First Bite

In this episode Michelle is joined by social media guru, Kiki L’Italien, CEO and founder of Amplified Growth, a digital marketing consultancy specializing in social media, SEO, and influencer marketing. Kiki, who regularly lectures to Speech-Language Pathologists and other medical colleagues, will focus this lecture in maintaining professionalism and navigating potential ethical pitfalls of social media…all the while teaching how to put social media to work for you, making your practice thrive!

In this episode, Michelle is joined by the gifted Mrs. Melissa Monteil, MS CCC-SLP, from the Medical University of South Carolina and the Evelyn Tramell Institute for Voice and Swallowing. In this lecture, we discuss the process of prenatal diagnosis of cleft and dispel misconceptions regarding feeding a little one with a cleft, especially in that first critical year. Not only does this amazing woman specialize in the subject matter for her career, but also she also freely gives of her spare time and treats patients through Global Smile Foundation around the world. Be sure to have your questions ready for this dynamic guest interview!

In this episode Michelle is joined by the charismatic Gregg Black, MD, of Carolina Allergy and Asthma Consultants, PA. Dr. Black, from Columbia, SC, (by way of Clemson, SC, Birmingham, AL, Whangaeri, NZ, and New Orleans, LA), shares the process by which infants, as young as 30 days, can begin safely assessing for food allergies and the best way to go about the diagnostic process. This lecture is the perfect starting point for clinicians as they learn to recognize early s/s of potential food allergies and its affect on feeding and how to offer guidance on helping our patients reach out to an allergist.

In this bold and brazen episode, Michelle is joined by the lovely Miss Erin Forward of Rochester, NY, where they take on an age old debate of “to-bag” or “not-to-bag” in the world of Early Intervention. Best practice guidelines, everything from ASHA to the WHO, are discussed, then real-world advice on how home-health speech therapists can implement these guidelines in a home where resources are limited and poverty is high is tackled. Put your bags and fears aside, as Michelle and Erin provide joyful and practical interventions.

In this episode Michelle is joined by business savy Mrs. Jennifer Tardy, with “PT the OT Therapy and Wellness, originally from Millinocket, Maine, however currently residing in Lexington, SC. In this lecture we tackle the largest fear of small business owners, “how do we ethically obtain referrals?”. Jennifer, a successful Director who currently manages referrals for three different businesses, offers her functional/practical insight into how you too can make it in the world of habilitation/re-hab…and still maintain your glass-half-full disposition!

In this course Michelle is joined by the charming Mrs. Juliana Miller, from Columbia, SC… and together they address problematic practicum placements and the “do’s” vs. the “do not’s” of clinical supervision, as well as to highlight the upcoming 2020 ASHA changes to supervision… all from the perspective of a Director of External Clinical Practicums.

In this course, Michelle is joined by the dynamic Mrs. Diane Postman of Yorktown, VA to demystify how AAC and emergent literacy can work in an ECSE classroom with a “push-in” approach. We are not talking swapping out pictures for objects here folks, but data drive core-vocab with real-life examples! Hilarity, albeit in a geeky fashion, does occur in this most functional of discussions!

In this podcast, Michelle is joined by the lovely Miss Erin Forward of Rochester, NY. On the menu: common terminology for our pediatric populations with feeding tubes, emphasis on quality not quantity feeds, and addressing long-term planning…stressing the motto of “fed is fed is fed” and that some of these little ones do need a feeding tube for nourishment and PO for quality of life.

Ms. Karina McCollam, ECSE teacher, joins Michelle for this interview, where we have that crucial conversation about IFSP to IEP transitions. Do you despise that “ohhh-to-common” breakdown in communication during this critical period too? Sit back and enjoy as functional strategies are discussed to address this concern.

This course is the second in a two part series with Abby Bishop. In this course, we take a closer look at what is covered in a lactation evaluation and when/where referrals are warranted.

Michelle is joined again by Jeremy Ponds, RD with Path of Life Nutrition, as he tackles the nitty gritty about who is a candidate for a feeding tube, how flow rates are configured…get your calculator ready!... and the implications of TPN for the little ones we treat.

Michelle is joined by the lovely Erin Forward of Rochester, NY, where they tackle hard questions facing the world of pediatric speech therapy. In this episode, the roles are reversed and Erin asks Michelle about special considerations when completing a pediatric dysphagia/feeding eval in the home health/natural environment setting.

In this episode, Michelle has a frank conversation with Stephanie Schank regarding student clinician fears and anxiety disorders that are more than a “Millenial thang”. Discover how real life heartbreak can lead to a powerful place of healing and serve as an inspiration to clinical supervisors to educate our students with compassion and patience.

Join Michelle as she interviews Abby Bishop, MA CCC-SLP CLC, for an episode where we traipse through the tangled intersection of Speech Therapy and Lactation Counseling. Sit back in awe as she clarifies the confusion and encourages peers to join her cause of “SLPs can become CLC’s too!”

In this episode, join Michelle while she interviews Jeremy Ponds, RD with Path of Life Nutrition, as he delivers a candid, but occasionally comical, interview enlightening colleagues as to the makeup of the various formulas on the market and the impact they have on our pediatric patient’s bodies. Did you know there are three broad categories of infant formula types? I didn’t either till he started sharing!!