Cait Gannon is a dedicated and passionate medical speech-language pathologist. Cait earned her graduate degree in Speech Language Pathology from UMass Amherst, and since then, she’s been on a mission to support individuals across the lifespan in finding their voice—literally and figuratively. She’s volunteered with Healing Harmonies, a remarkable choir made up of adults with neurological conditions, bringing the power of music and community to the forefront of healing. She’s also worked with REACH Early Intervention, helping our youngest clients build strong foundations for communication. Currently, Cait is part of the rehab team at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, where she works with voice clients and patients navigating cognitive impairments following strokes and brain injuries. Today, she’s here to share her insights into the world of medical SLP—what it’s like to support patients through some of their most vulnerable moments, the challenges and rewards of working in a rehab setting, and how voice and cognition intersect in powerful, life-changing ways.
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Be objective, be honest, be prepared!
The SLPs dive in to meetings with educational advocates. They discuss how to prepare for IEP meetings with advocates, tips on communicating with families, and what not to say (hint: don’t mention your schedule).
Resources we love to make sure you know what you’re talking about: The Informed SLP
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Let’s talk gentle parenting… but make it speech therapy!
In this episode, the SLPs dive into how positive behavioral supports and redirection strategies can make your sessions smoother, calmer, and way more fun—for everyone involved.
The SLPs are sharing go-to tips that help you set boundaries with kindness, support kids through big feelings, and keep things running without sticker charts or time-outs. If you’ve ever wondered how to handle tricky moments while still keeping connection front and center, this one’s for you!
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What are the benefits of themed therapy? What are our favorite themes? Does Kyla deserve a Grammy for her performance in this episode?
The SLPs dive into the importance of building semantic connections and background knowledge to facilitate learning. They also provide practical examples of how they use themed therapy in their own therapy sessions. It's a great time.
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The SLPs share strategies for integrating engaging, low-prep games into sessions to target speech/language goals. No laminating required!
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Kyla and Jouli researched the Gen Alpha information all SLP's really want to know.
In Episode 57 they discuss the following hard hitting topics:
What is the difference between mine craft and Roblox?
Was Vine peak comedy?
What is Skibidi Toilet and why is it so terrifying?
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This week, the SLPs talk all about selective feeding and inter-professional collaboration with Joy Hack.
Joy is a registered occupational therapist, certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. She is also licensed with the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy. Joy grew up in Chicago, Illinois, but obtained her undergraduate degree in Health and Human Physiology with a minor in Spanish at the University of Iowa. Joy has always been passionate about working with children of all abilities. Growing up, her family took in foster children, providing her first-hand experiences with pediatric mental health and the benefits of occupational therapy. She is devoted to treating not only the child, but the entire family unit in order to facilitate a child’s success and opportunity to thrive. Joy volunteered in the neonatal intensive care unit throughout her undergraduate degree as a developmental care volunteer and mentor. She went on to pursue her Master’s degree in occupational therapy at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Throughout graduate school, she worked full time as a respite caregiver to a child with Down Syndrome and young man with Cerebral Palsy. Joy has a pug named Elvis Presley, whom she loves dearly, and enjoys playing tennis, spending time outdoors, and drawing. Joy believes in a holistic and family-centered approach to facilitate a child’s development and independence.
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Curious about pediatric feeding? Then this episode is for you! Tune in to hear Jouli reflect on her journey thus far into becoming a pediatric feeding therapist. She shares what she learned in a pediatric feeding mentorship group, what makes pediatric feeding unique, and the treatment principles guiding her practice. Also, the SLPs discuss the burning question: does it all come down to having a super buff tongue??
Pediatric Feeding Mentorship Group: https://www.pediatricfeedingslp.com/pfmg
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In Episode 54, Jouli teaches Kyla and Brittany all about parent coaching: the benefits, the challenges, and the importance of setting expectations, being flexible, and building rapport as the recipe for success!
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❤️Support our podcast
🛍️Shop our merch - ***new spring 2025 merch drop!***
Today is all about the awkward, cringe-worthy moments we experience as SLPs. Defining words badly? Trying to be “cool” to relate to kids or coworkers? Saddle up for this cringe-themed episode that will hopefully make you feel less embarrassed about your own awkward moments.
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The SLPs try to woo the other professionals in the building through co-treating. Also, some helpful tips for preparing for a co-treat session and some examples of how the SLPs have done it.
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Money money moneyyyy, must be funnyyyy, in an SLP’s world. The SLPs discuss the pros and cons of different payment positions such as fee for service, salaried, and contracted.
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What can we say?! I guess we were feeling a bit 🌶️ SPICY🌶️ because we decided to share our thoughts on Discrete Trial Training.
What is DTT? Is there a place for it? Can it be done in a positive and safe way? Is there room for it in speech therapy?
Tune in to hear it all!
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Why do we feel weird about stuttering therapy?
What’s up with the Lidcombe program?
The gang dives in to why stuttering therapy feels kind of uncomfortable…and strategies they’ve used that made them feel successful.
Pediatric Feeding Therapy Course
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In honor of spooky season 🎃 we are bringing back our first ever spooky episode!
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It’s spooky SLP-son 👻, and Episode 9 is devoted to Kyla, Brittany, and Jouli’s most chilling (and disgusting) (and just plain hilarious) moments as SLPs. Honestly, there may not be anything spookier than a 3-year-old holding their used diaper in their hands and aiming it straight. At. YOU.
Listen if you dare.
Subscribe to The Reading Seeds on YouTube! (Brittany’s side gig)
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What’s the Craic?! 😎
The SLPs discuss what they’ve been up to. New job? House buying? Sea shanties?
Oh and they also talk about child-led therapy.
Please excuse Kyla’s poor audio quality. She lost her mic in her move.
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In this practical episode, the SLPs delve into strategies for supporting executive functions. From time management to visualizing the end goal, tune in to learn about helpful techniques and free resources that can foster independence and help the kids on your caseload get things done!
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Resources:
https://www.efpractice.com/projects-3-1
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Email: info@coffeetea3slps.com
Instagram: @coffeetea3slps
Merch: coffeetea3slps.com
In Episode 45, John Vargas shares his experience as a person who wears hearing aids. How does he compensate for being hard of hearing? Which accessibility features and accommodations have been the most helpful for him? He makes many important points, including the following: just because he has trouble hearing you doesn’t mean he’s not listening.
John Vargas is a Ph.D student studying cognitive psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. John studies reasoning and decision-making, with a special emphasis on statistical reasoning. John's prior research has focused on teaching statistical concepts to a wide variety of learners and empowering individuals to make rational decisions in their everyday lives. John also has congenital hearing loss, wears hearing aids, and is intimately aware of the challenges brought about by hearing impairments.
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Email: info@coffeetea3slps.com Instagram: @coffeetea3slps Merch: coffeetea3slps.com
Episode 44 is all about AAC! Tune in to hear the SLPs interview Karina Saechao for a discussion about common barriers to AAC implementation, how to move beyond requesting to support all communication functions, collaborating with educators, the importance of representative voices and icons on AAC devices, and more.
Karina Saechao, M.A., CCC-SLP, ATACP (she/her) has practiced as a speech-language pathologist for almost a decade and is licensed in California and Kansas. She holds a certificate as an assistive technology specialist (AT) and is currently enrolled in the Child Language Doctoral Program at the University of Kansas. Karina’s research interests are in the areas of African American English, child language acquisition, and AAC. Karina founded and owns Golden Oak Speech Therapy, A Professional Speech Pathology Corporation, and specializes in Augmentative Alternative Communication, Assistive Technology, language, literacy, inclusion, and teacher, caregiver, & educator coaching. Follow Karina: @goldenoakslp.
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Email: info@coffeetea3slps.com Instagram: @coffeetea3slps Merch: coffeetea3slps.com
The SLPs try to unravel the age-old question: what even are "pragmatic language skills," and how do you prioritize social connection over arbitrary social rules?
0:00 - how comfortable are the SLPs with pragmatic language?
4:18 - who is a good candidate for receiving support?
12:00 - assessment of pragmatic language
28:00 - the value of collaborations
36:50 - what skills are part of (or influence) social communication?
47:54 - ableist practices
(Also: cat beans, Britney Spears, and vegetable gardens.)
The paper from The Informed SLP review: Wilson, A. C., & Bishop, D. V. (2022). A novel online assessment of pragmatic and core language skills: An attempt to tease apart language domains in children. Journal of Child Language, 49(1), 38-59.
Email: info@coffeetea3slps.com. Instagram: @coffeetea3slps. Merch: coffeetea3slps.com.