Are you writing following directions goals straight from a CELF subtest score? In this solo episode, Hallie makes the case for asking "why" before you write another three-step directions goal for a middle or high schooler. She explains how to use item analysis to find what's really driving the difficulty, why compensatory strategies often serve older students better than more isolated drill, and how to build self-advocacy into the activities you're already doing. She also shares low-cost, tee...

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...

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 every...

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...

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 schoolsRetroflex R vs. bunched R, and ho...

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 b...

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-...

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...

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. Bull...

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 pro...