Hear the personal stories behind Medicaid advocacy, as SLPs share why and how they use their voices to increase reimbursement rates for their peers and secure resources for their clients and patients. From the telephone to the state house, they tell where they go to get their messages heard and how you can do the same.Also, ASHA’s Caroline Bergner drops by the podcast to discuss a new ASHA resource designed to answer your questions about Medicaid and Medicare.Learn More:ASHA AdvocacyMedicare vs Medicaid: A Guide for Audiologists and Speech-Language PathologistsASHA Voices: Student Advocacy and a Win for People Who Stutter

When Jennifer La Scala was diagnosed with breast cancer, she came face to face with just how overwhelming, dense, and inaccessible patient education materials can be.A graduate student at the University of Central Florida, La Scala explains how her personal medical journey inspired her to study health literacy. Her work, and parallel work by University of Central Florida faculty, ultimately led to a collaboration with cochlear implant manufacturer Advanced Bionics.La Scala joins SLP Richard Zraick, of the University of Central Florida and audiologist Sarah Downing of Advanced Bionics to discuss health literacy and access to care, and how providers can improve communication with patients.Learn More:ASHA Practice Portal: Communication AccessAmerican Journal of Audiology: Readability of Cochlear Implant Brochures: A Potential Factor in Parent Decision MakingASHA Voices: How SLPs Can Use Communication Strategies to Improve Health Care AccessRead the Transcript

SLPs share how mindfulness tools help people focus on the present moment and ease their communication with others.Michael Boyle (Montclair State University) is an SLP who uses these tools personally and professionally. He discusses what these tools offer people who stutter and addresses misconceptions about mindfulness. Plus, in an interactive element, Boyle guides listeners through a mindfulness exercise.Later in the episode, SLP Jean Neils-Strunjas (University of South Carolina) joins me for a conversation on mindfulness and aging. And, she speaks on the benefits she’s seen for people with aphasia and the research she’s doing related to mindful walking.Learn More:ASHA Convention Presentation: Cultivating Mindfulness to Enhance Communication Outcomes for Individuals With Communication DisordersASHA Voices: Stuttering and Stigma With SLP Derek DanielsJournal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research: Age-Related Hearing Loss, Cognitive Decline, and Social Interaction: Testing a Framework

Audiologist Sarah Kingsbury, is asking big questions about what happens to our vestibular system in extreme environments, like when piloting an aircraft or even traveling through space.Kingsbury works as a senior research technologist and assistant professor of audiology at the Aerospace Medicine and Vestibular Research Laboratory at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She's also pursuing a PhD in aerospace at the University of North Dakota.On the podcast, Kingsbury discusses opportunities for innovation and shares personal stories of inspiration. And she highlights the role of mentorship in her career and vestibular research.Kingsbury is one of 12 early-career professionals featured in the September/October ASHA Leader. Look for more profiles of early-career professionals online soon.Learn More:ASHA Voices: Career Origin Stories – Multilingual Service ProvidersDiagnosis and Management of Balance Vestibular DisorderASHA Practice Portal: Balance System Disorders

We catch up with researchers Jeff Holt and Karen Avraham about the state of gene therapy for addressing hearing loss and deafness. Both are part of the Research Symposium on Hearing at the 2024 ASHA Convention.Our guests explain what recent breakthroughs, including successful clinical trials, mean for the future of gene therapy. They comment on audiologists' potential role in treatment and assessment related to gene therapy.You can learn more about gene therapy and hearing loss at the Research Symposium on Hearing at the 2024 ASHA Convention in Seattle this December.Learn More:Research Symposium on HearingASHA Voices: Revisiting Conversations on Gene Therapy and Hearing LossFirst Deaf Gene Therapy Recipient in U.S. Gains Hearing

In its most severe forms, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was once thought to be unavoidably terminal. But recent developments are allowing those with the disorder to live longer, healthier lives, and today’s guest says this means a greater need for speech-language pathologists' services.SLP Katlyn McGrattan (University of Minnesota; Masonic Children's Hospital) says advances in treating SMA essentially created a new condition. She explains the role SLPs play in treating feeding and swallowing issues, dysarthria, and other such conditions seen in this emerging patient population.Later in the episode, hear from the mother of a son with SMA. She shares her family’s experience.Learn More:ASHA Voices: Exploring Caregiver-Provider InteractionsDysphagia Phenotypes in Spinal Muscular Atrophy: The Past, Present, and Promise for the FutureASHA Evidence Map: Spinal Muscular AtrophyTranscript

How do you foster an environment that is conducive to retaining students with a diversity of experiences and backgrounds? In this second of two parts, a panel of faculty members from CSD programs discuss recruitment and retention of diverse and under-represented CSD professionals.Learn More:ASHAWire Special Collection: Culturally Responsive Teaching and LearningPerspectives Forum Highlights Holistic AdmissionsMinnesota CSD Program Formalizes Support for Students of ColorFrom My Perspective/Opinion: Advancing Justice, Equity in the Pipeline to the ProfessionsASHA Voices: HBCU Leaders Share Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Underrepresented Students in CSDTranscript

A panel of faculty members from CSD programs discuss recruitment and retention of diverse and under-represented CSD professionals. In this first of two parts, guests share personal experiences with and insights on holistic admissions.Learn More:Perspectives Forum Highlights Holistic AdmissionsASHAWire Special Collection: Culturally Responsive Teaching and LearningMinnesota CSD Program Formalizes Support for Students of ColorFrom My Perspective/Opinion: Advancing Justice, Equity in the Pipeline to the ProfessionsASHA Voices: HBCU Leaders Share Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Underrepresented Students in CSDTranscript: A Conversation on Holistic Admissions

Hear career-origin stories from three CSD professionals. From a wooden boat crossing the South China Sea, to a mother’s unexpected suggestion, to a love of language … guests share the parts of their lives that inspired and shaped their careers.All of today’s guests are multilingual, and throughout each story, they discuss what it’s meant for them to incorporate multilingualism into their work.Learn More:ASHA Voices: A Personal and Professional Look at Multilingualism and CSDPractice Portal: Multilingual Service ProvidersPractice Portal: Multilingual Service DeliveryTranscript: Career Origin Stories - Multilingual Service Providers

Hear a conversation with SLP Tovah Feehan, who specializes in pediatric feeding disorders, and the hosts of the Caffeinated Caregivers podcast. Through their podcast and website, Alyssa Nutile and Erica Stearns create community around, advocate for, and highlight the identity of caregivers. Guests discuss provider and caregiver interactions. Hear stories from their lives and work.Learn More:Caffeinated Caregivers: What does it mean to be Disability-Informed? (And why does that matter?)ASHA Voices: The Critical But Unseen Social Determinants of HealthASHA Leader: Rethinking Pediatric Feeding ... LanguagePediatric Feeding Partners

What does it mean to have your voice heard as a part of the legislative process?We talk with a representative of the Kentucky Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and with a future SLP who spoke up this legislative session during a day for student advocacy at the Kentucky State Capitol.Guests discuss participation and highlight new legislation expanding insurance coverage for people who stutter—a bill that was championed by former University of Kentucky basketball star and past ASHA Voices guest Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.Learn More:ASHA Voices: Athlete and Advocate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist2024 Advocacy Wins: Keeping Pace: State Legislative and Regulatory Updates for Audiology and Speech-Language PathologyEpisode Transcript: ASHA Voices: Student Advocacy and a Win for People Who Stutter

An SLP encounters an increase in speech-language delays following the COVID-19 pandemic. What she finds next is a trend that is larger than she realized, and it may be something you’ve noticed as well.Later in the episode, go behind the scenes of ASHA’s newly revised developmental milestones to hear how they were developed and why they were updated.Learn More:“Elusive Words: Confronting the Post-Pandemic Skills Gap” by SLP Liza StahnkeASHA's Developmental Milestones: Birth to 5 YearsEpisode transcript: ASHA Voices: Conversations on Milestones and Speech-Language Delays

SLP Derek Daniels says stigmatizing actions, like imitating stuttering, can lead people who stutter to remove themselves from opportunities and create a diminished quality of life. Daniels unpacks an example from his own life to give a glimpse into three different ways people can experience stigma. He shares how SLPs can address stigma in their work, and later in the episode, discusses his research into the intersectional ways people experience stigma.

Hear stories from home health SLPs working in three different regions across the country. As more patients choose to receive care at home, SLPs working in the city of Baltimore, the suburbs of Atlanta, and in a rural part of the Midwest share how the places they work influence the ways they provide services and care.Central to the conversation are social determinants of health, the sometimes unseen environmental and social factors that can influence our health. You’ll hear these factors in the stories of each of today’s guests.Transcript

In this panel discussion, guests address how SLPs can empower themselves to effectively provide their services cross-linguistically. The guests share stories of their personal and professional connections to multilingualism, demonstrating the link between language, identity, and their work.

SLP Jerry Hoepner discusses the ways SLPs can help patients address barriers to care and connection following a traumatic brain injury.A professor at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Hoepner studies the experiences of people with TBIs and their interactions with health care providers. As a part of his research, he’s gathered and published observations from people who have experienced brain injuries. He shares what he’s learned from that research, highlighting the chronic phase of care and the powerful role of conversation groups for those with TBIs.Transcript

SLPs Meg Lico and Kaitlin Hanley from NYU Langone Health share their story of working with Aaron James, the recipient of what’s being billed as the first ever full-eye and partial-face transplant. They describe how they worked with James to reach his goals, such as eating solid foods with his family.Central to the story is their collaboration and the interdepartmental communication that made success possible. The SLPs provide details about approaching this unique case, as well as their victories, memorable moments, and the emotions they had along the way.At the end of the conversation, hear from James and his wife Meagan.

We’re delving into new research addressing the where and the who of hearing loss in the U.S.Principal researcher David Rein, of NORC at the University of Chicago, and audiologist Nick Reed, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, discuss the Sound Check project. This research initiative includes new estimates of bilateral hearing loss and an interactive map that presents the data by state, county, and more.Hear the researchers observe trends and share takeaways from this comprehensive look at hearing loss in the U.S.

An audiologist and SLP discuss working together to assist patients with mild TBI and tinnitus.At the center of their collaboration is addressing the cognitive load in patients who have both tinnitus and the injury. Find out why and how the duo decided to join together to help these patients, and what they do differently now.Transcript

In this second part of our conversation with SLP and health services researcher Jen Oshita, she expands on strategies people with communication disabilities can use to express themselves and more fully participate in their own health care.Hear why Oshita feels SLPs play a pivotal role in improving health care equity for these patients, and what organizations can do to increase communication access.Plus, hear from patients and care partners, including personal accounts from Hari Kannan, Vidya Thirumalai, and Lyn Piper.Transcript

SLP and health services researcher Jen Oshita provides strategies SLPs can share with people with communication disabilities to facilitate effective communication in health care. She discusses how communication access in health care interactions can contribute to health disparities, and she addresses barriers to care related to communication, such as rushed appointments with providers or the use of confusing medical jargon.Throughout this conversation, we’ll hear from patients and care partners as they share their experiences with the health care system, including advocate Matthew LeFluer and health communications strategist Karen Hilyard, who shares strategies as well.

John Hendrickson is a writer and senior editor at The Atlantic where, four years ago, he began to write about stuttering, penning an article about now-President Joe Biden's relationship with speech disfluency. Hendrickson’s memoir “Life on Delay” is a personal expansion, exploring the author's own life experiences with stuttering. On the podcast, he discusses his book, publicly disclosing he is a person who stutters, and addresses media representations of speech disfluency. This is ASHA Voices’ third conversation featuring authors discussing their lives as people who stutter. All conversations feature special guest co-host and SLP Chaya Goldstein-Schuff of the Sisskin Stuttering Center and the StutterTalk podcast.

ASHA Voices is ringing in the new year with a preview of 2024 and some highlights from 2023.

You may have seen our first guests present on cultural awareness, bias, and microaggressions in the supervisory relationship at the 2023 ASHA Convention.SLPs Kyomi Gregory-Martin and Nancy Gauvin join the podcast for a conversation on creating inclusive workplace cultures and what to do if you unintentionally commit a microaggression.Later in the episode, hear a personal story from Iván Campos, a bilingual SLP working in California. He also shares how he feels microaggressions have changed since 2020.

Audiologist and public health researcher Lauren Dillard takes us on a journey through the ASHA Voices archive to highlight the many places audiology and public health overlap. From mobile clinics, to a history lesson, to an Arizona border town, hear excerpts from past episodes of the podcast curated by affiliates of ASHA Special Interest Group 8, Public Health Audiology.

SLP Joe Duffy, who has spent decades with the Mayo Clinic treating motor speech disorders, shares some of the stories that stick with him—from surprising neurological conditions to functional speech disorders. And, he dissects what we can learn from these memorable patients and the way they spoke.

If clinicians and families aren’t speaking the same language when treating pediatric swallowing disorders, things can get confusing — and dangerous — says today's guest on the podcast.SLP Laura Brooks discusses her work with the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative, or IDDSI. The nonprofit has been developing and implementing resources that standardize measurements for thickened liquids and modified foods.Brooks, who treats children with swallowing disorders, discusses cultural considerations in her work with care partners and family members. And she shares what she’s learning from clinicians outside the U.S. through her work with the international nonprofit.This conversation was originally published in February 2023.

What some SLPs have considered a “hidden disorder” is receiving attention. Earlier this year, the Department of Education clarified that Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) could be recognized under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.To reflect and expand on this update, DLD advocates Kelly Farquharson, Tiffany Hogan, and Karla McGregor join the podcast to detail the work they are doing to bring attention to the neurodevelopmental condition. They discuss what this recent IDEA development means for students with DLD and the SLPs who work with them. It's part of a conversation covering advocacy, masking, and the ways SLPS can address DLD while working with families and teachers.

What have we learned from the first year of OTC hearing aids’ availability?A panel of audiologists with distinct perspectives on the devices—informed by their varying professional experiences—discuss uptake, patient satisfaction, and common misconceptions. Plus, hear what our guests hope year two and beyond might hold for these devices.

In this episode, we look at what artificial intelligence (AI) might mean for people with swallowing disorders, as part of our continuing series of conversations about AI's influence on audiology and speech-language pathology.Vanderbilt University’s Cara Donohue shares her experience with this burgeoning technology before discussing implications and practical applications. Hear why she considers the roles of engineers and interprofessional collaboration to be essential.

From hearing aids to cochlear implants, from tinnitus to speech-in-noise, AI is everywhere. On this episode, professor Fan-Gang Zeng (UC Irvine) discusses where audiologists may see AI show up next, and the promise this technology holds for assessment and treatment. Zeng’s research focuses on the ways hearing and the brain are linked, like through tinnitus or with cochlear implants. At the 2023 Research Symposium on Hearing at the upcoming ASHA Convention, he will present on the implications of AI for audiological research and care.

From the moment a patient approaches their primary care provider about balance problems, the road to recovery can be long and expensive. But audiologist Devin McCaslin (University of Michigan) is working to simplify that path and reduce costs--using artificial intelligence.This technology can help patients receive needed care, and McCaslin discusses how an AI system, which he helped to develop, coordinates care for patients with dizziness and puts them in front of the appropriate providers.McCaslin will be presenting as a part of the 2023 Research Symposium on Hearing at the upcoming ASHA Convention.

In his book “Every Waking Moment,” author Christopher Anderson shares in unflinching detail the pain he experienced related to stuttering—both as a young person and into adulthood. But he also recounts how a series of personal decisions and a single business card slowly changed everything, putting him on the road to self-acceptance.Anderson joins the podcast to discuss his life and his book, including his experience with avoidance-reduction therapy, and what he wants to share with SLPs.This is the second conversation with an author who has written about their life as a person who stutters. Both conversations feature special guest co-host and SLP Chaya Goldstein-Schuff of the Sisskin Stuttering Center and the StutterTalk podcast.

Ten years after “Paperboy,” the story of a boy who stutters, resonated with audiences and won the Newbery Medal, its author Vince Vawter joins the podcast to discuss it.In the novel, protagonist "Little Man" takes over a paper route and finds empowerment, gaining confidence in himself and in his ability to communicate. Vawter talks about his own experiences as a person who stutters, and how people have reacted to his book over the years.This is the first of two conversations with authors about the lives of people who stutter, as narrated on the printed page. Both conversations feature special guest co-host and SLP Chaya Goldstein-Schuff of the Sisskin Stuttering Center and the StutterTalk podcast.

You may have seen a sometimes contentious element of contracts--the non-compete agreement--in the news lately. Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission recommended eliminating these clauses, claiming they decrease competition.Non-compete agreements are used to prohibit employees from leaving one workplace to join or create a competitor. Some employees believe the agreements limit their career advancement, but many employers feel they are necessary to protect their businesses and intellectual property.On this episode of ASHA Voices, hear a discussion on what may, or may not, be changing with non-compete agreements, and learn what employees and employers can do to protect their interests. Plus, ASHA members voice their perspectives.

SLP Kia Noelle Johnson speaks about cultural responsiveness in work with people who stutter and the role of culture in the presentation, assessment, and treatment related to this speech disfluency. It’s a matter Johnson notes is particularly relevant for school-based SLPs.Later in the episode, hear from a future SLP who is creating a space for vulnerable conversations about the experience of being a person who stutters.

Meet two audiologists who use their clinics on wheels to reach people who have unaddressed hearing loss. From designing their space to finding their clients, these audiologists tell us what it’s like to run a business and serve patients on the road.These conversation were originally published in November 2022.

Guests explore the ways in which conversation can play a role in fighting social isolation for people with aphasia, as well as provide an important way to experience community and connection.First, the hosts of the Brain Friends podcast – Angie Cauthorn, an advocate for people with aphasia, and SLP Seles Gadson. The duo discusses their aphasia-centered podcast and address the critical role of conversation groups, such as the Black American Aphasia Conversation Group, in fostering that community and connection. Angie also shares her experience with the language disorder.Later in the episode, we’re joined by poet and founding member of the Black American Aphasia Conversation Group, Michael Obel-Omia.

The University of Memphis’ Sarah Warren says studying public health allowed her to reimagine her career as an audiologist and connect her work to larger communities. She shares why and how she is incorporating public health concepts into the education of the next generation of audiologists.Plus, does it feel like you've been hearing more about public health in recent years? Warren explains the reason for that. She shares a brief history of health care trends in the U.S, including how the COVID-19 pandemic affected awareness of public health.

SLP Emily Kornman discusses her work as a part of Team Gleason, a nonprofit supporting people with ALS. When ALS erodes someone’s ability to speak, many turn to augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, to find their voice. Kornman discusses her work with AAC devices and voice and message banking.Plus, we’ll hear a first-hand account from a family Kornman assisted with message banking in her work for Team Gleason.This conversation was originally published in September 2022.

How do society’s expectations of people who stutter affect those speakers’ experiences? As a person who stutters and as an SLP specializing in stuttering, Chris Constantino of Florida State University discusses how concepts like neurodiversity and the social model of disability can influence and inspire intervention. He shares what these ideas mean to him and how they might look if they’re applied in practice. Plus, Constantino highlights some of the positive moments he’s gained in his life from being a person who stutters.This conversation was originally published in July 2022.

People with disabilities affecting speech, language, and voice are at higher risk for avoidable health care errors and negative health care outcomes, says SLP Megan Morris, a faculty member at the University of Colorado. Her work addresses health care disparities experienced by people with disabilities and disabilities related to communication.She discusses the role that CSD professionals play in reducing barriers associated with health care disparities for people with disabilities—particularly disabilities affecting communication.Look for the transcript for this episode online at on.asha.org/podcastThis conversation was originally published in October 2022.

Amanda Piper is one of just a few audiologists in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago. Inspired by a personal connection, Piper traveled to the U.S. to study audiology, and today, she works as a clinical audiologist for the Trinidad and Tobago Association for the Hearing Impaired.In recounting her education at UNC Greensboro and Vanderbilt University and career path back to her home country, Piper highlights some of the differences between working inside and outside of the U.S.This conversation was originally published in July 2022.

How can a blow to the head result in difficulties with hearing and listening?Audiologist Gail Whitelaw discusses what clinicians may want to consider when assessing or treating a person who's had a brain injury. She tells the story of one patient's long road to hearing care after acquiring a TBI during the Boston Marathon bombing.Plus, author and researcher Nina Kraus (“Of Sound Mind”) takes us into the brain to reveal what she’s learning about how TBIs can affect the brain’s ability to make sense of the sounds in our lives.These conversations were originally published in August 2022.

SLP Edythe "Edy" Strand joins the podcast for a conversation on apraxia of speech--the focus of her decades-long career. When it comes to differential diagnosis, the work of SLPs in this area can be challenging, she acknowledges. Hear her discuss its distinguishing characteristics and explain the difference between treating apraxia of speech and other disorders.Strand also describes how she approaches discussions of this motor speech disorder with families. Plus, with a storied career, she shares memories of patients and experiences that inform her professional life, including the valuable lessons she took from those interactions.

With the arrival of a new student who uses hearing aids and American Sign Language, two University of Memphis audiologists began looking into hearing accessibility in the university setting. On the podcast, Lisa Lucks Mendel and Jennifer Taylor share how they sought creative accommodations in the classroom and the clinic.

Our guests share their personal experiences and address subjects such as accessibility in education, audism, and the strengths that deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) audiologists contribute to the profession. First, educational audiologist Sarah Sparks relates her story, including what she’s witnessed as a Deaf audiologist empowering clients.And, audiologist Stacey Lim of Central Michigan University provides her take on what future audiologists may consider when looking for employment.

If clinicians and families aren’t speaking the same language when treating pediatric swallowing disorders, things can get confusing — and dangerous — says today's guest on the podcast.SLP Laura Brooks discusses her work with the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative, or IDDSI. The nonprofit has been developing and implementing resources that standardize measurements for thickened liquids and modified foods. Brooks, who treats children with swallowing disorders, discusses cultural considerations in her work with care partners and family members. And she shares what she’s learning from clinicians outside the U.S. through her work with the international nonprofit.

In recognition of Tinnitus Awareness Week, audiologist and tinnitus expert Tricia Scaglione discusses the latest tinnitus research, the potential role of OTC hearing aids in tinnitus management, and what happens when patients with tinnitus read inaccurate information online. Plus, we explore why some people with tinnitus are turning to mindfulness apps and cognitive behavioral therapy.

These conversation were originally published in August 2022.First, hear from two SLPs in Chicago. This mentor-mentee duo shares lessons and stories from the more than 35 years they’ve known each other.In the second half of the episode, we hear from two bilingual SLPs. The way they met would have been impossible just a few years ago. Hear what resulted from this international mentorship.

Many people turn to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) when they lose­—or never have—their voice or ability to speak. But today’s guests say AAC should not be viewed only as a last resort.Autistic advocate endever* corbin (who uses lower-case letters and an asterisk as part of their name) and SLP Amy Donaldson are supporting access for all autistic people—some of whom may choose to use AAC even when communicating orally is an option.They explain how choosing to use speech and AAC can help autistic people fight burnout and boost self-advocacy.

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

Hear two conversations about working and studying outside the United States in communication sciences and disorders.Audiologist/SLP Mershen Pillay from Massey University in New Zealand and audiologist Ishara Ramkissoon from Gallaudet University join the podcast. They discuss a service-learning trip they designed for students from the U.S. traveling to South Africa, and share what the experience revealed about the differences between the community and medical models of health care.Plus, Chisomo Selemani’s life and work straddle the U.S. and Zambia. The Baldwin Wallace University CSD faculty member shares insights from managing a study-abroad program, and offers questions you might want to ask yourself before working or studying internationally. This episode was produced in collaboration with ASHA’s International Issues Board and Special Interest Group 17, Global Issues in Communication Sciences and Related Disorders.

Researchers are still learning about the effects and path to recovery for those with “long COVID”—a lingering, often-grueling condition following COVID-19 infection, with symptoms that can include fatigue, loss of taste and smell, lingering fevers, and brain fog.SLP Julie Sullivan is the first point of contact for long COVID patients at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital COVID Recovery Center. She joins the podcast to share what she’s learning about this stubborn fallout from COVID-19.And people with the condition discuss the baffling symptoms affecting their lives.

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

Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are now available for purchase without a prescription, but the implications of this change for audiologists and the public is just beginning to play out.Audiologist and researcher Marcia Hay-McCutcheon is asking questions about what these devices might mean for people living in rural areas with no audiology services, and she’s taking those questions on the road. She’ll be conducting her research from a 40-foot long, 33,000-pound mobile clinic, part of the Hear Here Alabama Project.Read the transcript at on.asha.org/podcast

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

People with disabilities affecting speech, language, and voice are at higher risk for avoidable health care errors and negative health care outcomes, says SLP Megan Morris, a faculty member at the University of Colorado. Her work addresses health care disparities experienced by people with disabilities and disabilities related to communication.She discusses the role that CSD professionals play in reducing barriers associated with health care disparities for people with disabilities—particularly disabilities affecting communication.Look for the transcript for this episode online at on.asha.org/podcast

We all speak in different dialects. Today’s guest, John Baugh, provides history and context for those differences in the way we speak in the U.S., and explores their effects. Baugh, president of the Linguistic Society of America, shares how dialect can be used to discriminate against people, which he refers to as linguistic profiling. Baugh explains how linguistic profiling can affect all facets of people's lives, from apartment leasing to legal proceedings. He also describes his experiences acting as an expert witness in court.

SLP Emily Kornman discusses her work as a part of Team Gleason, a nonprofit supporting people with ALS. When ALS erodes someone’s ability to speak, many turn to augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, to find their voice. Kornman discusses her work with AAC devices and voice and message banking.Plus, we’ll hear a first-hand account from a family Kornman assisted with message banking in her work for Team Gleason.This episode was produced in anticipation of the 2022 ASHA Convention, where Team Gleason founders Steve Gleason and his wife, Michel, will be honored with the Annie Glenn Award.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This conversation was originally published in August 2021.Clients need to feel that they are valued and respected, and for gender-diverse clients, this often begins with the language we use. The consequences of not showing this respect can be large. They can even lead to negative client outcomes, as our guest today shares.SLP Greg Robinson is a faculty member at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and the chair of L’GASP, ASHA’s LGBTQ+ caucus.Robinson shares guidance on how to approach conversations around gender and what to do if you inadvertently slip up. They also tell a personal story of how a health care provider’s language led them to stop receiving care.

On this episode of the podcast, we’re joined by SLP Wendy Olsen for a conversation of interest to SLPs in health care. Olsen discusses the effects of opioids on respiration and how collaboration may be the key to meeting patients’ needs. Olsen is a post-doctoral researcher at the Breathing Research and Therapeutic Center at the University of Florida. The interprofessional research center focuses on issues of respiration in health care and rehabilitation. She joins the podcast from Florida to discuss the opioid epidemic and to highlight research that may be of interest to other SLPs who treat patients affected by opioid use. This is the third episode of our 2022 series looking at how the opioid epidemic affects the work of CSD professionals.

Two SLPs invite you to rethink your approach to swallowing disorders.Ed Bice and Alicia Vose advocate for taking the fear out of dysphagia treatment—starting with the language we use.In recognition of Dysphagia Awareness Month, we hear their insights on the words they choose and how they approach conversations with physicians. We also discuss what a person-centered approach looks like, and why it’s important to assess a swallow in relation to the whole person.Plus, we look at the results of our guests' 2021 survey examining how often SLPs consult registered dietitians. They share why they think the results may point to a big opportunity.Both guests are presenters at ASHA's online conference, “Controversies and Consensus in Dysphagia Management.” The conference begins August 3. Find details at asha.org.

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

It’s graduation season at many colleges and universities, and ASHA Voices is taking the occasion to look forward and explore the pipeline into the professions. What might the future of CSD look like?Increasing diversity, representation, and inclusion in the pipeline through colleges and universities continues to be critical. On this episode of the podcast, we’ve gathered three leaders from CSD programs at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Guests discuss strategies for recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented backgrounds. They also share stories of the people and places that helped them find success in CSD.

You’ve surely read the headlines: Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting due to the effects of aphasia. Amidst the many career retrospectives and heartfelt appreciations of him online are scores of articles offering varying definitions and explanations of his condition.SLP Fabi Hirsch joins the podcast for a conversation about this complex disorder, and her work with public figures who have it, including U.S. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Hirsch is CEO and director of clinical services for the nonprofit Friends of Aphasia., which she co-founded with Giffords.

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

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

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

The promise of gene therapy is immense. But as today’s guest points out, so, too, are the challenges. Audiologist and molecular biologist O’neil Guthrie (Northern Arizona University) says the way gene therapy is discussed in the media and by the public may be setting unrealistic expectations for this pioneering therapy. He joins the podcast to explain why gene therapies can be so difficult to create.

More than two years into the pandemic, we are only beginning to learn about the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2. Those living with “long COVID” may experience multiple symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and brain fog.Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Joel VanEaton (Broad River Rehab) and Mary Kennedy (Chapman University) to discuss what clinicians may need to know about the emerging population of patients with long COVID.Plus we hear from Sarah Eastman, a speech-language pathology student who noticed unanticipated changes in her health after she thought she'd fully recovered from COVID. Hear how she says the experience has affected her approach with patients.

Tel Aviv University’s Karen Avraham joins the podcast to discuss her genetics research. She shares what it’s like to find hearing loss genes and how her discoveries may connect to the future of hearing loss treatment.

In our first of two episodes looking at gene therapy and hearing loss, we revisit two conversations with researchers at the forefront of this groundbreaking research. Hear updates on how their work has developed since these conversations first took place. Boston Children’s Hospital’s Jeff Holt discusses an unexpected discovery that tied a specific gene to a genetic form of hearing loss. And Stanford University’s Tina Stankovic describes her investigations into diagnostics and therapeutics for sensorineural hearing loss.

SLP Cheryl Hersh (Mass General Brigham) discusses environmental and social factors that can hinder health care outcomes—social determinants of health.Hersh works as a part of a team treating pediatric feeding disorder, and she shares how awareness of these aspects of patients’ lives, like food access and housing, can make a difference when it comes to health care outcomes.She talks through what she’s learning and the specific ways she’s modified her care to be better informed by social determinants of health.

Our guests, SLPs Kyomi Gregory-Martin and Janna Oetting, join the podcast to discuss dialects, like African American English or Southern White English, in the schools. Their 2016 article “Changing How Speech-Language Pathologists Think and Talk About Dialect Variation” asks SLPs to alter this perspective on dialects to better serve children in the schools.They share tips and advice for school-based SLPs and address the question: What do you do when the administration doesn’t understand your role?

When a child is having difficulty eating, it can take a toll on the entire family. The effect is immense, and it can create issues that affect the mind and body while spurring feelings of guilt in parents.We’re joined by an interdisciplinary team from Children’s Wisconsin, a pediatric health center, for a discussion about the teamwork behind treating pediatric feeding disorder. Team members also share outcomes of their collaboration.

An expert panel of audiologists and health researchers answer questions about the overlap between populations at risk for hearing loss and opioid misuse, guidance on how to address this sensitive subject with patients, and the role pandemic-induced isolation is playing in opioid misuse.

We speak to a mother who adopted a son with prenatal opioid exposure, and we hear from her Marshall University colleague, a researcher whose conversations with school-based speech-language pathologists reveal where the opioid epidemic may be showing up on caseloads.They say that the effects of prenatal opioid exposure can last beyond infancy and early childhood, with children presenting characteristics that can sometimes be mistaken for other diagnoses.

As we look towards 2022, and 2021 ends, we hear from members sharing both gratitude and grief—from voices you may recognize.Plus, in the spirit of reflection, retiring ASHA CEO Arlene Pietranton takes a bow. After 18 years leading the association, Pietranton shares stories and reflects on the mission that’s sustained her service.

Rachel Archambault was an SLP at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when the school became the site of the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. The Parkland, Florida, students who were freshmen during that shooting are now graduating, and in the years since the shooting, Archambault became an advocate for trauma-informed practice, sometimes called trauma-informed care.Archambault joins ASHA Voices to tell us about serving as an SLP at the school and shares the five principles of trauma-informed care she incorporates into her work. She also addresses what a trauma-informed approach might look like as students and staff deal with fallout from COVID-19.This conversation was originally published in July 2021.

Recorded at the 2021 ASHA Convention, the NCAA men's basketball champion and NBA vet joins the podcast to share his personal story and experiences, including his decision to self-disclose his stutter during the NCAA Tournament.Kidd-Gilchrist also discusses his advocacy work for people who stutter through his initiative Change and Impact. The nonprofit focuses on helping those who stutter access services from SLPs and, as a part of that, Michael creates greater awareness of stuttering and the lived experiences of those who stutter.

Hear three highlights from the podcast in 2021. From the Navajo Nation to the boxing ring to the silver screen, we revisit stories that stayed with us.

We take an in-depth look at accent modification and hear an array of perspectives on a service approach that's also a source of controversy. Central to this conversation are questions about the voice and identity: In the fight against linguistic discrimination, could accent modification be a tool to repel inequity, or could it instead perpetuate it? We’ll hear from an SLP who wrote a book on accent modification and another SLP who made waves with a provocative presentation in December of 2020. Plus, leaders of some of ASHA’s multicultural constituency groups share their thoughts.

Discerning speech in a noisy environment requires practice, and it can take years for children to hone their ability to maximize their auditory system.Award-winning researcher Lauren Calandruccio joins the podcast to discuss auditory perception in noisy environments, like the classroom. She tells us about the experiments she conducted into how children perceive sound, and we hear the surprising turn her research took.Plus, Lauren shares what she’s doing at Case Western Reserve University to facilitate communication in her university classroom during the pandemic.

This conversation was originally published in February 2021.In honor of International Stuttering Awareness Day on October 22, we’re presenting an encore publication of our episode on stuttering representation and visibility.We hear from SLP Chris Constantino, a faculty member at Florida State University. Constantino talks about what he’s heard from his clients and shares what the inauguration of President Biden, who has spoken openly about his experience as a person who stutters, means for him personally. Constantino is also a person who stutters.Then, a panel of SLPs—Derek Daniels, Courtney Byrd, and Katie Gore—join the show. We discuss the importance of acceptance in assessing and treating stuttering, and we talk about how the experience of stuttering differs from person to person.

It's more common than autism, but is developmental language disorder being overlooked? Our guest today says so, and in her award-winning research, she explains why. Researcher and advocate Karla McGregor joins this episode to discuss identification, intervention, and advocacy.

In this episode, two presenters from the upcoming ASHA 2021 Convention Research Symposium on Hearing discuss how hearing loss connects to dementia and depression.Columbia University psychiatry researcher Bret Rutherford says depression is one of the main drivers of disability in older adults, linking the condition to cognitive decline, dementia, and hearing loss. He explains what role hearing health might play in preventative care.Then, Esther Oh, co-director of Johns Hopkins’ Memory and Alzheimer's Treatment Center, describes how hearing loss can compound symptoms like agitation.

In July, President Biden signed an executive order directing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to draft regulations for over-the-counter hearing aids this fall. The OTC devices will accommodate mild to moderate hearing loss.The nature of those regulations, and what they may mean for audiologists, is up for speculation. Some may see these devices as an opportunity to increase awareness of hearing health. Others may be concerned about possible impacts of these devices on audiologists’ practices.Today on the podcast, we’re joined by an expert panel to discuss the implications and possibilities that may arrive on the shelf alongside these hearing aids.

We’re taking on a subject that is timely, but not new. Guests explain how the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn public attention to disparities in care that have always existed. And they say everyone has a role to play in confronting these inequities. Often associated with race and socioeconomic status, the impact of health care disparities can be devastating. The disparities affect everything from finances to health care outcomes. Panelists explore how implicit bias can perpetuate inequities, and share what clinicians can do to help.

This conversation was originally published in February 2020. African American English, or AAE, is a language variation. Maybe you've heard it called a dialect. It sounds different from Mainstream American English. It has its own rules and its own grammar, and it comes from a long language tradition. But when AAE is not recognized, it can be misdiagnosed as a language disorder. Covering everything from misdiagnosis in the classroom to the connection between language and identity, our panel of experts discusses the language variation known as African American English.

We continue our conversation with SLP Greg Robinson (L’GASP, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences). Greg runs TLC - Gender Affirming Communication Group, a clinic offering gender-affirming voice services. Robinson relates how the group highlights the deep connection between the voice and identity. And, Robinson shares how their clients are influencing the careers of the CSD students working at the clinic.

Clients need to feel that they are valued and respected, and for gender-diverse clients, this often begins with the language we use. The consequences of not showing this respect can be large. They can even lead to negative client outcomes, as our guest today shares. SLP Greg Robinson is a faculty member at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and the chair of L’GASP, ASHA’s LGBTQ+ caucus. Robinson shares guidance on how to approach conversations around gender and what to do if you inadvertently slip up. They also tell a personal story of how a health care provider’s language led them to stop receiving care.

During Rachel Archambault’s first year as an SLP at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the school became the site of the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. The Parkland, Florida. students who were freshmen during that shooting are now graduating, and in the years since the shooting, Archambault became an advocate for trauma-informed practice, sometimes called trauma-informed care. Archambault joins ASHA Voices to tell us about serving as an SLP at the school and shares the five principles of trauma-informed care she incorporates into her work. She also addresses how SLPs can prepare for the upcoming school year, and what a trauma-informed approach might look like as students and staff deal with fallout from COVID-19.

This interview was originally published in January 2021. SLP Alicia Fleming Hamilton joins the podcast to discuss the new book "Exploring Cultural Responsiveness: Guided Scenarios for Communication Sciences and Disorders Professionals." Hamilton worked as an editor on the book from ASHA Press, which features stories and examples curated for, and from, audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Hamilton describes the book as a tool for self-reflection and growth, and says she hopes professionals will find it accessible and relevant throughout their careers. The book covers and explores issues such as family separation at the border, gender identity, unconscious bias, African American English and more. On the podcast, Hamilton shares two stories from the book, including one pulled from her own life. In June 2021, the book was recognized with an Excel Award from the Association Media and Publishing Network in the technical book category.

Call it the cochlear implant’s cousin—A new device is stimulating the inner ear and allowing some patients to regain a sense of balance. We speak to Charley Della Santina, the director of the Johns Hopkins Vestibular NeuroEngineering Lab. Plus, we hear from a recipient of the device, A’ndrea Elyse Messer, and an audiologist who is the director of the USC Balance Center, Alaina Bassett.

It’s our second batch of stories featuring SLPs sharing stories about the unexpected places their careers have taken them. First, Shulunda Gibson takes us from burnout in private practice to a trip around the world. Hear the lessons she learned while moving from “fear to freedom.” Then, the authors of Speech-Language Pathologists as Expert Witnesses, Brenda Seal and Lissa Power-deFur, demonstrate how they used their skills in pursuit of justice. Hear more moments that changed everything.

The podcast was recognized with industry awards in four categories. In this special short episode, we're bringing you clips from some of the winners.

SLPs share stories where, for one reason or another, they decided to make a big change in their career and ended up in places they never would have predicted. First, Kristin King’s story takes her from a trauma center in North Carolina to her role as vice president of clinical education and research at Passy-Muir. Then, Suzanne Coyle goes from being a clinician working in outpatient rehab to her role as executive director of the Stroke Comeback Center. Hear the moments that changed everything.

On this episode of ASHA Voices, Lindsay Riegler, an innovation specialist and research SLP with the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center, shares her perspective on telepractice from inside the VA, where she’s seen many barriers to telepractice removed. At the center of the conversation are questions about access. What can the VA teach us about what’s possible through telepractice? And how is their use of telepractice different than what we see from other health care providers? Plus, hear our guest run through a list of six common misconceptions about telepractice, correcting myths and sharing experiences from her career.

In health care, clinicians’ productivity is measured closely via requirements intended to manage labor costs and ensure patients are receiving care. Simply put, these expectations often have tremendous influence on SLPs as they treat clients every day. On the podcast, we’re joined by a panel of health care administrators who represent a wide range of settings to discuss this subject. We talk about what to do when you feel your productivity requirements are too high and look at the ethical obligations of administrators. Plus, our panel shares their thoughts on how to find time for interprofessional practice in a demanding work environment. The productivity discussion will continue at the upcoming ASHA online conference, “Empowered SLPs in Health Care: Breaking Barriers and Shaping Solutions,” with our guests participating in a panel on this subject.

After a traumatic brain injury, someone may experience wide-ranging difficulties related to their emotions, cognition, and their ability to communicate. When it comes to cognitive rehabilitation, it takes a team to help patients meet their goals. Neuropsychologist Brigid Waldron-Perrine and SLP McKay Moore Sohlberg help us take a patient-centered look at where psychology and speech-language pathology overlap and interact. The duo highlights what is possible when psychologists and SLPs work together and, they deliver recommendations for what to do when patients ask about the potential for COVID-19-related cognitive effects.

Audiology practice consultant Mike Dougherty shares a short list of what's helping audiologists grow their practice's patient base. He tells us how strategies like digital advertising and self-referral work, and why they're proving successful during COVID. Plus, as states and businesses continue to reopen, Dougherty discusses what the future looks like. He also explains why your vaccine status might be an important marketing tool.

In just a split second, a traumatic brain injury can turn your life upside-down.SLP Alaina Davis takes us from the basketball court to the boxing ring to talk about traumatic brain injury (TBI) and rehabilitation. Through her podcast and thoughtfully crafted social media posts, Davis brings attention to TBIs and what they mean for cognition.Davis is faculty member at Howard University where she also works as a part of the concussion management team. She shares her experience treating student athletes and what she’s learned from the experience.

When the pandemic sent much of higher education into the virtual world last spring, Siva priya Santhanam wondered whether the autism support program she runs at Metropolitan State University of Denver could continue. The peer-support program brings students studying speech, language, and hearing sciences together with university students with autism. Now, a year later, Santhanam joins ASHA Voices to talk about the ways she’s sustained – and grown – the program. Santhanam discusses supporting students with autism during the pandemic, the benefits to the speech-language students, and the program’s non-hierarchical structure.

The Academy Award nominations are in, and one of this year’s contenders examines the emotional toll of sudden hearing loss. On this episode of ASHA Voices, we discuss how the movie “Sound of Metal” fits into a long history of hearing loss and tinnitus portrayals on the silver screen -- and what this can tell us about societal views. Joining our panel are audiologists Peter Ivory and Michelle Hu, and author and media scholar Mack Hagood. The trio discuss past films and performances featuring people with hearing loss, and a sudden increase in on-screen tinnitus portrayals in the early 2000s. And we dig into Oscar-nominated “Sound of Metal” from the perspectives of audiologists and people who have hearing loss, as Hu does.

SLP Joshuaa Allison-Burbank began working for the Indian Health Service in his Navajo Nation home in February of 2020. What happened next changed how he thought about his community and his profession. When the pandemic began, Allison-Burbank found himself working in an outdoor triage center at Northern Navajo Medical Center, witnessing the devastating effects of Dikos Ntsaaígíí, or COVID-19. Faced with many challenges, including limited access to running water and high poverty rates, the Navajo Nation faced a higher rate of mortality by COVID-19 than any state in the U.S. at one point last year. But now, Navajo Nation is sharing a success story—of plummeting COVID numbers and exemplary rates of vaccination. On this episode, Allison-Burbank joins the podcast to shares his story, what he’s learned in this difficult year, and the specific Navajo story he uses to find inspiration during the pandemic.

Friends since high school, audiologist Nicholas Stanley and social worker Samuel Bradley never expected they'd be working together. But here they are, collaborating on a series of presentations on disrupting racial bias after the idea came up during causal breakfast conversation The duo joins ASHA Voices to discuss their work to bolster culturally responsive care in audiology. Listen in as they share what audiologists can do to attract and effectively serve a more diverse clientele.

You may have seen data saying hearing aid use is on the rise. When audiologist Nick Reed took a deeper dive into some of those numbers, he saw a troubling story. We discuss what that data reveals-- including racial and economic disparities. Also, Reed draws a line from a difficult event in his personal life to the research he’s producing today—research about hearing aid access and patient health outcomes. Hear the personal story that fuels Reed’s research and what Reed is learning about the connections between health care outcomes and unaddressed hearing loss.

You may have seen stuttering in the headlines over the past year—due, in part, to the election of President Joe Biden, who has spoken openly about his experience as a person who stutters. Stuttering is having a moment, and we’re taking this occasion to talk about it. We hear from speech-language pathologist Chris Constantino, a faculty member at Florida State University who studies the experiences of people who stutter. He talks about what he’s heard from his clients and shares what this moment means for him personally—as he, too, is a person who stutters. Then, a panel of SLPs—Derek Daniels, Courtney Byrd, and Katie Gore—join the show for a conversation about representation and visibility for those who stutter. We discuss the importance of acceptance in assessing and treating stuttering, and we talk about how the experience of stuttering differs from person to person.

SLP Alicia Fleming Hamilton joins the podcast to discuss the new book "Exploring Cultural Responsiveness: Guided Scenarios for Communication Sciences and Disorders Professionals." Hamilton worked as an editor on the book from ASHA Press, which features stories and examples curated for, and from, audiologists and speech-language pathologists. Hamilton describes the book as a tool for self-reflection and growth, and says she hopes professionals will find it accessible and relevant throughout their careers. The book covers and explores issues such as family separation at the border, gender identity, unconscious bias, African American English and more. On the podcast, Hamilton shares two stories from the book, including one pulled from her own life.

After a harrowing year in which COVID-19 wreaked havoc, we're bringing you a show about your colleagues' outlook on the new year. Many are hoping for fresh starts and meaningful change. In the first segment, audiologists and SLPs share what they're looking forward to in 2021--including increased cultural responsiveness and improved physical and mental health. Then audiologist Carrie Spangler recounts her experience of receiving a cochlear implant (CI) after working in the field for more than 20 years. Spangler describes her CI journey and how the device affects how she thinks about her work. You can read more about her CI experiences on her blog, Hearing Spanglish.

The podcast brings you a short update pointing you to the episodes you listened to most this year. We also preview some of what’s next, and how you can share feedback and topic suggestions.

We’re joined by the host of “The Swallow Your Pride Podcast.” A specialist in swallowing disorders, Theresa Richard shares what she’s learned while hosting the show aimed at SLPs managing dysphagia. We discuss Theresa’s path to the health care field, the origins of her podcast, and what it’s been like to speak to SLPs working on the front lines against COVID-19. Plus, Theresa shares a few of the episodes that changed how she practices.

We’re talking about swallowing disorders in the time of COVID with two expert SLPs. Johns Hopkins’ Martin Brodsky joins us to trace the challenges facing clinicians tasked with managing dysphagia during the pandemic. He tells us what’s changed since the pandemic began, what he’s heard while serving on the Dysphagia Research Society (DRS) COVID-19 Task Force, and the important role of clinicians in research. Then, we talk telepractice. With concerns over infection control and closed facilities, some clinicians turn to the internet as an alternate way to serve clients. Purdue University’s Georgia Malandraki, who specializes in telepractice and is also on the DRS task force, shares questions researchers are asking about telepractice and dysphagia, and what she’s heard from other clinicians.

As health care SLPs face rising COVID-19 numbers again, we're revisiting our earlier conversation with SLP Tami Altschuler. The patient-provider communication specialist shares stories of loss, recovery, sickness, and stigma as she walks us through the hallways of the NYU Langone Medical Center. She also shares lessons learned from facing a surge.

We bring you the story of how discussions of race between Ingrid Desormes and her rehabilitation unit's supervisor Christie Miller led to new learning--and friendship.Their talks began when Desormes joined the unit at Bethesda Hospital in 2019. In the time since, Miller says she’s changed the way she approaches racial issues in and outside the workplace.The two SLPs join the podcast for a conversation about race, the workplace, and the role of their friendship in how they discuss this important subject.

Today we look at  ways   SLPs can work with families to cultivate a strong sense of self in children with autism. Of course, SLPs know the importance of  helping a child with autism  become empowered and  believe in themselves, and today’s guests make that a priority. SLPs Rachel Dorsey and Jessie Ginsburg share  strategies and examples of ways to help foster  this positive  outlook with a strengths-based approach. They discuss the importance of word-choice and language when working with parents and how they address goal creation.

Mask muffling. Decreased intelligibility. Backlogged hearing screenings. These are just some of the challenges educational audiologists face this academic year. Today on the podcast, we discuss how educational audiologists are adapting their practices for the times, with the past, current, and incoming presidents of the Educational Audiology Association (EAA). We also talk telepractice. What are its benefits relative to in-person services? And what could it mean for the future of service delivery? For a check-in with school-based SLPs, check out our previous episode.

School is back in session. And it looks nothing like it normally does. After a summer of uncertainty about what to expect this fall, school-based SLPs are navigating back-to-back telepractice sessions, hybrid online/in-person models, and myriad infection-control measures. In this episode, we hear about how it's going. We asked five school-based SLPs: What has the start of the new academic year been like for you? And, how is it different from last spring? We talk about what they're doing to keep themselves and their students safe, what they're learning about telepractice, and more. Join us next episode for a conversation with educational audiologists.

When referring to autism, some people use person-first language (a person with autism), while others prefer identity-first language (an autistic person). On this episode, we talk to ASHA members and autistic SLPs about their differing language choices, and excerpt a spirited discussion of the issue on the Autism Speaks podcast Autism POVs. Plus, acclaimed autism book author Barry Prizant returns to the podcast.

Spurred by this summer's turbulent news, SLP Pam Wiley facilitated a series of town hall conversations on community policing, race, and voting. The 2020 ASHA Honors recipient talks with us about what was challenging, and what she heard. Wiley, president of the LA Speech and Language Therapy Center, joins us a year after she first spoke to us about her efforts to build understanding between law enforcement and young adults with autism. We also discuss Wiley's workforce-preparation program that helps young adults with communication disorders transition from high school into meaningful employment.

We mark last September’s podcast launch with a timely return to our first episode on law enforcement, de-escalation, and communication disorders. There’s been a growing public outcry against police-perpetrated violence against unarmed civilians, who disproportionately are people of color and/or people with mental health or developmental issues like autism. Experts discuss how to help young adults with communication disorders stay safe during police encounters. And a Howard University professor describes her awareness-raising work to keep Black youth with autism from being misunderstood and routed to the juvenile justice system.

(1:00) Driving between appointments, SLP Samantha Koncak talks about how COVID-19 has changed her job. See how new realities like stepped-up infection control measures and unruly masks affect the daily operations of an SLP in the field. (15:25) Later in the show, SLP Lauren Sharpe shares stories of COVID-19's emotional impact on both patients and SLPs in home health, with social isolation as a major factor. (21:51) And home-health expert Jenny Loehr returns to the podcast to discuss caseloads and how the recently implemented Patient-Driven Groupings Model fits into this puzzle

On this episode of the podcast, higher education takes on the moment in two distinct ways. (1:13) We hear the story of a graduate student and a faculty member brought together by the need for increased support for minority students. They tell us how they used a series of seminars to raise diversity awareness among faculty and students in a CSD program. (14:04) Then, we head south to a course that faculty hustled to pull together to address our new COVID-19 reality. Find out why the University of Central Florida created this remote health care class with a hands-on approach.

Continuing our coverage of how COVID-19 is affecting CSD professionals, we head to what was once the major U.S. hotspot. SLP Tami Altschuler shares stories of loss, recovery, sickness, and stigma as she walks us through the hallways of the NYU Langone Medical Center. As health care SLPs around the country see COVID-19 numbers rising, Altschuler talks about her lessons learned from facing a surge.

In this quick summer check-in, we note the episodes that listeners flocked to--and look ahead to upcoming topics. Plus, we want to hear from you. Find out how to leave a voicemail that could feature on a future podcast episode. Back in two weeks!

COVID-19 is changing the way we work, but is it also changing the way SLPs bill? With ASHA Connect 2020 just around the corner, presenter, SLP, and billing and coding expert Dee Nikjeh joins the podcast to share three of the most interesting questions she’s received since the pandemic began.

SLP and NYU faculty member George Castle says one of his mentors, the late Kenyatta Rivers, taught him to live his life helping others advance in their careers while pulling himself up at the same time. He calls this the one-hand-up and one-hand-down philosophy. Castle joins ASHA Voices for a conversation about what mentorships mean in his life and career, and he shares memories of Rivers, who died last month. At a time when much of the country is reflecting on race, we discuss the role mentorships can play in creating diversity in the field of speech-language pathology.

In the latest episode of ASHA Voices, we talk to two audiologists making their way through unexpected experiences and circumstances--one reopening their practice during COVID-19 and the other with a new cochlear implant. (1:15) First, we explore what happens when an audiologist gets a cochlear implant. If you're Carrie Spangler, 2020 sounds different from 2019. Spangler was diagnosed with hearing loss at age four, and, after over 20 years working as an educational audiologist, she decided to receive a cochlear implant. The Ohio-based educational audiologist shares her cochlear implant journey with us--and what she’s learned from the experience. (15:48) Next we talk about what's on so many of our minds--going back to the office. Safety is the obvious concern as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Joining us is audiologist Ryan Kennard, who discusses his weighing of curbside, telepractice, and in-clinic options as he made plans to reopen the practice he directs, the San Luis Obispo Hearing Center. He shares how he adjusted his services to reopen safely.

From  telepractice to staff meetings to social commitments, we’re all interacting online in often back-to-back engagements. And  today’s guests say this can  take a toll on our  voices.(1:15) First, SLP Jennylee Diaz shares strategies for maintaining the voice health of ourselves and our clients in this new all-online world--based on her own experiences with voice strain while singing.(9:49) Then… Water aerobics for the voice? SLP Elizabeth Banaszak guides us through a series of vocal exercises to keep the voice fresh throughout the day.

Timing is critical when it comes to serving children birth to three and their families. Now, COVID-19 is making the process even more challenging for audiologists and speech-language pathologists. (1:45) Audiologist Karen Munoz shares three common COVID-19-related EI difficulties she’s hearing about from audiologists--and strategies you can use now to handle them. (14:06) Then speech-language pathologist Arlene Stredler Brown joins us to talk telepractice in early intervention. We discuss the good and the bad: the technical challenges but also the opportunity to promote family-centered care and coaching.

In his latest book, “Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World,” author and journalist David Owen (The New Yorker) writes, “Deafness is expensive. Earplugs aren’t.” ASHA Voices speaks with Owen about his recent book, and what he’s learned about our noisy world. Then, we’re joined by audiologist Vickie Tuten to discuss occupational hearing hazards and how fit-testing hearing protection can help ensure that hearing protection is used correctly. Plus, we’ll hear from public health expert Rick Neitzel, principal investigator in the Apple Hearing Study. As part of this research partnership between Apple and the University of Michigan, he's collecting data on noisy environments and headphone volume. The hope is this research could influence policies that one day change how our world makes noise.

This week on the podcast: We’re joined by author and SLP Barry Prizant. He’s the author of "Uniquely Human," an acclaimed book that conceptualizes autism as a difference, rather than a disability. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, Barry joins us to discuss the parent-clinician relationship, and the evolving roles families are playing in autism intervention. In the second half of the episode, we’ll talk with Denise Underkoffler and her daughter Abby Diaz about speech-language treatment and family. Denise is an author and SLP. Her new children’s book "Everybody Needs a Turn" considers the role of siblings in speech-language treatment. Hear the personal inspiration behind her book.

This week on the podcast: What happens when health care workers are exposed to the coronavirus? We hear from two SLPs who share their experiences with potential exposure and self-quarantine. And, we continue our look at health care with a check-up. It’s been six months since the Patient Driven Payment Model went into effect. We ask what this new payment system has meant for those in skilled nursing facilities.

COVID-19 is turning many lives upside down. We talk with audiologists and SLPs throughout the country about the pandemic's immediate and drastic effects on their work. From the Seattle area to New York City, they are facing significant challenges, but they are also rising to those challenges. Featuring voices of professionals in schools, private practice, academia, and health care, this late-breaking episode delivers snapshots of their current experiences during this fast-moving, unpredictable national crisis.

We all experience work stress, so let's talk about it. Maybe you’re feeling depleted or experiencing burnout in some way. Once that cycle starts, it can get harder to step back and revitalize. On this episode of ASHA Voices, we talk with Sarah Lockhart and Sarie Wu, the hosts of the podcast SLP Happy Hour, about how to get some of that headspace back. They share what they've learned from producing a show about healthy work and personal lives for SLPs for more than two years. Plus, we’re joined again by our featured voice on tech, Sean Sweeney. He shares how to use apps that help with mindfulness in your sessions or treatment plans.

In our second of two episodes in honor of Black History Month, today we’re addressing African American English, or AAE. AAE is a language variation. Maybe you've heard it called a dialect. It sounds different from Mainstream American English. It has its own rules and its own grammar, and it comes from a long language tradition. But when AAE is not recognized, it can be misdiagnosed as a language disorder. Covering everything from misdiagnosis in the classroom to the connection between language and identity, our panel of experts discusses the language variation known as African American English.

“It's really important to recognize that things are called microaggressions, but it doesn't mean the impact of them is small.” - author Ijeoma Oluo Oluo is the author of the best-selling book "So You Want to Talk About Race." In it, she addresses complex issues—from history to intersectionality to hair—to start a conversation about race and racism in America. At the ASHA Convention, she joined ASHA Voices host J.D. Gray and 2018 ASHA President Elise Davis-McFarland for a discussion after Oluo gave the ASHA Office of Multicultural Affairs’ 50th Anniversary Address.

We talk to dysphagia expert Lori Burkhead Morgan. With a background in exercise science, the speech-language pathologist brings an interdisciplinary lens to dysphagia treatment. Next, Purdue University’s Georgia Malandraki describes the new tool she’s developed so SLPs don’t have to send bulky, expensive machinery home with patients. And, consultant Emily Homer offers guidance on building strong feeding and swallowing services in school districts.  

Today’s guests help us rethink what’s possible in hearing treatment. We talk with Jeff Holt and Tina Stankovic, scientists on the forefront of hearing research. Jeff discusses an unexpected discovery that tied a specific gene to a genetic form of hearing loss. And Tina describes her investigations into ways to reverse sensorineural hearing loss—the most common type. What are the obstacles and possible solutions? Both talked with me at the 2019 ASHA Convention, where they presented at the Research Symposium on Hearing. <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} -->   Then, we hear from Bob Hillman, recipient of the 2019 Alfred K. Kawana Award for Lifetime Achievement in Publications. We talk about the twist in his path that changed everything in his work with the voice and voice disorders.

Join us for a preview of what you'll hear on ASHA Voices in the new year!

The new Medicare reimbursement model taking effect in home health might seem complicated and confusing. But in this week’s episode, we have experts break it down for you. Find out what you need to know about the Patient Driven Grouping Model, or PDGM, as we parse the changes and debunk the myths.

Can how you treat your clients and colleagues make you stand out in a crowd? As increasing automation affects how people work, we discuss the importance of soft skills with emotional intelligence expert Kari Knutson. Also, technology is making it easier to connect with clients and students from afar. We talk telepractice with Tracy Sippl. Her experience as a telepractice consultant to schools guides our conversation about this tech-based technique. And on the audiology horizon, research audiologist Liz Convery suggests the emergence of self-fitting hearing devices may be an opportunity, rather than a threat.

Dementia. The word alone can evoke anxiety, given the emotional toll it can take on families. But two speech-language pathologists share what’s possible when families and clinicians work together. Hear what can happen when we flip the model from what’s wrong to what can go better. Also, we’re joined by fluency expert Joe Donaher to talk about voluntary stuttering, a treatment tool that he says can relieve some of the anxiety that can come with a fluency issue.

You know that hearing problem you can have when you’re trying to pick up just one voice in a crowd… This week on the podcast, we talk to a neural engineer. His research into how we hear and communicate may lead to a fix for the cocktail party problem by allowing people to highlight a specific voice in a crowd. Also, we hear about a new tool from the Ida Institute called My Hearing Explained. We talk about how this new tool goes beyond the audiogram to show real-world effects of hearing loss.

On this episode of ASHA Voices, we talk with Taro Alexander about the loneliness that can come with growing up with a stutter. Now, his nonprofit, the Stuttering Association for the Young, or SAY, provides a community to a new generation of young people who stutter. Alexander will receive the 2019 Annie Glenn Award for his work with SAY at the next month's ASHA Convention in Orlando. Also presenting at convention is a researcher we'll hear from later in the episode. Joined by a former colleague, they'll tell us what MRIs of beatboxers could teach us about speech. This episode brings you guests you can see in person when you attend the ASHA Convention, held November 21 to 23. Registration is open.

This week, we're presenting a short, special-edition episode featuring voices of those negatively affected by the new Patient Driven Payment Model. PDPM is changing the way skilled nursing facilities, or SNFs, are reimbursed for services under Medicare. In this episode, we share stories of speech-language pathologists who saw cuts in job status, pay, and patient treatment when PDPM went into effect.

We’ll talk to SLP Kim Murza about how, given their large caseloads, school-based SLPs can work smarter not harder to maximize their services. And, Sean Sweeney of the Speech Techie blog shares tools you can use during speech-language treatment.

Listen in for a conversation about health care trends, patient outcomes, and the evolving role of speech language pathologists in skilled nursing facilities. We’ll hear from ASHA’s director of Health Care Services and a panel of SLPs in leadership roles at rehab companies. We’ll discuss both challenges and opportunities they see in this time of change.   Acronym Guide: PDPM - Patient Driven Payment Model; SNF - Skilled Nursing Facility; CMS - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; RUG-IV - Resource Utilization Group; MDS - Minimum Data Set

On the first episode of ASHA Voices, we take a look at the intersection of cognitive-communication disorders (CCDs) and the justice system.

Get a preview of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's new podcast.