Are they 18 yet?™: Recent Episodes
Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan
Listen in as Dr. Karen shares insights for speech pathologists, parents, and educators of school-age kids with diverse learning needs through her own experiences and guest interviews. With over 15 years of experience supporting school-age kids, Dr. Karen is here to show you practical day-to-day solutions and actionable advice to support systemic change and help kids grow up to be successful, kind, well-adjusted people. Disclaimer: The information in this show should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition.
If kids haven’t developed certain academic skills by a certain age, their ability to advance in their education diminishes. This means the opportunities they have in adulthood decreases.
As I’ve been talking with different curriculum experts and school leaders, many of them have shared that closing academic skill gaps is an important part of addressing equity issues. Kids need to learn the skills that will enable them to advance in their education because it can substantially expand their career options in the future.
I wanted to dive into this topic a bit further, so that’s why I invited Dr. Joseph Williams, III to episode 128 of the De Facto Leaders podcast.
Dr. Joseph Williams III is a dedicated and accomplished school leader, currently serving as the principal of Franklin High School in Seattle, Washington. With over 25 years of experience in PreK-12 education, he has made a significant impact in various roles throughout his career.
Dr. Williams began his journey in education as a special education and social studies teacher, gaining valuable insights and honing his teaching skills for a decade. His passion for helping students with diverse needs led him to pursue leadership positions. Over the course of 13 years, he served as an assistant principal and principal, bringing his expertise and dedication to elementary and secondary schools.
As an African American school leader, Dr. Williams is deeply passionate about equity and access in K-12 education. Dr. Williams understands firsthand the importance of turnaround school leadership and the transformative power of K-12 education to ensure that no student's race, identity, gender, economic status, or zip code limits their potential.
Growing up as the second oldest among six siblings, Dr. Williams experienced the challenges of relying on public assistance in Kansas City, Missouri. This background has fueled his unwavering belief that all children, regardless of their socioeconomic background, deserve a quality education and the opportunity to build fulfilling lives.
His personal journey is a testament to the belief that every child can achieve academic success and lead extraordinary lives.
In this interview, he shares how having positive role models in the early years has shaped the trajectory of his life, and how he’s used it in his work in inner city schools.
We also discuss the importance of closing academic gaps in the early elementary years, and why this has such a huge impact on equity and access to education in the later years.
Dr. Williams has an amazing story and I’m so excited to share this conversation with you.
In this episode, I mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, a strategy for improving time-management, future planning, and executive functioning during daily tasks like academic assignments or daily routines.
You can learn more about the Time Tracking Journal here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal).
You can connect with Dr. Joseph Williams, III on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjwilliamsiii/ ), and you can get more information about his book “Mama put us first” here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/everyone-has-book-within-them-joseph-williams-iii-ed-d-/
Listen to his podcast, the My K-12 Career Show here on the Elevating K-12 Education newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/elevating-k12-education-6940938756417863680/
Many clinicians start their careers feeling unprepared to navigate the job market.
In a lot of professional groups, I’ve noticed a skepticism towards contract companies, recruiters, and staffing agencies simply because many people working in school settings don’t know who they can trust.
If you’ve ever had a recruiter awkwardly slide into your DMs or advertise in your online group without permission, you might be feeling some of that skepticism yourself.
There is an art and a science to navigating career placements, job searching, and working with recruiters and staffing agencies. Having this skill set can be a game changer when it comes to finding fulfilling work. Recruiters can be a huge asset if you know how to work with them and if you can spot a good one.
That’s why I invited Ryan Cleaveland to episode 126 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to give you a peek behind the curtain of staffing and recruiting.
Ryan is the CEO of Spotter Staffing (https://www.spotterstaffing.com/), a company that helps connect schools with highly qualified therapists and special education teachers. After over two decades in corporate staffing across multiple industries, he started Spotter Staffing with his best friend, Ryan Allen, COO. They wanted to provide staffing for an ethical and selfless industry, so that’s what inspired them to focus on connecting special education professionals with school districts.
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅How does staffing and recruiting work? What are the different types of contracts and employment options?
✅How can you tell if you’re working with a qualified recruiter, and how do you advocate for yourself during the hiring process?
✅What are the benefits of working with a recruiter who has also been a therapist? Are there benefits to working with a recruiter or job coach who doesn’t have a clinical background?
✅How to avoid “the grass is greener” thinking when approaching your career; and how to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of being an employee vs a contractor vs self-employed.
In this episode, I mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my course that helps school clinicians take the executive functioning lead in their building.
To learn more about the program, go to drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
You can learn more about Spotter Staffing at: https://www.spotterstaffing.com/
Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-cleaveland-2aa5a87/) or on Twitter @ryan_cleaveland (https://twitter.com/Ryan_Cleaveland).
This week, I’m sharing an interview from another host on the BE podcast network because I think it’s something you’ll really enjoy. The episode is going live in the De Facto Leaders podcast feed.
I’m pleased to bring you a conversation from The Authority Podcast here on the Be Podcast Network. You’ll hear from Principal Baruti Kafele, author of seven best-selling books, including The Equity & Social Justice Education 50.
About Baruti Kafele
One of the most sought-after school leadership and classroom equity presenters in America, Principal Kafele is impacting America’s schools! He has delivered over 2500 conferences and program keynotes, professional development workshops, parenting seminars and student assemblies over his 35 years of public speaking. An expert in the area of “attitude transformation,” Principal Kafele is the leading authority on providing effective classroom and school leadership strategies toward closing what he coined, the "Attitude Gap.” He has authored twelve books, including seven ASCD best-sellers.
The discussion includes:
✅ Equity vs. Equality — the strategy vs. the goal and why it matters
✅ Does my presence positively alter the trajectory of my students?
✅ How do I ensure that no student is invisible in my classroom?
✅Becomingcredibleto your students
✅ “I want my readers to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and uncomfortable with being comfortable.”
✅The Big 3: Individuality, Identity, and Voice. Why these are non-negotiables in every classroom.
✅The leader’s role in making equity work resilient
You can learn more about Barute Kafele’s work on his website here.
About The Authority Podcast
"Interviews with people who know what they're talking about."
On The Authority, leadership coach, storytelling strategist and edtech advisor Ross Romano interviews leading authors from the education world and beyond to draw out their invaluable insights on leadership, culture-building, transformation, and student & educator success. Join each week to hear ideas for addressing your current pain points, new perspectives from the authors you admire, and fresh takes from up-and-coming voices. Subscribe on your favorite platform: https://bit.ly/m/theauthoritypodcast
Be sure to check out the BE podcast network for educators and aspiring leaders. If you’re looking for shows to inspire you to level up in your career or more effectively serve students, we’ve got you covered. Learn more about the BE podcast network at http://bepodcastnetwork.com/
When I was younger I was fixated on clocks and the passage of time. It’s accurate to say it was an obsession of mine, to the point that it caused me large amounts of anxiety.
It got difficult for me to tell when I was future-planning or when I was catastrophizing.
On top of that, I had a constant need for sensory input. There are multiple childhood videos of me sitting on the floor, rocking back and forth. Then it was the rocking horse. Then the swing set. Then the end of my bed or a rocking chair. Always with music playing in the background.
When I went away to college, I knew that the constant swinging and rocking would seem unusual, so I channeled that into activities I thought would seem more “normal”. For me, that was a lot of cardio.
People used to ask me, “How do you motivate yourself to exercise so much?”. Really it was the only way I could function.
Sitting still wasn’t an option.
I’d been a swimmer up until then, and had dabbled in running. Since running is so accessible, it was a natural transition for me; which is why I got even more involved in endurance sports in my early twenties.
This led me to have an even deeper understanding of my obsession with time. When you’re on the road by yourself and you know you have 10 miles to go, you have to find a way to pass the time. When you’re pacing yourself, you have to think about how long something will take, how it feels in your body, what time means, and how it relates to distance and other activities that take the same length of time.
When you’re all alone doing some repetitive and physically strenuous activity, it naturally creates the opportunity to engage in mental play, chunking the task in to smaller chunks, reframing it to make it seem less overwhelming, reminding yourself that you already did this before and survived, you’ll be able to do it again, and eventually this moment will have passed and you’ll be looking back on it (hopefully appreciating that you persisted).
My time obsession partially stemmed from my realization that every moment is fleeting, which can evoke both feelings of relief (if it’s something you don’t like to do) or sadness (if it’s something you enjoy). I realized this from a young age.
In episode 125 of the De Facto Leaders podcast, I share how I’ve used my fixation with time to reframe and persist through difficult tasks, how I’ve used it to manage anxiety, and how it’s informed the activities I choose as a sensory outlet.
In this episode, I mentioned my Time Tracking Journal, which outlines a strategy that helps kids independently complete daily tasks like academic assignments, functional tasks, or classroom routines WITHOUT arguments and constant prompting. You can sign up for the Time Tracking Journal here.
I also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here.
Be sure to check out the BE podcast network for educators and aspiring leaders. If you’re looking for shows to inspire you to level up in your career or more effectively serve students, we’ve got you covered. Learn more about the BE podcast network at http://bepodcastnetwork.com/
I have a love/hate relationship with meditation and mindfulness. I know I should do it. I even talk about why it’s beneficial. But I never want to do it…even though I feel better if I do.
If that sounds familiar, you won’t want to miss episode 124 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast.
That’s why I invited Danny Bauer to talk about the impact mindfulness has had on him as a teacher, leader, and thought leader in the field of education.
You’ll also appreciate this conversation if you tend to go full throttle at the beginning with big projects, but quit them because the initial pace was unsustainable (I know I’m personally guilty of this).
Danny Bauer is a Principal Development and Retention Expert, a best-selling author, and Founder of Better Leaders, Better Schools, also known as the Chief Ruckus Maker. He’s the host of the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast, ranked in the TOP 0.5% of 3 million global podcasts. His latest book is “Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader”, co-published by Corwin and the National School Superintendents Association (AASA). His mission is “to connect, grow, and mentor every school leader who wants to level up.”
In this interview, we discuss:
✅The “mastermind” concept, why it’s so powerful, and how it can bring a much-needed sense of belonging to professional development in education.
✅How he used meditation to decrease disciplinary write-ups, and other benefits to creative problem-solving.
✅Why planning in 90-day chunks is such a powerful way to reach long-term goals.
✅How to use the 85% rule to show up as your best self for your students.
To learn more about Danny’s work, connect with him at https://betterleadersbetterschools.com
Get his latest book, “Build Leadership Momentum: How to Create the Perfect Principal Entry Plan” here: buildleadershipmomentum.com
You can also connect with him on his social media accounts here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danevanbauer?ref=bookmarks
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Dannyevanbauer/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdannybauer/
Medium: https://alienearbud.medium.com/
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here.
Do flashcards help improve basic numeracy skills?
Should we use calculators as a special education accommodation?
How many years of math do we really need to take in high school?
I invited math curriculum expert Jonathan Regino to episode 123 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to answer some of these questions.
With the Science of Reading on the forefront in many districts, we’re starting to have a better understanding of the scope and sequence of English and Language Arts; but this doesn’t always translate over to math curriculum.
Jonathan Regino is a highly accomplished educator with a diverse range of experiences in the field of education. Beginning as a middle school math and science teacher in Pennsylvania, he quickly established himself as a dedicated and passionate educator. Transitioning from the classroom, Jonathan became a Teaching and Learning Specialist at the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, providing invaluable support to educators and enhancing teaching practices throughout the County. As an Educational Consultant with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education, he developed strategies for working with students with special needs within the math and STEM Classrooms. Jonathan's work as a curriculum developer at Age of Learning and as a facilitator and program manager for Code.org in Eastern PA showcased his commitment to innovative learning experiences and computer science education. His current role is Supervisor of Math at the Interboro School District in Pennsylvania.
In this conversation, we discussed range of topics, including:
✅Common “gatekeeper” skills for math that can predict as well as prevent success with more advanced math concepts.
✅The ins and outs of common math interventions and accommodations: Including when and how we should allow calculators or use math flashcards.
✅How to use the Concrete-Representational-Abstract model to teach numeracy and understanding of print symbols.
✅Just how often are teachers searching for supplemental math materials, and how is this impacting equity?
You can connect with Jonathan on Twitter @jred530 and on LinkedIn here.
Resources mentioned in this episode include his presentation:
Creating Equitable Systems for the Struggling Student
The Science of Math
Implementation of K-12 State Standards for Math and ELA
The Opportunity Myth
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here.
What if young adults are still prompt-dependent when they go away to college?
Or what if they and their parents aren’t aware of how much support they’re actually getting?
On top of that, how can professionals navigate the complexity of supporting language and executive functioning (or knowing when to address which skills)?
I invited Jill Fahy to episode 122 of the De Facto Leaders Podcast to answer some of these questions.
Jill is a licensed speech-language pathologist and professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Eastern Illinois University. She is also the co-director of the Autism Center and Director of the Students with Autism Transitional Education Program, where she develops and delivers transitional programming in social skills and executive functions for college students.
When Jill and I decided to record this conversation, we both agreed that one interview is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this topic.
At the very least, we wanted to take a stab at illustrating the complexity of designing effective supports for students in both language and executive functioning.
We also shared our frustration with common professional-development models, and why it’s so hard to get to actionable step-by-step plans in a typical seminar on this topic.
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅How can we tell if students need work on language or executive functioning? What if kids need support in both areas?
✅Why many young adults struggle to turn in assignments and manage their schedules, even if they’ve been given tools like checklists and planners.
✅Common executive functioning skills needed for independent problem-solving and goal-directed behavior; including ideational fluency and future thinking.
✅How to consider someone’s executive functioning profile (and use this to help them and their family get an accurate picture of how much support they’re really getting).
You can connect with Jill via email at jkfahy@eiu.edu. You can read her article, Assessment of Executive Functions in School-Aged Children: Challenges and Solutions for the SLP from ASHA Perspectives here.
You can learn more about the Students Transitional Education Program at Eastern Illinois University here and the Autism Center here.
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here.
In different discussion groups, I’ve heard the claim that up to 50% of people don’t have an inner voice.
Since much of my work has focused on metacognition and language, I wanted to devote an episode to discussing some common questions that come up regarding this topic.
That’s why in episode 121 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I discussed the following:
✅Is internal language the best tool to use for reasoning and completing complex tasks?
✅Are there times it makes sense to use LESS language for self-regulation and planning?
✅If someone doesn’t have an inner voice, should we help them build one?
✅How do we measure whether someone is engaging in self-talk?
✅How many people use an inner monologue or dialogue, and how does this impact social interactions and problem-solving?
~Dr. Karen
P.S. In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. I also give you strategies that support self-directed talk and visual working memory.
You can learn more about the program here.
If you’ve ever thought aboutleaving the school systems, you may have wondered what options you have as far as jobs go.
Maybe you feel burnt out, or maybe you just want a change and don’t want to walk away from education completely.
I understand this dilemma on a deep level, so that’s why I invited Aimee Davis to the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about how she used her teaching and improv skills to find a fulfilling job outside the school systems.
Aimee Davis is the Senior Director of the Learning Center at the Field Museum in Chicago. Aimee Davis spent 10 years as a middle school social studies, reading, and language arts teacher before leaving the classroom in 2013 to pursue a career in informal science education. At the Museum of Science and Industry, she developed a suite of inquiry-based floor programs and trained teams of facilitators to deliver daily science programming. She joined The Field Museum in 2015 as the Volunteer and Public Learning Experiences Administrator. In this role, Aimee managed the Grainger Science Hub and associated cart programming, the Discovery Squad and Crown Family PlayLab adult volunteers, and the Teen Volunteer program.
In 2019, Aimee became the Director of the Learning Center and in 2022, the Senior Director. In this role Aimee oversees the six divisions in the Field's Learning Center which include the museum's offerings for teachers, students, families, community groups, teens, and every day visitors. Aimee trained and taught at The Second City, has a Non-profit Leadership Certificate from Northwestern Kellogg, a M.A. in Education Administration from Saint Xavier University and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Illinois State University.
In this episode, we talk about:
✅How to find a job that aligns with your passion and skills outside the school systems.
✅How learning improv can make you a better teacher, leader, and communicator (even if you’re not in to theater).
✅How museums are leveraging youth programs to enhance real-world, hands-on learning and embracing the benefits of technology.
You can connect with Aimee on LinkedIn here, and find more information about the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois here.
Be sure to check out the BE podcast network for educators and aspiring leaders. If you’re looking for shows to inspire you to level up in your career or more effectively serve students, we’ve got you covered. Learn more about the BE podcast network at http://bepodcastnetwork.com/
Many people who are involved in K-12 education want to be “student-centered”, but what if that’s not the most effective place for leaders to put their efforts?
I wanted to discuss this topic with Dr. Chris Jones, who shares why school leaders can create a bigger impact by supporting teachers and those working directly with students.
Dr. Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 22 years. His experience in the classroom ranged from 8th - 11th grade working in an urban setting. A portion of this was spent opening a high school division for an expanding charter school. He has just finished his 14th year as a building administrator. Chris is also the Vice President of the Massachusetts State Administrators Association (MSAA). True to his "why" of improving the educational experience for as many people as possible, he is currently the Principal of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in Whitman, Massachusetts.
He is the author of SEEing to Lead, a book that provides strategies for how modern leaders can and must support, engage, and empower their teachers to elevate student success. Chris vlogs weekly about continuous improvement and is also the host of the podcast SEEing to Lead as a way to amplify teachers’ voices in an effort to improve education as a whole. His overarching goal is to positively model continuous improvement in all facets of life by being purposeful, acting with integrity, and building character.
Chris is passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process. Chris is a teacher centered principal and his beliefs around the importance of a positive work environment, continuous growth, and a healthy family work-life integration can be seen in the presentations and workshops he has given for the Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA), Massachusetts Computer Using Educators (MassCUE), Massachusetts Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (MASCD), the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP); and his participation in the Better Leaders Better Schools Mastermind group.
A finalist for the Massachusetts School Administrators Association’s Principal of the Year award and named the 2022 Massachusetts School Counselors Associaltion’s (MASCA) Administrator of the Year, Chris is described by his past Superintendent as being “...wholly invested in the success of the school…a creative problem-solver who is able to deliberate yet be decisive, be creative yet accountable…calm and clear-headed even under the most trying of times…has built a strong collaborative and collegial school culture…he is a positive influence on teachers, teaching, and learning.”
Chris’ education includes a BA from Bridgewater State University, an MA from Salem State University, and a Doctorate from Northeastern University. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his wife, Mary (Bella) and two boys, Tommy and Scotty.
In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics relating to how leaders can better empower their staff, including:
✅What it means to be “teacher-centered”, and why being “student-centered” isn’t always the most effective way to run a school.
✅Are constraints a bad thing? Or can they lead to more creativity? How can school leaders guide their staff without micromanaging them?
✅Should school administrators ask for feedback during evaluations? What questions should they be asking to understand how they can empower staff.
You can connect with Dr. Jones on LinkedIn here, and on Twitter here, and on Instagram here. You can learn more about his book and podcast at: https://drcsjones.blog/seeing-to-lead-podcast/
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here.
Evidence-based practices and high-quality curriculum are important, but they aren’t the ONLY things school leaders need to think about.
We can’t effectively serve students unless we understand their community, which means we have to think beyond the classroom or therapy room.
That’s why I invited Edward Gordon, II, former principal and CEO of Gordon Leadership Academy, LLC to the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about school turnaround and coaching within the education system.
Edward W. Gordon, II is a native of Montclair, New Jersey. He is the proud father of Edward W. Gordon, III. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of South Carolina in 1998. Edward also earned a Master’s in Music Education from New Jersey City University in 2002, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership in 2003. He is a Certified Principal for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Gordon has over 20 years of experience in education and has led staff and students from preschool through high school.
He was one of three graduates of the PhillyPLUS School Turnaround Program, a selective residency program focused on serving underperforming schools.
Edward hosts a weekly broadcast entitled The Principal’s Office where he highlights educational stakeholders who are making a difference in their lives, the lives of others and with others. He is the CEO of Gordon Leadership Academy, LLC, a company that coaches and mentors aspiring and current school leaders globally.
His motto is, “If I can help somebody, then my living shall not be in vain.”
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅What’s really behind school attendance issues, and what happens when the school vision doesn’t align with the student body and community.
✅What’s the difference between coaching, mentoring, therapy, and consulting? How can people in education and healthcare both deliver and use these services to lead fulfilling careers?
✅Why and how educators, leaders, and therapists can form partnerships with local businesses and community organizations to better serve students.
You can connect with Edward on LinkedIn here and on Facebook here. You can find The School Leader Reflective Journal on Amazon here. You can also find links to his other resources here.
Be sure to check out the BE podcast network for educators and aspiring leaders. If you’re looking for shows to inspire you to level up in your career or more effectively serve students, we’ve got you covered. Learn more about the BE podcast network at http://bepodcastnetwork.com/
There’s a lot of talk about risk factors in education; but not as much focus on protective factors.
That’s why I invited Dr. Mike Gaskell to episode 118 of De Facto Leaders to talk about the work he’s done helping students and staff build resilience in a way that’s feasible for busy educators.
Dr. Michael Gaskell is an author, speaker and school principal in East Brunswick, NJ., following experience as a special educator and assistant principal in Paramus, NJ. He models the pursuit of lifelong learning as he serves to mentor new principals through the New Jersey Leaders to Leaders program. An NJPSA Stars recipient, he has been published in over 4 dozen articles in education journals and blogs, including ASCD Smartbrief, Tech & Learning, Education Post, eSchoolNews, NASSP, Edtech, currently writes a monthly column in ASCD Smartbrief, and has made the most-read section of ASCD Smartbrief numerous times. Mike presents at national conferences, including the Learning and the Brain conference, November 2021; FETC January 2022, and FETC, again in January 2023. He has been on numerous podcasts including Larry Ferlazzo’s Education Week Classroom Q&A. Mike has published three books: Radical Principals, Leading Schools Through Trauma and Microstrategy Magic. Dr. Gaskell works relentlessly to support instructional excellence and student success, for his school community, and most importantly, for the wellness and equity of all children.
In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics, including:
✅De-escalation strategies school staff can use for handling emails and social media posts; including Jay Baer’s “reply only twice” strategy.
✅Three protective factors that increase post-traumatic growth.
✅How to “stack” 1-minute interventions to improve resilience, behavior, and performance.
✅Simple but powerful ways to improve attention and engagement; including the “coffeehouse effect” and greeting students at the door.
You can connect with Dr. Michael Gaskell on LinkedIn here, on Twitter here, and on Instagram here. His books include Radical Principals, Leading Schools through Trauma, and MicroStrategy Magic: Confronting Classroom Challenges While Saving Time and Energy.
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here.
When the pandemic hit, many clinicians had to unexpectedly transition to online therapy, which raised a lot of concerns about treatment quality.
Can you really provide high-quality services in an online format?
Does it require the same skill sets as in-person therapy?
Are there times when teletherapy provides functionality that doesn’t exist in-person?
As the world has embraced telehealth as a viable option to increase access to services, these are all questions that come up for those of us delivery services.
That’s why I invited Lynne Inabnitt to the show to talk about the ins and outs of teletherapy; and what clinicians need to consider when using this format.
Lynne Inabnitt, M.A. CCC-SLP, is Senior Vice President of Clinical Success at Presence, a leading provider of remote evaluations and teletherapy for children with diverse needs. In this role, she oversees a team that supports relationships between Presence clinicians and school district partners by embedding clinically sound practices into service operations. Lynne served as a pediatric and school-based SLP for over 15 years, transitioning into the teletherapy space in 2015.
Since then, she’s held leadership positions overseeing clinical operations and multidisciplinary teams as the Clinical Director of Quality, Outreach, & Learning for Presence and Co-Clinical Director for Global Teletherapy. Lynne was a previous recipient of the Leadership in Literacy Grant from the U.S. Department of Education awarded by the University of Cincinnati, is an ASHA certified and licensed SLP, and received a Bachelor's degree and Master of Arts in Speech Language Pathology from Miami University of Ohio.
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅What skills are needed to be a good teletherapist, and how should clinicians set themselves up for success from the start?
✅How teletherapy can provide opportunities for creativity, innovation, and customization that aren’t as easy to make using print materials.
✅How therapists can leverage the power of networking and community to build skills and grow in their careers.
You can learn more about professional development and career opportunities at Presence at https://presencelearning.com/.
To learn more about the Kanga telehealth platform, visit: https://presencelearning.com/kanga-online-therapy-platform/
You can connect with Lynne on LinkedIn here.
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here.
Those of us working in K-12 education interact with students and staff who have experienced trauma whether we’re aware of the specific events or not.
A lot of people have heard the term “trauma-informed” care, but not everyone knows what it means or how to do it in practice.
That’s why I wanted to invite Rachel Archambault to episode 115 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about what trauma-informed care is and share how educators and therapists can put it into practice.
Rachel Archambault, MA CCC-SLP is an SLP Program Specialist for Broward County Public Schools. After a traumatic event happened at her workplace on 2/14/18, she looked for ways to work with students (and herself) after trauma. She found trauma-informed care and has been presenting nationally to SLPs and other providers on how TIC can be used in their setting. She runs the Instagram account, @PTSD.SLP which discusses TIC from a speech lens.
In this conversation, she shares:
✅What exactly is trauma-informed care and how can those working in the schools provide a supportive environment for students?
✅What school leadersneed to know about being trauma-informed (and why it’s not just about the students).
✅How to avoid re-traumatization, including the way you use language or other common triggers to be aware of.
✅Mistakes people make (even though they’re well-intended) and how you can build trust with students and colleagues who have experienced trauma.
You can connect with Rachel on her Instagram account here, her Facebook page here, and on LinkedIn here. Her website (coming soon) is at ptsdslp.com.
In this episode, I mentioned my free online training for K-12 therapists who want to offer social and academic support that’s evidence-based and neurodiversity-affirming. You can sign up for that free training here.
A lot of professional development is still delivered in the lecture or workshop format, even though there’s evidence that this model doesn’t have a significant impact on student outcomes.
So what do people working in K-12 education need to support students and have fulfilling careers?
I started asking myself that question when I was working in the schools, and I stumbled upon the coaching industry.
This led me to discover design-thinking, a process for solving problems and innovating; something I’d never heard of in my preservice training.
Nowadays, people are more skeptical than ever about the scientific community. Many feel that the heavy focus on evidence-based practice ignores the human component that school professionals bring to the table.
I see design-thinking as a way we can be evidence-based, innovative, and empathetic at the same time.
That’s why I invited Dan Kelley from DPK Solutions to episode 114 to share how he uses design-thinking to coach school leaders.
Daniel P. Kelley is the veteran principal of Smithfield High School in Smithfield, RI. He is an educator, instructional leader, and innovator. Dan served as president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) during the 2017-2018 school year and was a member of the NASSP Board of Directors for five years. He has served as a high school assistant principal; a high school and middle school special education teacher; and a middle school math and science teacher. He was named the Rhode Island Secondary Principal of the Year in 2012.
As a leader in education, Dan believes in challenging current instructional practices to provide creative and effective opportunities for students to learn, grow, and succeed. He is passionate about educational leadership that builds strong relationships with faculty and the community, utilizing social media to foster connections between educators, and establishing Personal Learning Networks for collaboration and professional development.
In this episode Dan shares:
✅Why your boss isn’t always the best person to coach you, and where you can go to get the support you need.
✅How to use design-thinking to keep students engaged and provide real-life, project-based experiences that prepare them for adulthood.
✅What school staff need in a coach (and why it’s different depending on your role and your career goals).
You can connect with Dan on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-archambault/ on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/danielpkelley and on his website here: https://twitter.com/danielpkelley
In this episode, I mentioned my free online training for K-12 therapists who want to offer social and academic support that’s evidence-based and neurodiversity-affirming. You can sign up for that free training here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership
Supporting language and decoding are important pieces of helping kids grow up to be successful readers. But making it happen is way more complex than that.
What happens when a child in 5th grade is reading at a first grade reading level?
What if there are other barriers BESIDES just reading getting in the way; such as scheduling constraints, classroom management issues, or access to mentoring?
What if kids don’t have access to books outside of school, and schools don’t have the funding to provide them with quality reading materials?
I wanted to discuss these questions, and that’s why I invited educational consultant Cassandra Williams to episode 113 of the De Facto Leaders podcast.
Cassandra Williams is a true innovator in the education field, having dedicated over 25 years of her life to revolutionizing existing systems and setting new standards of excellence. With a degree in Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University and a Master’s from California State University, she is also the founder of two successful elementary schools in Indianapolis. Her research has focused on coaching teachers to accelerate student achievement, often utilizing video and other technologies as learning tools. Her most recent passion is the Educational Innovation 360° e-Instructional Coaching System (click here to learn more: https://www.educationalinnovation360.com/), which she designed and developed in 2018.
On this episode, we discuss:
✅What are teachers struggling with when it comes to teaching reading? Do they always know where they need support?
✅How to make school libraries and district events more inclusive and culturally responsive.
✅How can we make schools more inviting to parents so they can take an active role in their children’s education?
✅Three essential components of effective professional development, and why many workshops only address ONE of these components.
You can connect with Cassandra on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-williams-777b7927/, on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/Edinnovation360, and on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Educationalinnovation360/, on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/educationalinnovation360/
You can learn more about her coaching and professional development for schools and individuals at https://www.educationalinnovation360.com/
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program for related service providers who want to take a leadership role in implementing executive functioning support. You can learn more about the program here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership
What do you do if your school administrator doesn’t fully understand your role and your expertise?
What if you have the information and knowledge they need to drive important decisions for your school? How can you get them to listen to your input?
If you’re a therapist, educator, or aspiring school leader, these questions may have popped into your head from time to time.
If that’s the case, it might feel like your boss (or maybe even your boss’s boss) has all the power.
But what if that wasn’t the case?
What if you could step into a leadership role NOW and be an advisor to those who are “technically” your superiors?
This is called “leading up”.
In episode 112 of the De Facto Leaders podcast, I invited Jethro Jones on to talk about how to be a leader, no matter your job title.
Jethro Jones, is a national award-winning former school leader, podcaster, and author of the books "How to be a Transformative Principal" (click here to read more: https://www.amazon.com/How-Transformative-Principal-Jethro-Jones/dp/1915261090) and "SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for the people right in front of them! (click here to read more: https://www.amazon.com/SchoolX-principals-transformative-experience-themselves/dp/1913622118). He is also the founder of the BE Podcast Network (click here to learn more: https://bepodcast.network/ ), the best educational podcast network out there. Jethro currently consults school leaders on strategies to help them save time, lead more effectively, and overcome their own weaknesses. Jethro has worked as a principal at all K-12 levels, including a prison school, a district coach, distance learning team lead, and English teacher.
In this conversation, he shares:
✅How to “lead up” to your school administrator when they need your input on programming decisions (even if they don’t realize it yet).
✅How to “lead out” to other people on your team, even if they’re resistant to changing their practices.
✅How to make a case to your school leader for more resources and support, even if it’s not in the budget.
You can connect with Jethro Jones on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jethrojones/, and listen to the Transformative Principal Podcast or learn more about how to work with Jethro on his website here: https://www.jethrojones.com/ You can also learn more about the BE podcast network for aspiring school leaders here: https://bepodcast.network/
You can take the quiz on how to level up in your career as an educator/leader here: https://moveup.transformativeprincipal.com/?utm_source=dfl
You can listen to the School AI podcast where we discuss AI, interdisciplinary units, and executive functioning featuring Dr. Karen here: https://youtu.be/KqUzRRKQvO8
In this episode, I mentioned my free online training for K-12 therapists who want to offer social and academic support that’s evidence-based and neurodiversity-affirming. You can sign up for that free training here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership
“Behavior problems” are an external sign of what’s going on internally.
In order to support kids who are being referred for behavioral concerns, we need to address these internal skills proactively.
That’s why I invited consultant and educator Lisa Navarra to episode 111 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about self-regulation.
Lisa M. Navarra, M.S. in Special Education, SDA, award-winning educator and published author of children’s books, music, and teacher resources provides professional development and individual services teaching the “how to learn” skills for children who struggle learning and self-regulating.
Lisa has been invited to speak at schools, libraries, and organizations where she has transformed resistant learners into students who learn the skills in how to focus and believe in themselves! Lisa’s dedication to supporting schools and families extends beyond her books and resources and includes her podcast, “Student Success Beyond Expectations” Podcast. Click here to learn more: https://childbehaviorconsulting.com/podcasts/
In this interview, we discuss:
✅Common misconceptions surrounding behavior problems and the role of internal regulation.
✅How to make sure kids get support across their day; including on the bus and in the hallways.
✅What to do when stimming is seen as a behavior problem, and how to help kids get sensory needs met and self-advocate.
You can connect with Lisa on her website here: https://childbehaviorconsulting.com/
Follow her on Instagram: http://@lisanavarraedu or on
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChildBehaviorConsulting
You can find her podcast here: https://childbehaviorconsulting.com/podcasts/ or listen to episodes on her Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@childbehaviorconsulting1650
In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation Guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids. You can download this free resource here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efschools
Do autistic people experience empathy?
Does masking cause trauma?
How do we help neurodivergent kids form relationships in a way that’s accepting of their differences?
These are questions that I get from clinicians on a regular basis that I’ve also wondered about myself.
That’s why when I created The School of Clinical Leadership, I made sure to include research and strategies to help guide clinicians through answering these questions.
In episode 110 of the De Facto Leaders podcast, I’m sharing a recording that comes directly from the School of Clinical Leadership course library.
In the video, I’ll cover why teaching situational awareness is so important for social relationships and self-advocacy, and why it’s a skill that can help clinicians navigate the nuances of effective and affirming intervention.
This episode is taken directly from the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps K-12 clinicians provide executive functioning support for their caseloads. You can learn more about the program here: https://www.drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
If you’re a therapist or educator working in the schools, there’s a high probability that the administrator who does your employee evaluation isn’t a subject-matter expert in your discipline.
If they are, you’re certainly in the minority. This is because it’s impossible to find a school administrator who’s held every single job in the school system.
On top of that, employee evaluations are incredibly time-consuming, making it difficult for school leaders to provide the mentorship and coaching to help their staff make changes to their practices.
That’s why I invited senior high school principal Eric Makelky to episode 109 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about employee evaluations.
In this interview we discuss:
✅Why some school administrators don’t give specific feedback on evaluations
✅Just how much time is your principal spending on evaluations? Is the employee evaluation like IEP paperwork for administrators?
✅The mindset and qualities you need to make the evaluation experience valuable, even if your administrator has never been in your position.
You can connect with Eric Makelky on Twitter here: http://@emakelky
He’s currently the interim host of the Transformative Principal podcast with Jethro Jones. Be sure to check out the episode titled “What If They Don't Want Feedback with Eric Makelky and Jethro Jones” for a great discussion on employee evaluations.
Click here to view more: https://www.jethrojones.com/podcast/episode519
In this episode, I also mentioned my free online training where I share how to help students thrive socially, emotionally, and academically with executive functioning support. In the training, I share why some students still struggle with social skills, even though they’re going to social skills groups.
You can sign up for the free training here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership
Doing a quality evaluation when you’re assessing things like language can be a challenge because there isn’t one “magic bullet” test that gives us what we need.
What is even more challenging is when you get a referral to evaluate a client that speaks two or more languages; especially when they’re languages you don’t speak.
Unfortunately, monolingual clinicians get referrals for multilingual evaluations all the time.
That’s why I invited Meg Morgan, Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinical Assistant Professor from the University of New Hampshire to episode 108 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast to talk about multilingual evaluations.
This episode will be extremely valuable to you for ALL language evaluations; even monolingual clients.
In this interview we discuss:
✅The biggest myths about bilingualism and language proficiency, and why it’s not as simple as we think
✅How to prepare yourself to evaluate a client who speaks a language you don’t speak
✅How to gather evidence to share with your team, even if you don’t have formal test scores
✅Why doing a thorough evaluation saves you time in the long run; and how to streamline the process
You can connect with Meg on LinkedIN here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meg-morgan-039778144/
You can also watch her presentation Multilingual Evaluations by Monolingual SLPs on speechpathology.com here: https://www.speechpathology.com/slp-ceus/course/multilingual-evaluations-by-monolingual-slps-9364 (paid membership is required to view this training)
Meg mentioned the following resources in this episode:
Bilinguistics - Click here to read more: https://bilinguistics.com/
The Leaders Project - Click here to read more: https://www.leadersproject.org/
SALT - Click here to read more: https://www.saltsoftware.com/
In this episode, I mentioned the Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure, my free guide for clinicians that outlines common sentence types that support comprehension in students who are learning English or who have disabilities that impact language learning. You can sign up for a free copy here: https://drkarenspeech.com/sentencestructure
In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation Guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids. You can download this free resource here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efschools
What’s evidence-based and neurodiversity-affirming shouldn’t be in opposition. Effective interventions that build resilience and help kids build healthy relationships should be “affirming” by definition.
Yet many clinicians remain confused about how to apply this to practice; especially when it comes to things like “social skills” or “pragmatic language”.
One of the most common complaints I hear across disciplines when it comes to social skills support is that students don’t generalize skills. I’ve heard this from psychologists, SLPs, social workers, counselors, among others.
The solution to the generalization problem is ALSO the answer to making intervention ND-affirming and EBP.
In order to do this, we need to teach the right skills with the right service delivery model.
In episode 107 of the De Facto Leaders podcast, I share how to do this.
I cover:
✅Why adult-led social skills groups that teach social rules lead to poor carryover
✅The two skills that should be a part of every social skills intervention plan
✅The three components to and effective service delivery model (and why pull-out therapy alone doesn’t work).
In this episode, I also mentioned my free online training where I share how to help students thrive socially, emotionally, and academically with executive functioning support. In the training, I share why some students still struggle with social skills, even though they’re going to social skills groups. You can sign up for the free training here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership
To get the information in written form, check out my Executive Functioning Implementation Guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efschools
I was honored to have Sharon Fuller, founder of The Attachment Place, LLC as a guest for episode 106 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast.
Sharon began her journey with developmental trauma disorder (DTD), also known as reactive attachment disorder (RAD), when she and her husband first adopted in 2005. She is a mom to nine children, six biological and three who were added to their family through adoption. When confronting the effects of the trauma their adopted children had endured she realized they were ill-prepared to parent them and for the impact their trauma would have on their entire family. Sharon is a trained transformational coach and respite provider.
During that time, she developed an approach that is effective in breaking down walls and reaching the hearts of children with trauma histories and attachment challenges.
From 2012-2019, the Attachment Place helped close to one hundred children transition successfully to their homes and form attachments to their parents. That’s why I knew Sharon would be an amazing guest.
In this interview we discuss:
✅Why kids with reactive attachment disorder need clear boundaries to feel safe and form relationships.
✅Why kids who have experienced trauma appear independent, and why they must shift to being dependent on parents before they can reach healthy independence.
✅Why permissive parenting approaches can cause anxiety for the whole family.
✅Why parent coaching is a non-negotiable when working with trauma, and how she supports parents through her “environment matrix” framework.
You can connect with Sharon on her website for The Attachment Place or on Facebook here. She runs a Facebook group called Quieting the Storm of Adoption Parents’ Group. You can learn more about her framework for supporting families on her free training here, and can email her at sfuller@theattachmentplace.com.
In this episode, Sharon mentioned this study that showed that putting a fence around a playground can increase creative exploration in preschoolers.
In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids. You can download this free resource here.
In this episode, I also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps pediatric clinicians be better leaders, make a bigger impact with their services, and lead their teams in providing executive functioning support for kids at the K-12 level. You can learn more about how to become a member here.
In 2022, a study was published in JAMA Network Open with a compelling title: “Video gaming may be associated with better cognitive performance in children.” You may read the article here: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/video-gaming-may-be-associated-better-cognitive-performance-children
This resulted in a number of social media influencers spreading the word about the “benefits” of playing video games. For up to 3 hours a day nonetheless.
What got lost in translation was the subheadline and nuances of the findings, which were explained quite transparently by the researchers, and were readily available to anyone who clicked through and read the full news release.
That’s why in episode 105 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I explained the details outlined in the news release; including the details that were left out of the headlines.
I also share my thoughts on what these results mean for educators, therapists, and parents when it comes to the harm and potential benefits of gaming.
The full news release to the ABCD study can be found here. Link here: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/video-gaming-may-be-associated-better-cognitive-performance-children
In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids. You can download this free resource here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efschools
Many people in education and healthcare know that lobbying and advocacy needs to happen; but many people don’t know whose responsibility it is or how to do it.
That’s why I invited Michael Campbell, published author, blogger, and licensed bilingual speech-language pathologist to the show to dive into this topic.
Michael has spent time as a union member on his collective bargaining committee, and he shared a ton of useful knowledge on the process. If you’re an SLP or other related service provider and you want to know how to leverage your union or build relationships to advocate for your profession, you won’t want to miss this interview.
In this episode, he shares:
✅What people are actually doing when they’re “lobbying” for a bill to be passed.
✅What to say when you email your congressman (plus other people you can email as well to get your voice heard).
✅How to learn more about bills that impact you, your facility, and your students.
✅Why it’s worth your time to help other union members (like teachers) get what they want, even for initiatives that seem unrelated to you as a therapist.
Michael works as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the public schools and his private practice. He started my career teaching and mentoring students through Upward Bound on undergraduate admissions and college success and also served as a Program Officer at the Institute of International Education. He taught for several years in both the US and Mexico before starting his SLP graduate program.
During his graduate studies, he built The Speech Blog. You can view the webpage here: https://thespeechblog.com/
To advise candidates on SLP grad school admissions and in 2020 he published a book called “SLP To Be: An Unofficial Guide to Getting into Graduate School for Speech-Language Pathology” To view more about the book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/SLP-Be-Unofficial-Speech-Language-Pathology/dp/1730815073
Currently, he’s practicing SLP in the school systems and also blogs about professional topics of interest at Think SLP. You may check the webpage here: https://thinkslp.com/
His current project is a workbook for clinicians or teachers with therapy/lesson plans centered on 10 famous people who stutter.
We mentioned the following blog post articles during our interview from Michael’s site:
Teacher’s Unions – Just for teachers?
Link here: https://thinkslp.com/teachers-unions-just-for-teachers/
Four Things I Heard at ASHA’s Listening Session, Oct 2022
Link here: https://thinkslp.com/my-four-take-aways-from-ashas-school-issues-advisory-board-listening-session-in-october-2022/
In this episode, I mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps pediatric clinicians be better leaders, make a bigger impact with their services, and lead their teams in providing executive functioning support for kids at the K-12 level. You can learn more about how to become a member here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
We’ve all sat through some boring professional development before; but there’s nothing boring about the training you’ll get from Dr. MC, the guest on episode 103 of the De Facto Leaders podcast.
Many people in “helping professions” like education and healthcare focus more on taking care of others instead of taking care of themselves; which is why I wanted to have Dr. MC on the show to talk about how school leaders can make self-care a part of K-12 culture. But not just for the students; for the staff.
Dr. Theresa Melito-Conners, Ph.D. (Dr. MC) is the founder of Dr. MC’s Self-Care Cabaret, a suite of theatre-inspired self-care and professional development services for helping professionals.
The Self-Care Cabaret encompasses workshops, a podcast, and educational curricula — focused on accessible, realistic strategies that equip and empower.
Dr. MC first recognized the need for such strategies as a special education administrator. She realized individuals in people-first, service-oriented roles often struggle with prioritizing self-care and work-life balance, and lack resources. Curious, Dr. MC pursued her PhD in educational leadership from Lesley University, honing in on self-care and renewal for helping professionals. In addition to her doctorate and published research, she is a licensed K-12 counselor with a master’s of education in school counseling from Salem State University and a B.A. in theatre studies from Emerson College. Her true joy is bringing her scholarship, experience, and zest to audiences of all kinds nationwide.
In this conversation Dr. MC shares:
✅Common myths surrounding the “self-care” industry, and why it’s not just wine and bubble baths.
✅Why “not having time” for self-care is a myth, and how to keep yourself grounded even if you only have 5 minutes to spare.
✅How school leaders can make self-care a part of their building culture; for both the staff and leadership.
You can connect with Dr. MC on her website here: https://drmcselfcare.com/
You can listen to Dr. MC’s Self-Care Cabaret podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-mcs-self-care-cabaret/id1576736339
You can connect with her on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/drmcselfcare/
You can connect with her on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dr-mc-s-self-care-cabaret/
You can follow her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/DrMCselfcare
In this episode, I mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps pediatric clinicians be better leaders, make a bigger impact with their services, and lead their teams in providing executive functioning support for kids at the K-12 level. You can learn more about how to become a member here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/clinicalleadership
There are a lot of approaches to teaching kids to read; but not all of them are effective. This is especially important for kids with disabilities who need explicit instruction.
That’s why in episode 102, I had special education consultant and host of the Science of Special Education podcast, Brett Stevens, on the show to talk about the Science of Reading.
Brett is a special education consultant focused on literacy and legal compliance. She has spent over 20 years within the field of special education serving in a variety of roles including special education teacher, school administrator, and special education attorney. She has a bachelor’s in special education, a master’s in instructional technology, and a juris doctorate of law with a specialization in special education. She is currently completing her doctoral dissertation with a focus on legal trends in the curriculum and instruction of students with Autism. Brett Stevens is the host of The Science of Special Education podcast, where she dives into research and evidenced based practices and their application in the special education classroom.
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅What exactly is the Science of Reading and why is it so important for school leaders to know about it?
✅The components of Scarborough’s reading rope and why they’re necessary for kids to read successfully.
✅The different approaches to teaching reading, and the problems with some of the existing curriculums (and which ones are most effective).
✅How to work together as a team to support literacy: both the IEP team as well as supporting parents.
You can connect with Brett on her website here, and listen to the Science of Special Education podcast here.
You can connect with her on Instagram @scienceofspecialeducation and in her Science of Reading Facebook group here.
You can also find her list of free resources for parents and educators here.
In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids . You can download this free resource here.
I also mentioned my Language Therapy Advance Foundations program, my course that teaches SLPs a system for supporting the language skills kids need to support reading and writing. You can learn how to sign up here.
Strong executive functioning skills can help kids to be resilient, adaptable, and independent. These characteristics are going to be essential for supporting mental health and success going forward. EVERYONE who interacts with school-age kids on a daily basis has the chance to support executive functioning, and not addressing this skill is a huge missed opportunity. Many treatment teams do not adequately address executive functioning, which is why so many clinicians notice their clients struggle with social skills, behavior, and academic skills despite getting therapy. This is not the fault of the school staff. Often they simply don't have the support or information to put these practices in place. The good news is that it only takes ONE team member to take the lead and start moving things in the right direction. If you're a therapist supporting kids, that person can be YOU. In episode 101 of “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I share how to make that happen (even if you have a huge caseload and limited time for collaboration). You can be a leader right now, even if it's not in your official job title. The first step to successfully leading your team is “selling” this idea to your district leadership and other team members. That comes back to understanding how impactful executive functioning can be in supporting mental health, academics, relationships, and vocational success beyond the school-age years. In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids. You can download this free resource here. I also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps pediatric clinicians be better leaders, make a bigger impact with their services, and lead their teams in providing executive functioning support for kids at the K-12 level. You can learn more about how to become a member here.
On episode 100 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Gastrid Harrigan has been an educator for over 19 years as a classroom teacher, Assistant Principal, and currently as Principal in Broward County, Florida. In addition, Dr. Harrigan is a Professor of Education at Broward College and Colorado State University Global. He’s also the host of The School Leaders Podcast, a show focused on helping current and aspiring principals and school leaders navigate their leadership journey. One of the biggest challenges that school clinicians face is effectively collaborating with members of their IEP teams; including those in leadership positions. That’s why I invited Dr. Harrigan on to the show to share the biggest challenges school principals face, how they make decisions, and how you can work alongside them in a way that’s supportive and helpful to you, them, and of course…the students. In this conversation, we talk about ways school clinicians and administrators can support each other so they can get what they both want: Better student outcomes. Specifically, we discuss: ✅The best way to approach your principal with questions, concerns, or suggestions (including what NOT to do). ✅Why you should develop operating procedures for collaborating with others as well as managing your classroom or therapy room. ✅What principals wish their staff knew about their jobs, and ways you can make their lives easier. ✅Tips for getting a response from busy school leaders (and what to do if they don’t answer your email). You can connect with Dr. Gastrid Harrigan on Instagram @drgharrigan and find the School Leaders Podcast on most podcast directories, including Apple and Spotify. You can also find him on LinkedIN here. In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids . You can download this free resource here.
On episode 99 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I had the opportunity to interview Allison Fors, who is a pediatric SLP-A, mom to a child with a cleft palate, and a Teachers Pay Teachers seller with tons of great resources for early language. Allison is an SLP-A in California. She has primarily worked with diagnoses of autism, Down syndrome, and developmental delays in schools at the K-12 level, as well as private practice. Her interests include early language, as well as understanding and incorporating sensory strategies into sessions. She also has a cleft-affected daughter, which began a special interest in this particular population! She loves creating resources and connecting with others in the field via her website AllisonFors.com. In this interview, Allison shares her experience as a parent with a cleft-affected child; from navigating parent groups to working with a multidisciplinary team. She also shares some common compensatory errors that go along with clefts and some tips for navigating early intervention. We wrap up the interview by discussing her process for selecting products to create for clinicians; as well as how she makes resources that are creative and engaging for her audience of pediatric clinicians. You can connect with Allison on Instagram @speech.allisonfors.com as well as on her website here. You can also find her on Teachers Pay Teachers here. In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids . You can download this free resource here.
On episode 98 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I had the opportunity to interview children’s book author and veteran SLP, Valerie Doherty. Valerie has over 30 years of experience as an SLP, and in 2011 her passion for language and literacy inspired her to start writing children’s books. Readers need physical books they can actually hold in their hands, which is why many authors want to go back to the basics and give young readers good quality books they can interact with. If you’ve ever aspired to be a part of that process through writing your own books, you may know there are a lot of stages to making that happen; especially if you want to go the traditional publishing route. That’s why I thought Val would be a great guest to bring on the show because she’s gone through the entire publishing process, from idea to publication. In this conversation, we discussed: ✅What aspiring authors need to know about copyright, trademark, and intellectual property (and where to go for help navigating the process). ✅Tips for working with illustrators, editors, publishers, and literary agents, and how these professionals can help you get your best quality work in to the world. ✅Insights on the creative process and marketing, plus the best places to go for support along the way. You can find Valerie’s work on her website here and connect with her on LinkedIN here. The follow resources were mentioned in this episode for support with the writing process, legal assistance, publishing, and marketing: The Author’s Guild Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators SLP by Day, Author by Night In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids . You can download this free resource here.
On episode 97 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I had the opportunity to interview SLP and Related Services Director, Marva Mount. Marva is a nationally recognized speaker on issues regarding public school speech and language services. She is a published chapter author, and has been awarded the Hall of Fame Award for outstanding contributions to the field of speech pathology by her state organization. In addition, Marva is a distinguished fellow in the National Academies of Practice, and has served school-aged populations from ages 3 to 22 for almost 40 years. She currently works for Imagine Learning. Marva has made a career out of going the extra mile, never afraid to ask for things and share her ideas; which eventually led to an official leadership position. However, she was acting like a leader even before it was officially in her job title, which is why I thought she’d be a great guest to share her experiences advocating for the profession and her caseload. In this conversation, we discussed: ✅Common mistakes clinicians make when starting conversations with leadership or asking for what they need. ✅Tips for learning the habits, tendencies of preferences of building leaders and other team members so you can build trust and get your ideas heard. ✅Why administrators frequently say “No” to requests from their staff, and how to increase the chances that you’ll get a “Yes”. You can connect with Marva on her Instagram account @marvajomount or on LinkedIN here. You can also see her Collaborate with Confidence presentation on speechpathology.com here (you need a subscription to access this presentation). We also mentioned the DISC profile in this conversation, which you can learn more about here. In this episode, I mentioned my Executive Functions Implementation guide that shares how school therapists can lead their IEP teams in providing mental health, behavioral, and social skills support for K-12 kids . You can download this free resource here.
I’m SO excited to share episode 96 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast, where I sat down with Bilingual School Psychologist, Briana Wagner. Briana started out as a teacher, but soon made a career transition to school psychologist. She’s also bilingual and knows a ton about how to support culturally and linguistically diverse students. In early 2022, she started the @educationallypsyched Instagram account where she shares information about the school psychologist’s role, as well as a number of topics related to special education eligibility and service delivery. In our conversation, we get in to a number of topics that will be helpful for clinicians, educators, and parents including: ✅What’s the difference between a school psychologist, educational psychologist, and a psychiatrist? ✅How to educate parents and outside medical professionals who don’t fully understand school eligibility guidelines ✅The problems with teaching “whole body listening” and what to do instead Plus…and you don’t want to miss this part…we get into a fantastic discussion about advocating for bilingual and culturally and linguistically diverse students (plus I pick her brain a bit on how I can improve my Spanish). In this episode, Briana mentioned this video about why you shouldn’t encourage bilingual students to only speak English. She also mentioned her collaborator for the video who can be found on Instagram @bilingualplaydate. You can connect with Briana on her Instagram account @educationallypsyched. In this episode, I mentioned my “30 Skills and Tools to Foster Generalization” guide that walks through assets you can build to ensure clients get support outside your sessions. You can download this free resource here.
In episode 95 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast I sat down with Hallie Sherman, a school speech-language pathologist, blogger, and business owner from SpeechTimeFun. When Hallie started working as a school SLP, she had a difficult time finding materials for middle school and high school students. After a lot of trial and error, she managed to create her own tools to serve her students. In 2012, she decided to start a blog and start sharing some of these resources with others; thinking that no one would ever read it. Fast forward to the present day; and Hallie’s created a successful Teachers Pay Teachers store which led to her building a membership site for school clinicians called SLP Elevate. In this conversation, we dive in to topics such as: ✅How and why she started selling materials for SLPs, and why she originally started her blog under an alias (Miss Speechie). ✅The thought process and strategy behind the materials she creates; and why they help clinicians keep therapy aligned with the curriculum. ✅How therapists can educate others about what they do (and some hidden benefits of people NOT fully understanding your role). ✅How to get over your fear about sharing your clinical knowledge online. To connect with Hallie, you can find her blog here, connect with her on Instagram here, or on Facebook here. You can learn more about her program for SLPS, SLP Elevate, here. In this episode, I mentioned my “30 Skills and Tools to Foster Generalization” guide that walks through assets you can build to ensure clients get support outside your sessions. You can download this free resource here.
In episode 94 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast I sat down with Clay Hadden (a.k.a. Mister Clay), a private practice SLP and YouTuber from South Carolina. We had a fantastic conversation about how to come up with creative ways to serve your caseload and play a part in advocacy issues relating to health care and education. At the beginning of the pandemic, Clay found that he wasn’t able to serve a large portion of his caseload due to the lockdown. But on top of that, he found that many of his clients couldn’t get funding to cover services, which meant he had to find a creative way to support them. That’s when he started his YouTube Channel, and the rest is history! In this conversation, we dive in to topics such as: ✅How he created assets to support clients during lockdown that he still uses today to facilitate language growth outside of sessions. ✅How he empowers his staff to innovate and create resources families can use to build communication skills. ✅What he’s doing to solve problems with insurance reimbursement ✅How to find online videos that support language development (and how to screen out the harmful ones) ✅Mindset tips for creating books, videos, and other tools for families (and why you should get started before you feel “ready”) There were a ton of great resources mentioned in this episode, and I’ll start by listing all the places you can find Clay’s work. You can find his YouTube channel here, his blog here, and follow him on Instagram here. You can buy his book here. Clay also mentioned a number of other great resources for clinicians and families, including: OT.Outside.The.Box ShelbytheSLP PlaySpark ThanksMorris Miss Rachel Cosmic Kids Yoga Bluey We also discussed Atomic Habits by James Clear and Drive by Dan Pink.
In this episode, I mentioned my “30 Skills and Tools to Foster Generalization” guide that walks through assets you can build to ensure clients get support outside your sessions. You can download this free resource here.
I’m continually learning and developing my understanding of language and executive functioning, as well as how to help teams work together to better support these skills. That’s why I recently decided to audit some of the content I have floating around the internet. In truth, I have a lot out there because I like to get content into the hands of clinicians who need it as quickly as possible, which is why I do a lot of impromptu videos and run a lean operation. And since I’m human I had (and likely still do) have a lot of content out there that quite frankly isn’t my best work. Plus, I’ve learned a lot these past few years about the research, as well as how to communicate it to a large audience. That’s why for episode 93 of “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I wanted to highlight a couple topics I’ve discussed in the past that needed some additional clarification. I pulled a couple of topics that need continued explanation because they’re complex and nuanced, and I wanted to make sure I clearly communicated my stance and understanding of them. I also pulled a couple topics where I felt previous information I released was incorrect, unclear, or misleading. Specifically, I address the following that I’ve discussed on previous episodes: ✅Does it matter if your therapist is neurotypical vs. neurodivergent? ✅Can you improve your attention span? ✅How should clinicians handle the medication discussion with ADHD? ✅Does positive reinforcement help, or is it “forced compliance”? ✅Is there evidence that we can “improve” working memory? In this episode, I mentioned my Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure. In this free guide I share the challenging sentence types that result in comprehension and processing difficulties; plus how we can improve these skills to support reading and writing. You can download it here. I also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, a program for SLPs, psychologists, social workers, and other related service providers who want to support K-12 students. The program is for you if you want to support students in the areas of language, literacy, executive functioning, mental health, behavior, and independent skills needed for academic, vocational, and social situations. If you’ve been working on any of these areas, but are struggling to provide the support your students need to generalize skills across the day, then come join us in the School of Clinical Leadership and learn a game plan to lead your IEP team in the right direction. You can learn more about how to become a member here.
Therapist burnout is prevalent among SLPs, social workers, psychologists, and other professionals supporting K-12 kids. That’s why I was so excited to have special guest Angie Merced on the De Facto Leaders podcast for episode 92. Angie is a Certified Life Coach and School-Based SLP. She lives with her husband and two little girls in the Rochester, NY area. Her passion is to rescue SLPs who are feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and trapped in a career they're "supposed" to love. She shows her clients how to reclaim their energy, create more time and generate resources. Her mission is to eliminate the culture of burnout in our field and help smart SLPs do less, be more, and thrive with joy. You can learn more about how to connect with Angie on her website here. In this episode, Angie shares some great insights for burnout recovery, including:
✅The 3 common causes of therapist burnout and how to work through them. ✅Counterintuitive tips for “report writer’s block” and other forms of perfectionism. ✅Common coaching strategies that DON’T work for burnout (and what to do instead).
Generalization is one of the most common complaints I hear from school therapists, regardless of the discipline. If you’re a clinician, you know how frustrating it is when a student seems to grasp a skill in your sessions, but doesn’t ever apply it outside your room. In episode 91, I wanted to talk about why this happens. Many therapists are very focused on building their clinical skills and planning therapy sessions. This means a lot of focus on how to support students when they’re in a direct therapy session. This is obviously an important part of what you do as a therapist; but it's not the ONLY thing that you do. The impact of your direct treatment time will be limited if students don’t get support from others once they leave your room. You can’t follow students across their entire day and be the one to provide that scaffolding outside your room. This means you need to lead others in changing their practices to support students; which you won’t be able to do if you’re only focused on planning direct treatment. That’s why in this episode, I wanted to dive further into the concept of “planning for service delivery” instead of just “planning for therapy”. If you want your students to generalize, you need to be a leader on your team who guides others in making that happen. I share how that’s possible in episode 91.
There’s a lot of talk within the therapy world about effective therapy strategies; but there’s NOT a lot of talk about how to get funding so programs can actually deliver support and resources. That’s why I was so excited to have Merlin Anderson on the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about what’s known as “ABC runs”. The concept of an ABC run started with 5 friends who wanted to help a local outdoor center with children’s programs to build a new facility. They decided to get together to go for a run, and at the same time pool their resources to make a donation. After that, they decided to make this a regular event to support local children’s charities; and they decided to call them “Adventures Benefiting Children (ABC) runs”. That first year, they held 9 events and raised just under $1,300 for local children’s charities. At the beginning, the donations seemed insignificant, but consistency and perseverance paid off. Now each individual ABC run often generates more donations than the entire first year combined. At the time this episode was recorded, ABC runs have generated over $200,000 in donations to local children’s charities. If you’ve ever felt like your therapy sessions or efforts to help are just a “drop in the bucket” and you want to find more ways to support kids in your community, episode 90 of the De Facto Leaders podcast is a must-listen.
If you’re a school therapist, you’ve likely been asked to do a lot of things within the school system that don’t seem totally relevant to your role as a clinician. Yet at the same time, you may often feel siloed off, like you’re not a part of the school team. That’s why in episode 88 of the De Facto Leaders podcast (formerly “Are they 18 yet?®”), I wanted to talk about what school therapists can do to feel more included, respected, and valued within the school community. Specifically, I talk about: Staff meetings: Should school therapists have to attend them? And if you can’t, how can you stay on top of what’s going on in the building? Employee evaluations: What should therapists do if they’re evaluated by an administrator who’s never been in a clinical role? How can therapists ensure they follow their district’s procedures, while at the same time ensure they have access to mentoring and support related to their discipline? I break all these questions down in the episode.
In this episode, I’m excited to officially announce the new direction for the podcast!
The show is now called “De Facto Leaders” (it was formerly “Are they 18 yet?®”)
I’ve been hinting at this for a while and have slowly transitioned the types of topics I’ve covered over the last year, but in this episode we’re making the official switch!
When I originally launched the podcast, I did so in the parenting category; and aimed to share advice that would be helpful to parents and professionals of K-12 kids. The focus of the show is still focused on helping school-age kids grow up to be successful adults; but the way I’m doing that is through empowering the professionals supporting them.
That’s why the show will now be focusing on clinical leadership and personal development for therapists and educators. It’s for you if you’re a speech pathologist, social worker, psychologist, or other specialized service provider supporting K-12 kids.
It’s also for you if you want to play a part in reforming education and healthcare, if you want to have an impact on policies at the local, state, and federal level, and you want to put yourself in a position where you can make a true influence with the work you do. You’re in the right place whether you want to stay in your current position and be more impactful OR whether you’re thinking about a career transition, moving to leadership, or starting a business and want to set yourself up for success.
In this episode, I share how I’ll help you do this!
~Dr. Karen
P.S. In this episode, mention my “asset stacking” technique that’s designed to help clinicians create leverage, so they can have the time, resources, and support they need to deliver high-quality services to their caseload AND dream big about what’s possible for their careers at the same time. To learn more about how to “stack” assets and make a bigger impact with your work, you can sign up for the asset stacking training here.
Part of a school therapist’s job is getting buy-in from the entire IEP team, but that can be difficult to do when team members don’t agree on what’s best for a student.
That’s why in episode 86 of the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast, I walk through several case studies from my mentoring group to share how to handle it when this happens.
As you listen, you're going to find that building relationships is essential to providing effective therapy services, and that with a couple key shifts you'll be able to establish connection and trust with coworkers.
These examples are from SLPs, but they’re really relevant to any professional or parent of K-12 kids:
*What do I do when I don’t agree with what the IEP team is recommending (e.g., private school staff over qualifying students for certain disability labels)?
Should students from Spanish speaking households be in a bilingual program even if they speak mostly English at school? I think they should, but the teacher doesn’t. Should I stand my ground?*
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps pediatric therapists create the freedom to deliver services in a way that truly serves kids. To learn more about how to become a member, visit our enrollment page here.
One of the most powerful ways to provide comprehensive services for K-12 kids is by collaborating with other therapists and teachers…
Which is why it’s frustrating when team members can’t come to a consensus about what’s best for kids.
When you’re working together as a team, at least some conflict is inevitable.
That’s why I wanted to share some case studies and Q & A sessions where members of my mentoring program for clinicians shared some real-life scenarios they were working through.
In episode 86 of the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast, I talk through how to collaborate when there's tension between outside therapists and school therapists.
I also talked about how to get teachers and administrators on board when you’re trying new models of service delivery beyond just the direct therapy model.
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps pediatric therapists create the freedom to deliver services in a way that truly serves kids. To learn more about how to become a member, visit our enrollment page here.
If you’re a pediatric therapist or service provider, chances are you do some form of “supervising”, whether it’s in your job title or not.
Part of being an effective clinical leader comes from working as a team and training others to do what we do, so kids can get support across settings.
That’s why it’s important for you to think about how to supervise and mentor others, even if you’re not in an official clinical supervision role.
That’s why in episode 85 of the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast, I talked about how to navigate clinical supervision in pediatric settings.
I share how to create supervision opportunities, even if supervision isn’t your primary job responsibility, as well as strategies to use to mentor both new and experienced clinicians.
In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps pediatric therapists create the freedom to deliver services in a way that truly serves kids. To learn more about how to become a member, visit our enrollment page here.
One of the biggest challenges for pediatric therapists is making sure their caseload has support across the day and across settings.
This becomes incredibly difficult to do with limited direct therapy time and when service providers are working in silos.
That’s why one of the most important things you can do to serve your caseload is think about service delivery before you get stuck in the weeds of IEP goals and therapy worksheets.
Zooming out and looking at the bird's eye view is the first step in expanding your thinking and finding ways to be resourceful when supporting kids.
In episode 84 of the Are they 18 yet?® Podcast, I share how that strategy works.
I’ll explain why making this shift in thinking can help service providers:
✅Ensuring kids get the support they need across settings, even if direct treatment time is limited.
✅Leading an IEP team to make better decisions, even if you’re not an administrator or the case manager.
✅Uncovering creative solutions for serving your caseload, even if you're bumping up against red tape and time limitations
~Dr. Karen
P.S. In this episode, I mention the School of Clinical Leadership, my program that helps pediatric therapists create the freedom to deliver services in a way that truly serves kids. To learn more about how to become a member, visit our enrollment page here.
A lot of your clinical training taught you how to be a good clinician.
But often it doesn’t teach you how to "work the system" and get your kids what they need.
The truth is, you can't make an impact without autonomy over your time, without adequate tools, without the right people, support, and financial resources.
In the system you're working in, these things are limited. You may not have enough of these things right NOW to make the impact you want.
But you can change that by putting yourself in a more influential position.
We can do that using a concept that I called “asset stacking”.
In episode 83 of the Are they 18 yet?® Podcast, I share how that strategy works.
Using the concepts of "asset stacking", I was able to do things like:
✅Complete my doctorate while working full time as a school SLP, without taking out any student loans.
✅Do a pilot study on a speech therapy flex-schedule model, so I could do more classroom observation, consults, and make up sessions.
✅Conduct a program evaluation to help develop my districts' RtI protocol (even though I wasn't in an official administrative position).
✅Create new extended school-year criteria so an entire cohort of students could access summer services for the duration of their elementary years.
✅Start an online education business (focused on serving clinicians) while I was working a full-time job.
Most productivity strategies don't work because they don't show you how to "stack" assets and create real leverage.
But when I learned to apply this "stacking" concept to my work, I was able to create some amazing partnerships which led to much more comprehensive and effective services for my caseload.
~Dr. Karen
P.S. The “asset stack” method is something I teach in a new online training for pediatric clinicians (SLPs, psychs, social workers, and other service providers). It’s called “How to provide top-notch support for your caseload using the “asset stack” method (even in a system loaded with constraints)”. You can sign up for this free training here.
In episode 82 of the “Are they 18 yet?®” Podcast, I sit down with my friend and mentor Stephanie Hayes and talk about comfort zones.
I share my experiences within the context of my personal business, but this applies to therapists as well.
Specifically, I share how the pandemic impacted the way I provide services and online education; plus some “convenient” excuses I used for avoiding work that felt scary or uncomfortable.
Ultimately, everyone has that “thing” (or things) that causes discomfort. In this episode, I share what mine is, plus some things I’m doing to work through it.
~Dr. Karen
In this episode, I mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership.
The School of Clinical Leadership is a program for pediatric clinicians supporting K-12 kids that want to find their own path for career growth that feels aligned, inspiring, empowered and completely, truly their own. You can learn more about how to become a member here.
In the School of Clinical Leadership, I’ve devoted an entire suite of programs to educating professionals on executive functioning.
Even though the focus of the program is about career development and leadership, I believe that any professional working with K-12 kids needs extensive knowledge of executive functioning in order to lead effectively.
I’ve likely given away the “quick and dirty” answer to the title of the episode; because I think supporting executive functioning is everyone’s job.
That being said, everyone’s role in the process is different. A teacher may support executive functioning in a different way than a parent would.
An occupational therapist may support it differently than a social worker or an SLP.
That’s why in episode 81 of the “Are they 18 yet?®” Podcast, I break down some of the different people who come into contact with K-12 kids, and what their role is in supporting executive functioning.
I discuss the following roles:
General education teachers
- Special education teachers
- School Service Personnel (SLPs, OTs, Psychs, Social Workers, etc.)
- Teaching Assistants
- School Leaders
- Parents
- Students
~Dr. Karen
In this episode, I mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership.
The School of Clinical Leadership is a program for pediatric clinicians supporting K-12 kids that want to find their own path for career growth that feels aligned, inspiring, empowered and completely, truly their own. You can learn more about how to become a member here.
In this episode, I’m sharing a special conversation with my mentor, friend, and business consultant, Stephanie Hayes.
Stephanie specializes in building businesses from the ground up by focusing on creating assets that allow small business owners to earn income and serve in a way that feels aligned and fulfilling to them.
Even though she is technically like a “business coach/consultant”, many of her clients say that working with her is more like having a business partner.
What she’s really amazing at doing is truly seeing the talent and vision in her clients before THEY even see it…and then finding a way to pull it out of them so they can create something that “feeds their brain” and keeps them excited about the work that they do.
Stephanie and I have been working on creating a program called the School of Clinical Leadership which is launching in September 2022; which is a program designed to guide pediatric clinicians through creating a customized career path aligned with their strengths and their mission.
Over the past month or so, we’ve been documenting the progress of this program development in a weekly series called Live Til Launch; and I wanted to share one of our episodes on the podcast.
In this episode, we talk about the conception of the “micro-experiment” strategy and why it’s an essential part of the way I mentor clinicians going through a career transition.
We also talk about the internal struggle we all go through when we’re doing something new that pushes us; how I’ve worked through that personally, and how to tame feelings of self-doubt when you’re getting out of your comfort zone.
In this episode, I mentioned the Clinical Leadership Roundtable, an ongoing event for pediatric clinicians that want to plan a career path that finally allows you to serve in a way that feels aligned and impactful. You can join the Clinical Leadership Roundtable here.
I also mentioned the School of Clinical Leadership, my program designed to help clinicians launch the next stage of their career. You can learn more about the program here.
Finally, to connect with Stephanie and learn more about what she does, connect with her on LinkedIn here, follow her on YouTube here, or check out her website here.
There’s often a typical expected career path for pediatric clinicians, regardless of the discipline. It can often feel a bit constraining, especially if it doesn’t fully align with your strengths; or if the system you’re working in limits the way you serve your caseload.
But what if you weren’t limited to the typical model, or the traditional job postings? What if you could design a clinical career on your own terms?
This idea is exciting…but scary. Especially if you’re in a job that you enjoy and that feels “almost” in line with what you’d want to be doing. Many clinicians have this nagging feeling.
They love what they do…but they wonder if they could be doing more for their field and in their career. I felt this way when I was nearing the end of my doctoral program and was working the school systems. I knew the next stage of my career was coming…but I wasn’t exactly sure what direction I should go.
Private practice? Higher ed? School administration? Something else?
To answer this question, I did what I refer to as career “micro-experiments”. This is one of the strategies I used to launch my business while I was working in the schools full time.
In this episode, I share:
✅Why doing “test-runs” can help you discover your strengths, build your resume and skills, and serve your current caseload at the same time
✅Why I turned down a job interview that could have led me towards what I thought was a “dream job”
✅How to start building your leadership experience NOW, without leaving the security of your current job.
In this episode, I mentioned the Clinical Leadership Roundtable, an ongoing event for pediatric clinicians that want to plan a career path that finally allows you to serve in a way that feels aligned and impactful. You can join the Clinical Leadership Roundtable here.
A lot of the clinicians I work with feel very “boxed in” when it comes to the typical career path for therapists.
They’re boxed in by the way they have to provide services within the system, which often dictates how, when, and how often they see students/clients.
They may feel boxed in by their schedule, their setting, or even their earning potential.
Usually, they enjoy what they do, but have a nagging feeling that they could be doing more for their caseload, their field, and their community.
What I’ve observed over the last 5 years of mentoring clinicians is that they often go through “levels” of clinical practice.
I like to refer to this as “Clinical Leadership”. Many therapists don’t think of themselves as leaders; especially if they aren’t in an “official” leadership position…but I think that every clinician has an opportunity to be a leader regardless of their official job title.
Once therapists get comfortable with the traditional model of therapy, they’re often ready to transcend to the next stage of their career. So many of them are super talented, creative individuals; but they feel limited by what they see in the standard job postings.
I’ve designed what I refer to as the “Pillars of Clinical Leadership” to help people get out of this career rut, so they can create a career unique to their own skills, talents, and preferences…and so they can make a bigger impact with the way they serve.
In episode 78 of the “Are they 18 yet?®” podcast, I outline the common stages of leadership people go through, as well as the pillars for successful clinical leadership.
If you don’t feel fully aligned or excited by the typical career path for clinicians, or if you love your job but want to discover creative ways to be of service, you won’t want to miss this episode.
In this episode, I mentioned the Clinical Leadership Roundtable, an ongoing event for pediatric clinicians that take you through a series of exercises designed to help you craft your career path based on your unique skills, talents, and preferences. You can join the Clinical Leadership Roundtable here.
There are a lot of challenges that we face as therapists; but not all of them need to prevent us from delivering quality services.
By facing our problems head on, often we can mitigate them or eliminate them completely.
This doesn’t happen from avoiding or ignoring them. Instead, we need to get them all out on the table to figure out how to minimize them.
This is also key in determining if you’re on the right career path, or if it’s time to pivot.
I talk about how to think through this risk mitigation process in episode 77 of the “Are they 18 yet?®” Podcast.
Getting this “risk mitigation” process out of the way is often the key to freeing up mental resources that allow you to think bigger about the way you show up for your caseload.
In this episode, I mentioned the Clinical Leadership Roundtable, a special event for pediatric therapists who want to make a bigger impact with their services. When you’ll be taken through a 3-stage process where you’ll start to design a plan for feeling more empowered in your work. You can join the Clinical Leadership Roundtable here.
When people talk about assets, they’re often thinking about personal finance. They’re talking about things like real estate, index funds, crypto and other things aimed at giving you some kind of return on your investment.
But I want to talk about how therapists can apply this concept to what they do, because it's the key to making a bigger impact.
When we make the “leadership shift” and start thinking about service delivery in the broader sense, we have to start thinking about how to coordinate an entire service plan for a student.
This means utilizing other people and thinking creatively about how we can ensure that kids are getting the support they need across the day; rather than just focusing on what’s going on when they’re in a therapy session or in your classroom.
One of the biggest challenges therapists face is that they don’t have enough time with their clients to address all the skills they need to cover.
This is exactly why we need to stop functioning in silos and instead see ourselves as part of the bigger picture, like puzzle pieces that fit together seamlessly.
It’s remiss to imply that people working in education and healthcare have endless resources at their disposal.
But many times, they have more power than they realize. And when they use their time the right way, they can actually create more time, resources, relationships, and impact.
In this episode, I mentioned that I’m about to open the doors to my Clinical Leadership program. This program is designed to help pediatric therapists be better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. If you’re a therapist or an educator working with kids, and you want to think bigger about how you serve your caseload, community, and your field, then this program is for you. You can join the waiting list here to be notified when program enrollment is open.
Part of our service to our clients comes back to following evidence-based practices. In the era of social media, that also means we need to sift through a massive amount of inaccurate information and help our clients do the same.
It’s your job as a leader to sift through all of that, design services that are in-line with best practices, and create a “master plan” that allows you to complete all the steps to make it happen.
This means that you need to be continually building your critical thinking skills and honing your “BS radar” so you can identify what is and isn’t useful to your caseload.
In this episode, I mentioned that I’m about to open the doors to my Clinical Leadership program. This program is designed to help pediatric therapists be better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. If you’re a therapist or an educator working with kids, and you want to think bigger about how you serve your caseload, community, and your field, then this program is for you. You can join the waiting list here to be notified when program enrollment is open.
One of the most common questions I get is “What am I supposed to do in therapy with students/clients?”
Many of my readers want to know what strategies and techniques they need to do in therapy in order to help move their students forward.
They’re very focused on “planning for therapy” or “lesson planning”; especially if they’re in the school systems.
I think it makes sense to focus on these things some of the time. The way we’re trained often focuses on that “medical model” of service delivery.
A lot can be accomplished with this model, and it’s a part of what some kids need to be successful; depending on what their needs are.
It’s easy to start with the question, “What is MY role and what should I be doing in my sessions to support this student?”
But I think we need to look at things in reverse. Instead of saying “What do I do in therapy?” we need to be asking “What does this student need, and how do I make sure they get it?”
In this episode, I mentioned that I’m about to open the doors to my Clinical Leadership program. This program is designed to help pediatric therapists be better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. If you’re a therapist or an educator working with kids, and you want to think bigger about how you serve your caseload, community, and your field, then this program is for you. You can join the waiting list here to be notified when program enrollment is open.
Therapists and teachers (and anyone else in a “helping people” profession) always have to take care of OTHER people…which is hard to do if you’re burnt out all the time.
But most of the advice they’re given about “self-care” and achieving a “work-life” balance is unhelpful.
There are a lot of “tips and tools” out there for stress relief and productivity.
In the self-care realm, it ranges from reasonable suggestions like gratitude journaling or meditation to more questionable things like “crying in your car” or “hide in the bathtub with a bottle of wine and drown your sorrows”.
Perhaps the biggest issue of all is the myth of a “work-life” balance.
When people say they want a “work-life” balance, what they’re really saying is:
“I don’t have enough energy and time to devote to things that matter to me.”
We don’t accomplish this by striving for “work-life” balance, nor do we get there with a disjointed list of superficial tips.
In episode 73, I share an alternative way of looking at “balance”, fulfillment, and career satisfaction.
This is what I used to maintain some sense of peace while I was working on my dissertation and working full time in the school systems.
It’s the opposite of what most people do, and I believe it’s why 60% of the people in my doctoral program end up ABD (“all but dissertation”).
It’s always why so many talented therapists and teachers leave “passion projects” on the backburner and get stuck in the day-to-day hustle.
In this episode, I mentioned that I’m about to open the doors to my Clinical Leadership program. This program is designed to help pediatric therapists be better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. If you’re a therapist or an educator working with kids, and you want to think bigger about how you serve your caseload, community, and your field, then this program is for you. You can join the waiting list here to be notified when program enrollment is open.
If you’re a therapist or a teacher, you know there are a lot of obstacles getting in the way of providing quality services.
Staffing issues. Lack of time. Lack of funding. Big caseloads. Legal mandates that impact service delivery.
It’s an incredibly bureaucratic system that can leave the people in it feeling helpless to do anything about it.
Some people working in education and healthcare worry that they’ve picked the wrong career, and they’re looking for an exit path.
Others are sticking it out simply because they care deeply about what they do…yet they live with a sense that they could be doing something more for their caseloads.
There’s kind of a “should I stay or should I go” dilemma.
Or should I stay and try to make it better?
Is the system too broken to be fixed, or can I do something about it?
There are many legitimate reasons for therapists to feel disempowered in the current system.
But the reality is that there is no one “perfect” way for schools to run. There’s no perfect policy or legal mandate. There’s no perfect career that’s going to be free of problems.
When we solve the issues on our plate; there will always be more to follow.
Believing otherwise only sets us up for disappointment.
That’s why in episode 72, I’m talking about why the path to feeling optimistic and empowered comes from asking better questions.
Many people look at their current situation and think, “How do I solve all of my problems?”
I think this is the wrong question to be asking. In this episode, I talk about what to ask yourself instead.
In this episode, I mention Elizabeth Gilbert. You can learn more about her work here.
I also mention Mark Manson, the person who coined the term “sh*t sandwich”. You can learn more about his work here.
In this episode, I mentioned that I’m about to open the doors to my Clinical Leadership program. This program is designed to help pediatric therapists be better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. If you’re a therapist or an educator working with kids, and you want to think bigger about how you serve your caseload, community, and your field, then this program is for you. You can join the waiting list here to be notified when program enrollment is open.
Therapists and educators supporting K-12 literacy have a lot of diagnoses and labels to navigate, and some of them are controversial.
In some debates, the diagnosis itself is in question; Central Auditory Processing Disorder being one example.
With hyperlexia, some people suggest that there is a certain way hyperlexic people need to learn to read; but the verdict is still out as to whether there is one specific method that is more effective for them.
Diagnoses and labels can give us a roadmap.
But this roadmap is often incomplete, with unclear directions for getting to our end destination. That means that clinicians need to have a good clinical problem-solving process to navigate all these debates.
I believe that labels are useful; but only when we know what to do with them.
That’s why in this episode, I talk about 4 specific labels/diagnoses (DLD, CAPD, hyperlexia, dyslexia) and what they mean for literacy instruction/intervention.
Specifically, I discuss:
✅The DLD vs CAPD debate: The case for DLD and why some people are skeptical about the CAPD diagnosis
✅Why I don't teach "working memory drills" and how I go about addressing working memory issues in a functional way
✅How professionals can engage in healthy discussions about debates in the field without getting defensive
✅A discussion on dyslexia vs hyperlexia and intervention planning for each.
✅Current research on hyperlexia and red flags for misinformation.
In this episode, I mentioned an article called Why is it so hard to reach agreement on terminology? The case of developmental language disorder (DLD) by Dr. Dorothy Bishop. Please note I made an error in the original recording and said she was an SLP. I was incorrect; she is a psychologist.
I’m talking about this topic because it inspired me to create the system I teach in my online course that teaches pediatric SLPs a system for boosting comprehension and processing, Language Therapy Advance Foundations.
I’m doing some extra live Q & A sessions in the members group and also opening up some 1:1 consult availability for members in July 2022, so if you’ve been on the fence about joining, now’s the perfect time to take the leap. If you’re an SLP who wants to learn a framework that will allow you to streamline your therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re giving your students the skills they need to thrive, check out our enrollment page and learn more about how to become a member here.
Schools often get criticized for not teaching enough “real world” skills to kids, and there’s a lot of truth to that statement.
Most of the therapists I work with are worried that what they do in therapy isn’t functional enough to transfer to day-to-day skills; and this is a legitimate concern.
A lot of the clinicians I mentor have somewhere between 30-40 minutes with students; which means they have to make every second count. Some of them wonder if the traditional “pull out” therapy model is even useful at all.
The truth is that there are certain skills that can be effectively addressed in more of an “academic”, small group or 1:1 situation.
When we think about the language skills needed to support reading and literacy, it’s actually ideal to address some of the foundational skills in this “school” format. Otherwise kids don’t get the intensity they need to develop automaticity.
So when we ask the question of whether language skills should be taught in an “academic” format vs. a “functional, real-world” format…it’s not a black or white, either/or kind of a thing. School-age kids need a blend of BOTH.
With that in mind, schools and the people working in them are doing a lot of things right. This is why I feel disheartened when I see negativity directed towards schools suggesting that they’re not teaching kids anything useful.
We don’t need to burn it all to the ground; we need to find out which things schools are doing right and do more of it.
That’s why I aim to help clinicians focus on high-impact skills, and ways to address skills from multiple angles:
From very structured situations that isolate skills, to highly functional situations that require kids to integrate many skills at once.
(which is what they’ll have to do in the “real world”).
I recently got some great questions from readers about how to do this with syntax skills. Syntax is definitely one of those “high-impact” skills; but the key to making it functional is teaching it in a way that allows kids to learn new language patterns AND develop the internal dialogue needed to learn new words and sentence structures independently.
In this episode, I share how to do that.
I’m talking about this topic because it inspired me to create the system I teach in my online course that teaches pediatric SLPs a system for boosting comprehension and processing, Language Therapy Advance Foundations.
I’m doing some extra live Q & A sessions in the members group and also opening up some 1:1 consult availability for members in July 2022, so if you’ve been on the fence about joining, now’s the perfect time to take the leap. If you’re an SLP who wants to learn a framework that will allow you to streamline your therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re giving your students the skills they need to thrive, check out our enrollment page and learn more about how to become a member here.
Topic maintenance is a skill I’ve seen on many language therapy IEPs in the category of “pragmatic language”, but often it’s a surface-level symptom of something else.
When we’re talking about “topic maintenance” we’re often referring to someone’s ability to stay on a topic during a conversational exchange. Yet when we focus only on what we’re seeing externally, intervention can end up being unproductive.
In some cases, it can even reinforce a negative self-image.
That’s why in episode 69 of the Are they 18 yet podcast, I wanted to talk about the root causes behind topic maintenance issues and how we can support students in a way that builds connection and self-esteem.
I’m talking about this topic because it inspired me to create the system I teach in my online course that teaches pediatric SLPs a system for boosting comprehension and processing, Language Therapy Advance Foundations.
I’m doing some extra live Q & A sessions in the members group and also opening up some 1:1 consult availability for members in July 2022, so if you’ve been on the fence about joining, now’s the perfect time to take the leap. If you’re an SLP who wants to learn a framework that will allow you to streamline your therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re giving your students the skills they need to thrive, check out our enrollment page and learn more about how to become a member here.
I get a lot of questions about how to write language therapy goals…
I ALSO get a lot of questions about whether I offer goal banks in any of my courses.
I do offer a version of a “goal bank” in Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my course that teaches SLPs a framework for building metalinguistic awareness and independent word learning...but it’s not a goal bank in the traditional sense.
In my opinion, goal banks do both students and clinicians a huge disservice.
While I understand that clinicians need tools to help them be efficient with their paperwork, I think there’s a better solution.
That’s why in this episode I share what that is. Specifically, I talk about:
✅Why my course curriculum for clinicians focuses on vocabulary FIRST before I address high-level comprehension and executive functioning.
✅ Do we need to work on the “observable/measurable” behavior? Or the strategy?
✅My alternative to the “goal-bank” and why it helps drive more effective intervention.
In this episode, I mentioned the Effective Language Therapy for SLPs Facebook group, where I share regular tips and strategies for building language and literacy skills in K-12 kids. You can join the group here.
I’m talking about this topic because it inspired me to create the system I teach in my online course that teaches pediatric SLPs a system for boosting comprehension and processing, Language Therapy Advance Foundations.
I’m doing some extra live Q & A sessions in the members group and also opening up some 1:1 consult availability for members in July 2022, so if you’ve been on the fence about joining, now’s the perfect time to take the leap. If you’re an SLP who wants to learn a framework that will allow you to streamline your therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re giving your students the skills they need to thrive, check out our enrollment page and learn more about how to become a member here.
When people ask me where they should start in language therapy, I usually say they should start by building vocabulary.
That usually results in a couple raised eyebrows and questions...mostly because they aren’t really sure how I’m defining “vocabulary”.
That’s why in episode 67, I wanted to talk about what I actually mean when I say we should “work on vocabulary”, and why it’s so important to giving kids the skills they need to thrive.
Specifically, I share:
✅Why vocabulary is much more than naming and identifying words.
✅The 5 linguistic skills that impact word knowledge and why they support vocabulary growth.
✅How to “work on vocabulary” in a way that supports literacy, executive functioning, and independent word-learning.
In this episode, I mentioned the Effective Language Therapy for SLPs Facebook group, where I share regular tips and strategies for building language and literacy skills in K-12 kids. You can join the group here.
I’m talking about this topic because it inspired me to create the system I teach in my online course that teaches pediatric SLPs a system for boosting comprehension and processing, Language Therapy Advance Foundations.
I’m doing some extra live Q & A sessions in the members group and also opening up some 1:1 consult availability for members in July 2022, so if you’ve been on the fence about joining, now’s the perfect time to take the leap. If you’re an SLP who wants to learn a framework that will allow you to streamline your therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re giving your students the skills they need to thrive, check out our enrollment page and learn more about how to become a member here.
Back when I first started practicing, I found language therapy to be super overwhelming.
There were so many peer-reviewed articles, books, and seminars, and it was hard to sift through it all and determine how to apply it to therapy.
These days, we not only have to sort through lots of quality information…we have to ALSO sort through lots of inaccurate information.
This can make it really hard to make it hard for professionals and parents to figure out how to support kids' language and literacy skills with the little time you have with your students.
I do what I do in order to be a solution for that problem.
I get hundreds of emails each month from SLPs sharing their most common language therapy challenges, and although times have changed, the basic questions stay the same. I hear things like:
"Where do I even start?"
"How do I know what skills are most important/how to sequence/what to focus on?"
"How do I write good goals?"
When I dig a little deeper, I usually find that people are making ONE of three common mistakes. Now it goes without saying...these are SUPER common. I know because I used to do every single one of them due to lack of clarity and info overload.
So if any of this sounds familiar, you're certainly not alone.
These three patterns are what informed the framework I teach SLPs designed to build the language skills kids need to support language processing, literacy, and high-level strategic thinking.
I’m talking about this topic because it inspired me to create the system I teach in my online course that teaches pediatric SLPs a system for boosting comprehension and processing, Language Therapy Advance Foundations.
I’m doing some extra live Q & A sessions in the members group and also opening up some 1:1 consult availability for members in July 2022, so if you’ve been on the fence about joining, now’s the perfect time to take the leap. If you’re an SLP who wants to learn a framework that will allow you to streamline your therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re giving your students the skills they need to thrive, check out our enrollment page and learn more about how to become a member here.
In episode 65 of the Are They 18 Yet?® Podcast, I take a break from the regular content to talk about burnout and boundaries; and specifically how I use systems to help me set healthy boundaries and reduce burnout.
Back when I started working as an SLP in 2004, I found there was one area of my life (work-related) that caused an exponentially larger amount of stress than other things in my life.
So much, in fact, that this ONE thing was impacting me in other areas of life outside of work. Like health and relationships.
That’s why in this episode, I share:
➡️ What I didn’t feel prepared to deal with when I first started my career (that I was NOT expecting).
➡️ How having one super stressful responsibility at work had a snowball effect on other areas of life.
➡️ Why not having a system for a challenging area at work took a toll on my relationships at home.
➡️ The questions you can ask yourself to identify the ONE area of your life causing the most stress (that if addressed, could lead to improvements in all other areas).
I’m talking about this topic because it inspired me to create the system I teach in my online course that teaches pediatric SLPs a system for boosting comprehension and processing, Language Therapy Advance Foundations.
I’m doing some extra live Q & A sessions in the members group and also opening up some 1:1 consult availability for members in July 2022, so if you’ve been on the fence about joining, now’s the perfect time to take the leap. If you’re an SLP who wants to learn a framework that will allow you to streamline your therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re giving your students the skills they need to thrive, check out our enrollment page and learn more about how to become a member here.
In episode 64 of “Are they 18 yet?”®, I share a Q & A from the Language Therapy Advance Foundations members’ group about working on complex sentences with students in early elementary school.
Part of the framework I teach focuses on building skills like morphology (e.g., knowledge of word parts like prefixes & suffixes) as well as syntax (the rules of how sentences are put together).
These skills can not only boost a student's ability to decode what they’re reading, they can also have a positive impact on their ability to process the big picture of what they’re reading/and or writing.
I get a lot of questions about when students are “ready” for this kind of work. There’s a misconception that these skills should be reserved for “older” students in late elementary and secondary school.
That’s why in this episode, I wanted to share why waiting until students are “ready” to work on syntax is a fallacy, and what we should do instead.
I also share how to teach kids in early elementary school to use difficult sentence-types, even before they’re able to read and write difficult words or long sentences.
This episode was taken from a Q & A session with Language Therapy Advance Foundations members. Language Therapy Advance Foundations is my course that teaches pediatric SLPs a framework for language therapy designed to give them the vocabulary and language processing skills needed to thrive in school and life.
If you’re an SLP, and you want a better system for language therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re setting your students up for success, check out the Language Therapy Advance Foundations enrollment page here.
In episode 63 of “Are they 18 yet?”®, I share a Q & A from the Language Therapy Advance Foundations members’ group about dyslexia diagnosis and treatment, as well as working memory goals.
I get a lot of questions about who is qualified to diagnose and treat dyslexia; especially when it comes to the SLP’s role in the process. Understanding the process of dyslexia diagnosis in the schools vs. medical settings can be especially confusing.
That’s why I wanted to share this Q & A session with my LTA members where I talked about the SLP’s role in the process; including the differences between school vs. medical settings.
Another topic that comes up with diagnoses like dyslexia is working memory; and I get asked all the time if addressing “working memory goals” in therapy is a good use of time (this is also relevant when considering things like ADHD or auditory processing disorder).
In the second part of this Q & A, I share how to make the best use of therapy time considering the available research; including how to keep therapy functional and focused on tasks that are likely to improve “real-world” skills (as opposed to rote drill exercises with weak carryover).
Some of the questions I address in this Q & A include:
✅Where can you go to get an “official” dyslexia diagnosis?
✅Are school therapists “qualified” to treat dyslexia, even though they might not be able to officially diagnose it?
✅Is it a good use of therapy time to focus on auditory memory and working memory exercises?
✅If you suspect that a child has language processing issues AND weak working memory, what should we be working on with them?
In this episode I mention this position statement from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association about the speech-language pathologist’s role in reading and writing.
This episode was taken from a Q & A session with Language Therapy Advance Foundations members. Language Therapy Advance Foundations is my course that teaches pediatric SLPs a framework for language therapy designed to give them the vocabulary and language processing skills needed to thrive in school and life.
If you’re an SLP, and you want a better system for language therapy so you can show up to sessions confident you’re setting your students up for success, check out the Language Therapy Advance Foundations enrollment page here.
There’s been an increase in depression and anxiety in kids in recent years, which is why I wanted to have an expert on the show who’s had years of experience working with childhood trauma and anxiety.
In this episode, I talk with Dr. Ambroes Pass-Turner, who has worked in mental health for over 20 years and has experience working with children and adults. Dr. Pass-Turner is an expert in working with behavioral and emotionally disturbed children, adults, families, and offenders within the criminal justice system. She is a Doctor of Counseling Psychology and the owner of APT Counseling Services, LLC. She is a professor at Grand Canyon University in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Georgia Military College.
In this conversation, we talk about:
✅ Red flags of anxiety and depression in kids; as well as signs and symptoms of abuse and trauma.
✅ The school-to-prison pipeline: What it is and how to take steps to prevent it
✅Navigating special education eligibility for kids with mental health diagnoses; as well as effective educational accommodations for kids with anxiety.
✅How to use self-talk to build self-esteem in kids.
✅How to encourage kids to take care of their mental health, even when they don’t want to.
Dr. Ambroes Pass-Turner is an author and published the books, Rex’s Journey: Helping Children Understand and Cope with Emotions and Childhood Sexual Abuse: Pathway to Mental Health Issues and Delinquent Behavior.
You can learn more about Dr. Ambroes Pass-Turner at her website here.
I get a ton of questions about how to support kids who have weak word-retrieval, so I wanted to share a powerful technique you can use to address this.
When kids have poor word-finding skills, it’s often because they’re not engaging in the internal dialogue needed to pay attention to important features of words and store that information efficiently.
The key to boosting these skills is to help kids develop this internal self-talk needed to learn words independently. As an SLP or other professional supporting kids, you can’t teach kids every word they need to know.
What you really need to do instead is to give them the metacognitive skills they need to learn words independently.
That’s why in this episode, I wanted to share a special Q & A session that I did for the members of Language Therapy Advance Foundations. In this Q & A I discuss:
✅My go-to strategy for boosting word-finding (hint: this DOES NOT involve drill activities that encourage rote memorization and bore students to tears).
✅How to help kids develop the internal dialogue they need to keep learning words, even after they leave your therapy room
✅Is there a place for drill-based activities (like rapid naming of categories, associations, and synonyms)? If so, how does it fit into an effective language therapy protocol?
✅How to use semantic feature analysis to boost student engagement and get kids excited about words, so they actually look forward to sessions.
In this episode, I mention a blog post where I outline an example of how to do semantic feature analysis for adjectives, which is an activity I use to improve word-finding. The videos in this post are taken directly from the Language Therapy Advance Foundations member’s area, so it’ll give you a sneak peak of what’s inside the program.
You can check out that post here.
If you want to learn more about how to boost students’ word-finding and vocabulary, as well as improve their ability to learn independently, check out the Language Therapy Advance Foundations enrollment page here.
When it comes to supporting autistic kids, I’ve come across a lot of resources that help with the home and school environments.
But many families aren’t sure how to navigate unexpected and novel situations with their kids; which means travel is often out of the question.
That’s why I wanted to interview special needs travel columnist and author, Dawn Barclay.
Dawn’s book on traveling with autistic children will be available August 2022, she interviewed hundreds of families and experts in the process of writing it.
In our conversation, we discuss some highlights from the book, including:
✅The biggest fears of families with autistic children when it comes to travel.
✅How to find autism-friendly travel locations (including certified locations where staff have been trained).
✅Common challenging situations and how to advocate for your kids
✅Popular travel destinations for autistic kids.
Dawn M. Barclay is an award-winning author who has spent a career working in different aspects of the travel industry. She started as an agent with her parents’ firms, Barclay Travel Ltd and Barclay International Group Short-Term Apartment Rentals, and then branched out into travel trade reporting with senior or contributing editor positions at Travel Agent Magazine, Travel Life, Travel Market Report, and most recently, Insider Travel Report. She is a mother of two and resides in New York’s scenic Hudson Valley. She also writes fiction as D.M. Barr and holds leadership roles in several writer organizations. You can learn more about her book on her blog here.
In this episode, I also mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that teaches SLPs a systematic process for building the language skills kids need to support comprehension and academic skills. You can learn more about how to become a member here.
I also shared that I’m currently reworking my program offerings relating to executive functioning and social-problem solving. However, you can get more information about executive functioning and how it impacts kids in my free parent guide. You can get a free copy of the parent guide here.
When it comes to working on executive functioning and “social skills”, one of the biggest complaints I hear from therapists is that their clients don’t generalize.
That’s often because when it comes to working on these types of skills, direct therapy alone isn’t enough to help kids apply skills. I often encourage SLPs to think beyond just direct therapy when it comes to designing services.
That’s why I invited Lori Melnitsky to come on the Are they 18 yet? Podcast for episode 59.
Lori is a private practice speech-language pathologist who has been in the field for over 30 years. She specializes in stuttering therapy, and also does coaching for young adults with ADHD who need support with executive functioning.
In this interview, Lori and I discuss:
✅How to know if kids need support with executive functioning in elementary school, middle school, and high school.
✅How to know when you should coach the student vs coach the parents to support executive functioning (and when you need to focus on both).
✅The relationship between executive functioning and anxiety, and how they both impact each other
✅The importance of consistent positive praise and feedback for people with ADHD; no matter the age.
Lori Melnitsky, MA CCC-SLP has specialized in stuttering for over 25 years for children and adults. She founded All Island Speech and Stuttering Therapy and is now online in NY, NJ, CT, and PA.
Lori is a person who stutters and entered the field to help others communicate. She has run National Stuttering Association Chapter meetings and taught graduate courses on stuttering.
She is a sought after speaker at local school districts and speech associations on the topics of stuttering and ADHD. Lori is Lidcombe trained, Prompt Certified, MPI 2 certified for stuttering, and an ADHD coach.
Additionally, Lori founded the FB group and podcast Stuttering DeMystified. Lori was also a mentor on an episode of the Children’s show Arthur and is a published author in the Journal of Fluency Disorders. Her website is Home | All Island Speech and Stuttering Therapy | Plainview, NY
To learn more about how you can connect with Lori and learn more about her courses and services for stuttering and ADHD/executive functioning, you can visit her website here or follow her on Facebook here.
You can also check out her podcast “Stuttering Demystified” here.
In this episode, I also mentioned Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that teaches SLPs a systematic process for building the language skills kids need to support comprehension and academic skills. You can learn more about how to become a member here.
I also shared that I’m currently reworking my program offerings relating to executive functioning and social-problem solving. However, you can get more information about executive functioning and how it impacts kids in my free parent guide. You can get a free copy of the parent guide here.
How do you know if an intervention is neurodiversity affirming and evidence-based?
Are child-led interventions actually in a child’s best interest?
What’s the right way to build social skills, “pragmatic language” and social communication skills?
I’ve done a lot of soul-searching surrounding this topic. The typical pragmatic language interventions that focused on preaching the “right” way to act in social situations never felt right to me. Yet I didn’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
So in this episode, I wanted to share the framework I currently recommend for teaching social problem-solving.
The truth is, there are a lot of truly ableist practices going on; but there’s also a lot of misinformation (I know…such a buzzword these days!).
That’s why I’m going to break down a couple key points to help therapists, teachers, and parents navigate through it all so they know how to raise well-adjusted kids.
I share what I know from 4 different angles: Research/evidence-based practice, clinical experience, being a parent, and being neurodivergent myself.
Specifically, I’ll talk about:
*✅The difference between academic language interventions and social-problem solving interventions (and why what works for one doesn’t work for the other).
✅Why many social skills groups and therapy sessions are ineffective in teaching kids social-problem solving skills.
✅How to help kids be more resilient, flexible, and effective at developing social relationships (without gaslighting them or being ableist).
✅What it really means to be “neurodiversity affirming” and “child-led”, and how to do it in a way that helps kids feel safe and secure.*
In this episode, I explain why I approach academic language that build comprehension and processing in a much different way than I do social problem-solving.
In light of that, I mention two different programs I offer for speech pathologists.
First, I mentioned the Social Language Roadmap, which teaches a set of strategies designed to teach kids the social problem-solving skills they need to thrive in school, community, and vocational settings. It’s designed for SLPs, but may also be helpful to other people working with school-age kids. You can learn more about how to join the Social Language Roadmap here.
Second, I mention Language Therapy Advance Foundations, my program that teaches speech-pathologists a framework for supporting the language process skills needed for strong reading comprehension, writing, and other academic tasks. You can learn more about how to join Language Therapy Advance Foundations here.
Navigating the special education eligibility process is confusing for all parties involved (parents, professionals, etc.).
That’s why I wanted to get some insight from someone who understands the process inside and out.
In episode 57 of Are they 18 yet?® I interviewed my colleague Jil Stauter, a school psychologist who has worked with students from preschool all the way through high school.
I was fortunate enough to work on a team with her for a number of these years.
In this in-depth interview, Jil and I deconstruct the process of determining if students are eligible for special education services under the label of “specific learning disability”.
She also shares some essential advice for anyone who aspires to work in the school systems and be a part of the special education process.
Here’s a breakdown of what we cover in the interview:
*✅What types of data a school psychologist needs in order to determine if a student is eligible for services under the category of “specific learning disability” using the RtI process.
✅What confuses people most about special education services in the schools (as it relates to learning disabilities and other diagnoses).
✅What happens if a school IEP team disagrees with the recommendations of an outside evaluation.
✅Plus more about the ins and outs of eligibility for services in the schools, and how special ed teams can work together.*
You can listen to the entire interview here.
In this episode, I mention my Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure.
In order to build strong language comprehension needed for reading, writing, and other important life skills, kids need to have a solid understanding of sentence structure.
In this guide, I outline common challenging sentence types, how to write goals to target them, and some evidence-based strategies for working on them.
You can get a free copy of the Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure here.
In this episode, I talk with Lauren Haines from Busy Bee Speech about childhood stuttering.
Many people don’t realize this, but there are a TON of misconceptions in the general public about stuttering.
It’s also a highly specialized area of speech-language pathology, so many clinicians are left feeling unprepared to support stutterers who come to therapy.
That’s why I wanted to dispel some myths about stuttering and offer some practical tips for therapists, educators, and parents of school-age kids.
In this conversation, we discuss:
✅What are the signs that stuttering will persist past childhood, and is it possible for kids to “outgrow” speech disfluencies?
✅What does stuttering look like in kids? How do we know when a child needs to go to therapy?
✅What are the key pieces of intervention for stuttering, and what can therapists, educators, and parents do to help?
✅Why “stuttering” should not be an off-limits word when talking to kids about their speech.
✅What’s the cause of stuttering and how can we have realistic therapy goals for kids?To get more information from Lauren about childhood stuttering, check out these resources:
Busy Bee Speech Fluency blog posts.
Preschool Interactive Fluency Binder.
Interactive Fluency Binder for Speech Therapy.
I’m excited to announce that I’m partnering with MedBridge to help clinicians keep their clinicals sharp and increase patient outcomes and engagement.
That’s why I have a special offer that allows you to get $175 off your MedBridge subscription.
With your MedBridge subscription, you get access to their continuing education library and their client engagement portal where you can share home exercises with your clients. There are membership options for SLPs, OTs, PTs, ATs, and RNs. To get this special offer, use promo code KAREN80 when you sign up for MedBridge here.
In this episode, I sit down with college admissions coach Kim Duckworth from Bridge Education Center to talk about helping kids expand their options after high school.
Many of my listeners are parents and professionals of K-12 kids, and many of them often wonder if they're doing the right things to prepare kids for young adulthood.
That's why I thought Kim would be the perfect guest to discuss this topic, because she's helped hundreds of kids successfully get in to their "dream schools".
In this interview, Kim and I discuss:
✅The importance of having a plan A, plan B, and plan C *when thinking about the post-high school years.
✅*Common options to consider post-graduation (*not just college) and how to help your child decide which one is for them.
✅The right and wrong way to do a "gap year" if your child is considering it.
✅The ONE habit your child can do to expand their options when it comes to life after high school-especially if they're considering college (spoiler alert: it has to do with vocabulary and books)
✅Why the post-high school on-ramp starts in middle school, and what you can do at each age to help children have well-rounded high school experiences.*
If you have a child who is considering college as a post-high school option, you don't want to miss this interview.
Kim Duckworth is the author of “Parents, Are You Ready? The Practical Guide to Launching a Successful High School Student”. She is a graduate of Stanford University, where she received her B.A. in Communications-Journalism. She was the first woman in her family to attend college. She worked in Sales and Marketing for IBM in Silicon Valley and White Plains, NY for over 10 years. She has called Arizona her home for the last 25 years. Currently, Kim is an independent college admissions coach and member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. She personally consulted with over 7,500 high school families as the co-owner of Scottsdale Education Center (a college preparatory center) for over 12 years. She’s been married 35 years, has three daughters and three grandchildren. She enjoys hiking, Labrador retrievers, travel, and Telluride, Colorado
You can learn more about Kim's services, including her college admission coaching services on her website here: https://parentsareyouready.com/about/
Also, I highly recommend checking out her book here: https://parentsareyouready.com/books/book/
Finally, don't forget to check out the Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure, which helps kids build the vocabulary and syntax skills they need for strong reading comprehension and written expression. You can grab a free copy of that guide here: https://drkarenspeech.com/sentencestructure
In this episode of Are they 18 yet?™, I talk with my friend and former colleague, Joann Briggs.
Joann was a special education teacher in the public school systems for over 30 years, and I had the opportunity to work with her for a good portion of my time as a school speech pathologist.
While I always harp on the fact that SLPs can make a huge impact on literacy and language, it really is a team effort. That’s why I wanted to sit down with Joann and share how we were able to work together to serve our elementary caseload in the school systems.
If you’re an SLP or a teacher who wants to know how to collaborate to build vocabulary skills, this is a must listen.
It’ll also be helpful if you’re a parent and you want to get a better understanding of what happens as your child’s school.
In this conversation, Joann shares:
✅How to co-teach effectively with general education teachers to serve a special education caseload.
✅Her experience going through a lengthy due process hearing with a student on her caseload.
✅How SLPs can add value in the teaming process when it comes to language and literacy.
✅How to get parents involved in the IEP process to so they feel like valued team members.In this episode, I mention my Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure.
In order to build strong language comprehension needed for reading, writing, and other important life skills, kids need to have a solid understanding of sentence structure.
In this guide, I outline common challenging sentence types, how to write goals to target them, and some evidence-based strategies for working on them.
You can get a free copy of the Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure at drkarenspeech.com/sentencestructure.
Whether we like it or not, gaming and devices are here to stay. As parents, therapists, and educators, we have to figure out how to help kids navigate these situations safely.
That's why I invited Sam Helvie to the show to share his experiences as a speech-language pathologist, teletherapist, and gamer.
Sam is a pediatric speech pathologist who has had a wide range of experience, but currently he serves a K-5 caseload in Southern California 100% online.
He's done a lot of research on the differences between online and in-person communication, as well as social skills required to safely participate in online gaming.
In this conversation, Sam and I discuss:
✅Unexpected logistical challenges that come up when providing speech therapy online *to high-needs areas.
✅How to keep kids engaged in online therapy**, while keeping therapy functional and relevant.
✅How to help kids safely participate in online gaming communities, including the benefits and downfalls of online games for kids.
✅Practical suggestions for building speech and language skills using technology.*
To reach out to Sam, you can find him on LinkedIn here.
You can also email him at helvie38@gmail.com.
In this episode, Sam and I mention my Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure, which outlines common sentence types that are challenging for kids with language processing issues.
To get this guide and learn how to build the syntax skills kids need to have solid language comprehension skills, check out the Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure here.
Recently, the Center for Disease control updated the early developmental milestones, and there's been a lot of debate about what this means.
In a lot of my SLP professional groups, there have been questions about whether this will allow kids to fall through the cracks.
I've also heard the concern that developmental milestones in general focus on neurotypical development and don't take neurodivergents in to account.
That's why recently, I did a training for the member's of SLP Learning Academy (my mentoring program for SLPs) to help them continue to provide quality services for kids who need them.
In this episode, I share the audio from this training. In the training, I cover:
✅What updates were made to the developmental milestones *and concerns that have popped up in professional discussions.
✅Why developmental milestones are often misinterpreted and what to do about it.
✅What happens if a kid isn't following a "typical developmental progression"? What does that mean we should do?
✅What to do if a child IS meeting developmental milestones, but they're still having a difficult time functioning in school or social environments.
✅Why meeting developmental milestones shouldn't be the goal of therapy (and what to focus on instead).*
In this episode, I mentioned this slide deck with a flow chart for making decisions during screenings/evals (taking milestones in to account).
This episode was taken from a training in SLP Learning Academy, my mentoring program that helps SLPs develop leadership skills and deliver high-quality services without burnout.
You can learn more about how to become a member here.
We don’t want to be “helicopter parents” who coddle our kids…but we don’t want to be so militant that we traumatize them either.
When it comes getting kids to do essential, but non-preferred tasks that ultimately help them thrive in the long run…the key to finding the right balance is learning how to scaffold.
The term “scaffolding” is used to describe the foundation of a building, but it's also used to describe how teachers, therapists, and parents can teach kids challenging skills over time.
Ideally, we are providing JUST enough support that kids are challenged, but not so much support that they never progress.
This can be applied to basic independent skills like making meals, basic hygiene, managing a schedule and deadlines (for homework and other things), among other things that are necessary life skills we want kids to be able to do.
That’s why in this week’s episode, I share the second half of my conversation with my friend and colleague, Brittany Bohach, a neurodivergent speech-language pathologist.
In this conversation, we share a number of tangible examples of scaffolding in the school settings-both in preschool and through elementary and secondary school.
Specifically, Brittany shares why something as simple as snack or lunch time can be difficult for a child in the preschool setting, and how to work through this situation in a way that has the child’s best interest in mind.
We also discuss another scenario that involved scaffolding from elementary school all the way through high school, and how a student was able to manage challenging sensory needs and develop communication skills in the process.
If you’re a therapist, parent, or teacher who wants to support kids in a neurodiversity affirming, healthy way (that also builds resilience), you’re going to love this episode.
To connect with Brittany Bohach, check out her private practice, Satellite Pediatric Therapy Services on Instagram at @satellitepediatrictherapy.
Additionally, we mentioned the work of Dr. Ross Greene on this episode, which you can learn more about here.
Finally, I also mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, my resource for parents and therapists who want to help kids build executive functioning skills during common non-preferred or challenging daily tasks (e.g., chores, homework).
The Time Tracking Journal gives you a set of strategies to help kids complete daily routines independently by giving them the problem-solving skills they need to plan their day strategically. You can learn more about the Time Tracking Journal here.
When kids show negative behaviors, it’s often because they’re struggling to do what they’re being asked to do.
This unfortunately happens a lot in school settings. You may have heard the saying “Kindergarten is the new 1st grade”. Kindergarten used to be focused on play, and its becoming increasingly more academic.
When “behavior problems” come up, we have to consider the demands being placed on kids. Are they truly “behavior issues”, or are we simply asking kids to do too much too soon?
In episode 50, I dive into this topic with my friend and colleague, neurodivergent pediatric speech-language pathologist, Brittany Bohach.
Specifically, we discuss:
✅Popular pre-k classroom activities and accompanying behavior problems that go along with them.
✅What’s really causing kids to act out, and why punishment isn’t the best option to solve the issue.
✅Common environmental classroom triggers that can result in meltdowns in emergent communicators
✅Why kids resist common school activities (circle time, calendar time, snack), and why standard behavior management strategies can cause more harm than good.
If you’re a therapist, parent, or teacher who is helping a child with “Kindergarten readiness” and school in general, you’re going to love this episode.
To connect with Brittany Bohach, check out her private practice, Satellite Pediatric Therapy Services on Instagram at @satellitepediatrictherapy.
Additionally, we mentioned the work of Dr. Ross Greene on this episode, which you can learn more about here.
Finally, I also mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, my resource for parents and therapists who want to help kids build executive functioning skills during common non-preferred or challenging daily tasks (e.g., chores, homework).
The Time Tracking Journal gives you a set of strategies to help kids complete daily routines independently by giving them the problem-solving skills they need to plan their day strategically. You can learn more about the Time Tracking Journal here.
Are "natural" remedies really better when it comes to ADHD, autism, and related conditions?
What does it mean to use a "natural" treatment or intervention?
In this episode, I discuss why those questions aren't easy to answer. Specifically, I discuss:
✅The "appeal to nature" fallacy*, what it is and why it's potentially harmful.
✅*Common "natural" treatments *for conditions like ADHD (such as diet, sleep hygiene, supplementation)
✅How to avoid distorted thinking when making decisions about medication and other treatment options.
✅The problem with "child-led" interventions*, and how to reframe that term in a way that helps kids build resilience.
In this episode, I mentioned this episode about homeopathy from the Unbiased Science podcast.
I also mentioned the book"Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer.
If you want to create healthy home environment that supports executive functioning and independence in school-age kids, check out my program for therapists, teachers, and parents, Executive Functioning for Success.
Executive Functioning for Success provides a 12-week plan for optimizing your home for learning, and helping kids become more independent with daily tasks at the same time.
Whether it be simple chores, basic self-care and hygiene, or academic tasks; this program will show you how to teach your kids the critical thinking skills to work through it. You can learn more about how to join here: https://drkarenspeech.com/executivefunctions
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
Am I choosing the right language screening tool?
How do I know when a child should be screened and evaluated?
I get these questions a lot. That's why in this episode, I wanted to bust some common myths about language screenings and evaluations.
I'm going to share:
✅The difference between a screening and evaluation *(plus common mistakes people make).
✅Why thinking of a screening as a "test" is problematic.
✅When you might not have to use a formal language screener (and what you can do instead).
✅A simple tool I use to simplify the screening process, so I make sure I'm evaluating the right students.In this episode I mentioned the Academic Language Skills Rating Scale*, a tool I use to streamline language screenings, so students don't fall through the cracks. You can download your copy of this tool at: drkarenspeech.com/languagescreening.
Does class size matter? Is homework effective? What's the best way to help kids learn to read?
Why do some teachers (and schools) succeed while others fail?
Dr. John Hattie attempted to answer these questions in his meta-analysis, published in his book, Visible Learning.
This meta-analysis has been widely cited and used in teacher preparation programs all over the world, and has also been used to make decisions regarding educational policy and funding.
But are the conclusions accurate?
In this episode I dig in to that question as I share some critical reviews of Dr. Hattie's work.
Specifically, I share the problems that come when using statistics like effect size (used in Hattie's meta-analysis) to make practical decisions in education.
Additionally, I share one specific place where I disagree with Hattie's conclusions, plus some additional research that supports my point of view; specifically when it comes to sentence-combining, language processing, and comprehension.
You can find Dr. John Hattie's site here.
You can find some critical review of his work here and here.
I also mentioned that research supports the use of sentence-combining with certain students. You can find several studies that support this here, here, and here.
I also share some additional support for sentence-combining and explicit work on syntax in my Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure, which you can download here.
In this episode, I continue the discussion about language processing and how to support it. I continue the discussion of difficult sentence types, and dive in to one very challenging syntax skill that tends to cause processing problems.
Working on this skill can not only improve language comprehension, but it can also help kids more effectively express themselves verbally or in writing.
If you're working with kids who have difficulty with reading comprehension, have difficult following directions with multiple steps, or if you have a child who has a hard time keeping up with the pace of daily routines, you'll find it really helpful.
Specifically, I'm going to share:
✅Why language processing issues can often be mistaken for "behavior issues", *and why this can be damaging to a child's self-esteem.
✅*One powerful skill kids need in order to be able to comprehend sophisticated language *during conversations or book reading.
✅How to support kids' language skills during reading and other daily activities (by emphasizing one key syntax skill).*
In this episode, I also mention my Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure, that takes this information a step further.
This guide walks through some of the common skills that cause language processing problems and how to work on them with kids.
Inside this 36-page guide, you’ll learn:
- Simple strategies proven to boost sentence structure, comprehension, and written language.
- The 4 sentence types your students need to know in order to comprehend language successfully.
- A deceptively simple way to write language goals; so you’re not spending hours on paperwork (for my SLP listeners).
You can download your free copy on my website at: drkarenspeech.com.
Language skills are essential to a child's ability to succeed in school and life. But when processing language is a struggle there can be a global impact across a child's entire day.
Language comprehension issues can be such as challenge for therapists, parents and teachers because they're difficult to spot. Often they look like a "behavior problem" when a child doesn't follow instructions, or when they appear to be off-task.
On top of that, when kids repeated fail at a certain task and no one can figure out why, it's only natural for them to stop trying or willfully avoid it.
That's why in this episode, I'm getting the word out about language processing and why it's so important to develop in school-age kids.
Here's what I'll be discussing in this episode:
✅The difference between "speech therapy" and "language therapy"*.
✅*Red flags of language processing *issues and how to spot them.
✅One of the most common culprits behind processing issues (that's often overlooked).
✅The 4 types of sentences that are difficult for kids with language processing issues.*
In this episode, I also mention my Ultimate Guide to Sentence Structure, that takes this information a step further.
This guide walks through some of the common skills that cause language processing problems and how to work on them with kids. You can download your free copy on my website at: drkarenspeech.com.
Vocabulary growth is one of the biggest predictors of language growth and academic success.
That's why in this episode, I talk about what speech pathologists, parents, and teachers can do to help kids build strong vocabulary skills across elementary school through high school.
Specifically, I share:
*✅Why it's hard to pinpoint what language and vocabulary skills are "age-appropriate" between Kindergarten and 12th grade.
✅What types of words we should be emphasizing to help kids learn words more efficiently.
✅Some practical ways to improve kids' vocabulary in the home environment.*
To learn more information about how to build language skills across the school-age years, check out my blog here: https://drkarenspeech.com/blog/
If you want more specific information about the language therapy framework I teach SLPs that I mentor (that's specifically designed to build the vocabulary skills that support strong comprehension), then check out my free online presentation. You can sign up for spot here: https://drkarenspeech.com/language
Reading comprehension is one of the most important skills for academic success. It's a skill that can help us to continue to learn new information throughout our lives.
On the other hand, kids who struggle to understand what they read are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting in school and beyond.
When I worked in the school systems as a speech-language pathologist, a large portion of my caseload was referred to me because of language and literacy challenges.
Poor reading comprehension was often the red flag that resulted in those referrals. The challenge was knowing what to do for those students.
That's why in this episode, I aim to answer the question of "Whose job is it to support kids' reading comprehension skills?"
Specifically, I share:
✅The typical scope and sequence of reading instruction *across K-12, and why some kids struggle with it.
✅The common causes of reading comprehension difficulties**, and what schools and professionals typically do to address them.
✅What SLPs, teachers, and parents can do to work as a team in supporting reading comprehension.*
In this episode, I share my brand new presentation that walks through my framework I teach SLPs I mentor. This process is designed to help professionals like SLPs give kids the foundational skills they need to support strong reading comprehension.
I designed it with SLPs in mind, so if you're a speech pathologist supporting a K-12 caseload, it will give you a ton of clarity. If you're a teacher or a parent, you're welcome to check it out as well (or share with your child's speech pathologist). You can save your seat in this presentation here.
When raising kids in elementary school, junior high, and high school, a lot of parents wonder if they're preparing their kids for what lies ahead in college and adulthood. We can't look in to a crystal ball and predict the future, but we can bring insights from our own failures and successes to the way we parent.
That's why in this episode, Joe and I continue our conversation about his experience going through school, including:
*✅How he initially failed out of college, but then later went back and got a master's degree from the same university.
✅What he wishes he would have learned after being evaluated for ADHD, and how we bring these insights into the way we parent.
✅How he learned to be more disciplined and structure his environment so you he can perform his best and focus (without using medication).*
If you want to better prepare your K-12 kids for what lies ahead, you'll get a ton out of listening in to this episode.
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the executive functioning skills kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
We all have a point where the demands of life become too overwhelming and we lose our ability to self-manage and stay disciplined. For people who have a diagnosis of ADHD, that point can come sooner rather than later.
In this episode, my husband (Joe) shares what happened when he hit his breaking point, including:
✅His experience growing up with an "almost ADHD" diagnosis
✅How he managed to fall through the cracks and squeak by in elementary and secondary school.
✅What happened when he went away to college and didn't have his built-in accountability systems (a.k.a., his parents).
If you have a kid in K-12 and you want to learn what challenges might lie ahead for your kids and what red flags to look out for in elementary and secondary school, you're going to love this episode
And spoiler alert: This story has a happy ending. This is just the first of a two-part interview.
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the different types of executive functioning skills kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
When it comes to supporting kids with ADHD or other conditions that impact executive functioning, it can be challenging to understand some of the behaviors we’re seeing.
Sometimes figuring out why they act the way they do can be confusing, especially when it appears that they’re engaging in certain self-sabotaging behaviors.
This might include (but not be limited to) avoiding certain, inevitable situations or procrastinating…even if it means more work in the long run.
Or even if it means missing out on something that might be important or enjoyable.
When any of the above happens, cognitive distortions (a.k.a. distorted thinking can be the culprit).
That’s why in this episode, I define and discuss cognitive distortions and how they relate to ADHD.
Specifically, I share what cognitive distortions are, why we want to minimize them as much as possible.
I start out with busting some myths, including why distorted thinking isn’t related to intelligence.
I also talk about cognitive distortions that may pop up when someone has ADHD and how this can impact their ability to fulfill daily obligations (like chores, homework, etc.).
Then, I wrap up by sharing some tips for working through distorted thinking.
In this episode, I mentioned the work of Dr. Aaron Beck and Dr. David Burns as it pertains to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and defining cognitive distortions.
You can find more information about Dr. Aaron Beck’s work here.
You can find more information about Dr. David Burns’s work here.
I also mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, a tool to help parents and educators support kids in engaging in positive self-talk and self-reflection during day-to-day tasks. It’s intended to help kids be more independent with tasks that require sequencing and planning; but it can also help kids reflect on social situations as well. It is particularly helpful in working through cognitive distortions, such as magnification and labeling.
You can get more information about the Time Tracking Journal here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal
Ableism is the discrimination against disabled people.
As we learn more and more about autistic people, those with ADHD, among other populations…this word continues to come up in conversation.
Many of the interventions we’ve traditionally done to support children who need different educational and medical interventions are now under scrutiny for having ableist qualities.
This has left a lot of clinicians, educators, and caregivers in a tricky situation as they support kids’ social, emotional, and cognitive development.
That’s why in this episode, I have a discussion on the top of ableism, including what it is and what it isn’t.
I also share tips for parents and clinicians so they can help kids without being ableist.
In this episode, I mention the Time Tracking Journal, a tool to help parents and educators support kids in engaging in positive self-talk and self-reflection during day-to-day tasks. It’s intended to help kids be more independent with tasks that require sequencing and planning; but it can also help kids reflect on social situations as well.
You can get more information about the Time Tracking Journal here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal
When I was going through school back in the late 90s and early 2000s, I was taught that “person-first” language was the most respectful way to refer to my clients.
For example, they weren’t “disabled people”, they were “people with disabilities”.
Fast forward to the 2020s, and now we’re hearing a different story.
Now, there are many people who actually prefer “identity first” language.
If you’re someone supporting someone who has some particular diagnosis or disability, it’s confusing enough to navigate the system when it comes to educational and medical services.
Add language and terminology on top of that, and it gets even more overwhelming.
As someone who is a neurodivergent adult, and also as someone who’s worked with clinicians, clients and families for a long time…I’ve heard this debate from multiple angles.
Some have a strong preferences for one type of language over the other. Others are more flexible.
And then there is a group of people who aren’t even fully aware of this debate and what it means…especially if they are brand new to the world of educational or medical services for kids.
That’s why in this episode, I wanted to share the background and rationale behind both “person first” and “identity first language” based on my experience working as a clinician since 2004 and also as someone who has a diagnosis myself.
In this episode, I mentioned some research relating to labeling theory and self-fulfilling prophecies. Here is some more information about that. Also, here is some information about where the term originated.
I also mentioned the Executive Functioning Guide for Parents in this episode. In this guide I outline what executive functioning is and why it’s so important to helping kids grow up to be resilient, adaptable, and independent.
In this guide I walk through red flags of executive dysfunction, as well as how to identify specific areas of executive functioning where your kids might need support. You can get the free parent guide at drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
How do we hold students accountable for their actions, but acknowledge their unique neurological profiles at the same time?
How do we help neurodivergents (e.g., ADHD, Autism) build genuine connections with others and succeed in academic, vocational, and social situations?
In this episode, I invited special guest Miriam Campbell, founder of Skills for Connection, to help answer these questions.
Miriam is a speech-language pathologist and a social worker who works with students directly through her private practice.
She also provides professional development for therapists and educators who support students with diagnoses that impact communication and academic skills.
In this interview, Miriam and I discuss:
✅Why don't "social skills" we teach in therapeutic settings transfer to real-life situations*?
✅How emotional regulation impacts our ability to connect with others**, and how to help kids understand and navigate their own emotions.
✅How to help kids take responsibility for their behaviors in a way that builds a positive self-image.
✅How to help kids advocate for their sensory, emotional, and communication needs and still develop the skills for connecting with others.* To connect with Miriam and learn more about her professional development opportunities and strategies for building connection, email her at miriam@skillsforconnection.com or visit her website here: https://skillsforconnection.com/
In this episode, I mention the Time Tracking Journal, a tool to help parents and educators support kids in engaging in positive self-talk and self-reflection during day-to-day tasks. It's intended to help kids be more independent with tasks that require sequencing and planning; but it can also help kids reflect on social situations as well.
You can get more information about the Time Tracking Journal here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal
In episode 36, I talk about 3 common "problem" food categories when it comes to kids diets; plus tips for making sustainable changes across eat of these areas.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to offer rewards for eating healthy foods. Acquiring a taste for different textures and flavors is a skill that develops over time.
That's why it's so important to pay attention to kids' sensory preferences when you're introducing new foods.
Sometimes minor differences in flavor or texture may not register to an adult with a broad palate; but they can make a big impact for someone with sensory sensitivities.
That's why in this episode, I share:
✅Why kids may show some inconsistencies in their tolerance to certain foods.
✅How to gradually reduce additives like refined sugar from your kids' diets.
✅How to expand the amount of fruits and vegetables your kids will eat.
In this episode, I mention my 6-week plan that helps families develop healthy eating habits that build brain development. I'll even show you how to encourage kids to eat vegetables! It's called the Simple Family Meals Guide, and it will walk you through, step-by-step, how to change your kids' eating habits for the better, one meal at a time.
You can sign up for the Simple Family Meals Guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/mealguide
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
Most parents know that eating a balanced diet is important for brain development...but making that happen is easier said than done.
Especially when they have "picky eaters" who are unsure about venturing out of their comfort zone.
It's tempting to default to the popular method of using dessert as "positive reinforcement" for eating less enticing food...but often this does more harm than good in the long run.
That's why in this episode, I share tips for getting kids to eat healthy food...without "rewards" and "punishment".
And a quick disclaimer: I will NOT be promising a magical miracle diet that's going to "cure" ADHD or autism.
What I WILL promise is that this will help you make more sustainable changes AND help your kids think about food and eating in a healthy way.
I'll share:
✅The #1 mistake people make when it comes to mealtime (plus a simple shift to fix it).
✅Why you don't need to issue rewards for eating "good" foods, and what to do instead.
✅How to help kids buy-in to the idea of trying new foods, without punishment or bribery.
In this episode, I mention my 6-week plan that helps families develop healthy eating habits that build brain development. I'll even show you how to encourage kids to eat vegetables! It's called the Simple Family Meals Guide, and it will walk you through, step-by-step, how to change your kids' eating habits for the better, one meal at a time.
You can sign up for the Simple Family Meals Guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/mealguide
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
This is part 3 of a 3-part series on the common problems with interventions for ADHD and autism, and in my opinion it's one of the most powerful shifts we can make.
When you have some type of neurological variation that causes you to experience the world in a different way, you automatically become an easy target for manipulation.
Those who are easily overwhelmed, or who aren't sure how to read social cues and self-regulate have to work really hard to participate in day-to-day situations that feel normal and easy for other people.
This could include sitting in a desk in a classroom. It could include having a simple conversation with a peers. It could include following directions, or sitting in a noisy public area.
These are things many people take for granted.
As a result, it may not make sense why others, who have different neurological wiring (ADHD, autism, etc.) cannot tolerate certain tasks or activities.
Neurodivergents are commonly accused of being defiant, inappropriate, or difficult. To others it seems like they're not trying, or that they're just lazy and unmotivated.
But the truth is that most of them KNOW they're different in some way. Yet when they're constantly misunderstood, they start to believe they really are broken in some way.
Which is why interventions focused on "compliance", reward/punishment can not only invalidate their experience...it can also cause them to doubt their grip on reality.
And in extreme cases, those approaches can be considered gaslighting.
That's why we need to rethink the way we support neurodivergents, and I talk about how to make that shift in this episode.
In this episode, I mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, without bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding. The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal
As kids go through the school systems and grow up in general, they're taught a lot about how to act "appropriately" in different situations.
There's a certain set of rules we've deemed to be acceptable, "normal" ways to act. On the contrary, certain behaviors are seen as "inappropriate", "weird", or "undesirable" in some way.
But some people are wired differently, making them experience the world differently that "neurotypicals". This may cause them to engage with the world around them in a different way that might not seem "normal" to others.
The first instinct a lot of people have is to point out the "inappropriate" behaviors and replace them with "appropriate" ones.
The idea is that we want people to do things the "right" way so they can lead successful lives.
The problem is that many of these supposedly "appropriate" behaviors can be traumatic or counterproductive to neurodivergents (for example, people with ADHD or autism).
And the other issue is that sometimes, "normal" behaviors are simply a set of arbitrary rules that may or may not be necessary 100% of the time (if ever).
That's why in this episode, I share part 2 of my 3-part series on the problems with ADHD and autism interventions.
In this episode specifically, I challenge listeners to re-examine what they think of as "normal" and "appropriate" behavior.
Instead, I invite you to make the shift from "appropriate" to "functional and effective".
In this episode, I mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, without bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding.
The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal
"Behavior management" approaches are often used with kids who have diagnoses of ADHD, autism.
Usually these approaches focus on giving rewards for good behavior and punishing "bad" behavior. They're prevalent in therapy settings, schools, and home environments across the nation.
I've even used some of these approaches in my practice. But in recent years, I've changed my philosophy after reflecting on my own experiences being on the receiving end of such techniques.
I've also started to listen more to other neurodivergent voices who are reporting the trauma they've experienced throughout their lifetimes after being repeatedly punished and shamed for behaviors associated with neurological differences beyond their control.
This episode is the first in a three part series about common problems with ADHD and Autism interventions, and the shifts we need to make as a result.
In this first episode, I talk about the problem with behavioral approaches that insist children comply with certain demands for the sake of "good behavior".
Specifically, I share:
✅Why commonly practiced behavior management systems cause trauma *in kids with ADHD, autism, or other diagnoses of neurological origin.
✅How rewarding "good behavior" can appear effective in the short-term, but can be ineffective and counterproductive in the long-term. ✅Why we shouldn't punish "bad" behaviors, and what to do instead to help kids be successful and independent in the long run.*
In this episode, I mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, without bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding. The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal
When kids with ADHD avoid difficult work, it's easy to assume they have a "behavior problem", that they don't care, or that they're just lazy.
But this couldn't be further from the truth. People with ADHD are wired in a way that makes it hard for them to overcome feelings of overwhelm that lead to avoidance.
It's a skill-based issue, NOT a behavior issue!
That's why in episode 031, I talk about 3 common skills kids with ADHD need to overcome procrastination.
Specifically, I share:
✅Why having a good sense of time *is critical to motivation.
✅One of the most common culprits behind anxiety, irritability, and defiant behaviors in ADHD and how to combat it.
✅The relationship between time-management and self-esteem; plus how to build both at the same time.
✅The essential habit that many people with ADHD don't have, and why it's so important for building a positive self-image*.
In this episode, I mentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, without bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding. The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal
If you're supporting kids who need help with executive functioning, academic skills, and language, it can be hard to figure out exactly how to intervene.
For parents, it can be overwhelming; and for professionals (like SLPs, teachers, and other professionals), it can be a challenge to figure out who is working on what skills.
That's why in this episode, I talk about the roles of the teachers, therapists, and parents when it comes to supporting kids with executive dysfunction and language processing issues.
Specifically I share:
✅What teachers are already doing to support executive functioning *and what happens when kids need more support than what's offered in standard general education instruction.
✅What speech-language pathologists do to support language, literacy, and executive functioning (including the highest priority area where they can focus).
✅How p*rofessionals and parents can work together to support language and executive functioning; including who's working on what skills.
If you’re a parent, teacher, or therapist who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the executive functioning skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
In episode 29 of the Are they 18 yet?™ podcast, I did part 3 of a 3-part series on literacy (you can find parts 1 and 2 in episodes 27 and 28.)
Since the influx of technology, a lot of us are left wondering how this will impact our children's learning; especially their reading and writing skills.
✅*That's why I discussed the following in this episode:
✅The difference between "explicit learning" and "implicit learning". ✅The kind of opportunities kids need in order to develop solid reading/spelling skills**.
✅Why typical reading instruction leaves some kids behind**; plus what pieces are typically missing.
✅The pros and cons of technology for struggling readers.*
In this episode, I mention a blog post called "What is texting doing to reading and spelling skills?" where I dive further in to this conversation. I also mentioned a simple protocol you can use to study challenging spelling patterns (like affixes), which I outline in this article. Finally, I also talked about my Word Study Toolkit, which offers a set of definitions and concepts you can use to help build the skills kids need to be fluent readers and spellers.
Here’s what’s inside the Word Study Toolkit:
Over 200 flashcards with prefixes, root/base words, suffixes, and multiple meaning words to build strong reading and spelling skills.
- Word lists with key orthographic concepts, so you have a quick guide to important word parts needed for strong vocabulary skills.
- Descriptions of 17 key concepts for building morphology/orthography skills.
- All flashcards and word lists have definitions, so your students actually remember how words are spelled.
- BONUS:Video tutorials with a quick-guide for using the toolkit to build reading and spelling skills.
You can get instant access to the Word Study Toolkit here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/wordstudy
Figuring out how to help kids learn to spell can be confusing.
If you've ever helped one of your kids or students spell a word, only to have them forget what you taught them the next day, you know what I mean.
The challenge is that if kids don't automatically catch on to reading skills, they get further and further behind as the years go on. That makes it hard for them to keep up in school, and over time they start to dread going. No one wants their child or their students to be in that situation.
While a lot of curriculums are getting pretty good at addressing early phonics skills, there are some other essential skills that aren't emphasized as much. But addressing these skills can make all the difference.
That's why in episode 28 of the Are they 18 yet? ™ podcast, I talk about:
✅The commonly overlooked skills that kids need to read/spell longer, more difficult words*.
✅Why you shouldn't assume that certain words are "too difficult" for your kids to spell (even if they're struggling readers).
✅Why referring to difficult spellings as "exceptions" that "don't follow the rules" does kids a disservice.
✅Specific concepts you can teach kids to help them read more fluently and improve reading comprehension. ✅Why "memorizing" spelling words doesn't work for struggling readers (and what to do instead).*
In this episode, I mention a blog post called "What is texting doing to reading and spelling skills?" where I dive further in to this conversation. I also talk about my Word Study Toolkit, which offers a set of definitions and concepts you can use to help build the skills kids need to be fluent readers and spellers.
With all the technology and texting kids are doing these days, I often find myself wondering if kids are getting enough "good" practice with spelling and reading skills.
Based on social rules, texts often don't have to be written with "correct" grammar and spelling. Since a lot of the kids I've worked (who have diagnoses like dyslexia or developmental language delays, among others), I know that having opportunities to practice reading and spelling is really important; so I'm always on high-alert when it comes to the impact of technology.
But the reality is that texting is here to stay; which is why in episode 27 of the Are they 18 yet? ™ podcast , I talk about how to support literacy skills in a digital world.
Specifically, I share:
✅What the current literacy trends show as far as the impact of texting.
✅The 3 tenets of effective literacy intervention.
✅Common mistakes people make when teaching kids to use reading strategies.
✅Three essential skills kids need in order to become fluent readers and spellers.
In this episode, I mention a blog post called "What is texting doing to reading and spelling skills?" where I dive further in to this conversation. I also talk about my Word Study Toolkit, which offers a set of definitions and concepts you can use to help build the skills kids need to be fluent readers and spellers.
We're always updating the operating systems on our devices, but do we ever think about updating the "operating system" we use to live our lives?
The truth is, a lot of people end up living with their "default" setting; doing things not because it's what they want, but because it's what they think they're "supposed" to be doing based on what they've seen in their past.
That's why in episode 26, I sit down with Kate Wendell from FamilyOS. Kate and her husband Tanner Wendell work with couples to help them update their "family operating systems" so they can live a more peaceful, successful life.
In this conversation, Kate shares:
✅What is a "family operating system" and why is it essential to having healthy relationships *with your partner and child?
✅The "CODE" for creating a peaceful, thriving family (that Kate and Tanner teach couples they coach).
✅Why the mindset of "the kids always come first" can do more harm than good; plus the counterintuitive way of thinking that ends up helping kids more in the long run**.
✅How your past impacts the way you parent and interact with your partner (plus some personal struggles Kate and Tanner have worked through).
✅Why having a "system" focused on long-term goals can help your family feel safe and secure.*
You can learn more about how to connect with Kate on Instagram @thekatewendell, and on her Facebook page here. You can also check out the FamilyOS podcast here.
In this episode, I mentioned SLP Learning Academy, my a membership designed to help you make a lasting impact with your services, create change in the field, and feel confident and fulfilled in your work WITHOUT burning out (or spending hours planning.) To get more information about this program (plus my other resources for parents, educators, and SLPs), visit my resources page here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/
In this episode, I talk about "toxic positivity" in both the parenting and professional communities for therapists and teachers.
If you've ever felt dismissed when someone told you to "look on the bright side" or "be grateful for what you have", you'll appreciate this discussion.
I share:
✅Why telling someone to "just think positive" can make an overwhelmed person feel worse*.
✅Why many depressed people don't WANT to feel happy when they're having an episode (and what they want instead).
✅Why it's so hard to do simple things that you know you SHOULD be doing (for yourself, your kids, your clients, etc.).
✅How to calm the chaos in your life**, so you can finally breath and recharge (hint: I'm not going to tell you to "change your mindset" or "be more positive").
✅The strategy I use to stop overwhelm and think long-term, instead of just putting out fires all day (this is the SAME strategy I used to finish my dissertation while working full-time).*
In this episode, I mentioned SLP Learning Academy, my a membership designed to help you make a lasting impact with your services, create change in the field, and feel confident and fulfilled in your work WITHOUT burning out (or spending hours planning.) To get more information about this program (plus my other resources for parents, educators, and SLPs), visit my resources page here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/
In this episode, I talk with Drew Vernon about how to help kids develop a natural sense of curiosity and ability to tell stories. Drew currently works for Tonies®, a toy brand that partners with schools to bring screen-free education to your children. He also spend several years working for the LEGO® Group, hosts a podcast with his 5-year old daughter, and has a passion for toys that help kids become creative thinkers.
In our conversation, we discuss:
✅Ways to guide your kids through play in a way that builds storytelling skills and language. ✅The benefits of offering "screen-free" toys for you kids (with specific toy examples).
✅The pros and cons of many popular toy options for kids today.
✅Toy features that help build resilience and problem-solving skills.
✅How limitations can breed creativity (and how this applies to toys and play).
In this episode, Imentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding.
The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
Meltdowns and tantrums are a normal part of parenting, but it's not always easy to get through the day if you aren't sure how to handle them.
That's why in episode 023, I share the second half of my conversation with DJ Stutz, where we talk about bad parenting advice, building self-esteem, and how to de-escalate tantrums and melt-downs.
She also shares her experience growing up with an undiagnosed hearing impairment until 6th grade, and how this has helped her be a better teacher and parent.
DJ has been an early childhood teacher for kids with special needs for over 20 years, is a mom of 5, the host of the Imperfect Heros: Insights in to Parenting podcast, and the founder and CEO of Little Hearts Academy, USA. Also, she and her husband have 70 children between their two families!
In the second-part of our conversation, DJ shares:
✅Bad parenting advice *that can be detrimental to your child's self-image and what to do instead.
✅Why allowing kids to experience disappointment can be more beneficial than trying to make them happy all the time.
✅How what you say to your kids impacts their identity and behavior, and how to use language that strengthens their self-image .
✅*Specific language and strategies you can use when your kids are having a meltdown or tantrum (in public, home, or school).To learn more about how to build connection with your kids and raise your kids to be resilient people, check out DJ’s Imperfect Heros: Insights in to Parenting podcast, and if you’re interested in her parent coaching programs, check out Little Hearts Academy, USA.
You can connect with DJ on Instagram here and email her at djstutz@littleheartsacademy.com.
If you want a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding, then check out the Time Tracking Journal. The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
Most parents know they should be giving their child praise and encouraging them to explore their interests...
But most people don't realize that making small changes to what you say can make a big difference in your day-to-day life and interactions with your family.
That's why in episode 022, I sit down with early childhood educator and parenting coach DJ Stutz to talk about the RIGHT (and wrong) ways to communicate expectations with your child.
DJ has been an early childhood teacher for kids with special needs for over 20 years, is a mom of 5, the host of the Imperfect Heros: Insights in to Parenting podcast, and the founder and CEO of Little Hearts Academy, USA. Also, she and her husband have 70 grandchildren between their two families!
In this conversation, DJ shares:
✅How to encourage your child to find their unique talents and interests while building resilience. ✅Why apologizing to your kids can strengthen the parent-child bond *and your child's future relationships.
✅How to give clear feedback and communicate your expectations**, so you can build trust and connection with your kids.
✅Why you shouldn't tell your kids "Good job", and what to do instead.* To learn more about how to build connection with your kids and raise your kids to be resilient people, check out DJ’s Imperfect Heros: Insights in to Parenting podcast, and if you’re interested in her parent coaching programs, check out Little Hearts Academy, USA.
You can connect with DJ on Instagram here and email her at djstutz@littleheartsacademy.com.
If you want a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding, then check out the Time Tracking Journal. The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
One of the best ways to take care of your kids is to take care of the people taking care of our kids. That includes any professionals working with your child, like teachers, school therapists, administrators, and coaches to name a few.
If you know anyone in any of those positions, you know it can be a thankless job. That became even more apparent this year after school staff endured harsh criticism no matter what decisions they made. Despite this, thousands of educational and medical professionals continued to make sacrifices, often at the expense of their own health and well-being, in the interest of helping our kids.
If you're a parent who's about to send your kids off to school, it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind and forget about those people who have, and will continue to develop your kids, day after day.
That's why in episode 21, I invite you to pause and think about those people. People who work in the school and medical setting, or any other facility that exists for the purpose of supporting young people.
Specifically, I share:
✅What you can do to make a teacher's day *(and why this will mean the world to them).
✅Why a simple "thanks" at the end of an email sign-off or phone call is not enough (and what to do instead)
✅What most people forget to share with teachers/therapists who work with kids (and why it's so important for them to know).
✅Action steps you can do this year that will help support your school and make it a better place for your child.*
Also, remember to check out my free parent guide where I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
It can be frustrating when you aren't sure how to best support your child; especially when it comes to schoolwork. If you have a child who gets some type of specialized services and therapies, that makes it even more complicated.
The good news is that strong communication with the professionals helping your child can make it much easier. The problem is that it can be a challenge to figure out HOW to do it seamlessly; so you get the information you need to help your child.
That's why in episode 20, I share simple, effective tips for communicating with your child's teachers and other school professionals (e.g., speech pathologists, coaches, social workers, etc.).
I share:
✅How to approach school staff in a non-threatening, supportive way so you can get on the same page about what your child needs.✅What information you should share with school staff ASAP so you can have good communication through the year✅Why school staff sometimes don't respond to communication attempts (plus tips for getting a quicker response).✅Why you should approach school staff about concerns relating to your child instead of waiting for them to initiate.
Also, remember to check out my free parent guide to learn the set of skills kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
In this episode, I had the opportunity to talk with Nicole Holcomb from Dyslexia Mom Life.
Nicole is a lawyer, and educator (she's worked as a teacher, school counselor, and school administrator); but most importantly, she's a mom of a dyslexic daughter and the host of the Dyslexia Mom Life podcast where she provides information and support for moms of children with dyslexia.
In this conversation, she shares:
✅Red flags of dyslexia *that indicate that you may want to seek out a professional evaluation.
✅Why you shouldn't wait for your child's school district to tell you your child is struggling.
✅How to determine if you should have your child evaluated for dyslexia. ✅The pros of getting a diagnosis**, and why she feels it's helped empower her own child.
✅*Common dyslexia myths *(and why it's so important for parents to educate themselves).
✅How to be a strong advocate for your child when working with school staff. To connect with Nicole, you can visit her at her Dyslexia Mom Life website, find her* on Facebook here, and can also reach out to her at nicole@dyslexiamomlife.com.**
Nicole hosts the Dyslexia Mom Life podcast, and supports moms of dyslexic children in her online program, the Dyslexia Parenting Academy.
In this episode, Imentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding.
The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
In this episode, I share my thoughts on two popular shows: "Love on the Spectrum" and *"Atypical".
Please note: This episode is marked "explicit" because I discuss certain topics that may not be suitable for young children.
Being someone who's spent a lot of time working with autistic people (as well as someone who doesn't identify as neurotypical), I procrastinated in watching these shows.
I think I was afraid I'd hate what I saw, and that I'd be cringing the whole time.
I finally sat down to watch them, and I wanted to share my thoughts on both of these shows, including:
✅What both shows got wrong when it comes to raising autism acceptance*.
✅Where a lot of social skills interventions for autistic individuals fall short.
✅Why "curing" or "fixing" autism is not the point of intervention.
✅Which of these two shows I'll continue to watch and why**.
✅How to help autistic people live functional, healthy lives.*
In this episode, Imentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding.
The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
In this episode, I sit down with my stepdaughter, Olivia, to talk about what's helped her become more independent and disciplined this past year in middle school.
This year, we saw her make huge strides in her ability to stick with challenging tasks, stay committed to things, and overall become more focused and organized.
In this conversation, Olivia shares:
✅What her teachers did this year to help her keep her work organized*.
✅Why she found homework packets and home practice work confusing**; and why it was hard to keep it organized.
✅Her mindset towards sports training and how it shifted this spring once sports got more competitive.
✅Her tips to help kids clean their rooms**, and what helps her understand how to get it done well.
✅Why she thinks routines and expectations help her as a kid to stay focused, less anxious, and overall happier.*
In this episode, Imentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding.
The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
In the spring, I often get a lot of questions about what parents should be doing with their kids over the summer to keep them from regressing.
That’s why in episode 016 of the Are they 18 yet?™ podcast, I shared my tips and recommendations for summer “school” work, so the back-to-school routine doesn’t throw your family in to a complete state of chaos in the fall.
I talk through:
✅How to start your day off on the right foot, so you can avoid meltdowns and arguments.
✅How keeping routines in place can actually allow you and your kids to enjoy more leisure time together.
✅How to set expectations for structured vs unstructured time (and why both are important).
✅How much time to spend on “school” type tasks over the summer for K-12 kids.
✅Some simple academic tasksyou should be doing with your K-12 kids over the summer to keep them on track for the school year.In this episode, Imentioned the Time Tracking Journal, which is a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding.
The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
In this episode, I sit down with Rebecca Robbins, a pediatric speech-language pathologist who specializes in working with young children with autism, apraxia, and other conditions that impact communication.
You’ll find this conversation extremely helpful if you’re a parent of a toddler and you want to know how to interact with them in a way that helps them to build the speech and communication skills they need to thrive.
During this interview, we talk about:
- How you can help your child develop essential skills such as “communicative intent”, so they can share their wants and needs.
- Common signs of nonverbal communication that people often miss, and why noticing these signs is critical for your child’s development.
- Signs and symptoms of diagnoses that impact both speech and language development in children, such as autism or apraxia of speech.
- Tips for playing with your child in a way that facilitates language and cognitive growth.
- How to push your child out of their comfort zone in a healthy way, so they can expand their skills and become more independent and connected.
- How to use your child’s interests to make nonpreferred tasks (homework, cleaning, chores) more engaging.
- How to increase your child’s ability to focus on a task (even if they are extremely active).
To connect with Rebecca Robbins, you can visit her website here, follow her on Instagram at @mindshaperslp or visit her Facebook page here.
Rebecca has some special gifts for listeners of the Are They 18 Yet?™ Podcast, including 10% off two of her programs for parents.
Her “Nonverbal No More” parenting training helps parents facilitate speech and communication skills in children who are nonverbal, minimally verbal, or who are late talkers. You can get 10% off of “Nonverbal No More” here.
Her “Your Child Can Say Sounds Kits” program is also a great option for parents who want to help facilitate their child’s speech development because she walks through her cueing techniques for specific speech sounds. You can get 10% off the “Your Child Can Say Sounds Kits” here.
We also mentioned her free Motivation Maps that help parents use their child’s interests to make learning and completing non-preferred tasks more motivating and interesting for kids. You can sign up for the free Motivation Map here.
If you want a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding, then check out the Time Tracking Journal. The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
When I was growing up, the idea of being diagnosed with a mental health condition or a disability had a certain negative stigma associated with it.
To be honest, my choice to become a pediatric speech pathologist and eventually get a doctorate in special education didn’t initially have to do with my own personal struggles. I was too deep in to denial to think of that.
There were certain sensory needs I had…and when I found ways to meet them through what I now realize was stimming, I’d find myself wondering, “Is this weird???”
When I found myself triggered, agitated, or overwhelmed by certain situations…I’d think, “Come on Karen…suck it up. This is what all the normal people are doing.”
That’s why in episode 014 of the Are They 18 Yet?™ Podcast, I talk about my own sensory and neurological profile and why I don’t identify as neurotypical.
Specifically, I share:
- How my sensory needs presented when I was a child and how I’ve found ways to meet my sensory needs as an adult with different hobbies.
- What kind of stimming I still engage in, and how those have behaviors evolved from childhood to the present time.
- My productive and not-so-productive self-soothing behaviors, including the ones I’m still working through.
- Sensory triggers I had as a child and how I gradually increased my sensory tolerance (including why I went through a phase where spandex was the only thing I would wear).
- Triggering situations that made me feel dysregulated and distracted, and how I perceived them as a child.
- How I internalized my own attending difficulties (and how they impacted my physical health).
I could go on with a million bullet points here…but to sum it all up…this is my story. I hope hearing it helps you if you’re working through some of these things yourself or with your child.
If you want a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding, then checkout the Time Tracking Journal.
The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
In episode 013, I sit down with my husband Joe as we share how we handled conversations on some difficult topics when we first got together.
Specifically, we talk about how we handled the money conversation early on, in addition to how we continue to manage our finances and talk about money with Olivia.
I firmly believe that if you are in a relationship, one of the keys to being a good parent is having a strong relationship with your partner.
One of the most common arguments in romantic partnerships has to do with money; so being on the same page can eliminate a ton of drama future down the line.
In this conversation, we talk about:
- What it was like for Joe dating as a single parent, and what he did to gauge whether or not people had what he was looking for in a partner.
- What it was like for me as a single person thinking about joining an existing family unit (including my cold feet about parenting).
- How dating was different when a child was involved, and why we both adopted a direct, no-BS policy right away.
- How having the hard conversations early on helped to ease my anxiety about parenting.
- Our financial system we use for spending, saving, and investing (and how we use it to eliminate arguments before they start).
- Our philosophies on “guilt free” spending, and how we allow each other freedom with spending (and still take care of the important stuff).
- How we talk to Olivia about money; including what we wish we would have learned about money as kids.
If you want to build a stronger relationship with your partner AND help your kids grow up with a healthy relationship with money, I know you’ll enjoy this episode.
If you want a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding, then check out the Time Tracking Journal. The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
In this episode, I sit down with writer and speaker Dr. Kate Browne to talk about the narratives being told in the media, the impact it has on our beliefs, and the way it’s effecting our kids’ health and well-being.
In this interview, Dr. Browne shares both her personal experiences that led to her becoming an activist for body positivity, as well as her research on the story telling that goes on in advertising.
If you have a child participating in youth sports or if you’re involved in ANY group activity for kids in some way, this is a must-listen.
Specifically we talk about:
✅Why before/after weight loss stories can often do more harm than good when it comes to self-acceptance.
✅The “social media contract”: What it is and how to educate our kids to become responsible consumers of information.
✅Dr. Browne’s personal experiences in common weight-loss programs as an adolescent, and how it led to the work she currently does now with body positivity and activism.
✅How to reframe the current narrative for your kids, so they can grow up to be well-adjusted, compassionate people.
✅Traumatic elementary school gym class experiences (for both of us) that had an impact on self-esteem and body image.
✅How to shift the stories we believe about who “belongs” in certain activities (like sports) so we can make the world a more accepting place.
✅What youth leaders (teachers, parents, coaches) can do to make activities more inviting to a more diverse range of participants.Dr. Kate Browne is a writer, speaker, and researcher on a mission to rewrite the stories we tell about ourselves. She uses her PhD in Writing Pedagogy for good as a professor and marketing consultant.
Kate is also the Learning Experience Designer for HeyKiddo, a social-emotional curriculum for kids and the adults that love them. The proud mother of an 8-year-old, Kate spends her free time learning Parry Gripp songs and pretending to enjoy playing Minecraft.
You can connect with Dr. Browne on Twitter and Instagram @drkatebrowne.
Also mentioned in this interview: Her book on the Golden Girls and how it portrays a narrative on gender and status for women, her Runner’s World article What ‘Brittany Runs a Marathon’ Gets Wrong About Running While Fat, and her TEDx Talk, “How I Found Real Fitness Inspiration–Saying ‘No’ to Fitspo”
If you want a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding, then checkout theTime Tracking Journal. The Time Tracking Journal walks you through a strategy you can do in just 10-15 minutes a day that will help kids get tasks done effectively and efficiently, and critical thinking skills and self-confidence at the same time. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarenspeech.lpages.co/time-tracking-journal-37-1/
In this special pop-up episode, I take a break from the regular content to talk about burnout and boundaries; and specifically how I use systems to help me set healthy boundaries and reduce burnout. Back when I started working as an SLP in 2004, I found there was one area of my life (work-related) that caused an exponentially larger amount of stress than other things in my life.
So much, in fact, that this ONE thing was impacting me in other areas of life outside of work. Like health and relationships.
That’s why in this episode, I share:
✅What I didn’t feel prepared to deal with when I first started my career (that I was NOT expecting).
✅How having one super stressful responsibility at work had a snowball effect on other areas of life.
✅Why not having a system for a challenging area at work took a toll on my relationships at home.
✅The questions you can ask yourself to identify the ONE area of your life causing the most stress (that if addressed, could lead to improvements in all other areas).
In this episode, I mention the Language Therapy Master Package, a 4-course bundle designed to give SLPs a COMPLETE SYSTEM for language therapy.
If you’re a pediatric SLP, the Language Therapy Master Package will show you set of evidence-based strategies designed to build language & vocabulary in a framework designed just for SLPs. Click here to learn how to enroll now: https://drkarenspeech.com/languagemasterpack/
In episode 011 of the Are They 18 Yet? Podcast, I sit down with Katherine Endy from The Family Life Coach.
Katherine is a social worker, mom of 3, and doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland.
If you’re a parent, you’ve likely spent a lot of time thinking about your kids’ behavior and mental well-being.
But how much time do you spend thinking about your OWN mental health and well-being?
In this conversation, Katherine share insights from her clinical work, personal experiences as a mom, and her research, including:
✅The problem with most parenting advice out there, and why it shouldn’t all be focused on the child’s behavior.
✅Why giving a child a “time-out” isn’t the best option, and what to do instead.
✅How to figure out what your child REALLY needs during a meltdown.
✅Why rewards and punishment aren’t the best way to manage behavior, and how to set boundaries without negatively impacting your relationship with your child.
✅How to make time for self-care and mindfulness in your daily life (even if you only have 30 seconds to yourself at a time).To learn more about how to connect with Katherine, you can visit her at The Family Life Coach website here.
You can also connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.
If you want a SIMPLE tool that will help you get through daily routines (like homework) with ease, WITHOUT bribery, arguments, or constant hand-holding, then checkout the Time Tracking Journal. You can learn how to get instant access here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/timejournal
If you or someone you know is going through a divorce with kids involved, you’re not going to want to miss this episode of the Are they 18 yet?™ Podcast.
In this episode, I sit down with my sister, Mary Leonard, and talk about how to help your kids build resiliency when coping with big life transitions like divorce.
She shares her experience single parenting two young children; including how to thrive when getting through the day alive feels like a chore.
Specifically, we talk about:
✅Her biggest challenges when she had to start parenting all on her own.
✅What she wishes she would have learned as a child when it comes to emotional regulation.
✅De-escalation strategies for handling tantrums, avoiding arguments, and teaching your kids emotional intelligence.
✅How to play detective when your kids can’t find the words to express what they’re feeling; especially when you have multiple kids who need very different coping strategies.
✅The unexpected silver lining of divorce; for both her and her kids.
✅What NOT to say to someone who’s going through a divorce.
✅How to get through the toughest part of the process so you can set your family up for success.Also, remember to check out my free parent guide where I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
In this episode, I share the second part of my interview with speech-language pathologist and ADHD specialist Mike McLeod from GrowNow Therapy as we continue our conversation about how to support with kids with ADHD and other conditions that impact executive functioning.
If you’re someone who easily estimates how long things will take so you can plan ahead, it’s often frustrating when you see other people dawdling or not using their time wisely.
But often there are MULTIPLE things going on in their head that are keeping them stuck, and the key to helping them move forward is to be able to “sense time” more consciously and understand the end goal looks and feels like.
That’s why in this conversation, Mike shares:
✅Tips for helping kids with ADHD develop a sense of time so they can reduce overwhelm and procrastination.
✅How incorporating visuals in to your day-to-day routines with your kids can improve their time-management skills and discipline.
✅Why motivation issues in kids with ADHD are skill-based and not behavior based, and what specific skills can help move them through daily tasks more easily.
✅The impact of technology, gaming, and social media on attention span and social-emotional development; and his recommendations for setting healthy boundaries.
If you have a child at home who has a hard time putting their devices down to do non-preferred tasks like homework or chores, you’ll get a ton of value from this interview.
The following resources are mentioned in this interview (some are mentioned in episode 008, which is the first half of this conversation, but I’m linking to them again for your convenience):
For information on nonverbal working memory, check out Dr. Russell Barkley’s website here.
For information on Sara Ward and her resources for supporting kids with Executive Functioning skills and time management, visit her website here.
To learn more about Ryan Wexelblatt, the ADHD Dude who coined the term the “Argument Vortex” for kids with ADHD, visit his YouTube Channel here.
To connect with Mike McLeod, you can visit his website here, follow him on Instagram at @grownowtherapy or visit his Facebook page here.
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In the guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for a copy here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
When it comes to working with kids who have ADHD, it’s easy to mistake skill-based issues with behavioral issues.
That’s why in this interview, I sit down with Mike McLeod, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in ADHD and executive functioning. During this conversation, Mike shares:
✅Red flags of executive dysfunction, how it relates to organization and time management, and why it’s so common in kids with ADHD.
✅What the “argument vortex” is, and the reason kids would rather argue with parents than get their work completed (even with simple tasks).
✅Why kids with ADHD have such a hard time getting motivated to start work, and what parents can do to support them when this happens.
✅Common myths about time management, accountability, and intelligence as it relates to people who have ADHD or related conditions.
If you’re supporting a child with ADHD, this is a must listen. Mike has a wealth of knowledge from his work with students and families, and shares a ton of great insights that will help you understand some of your kid’s most challenging habits and tendencies.
The following resources are mentioned in this interview:
For information on nonverbal working memory, check out Dr. Russell Barkley’s website here.
For information on Sara Ward and her resources for supporting kids with Executive Functioning skills and time management, visit her website here.
To learn more about Ryan Wexelblatt, the ADHD Dude who coined the term the “Argument Vortex” for kids with ADHD, visit his YouTube Channel here.
To connect with Mike McLeod, you can visit his website here, follow him on Instagram at @grownowtherapy or visit his Facebook page here.
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love this free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
When I worked in the school systems, rewards and behavior charts were a common practice. Even in my training to be a therapist, “positive reinforcement” was often a go-to strategy for managing behaviors and motivating kids to do “non-preferred” tasks.
The problem was that for a lot of kids it didn’t work. And what was even worse…sometimes it worked TEMPORARILY, but as soon as the reward went away, so did the motivation to do the task.
It left me wondering if relying on external rewards is really helping to build the skills kids need to be independent, intrinsically motivated, responsible people with a good work ethic.
I also found myself wondering if “motivation” (or lack there of) was really the problem in the first place.
That’s why in this episode I talk about motivation and positive reinforcement for kids who procrastinate, rush through work, struggle to stay organized, or who show impulsive behaviors (often associated with ADHD and related conditions).
Specifically, I share:
✅Why using rewards often doesn’t work when kids are procrastinating and refusing to do work.
✅Why “motivation” is often misunderstood, and why there’s more to the story when kids appear “lazy” or “defiant”.
✅The set of skills that are often the “missing link” when kids aren’t consistently responding to positive reinforcement.
If you aren’t sure how to support kids in completing homework assignments, chores, or other daily tasks; then you’ll get a lot of insight out of listening to this episode.
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
In this episode, I continue our family study with Olivia and Joe; and we ask Olivia to share her perspective on remote learning. In this conversation, Olivia shares:
✅What was hardest for her in making a transition from elementary school through middle school during the pandemic.
✅What she missed the most about being in school.
✅What kinds of support she needed from the adults in her life during online learning and school in general.
By the time you're listening to this episode, your kids may be close to in-person learning if they aren't fully doing it already; but this interview is still packed with great insight for any parent who wants to know about how to better support kids during the transition from elementary school to secondary school.
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
In this episode, I turn the mic on during a Brannan family Sunday night study with me, my husband Joe, and my stepdaughter Olivia as we talk about Gretchen Rubin’s 4 Tendencies and Gary Chapman’s 5 Love Languages.
In this conversation, we share:
✅How understanding the personalities of the people in your family can reduce conflict and increase empathy.
✅What to do when your child has different tendencies and love languages than you.
✅How we regularly connect in our own family to make sure we’re all feeling supported; plus how we ask for what we need.
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
We all have a point where the demands of life become too overwhelming and we lose our ability to self-manage and stay disciplined. For people who have a diagnosis of ADHD, that point can come sooner rather than later.
In this episode, my husband (Joe) shares what happened when he hit his breaking point, including:
- His experience growing up with an "almost ADHD" diagnosis
- How he managed to fall through the cracks and squeak by in elementary and secondary school.
- What happened when he went away to college and didn't have his built-in accountability systems (a.k.a., his parents).
If you have a kid in K-12 and you want to learn what challenges might lie ahead for your kids and what red flags to look out for in elementary and secondary school, you're going to love this episode
And spoiler alert: This story has a happy ending. This is just the first of a two-part interview.
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
Can you change your child's capacity to focus? Or do they just have to play the hand they've been dealt for life?
In this episode, Dr. Karen discusses what she's learned through the last 15 years of studying the research and working with school-age kids, as well as the parents and educators who support them.
She also discusses the great "medication debate", including ways it's often mishandled by well-meaning professionals, and also the set of skills your kids need in order to successfully focus and make forward progress on multi-step tasks that require attention to detail and problem-solving.
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
Do you find that using organizers, minimizing distractions, or using rewards just don't work when it comes to getting your kids to focus?
Does getting your kids to follow through with chores, homework, or other daily tasks seem like pulling teeth?
If so, you're going to love this episode. When it comes to getting kids to follow through on activities that require sustained focus and effort, most people don't realize that improving attention and alertness is just the first step.
There is actually a set of skills kids need to develop true autonomy, independence and critical thinking. Without building these skills, kids are unlikely to fully benefit from things like positive reinforcement, productivity strategies, or even diet and medication.
That's why in episode 002, Dr. Karen explains a set of essential skills your kids in need to support attention and focus (especially if they have conditions that impact attention span).
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
When raising kids in elementary school, junior high, and high school, a lot of parents wonder if they're preparing their kids for what lies ahead in college and adulthood. We can't look in to a crystal ball and predict the future, but we can bring insights from our own failures and successes to the way we parent.
That's why in this episode, Joe and I continue our conversation about his experience going through school, including:
- How he initially failed out of college, but then later went back and got a master's degree from the same university.
- What he wishes he would have learned after being evaluated for ADHD, and how we bring these insights into the way we parent.
- How he learned to be more disciplined and structure his environment so you he can perform his best and focus (without using medication).
If you want to better prepare your K-12 kids for what lies ahead, you'll get a ton out of listening in to this episode.
(Disclaimer: This episode should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition).
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide
As a parent, you want to know you’re doing the right things to help your kids grow up to be healthy, successful, well-adjusted people who lead productive lives and make an impact on the world. But what if you could raise your kids to be independent and self-sufficient without sacrificing your own ambitions, sense of identity, and sanity?
Listen in as Dr. Karen shares insights for parents and kids with diverse learning needs and family structures through her own experiences and guest interviews. With over 15 years of experience supporting school-age kids, Dr. Karen is here to show you how we can all work together to make this world a more inclusive, accepting place by offering practical day-to-day solutions and actionable advice for supporting systemic change now and for future generations.
I this trailer episode, Dr. Karen shares the origin of the show title and what's to come on the Are they 18 yet?™ Podcast.
Disclaimer: Episodes from this podcast should not be considered medical or legal advice, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any specific medical condition.
If you’re a parent who wants to set your kids up for success as adults, then then you’re going to love my free parent guide, which I mentioned in this episode. In this guide, I share the set of skills that kids need in order to stay organized, focused, and motivated during their day-to-day tasks like chores and homework. You can sign up for the guide here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/parentguide