way, she shares her journey from aspiring broadcast journalist to running a thriving clinic, plus tips for SLPs thinking about private practice or looking to grow their own niche. If you’ve ever wished you could hand parents a “how-to” guide for IEPs, or you’re curious about juggling business, therapy, and advocacy, this episode is full of practical advice, inspiration, and plenty of real talk moments you won’t want to miss.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Luba’s journey from broadcast journalism to running a bilingual private practice
• Why parents often feel totally lost in the IEP process—and how she guides them step by step
• The story behind The Confident IEP Parent and how it helps families show up to meetings with confidence
• Tips for SLPs on working with parents, starting a practice, and growing your niche without losing your sanity

Here’s what we learned: 

• Parents need clear, simple explanations to feel confident in IEP meetings (no jargon, promise!)
• You can start a private practice with just a few clients—no fancy clinic required
• Growing your practice means evolving with your clients and building trust over time
• There are so many ways to make an impact as an SLP—therapy, advocacy, content creation, coaching, and more

Learn more about Luba Patlakh-Kaplun: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lubapatlakh 

Website

• Kidology Inc.: https://kidologyinc.com 
• The Confident IEP Parent: https://confidentiepparents.com 

Instagram

• @kidologyinc: https://www.instagram.com/kidologyinc 
• @kidologyqueen: https://www.instagram.com/kidologyqueen 
• @theconfidenteipparent: https://www.instagram.com/theconfidentiepparent 
• @kidologyplayspacesouthampton: https://www.instagram.com/kidologyplayspacesouthampton
• @thegrowthlabpodcast: https://www.instagram.com/thegrowthlabpodcast 

TikTok

• @kidologyinc: https://www.tiktok.com/@kidologyinc
• @thegrowthlabpodcast: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegrowthlabpodcast 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Hallie and Bria Gibson chat about running a private practice and YouTube channel.

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie sits down with Bria — SLP, private practice owner, and the creative mind behind Speech Up TV. Bria shares how she stumbled into the profession, rediscovered her passion while working with high schoolers, and eventually made the leap to a fully virtual practice after becoming a new mom. She walks us through the behind the scenes of Speech Up TV, from green screens to editing marathons to creating custom videos for her clients — and why YouTube has become such a powerful tool for language learning. If you’re curious about private practice, virtual therapy, or carving out your own path as an SLP, this episode is packed with honesty, inspiration, and plenty of “you can totally do this” moments.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• How switching from elementary to high school brought back her love for speech
• Why Facebook mom groups were the key to growing her private practice
• The role representation played in connecting with families
• What the transition from mobile therapy to virtual sessions actually looked like
• How Speech Up TV started—and how her husband became the behind-the-scenes tech wizard
• Ways SLPs can use her YouTube videos during sessions or for home practice
• Ideas for avoiding burnout by exploring different settings or roles

Here’s what we learned: 

• Burnout doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong field—sometimes it’s the wrong setting.
• You don’t need a clinic to start a private practice; start with your community.
• Virtual therapy can work surprisingly well when you already have strong rapport.
• YouTube can extend your reach far beyond your caseload (hello, Australia!).
• Custom, language-focused videos can support both kids and caregivers.
• There are so many ways to be an SLP—therapy, advocacy, content creation, coaching, and more.

Learn more about Bria Gibson: 

Website: www.myspeechup.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechuptv 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@speechuptv  

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speechuptv 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Libby Hill, a consultant speech-language pathologist with over 40 years of experience, about the fascinating connection between pathological demand avoidance (PDA) and selective mutism. Libby shares why students with PDA aren’t just being “naughty,” how their brilliant yet challenging language profiles can fool us into expecting too much, and why creating the right environment is everything. You’ll learn practical strategies like the “projects on pause folder” and why traditional therapy goals need to flip the script to focus on what the team needs to do, not what the student needs to fix. Whether you’re hearing about PDA for the first time or looking to deepen your understanding, this episode reminds us that sometimes the best therapy plan is building rapport and following the student’s lead.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• How a rain-soaked TV appearance opened the door to specializing in PDA
• Key differences between PDA and autism with extreme demand avoidance
• The connection between pathological demand avoidance and selective mutism
• Why environment and relationship-building matter more than direct goals
• Practical strategies like the “projects on pause folder” and flexible choices
• How to support students without triggering demand avoidance​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Here’s what we learned: 

• PDA and selective mutism? They’re more connected than you think.
• Getting the environment right beats direct intervention every time.
• Flexibility and choice look different for every student.
• Try the “projects on pause folder” - it removes pressure and sparks curiosity.
• Build rapport without an agenda, and watch progress happen.
• The right diagnosis matters - wrong strategies can do more harm than good.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Learn more about Libby Hill: 

Website: www.smalltalk-ltd.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smalltalkspeechandlanguagetherapy 

Let’s Talk Small Talk Podcast: https://letstalksmalltalk.transistor.fm 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Hallie chats about the Secondary SLP Movement!

If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in baby clipart while trying to make speech therapy work for middle and high schoolers, this episode is your life raft. Hallie is here to spark The Secondary SLP Movement — empowering SLPs to take back their time, make therapy functional, and show the world that speech therapy doesn’t stop after elementary school. 🙌💬

From planning in 10 minutes flat to using real-world materials that actually engage teens, Hallie spills her best tips for keeping therapy fun, relevant, and stress-free. Get ready to laugh, nod along, and feel seen — because this episode proves that therapy for older students can be just as exciting (and way less exhausting)! 💡🔥

Bullet Points to Discuss

• Real-World Therapy Magic
• Game-changing method for prepping effective sessions 
• Build a go-to therapy toolkit
• How tracking small victories keeps you inspired and recharged.

Here’s what we learned: 

• Redefining what it means to be a secondary SLP in today’s schools.
• Using real-life, functional materials to engage older students.
• Cutting planning time without sacrificing impact.
• Reusing and recycling frameworks for stress-free therapy.
• Building rapport and boosting buy-in with relevance and respect.
• Celebrating small wins and sharing them with the SLP community.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Hallie's book The Secondary SLP Roadmap is finally here! Listen as Hallie chats about her new book!

In this bonus episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie celebrates the launch of her brand new book, The Secondary SLP Roadmap, a guide designed to help SLPs working with grades 4–12 feel confident, equipped, and inspired. She shares the story behind why she wrote it, what makes it different from anything else out there, and how it’s packed with practical strategies, reflection prompts, and ready-to-use resources. If you’ve ever felt lost working with older students or wished for a clear plan to make therapy more meaningful (and fun), this episode is your invitation to grab your mug and your roadmap—because change starts here.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why Hallie created The Secondary SLP Roadmap for grades 4–12 SLPs.
• What sets this book apart from other secondary resources.
• How it helps you build trust and make therapy meaningful.
• The exclusive bonuses waiting when you grab your copy.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Hallie chats with Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC from Destiny Huff Consulting about working with a parent advocate and the role of the SLP.

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Dr. Destiny Huff—a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD therapist, trauma specialist, and special education advocate—about how SLPs can approach the IEP process with more empathy and collaboration. Dr. Destiny shares her journey from parent to advocate, common fears families bring into meetings, and how SLPs can communicate with compassion while standing firm in their expertise. You’ll also learn practical tips for writing neuroaffirming IEP goals and supporting students without losing sight of their individuality. Whether you’re new to advocacy or want to feel more confident at the IEP table, this conversation is full of insight, encouragement, and reminders that teamwork truly makes the difference.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Dr. Destiny’s journey from parent to special education advocate
• How to approach IEP meetings with empathy and collaboration
• The SLP’s role in advocacy and teamwork at the IEP table
• Writing neuroaffirming goals that honor student individuality
• Communicating confidently in tough meetings

Here’s what we learned: 

• Advocacy starts with empathy and understanding the parent perspective.
• SLPs and OTs are key allies in creating meaningful, student-centered IEPs.
• Neuroaffirming goals focus on support, not “fixing” differences.
• Collaboration—not confrontation—leads to better outcomes for everyone.
• Every IEP meeting is a chance to advocate with compassion and confidence.

Learn more about Dr. Destiny Duff: 

Website: https://www.destinyhuffconsulting.com/ 

Instagram (@theaffirmingvillagepodcast): https://www.instagram.com/theaffirmingvillagepodcast/ 

Instagram (@destinyhuff_iep_advocate): https://www.instagram.com/destinyhuff_iep_advocate/ 

Destiny Duff Consulting – Teachers Pay Teachers

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Hallie chats about the importance of building rapport with older speech students.

In this bonus episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie shares the moment that completely changed how she approached working with older students—when one small connection turned reluctant teens into willing participants. She dives into how that experience inspired Chapter 7 of her new book, The Secondary SLP Roadmap, and why building rapport isn’t extra—it’s everything. If you’ve ever wondered how to get buy-in from your students or make therapy a space they actually look forward to, this one’s for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• What rapport really means—and why it matters most. 
• The story that changed how Hallie connects with students. 
• How trust turns reluctant learners into willing participants. 
• Simple ways to build rapport while still hitting goals. 
• A peek into Chapter 7 of The Secondary SLP Roadmap.

Here’s what we learned: 

• Connection comes before correction—rapport is the real starting point. 
• Trust makes students more willing to try, fail, and try again. 
• Small moments of authenticity build big buy-in. 
• You can build relationships and meet goals—it’s not either/or. 
• When students feel safe, real progress follows.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Hallie chats about how to help students and teachers understand our role as SLPs.

In this bonus episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie shares the moment that completely changed how she saw her role as a secondary SLP—when one simple question, “Why am I here?” sparked a major aha. She dives into how uncovering the why behind language struggles inspired Chapter 2 of her new book, The Secondary SLP Roadmap, and reshaped her approach to therapy. If you’ve ever wondered how to explain your impact or define your value as an SLP, this one’s for you.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• The question that changed how Hallie saw her role as an SLP. 
• Root cause vs. symptom—what students really need support with. 
• Why SLPs bring unique value beyond the classroom. 
• How to confidently explain your impact as a secondary SLP. 
• A sneak peek into Chapter 2 of The Secondary SLP Roadmap.

Here’s what we learned: 

• Knowing your why turns confusion into confidence. 
• You’re not just fixing sounds—you’re unlocking language. 
• Clarity about your role helps everyone see your impact. 
• Dig deeper, not wider, to make real progress. 
• You’re the expert who helps students—and teachers—connect the dots.

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book 

🎉☕ Celebrate with Hallie at the Virtual Launch Party! Save your spot here: https://www.speechtimefun.com/launchparty 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets