First Bite

In this episode Michelle is joined by her dear friend Krystal Vermillion, MOT,OTR/L, from The Shriner’s Hospital Greenville, SC. This episode is near and dear to Michelle’s heart as Krystal’s guidance on utilization of therapeutic cues not only shaped the frequency and types of cues that Michelle has used with her patients, but also with her own personal tiny humans. In short, sometimes the auditory bombardment and latency period that SLP’s, (and tired Mommas), use in general are too much and too short...but never fear, Krystal is here to offer functional evidenced based tips on how to “read” our pediatric patients and offer just the right amount! Enjoy this power hour on therapeutic cues between dear friends who are equal parts nerd girl and avid outdoorsy folks!

In this episode Michelle is joined once again by Erin Forward, MSP CF-SLP, where they will tackle the often elusive but ideal Interprofessional Practice approach for Early Intervention. Michelle and Erin, amongst countless other EI Clinicians out there in the field, often feel completely alone and isolated when treating patients in their natural environments. Do you too struggle with lack of team support, lack of open dialogue between practitioners, and do you also often feel that these breakdowns do a disservice to the patient and their progress? Well today’s episode is all about inspiring change and learning how to embrace and establish a true Interprofessional Practice in the world of EI.

In this episode Michelle is joined once again by her partner in all “thangs” functional pediatric therapy, Miss Erin Forward, MSP CF-SLP, both of them residing in Cola-Town, SC. Tonight, Michelle and Erin rapid fire drill through some of their favorite evidenced-based resources, all to nourish the on-the-run SLP’s soul. In this episode they tackle everything from pediatric dysphagia, pediatric cerebral vascular accidents, to neurogenic language impairments...everything from explanation of etiology, dynamic diagnostics, and thoughtful therapy ideas! Are you feeling perplexed as to where to begin for professional supports? Well stress no-more, Michelle and Erin are here!

In this episode Michelle is joined by the short but sassy Andi Lary, MS CCC-SLP, South Carolina’s State Advocate for Reimbursement (STAR) with ASHA, as well as Owner of The Therapy Consortium, Inc., and Owner-Director of One Stop Therapy for Kids. While she wears a variety of proverbial hats, in addition to being a phenomenal clinician, Andi has a true passion for seeing colleagues be successful managing their own private practices. She is a widely respected speaker on all “thangs” private practice and in this episode, Andi lays it out some of the most common pitfalls that new business owners make and how to persevere through them!

Guest: Dyan Dickerson MA, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/course?name=Floortime-for-the-SLP

In this episode of First Bite, Michelle and Erin welcomes Dyan Dickerson, a certified expert in DIR Floortime and feeding, to explore the intricacies of the Floortime model. Listeners get an inside look into the principles of DIR (Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-based) Floortime and understand its impact on communication and feeding therapy. Diane shares her professional journey, the importance of affect, and how to approach therapy with critical thinking. Tune in to hear case studies and learn practical tips for applying Floortime in both feeding and communication settings.

About the Guest: Dyan Dickerson is an ASHA (USA) and RCLST (UK) certified speech-language pathologist who graduated with both her B.S. and M.A. degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Central Florida. While in school, Dyan became passionate about The Floortime Approach while working privately with a family, where she used the approach with their son for nearly four years (Hi, J!). After graduation, Dyan moved to Washington, D.C., to work at The Floortime Center for six years, where she later became the lead speech-language pathologist. Dyan provided services in the private practice setting, school-based therapy, home services, and throughout the community. She saw clients in individual sessions and group therapy as well as provided intensive services for families around the world as part of a collaborative team. Dyan is Floortime trained and holds certification in the S.O.S. Approach to Feeding and Integrated Listening Therapy (iLs) and training with Gestalt Language Processing. While working at The Floortime Center, Dyan traveled to Budapest to present on Foodtime, a feeding program she co-developed, as well as Miami to present on both Foodtime and speech-language therapy using the Greenspan Floortime Approach. Dyan is a collaborative volunteer for The Greenspan Approach online course - an ASHA-approved C.E. program - she holds licensure in Florida and the UK. Dyan believes in a developmental, whole-child approach to therapy and uses The Floortime Approach to support children and their families. Dyan is soon moving back to Tampa, Florida, and will support clients and families in person and virtually.

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