Theresa Richard

09/16/2025

In this episode of Swallow Your Pride, Dr. Amy Delaney—assistant professor at Marquette University and director of the Neurodevelopmental Feeding and Swallowing Lab—shares groundbreaking insights into pediatric feeding development. She discusses her recent scoping review on oral feeding skills, highlighting the critical gaps in normative data and the need for standardized clinical tools. Dr. Delaney also introduces the Developmental Texture Framework, a novel approach to understanding feeding skill progression using national dietary data from typically developing children.

With decades of clinical experience and a passion for interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Delaney reflects on her transition from clinician to researcher and the importance of early, evidence-based intervention for children with feeding challenges. Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or caregiver, this episode offers a deep dive into the evolving science of pediatric feeding and the movement toward redefining feeding as a core developmental domain.

Listen now:

In this episode of Swallow Your Pride, Dr. Amy Delaney shares groundbreaking insights into pediatric feeding development

08/27/2025

As a board-certified SLP in swallowing, I’ve spent my whole career helping patients get off feeding tubes.
So when the possibility of a feeding tube came up for my own son... it shook me.

This wasn’t an easy decision. It challenged my clinical brain, my mama heart, and my ego.
But what came next? Freedom. Relief. And a perspective shift I never saw coming.

In this new episode of Swallow Your Pride, I’m sharing the full story—
→ Why we chose a feeding tube
→ What surprised me most
→ And what I want more SLPs (and parents) to hear

If you’ve ever supported a family through a hard feeding decision—or been that family yourself—this one’s for you. 💛

🎧 Listen in, and feel free to share with someone who needs to hear this today.
Because feeding decisions are rarely black and white—and you’re not alone.

Listen now on the website or on your favorite podcast app:

Theresa Richard shares her personal journey as an SLP mom choosing a feeding tube for her son—and how it changed her perspective on feeding care.

06/19/2025

What do you get when you mix a surgeon, a scientist, and a self-proclaimed “tinkerer” who also happens to struggle with reflux? You get Dr. James Daniero—and you get this conversation.

In this episode, Theresa Richard chats with Dr. Daniero, an ENT who’s not just treating voice, airway, and swallowing disorders—he’s innovating them. From basement experiments to biomaterials backed by NIH grants, Dr. Daniero walks us through how his personal journey with reflux turned into RefluxRaft, a barrier-based solution designed to help patients (and clinicians) think beyond PPIs.

Listen and get the show notes here:

Dr. James Daniero walks us through how his personal journey with reflux turned into RefluxRaft. a barrier-based solution designed to help patients.

06/04/2025

“They just told me I had a stroke—but no one ever explained what that means.”
In this eye-opening episode, Theresa chats with bilingual SLP and educator Jackie Rodriguez to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of poor outcomes: health literacy.
We’re diving deep into:
--What health literacy actually means (and why it’s not just a “patient problem”)
--How racism still shape our caseloads today
--The difference between a language barrier and a dialect mismatch (and how to spot it)
--Why labeling someone “non-compliant” often misses the full story
--And how SLPs can empower patients by weaving health education into everyday sessions
Jackie’s stories and insights will make you rethink how you assess, educate, and advocate. Whether you’re inpatient, outpatient, or anywhere in between, this conversation will shift the way you show up for your patients—and help you become the provider they actually need.
Listen now and learn how to meet patients where they are, without lowering your clinical bar:

Theresa chats with with bilingual SLP and educator Jackie Rodriguez to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of poor outcomes: health literacy.

05/13/2025

Have you ever sat through a 2-hour webinar only to think, "But what do I actually DO with my patient tomorrow?"

You're not alone.

As a medical SLP and PhD candidate in healthcare education, I've spent years researching how professionals actually learn and develop expertise. What I've discovered has completely transformed how we approach continuing education at the MedSLP Collective.

The research on social learning theory is clear: we learn best by WATCHING others demonstrate skills, not by consuming endless information.

That's why we've completely reimagined our approach to professional development at the MedSLP Collective

✅ NO MORE boring webinars that leave you with more questions than answers
✅ NO MORE data dumps that overwhelm rather than empower
✅ NO MORE endless PDFs you download but never open
✅ NO MORE vague instructions to "critically think" about techniques you've never seen performed
✅ NO MORE passive learning that doesn't stick

Instead, we're focusing on what really matters: showing you exactly how to implement techniques that transform patient care.

🚀 Join Us May 13-15 for a FREE Event Series! 🚀

Tuesday, May 13th at 7PM EDT:
Experience our groundbreaking LIVE Clinical Simulation with Dr. Kristen West, EdD, CCC-SLP. Watch as a complex case unfolds in real-time with expert guidance and clinical reasoning you can apply immediately.

Wednesday, May 14th at 7PM EDT:
- See FEES performed LIVE with Dr. Jessica Pisegna, PhD, CCC-SLP, MEd
- Watch Conversation Training Therapy demonstrated by Dr. Amanda Gillespie, PhD, CCC-SLP

Thursday, May 15th at 7PM EDT:
- Experience script training for aphasia with Brett McCardel, MS, CCC-SLP
- Observe metacognition techniques with Michelle Hoefnagel, MS, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS

No slides. No fluff. No "figure it out yourself." Just clear demonstrations from expert clinicians showing you exactly how to implement evidence-based techniques with your patients.

For over 8 years, the MedSLP Collective has been supporting medical SLPs with resources and education. Now, we're taking everything we've learned about how professionals actually develop expertise and creating a completely new approach to continuing education.

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the future of professional development—designed around how your brain actually learns clinical skills.

Register now at medslpcollective.com/reimagined or comment REIMAGINED and we'll get you signed up!
Recordings will be available until May 24!

05/06/2025

Raise your hand if you've ever felt like airway and breathwork live in some mysterious corner of our field that only a handful of people truly understand 🙋‍♀️

Well... this episode might just be your flashlight. ✨

Theresa chats with the incredibly knowledgeable—and wonderfully down-to-earth—Kaitlyn Shrum, MS, CCC-SLP, QOM, IBT, who wears many hats: certified myofunctional therapist, breathing method instructor, published researcher, children’s book author... and yes, the longtime SLP of Theresa’s own son.

Together, they dive deep into the why and how behind airway-focused assessments, the ripple effect of breathing on sleep, feeding, growth, and overall function, and how SLPs can start paying attention to “the basics” that sometimes get missed—like whether our patients can actually breathe through their nose.

If you’ve ever wondered how to incorporate breathwork into your sessions (without needing fancy equipment or a full-on respiratory background), Kaitlyn breaks it all down in a way that’s accessible, evidence-based, and immediately helpful.

Bonus? She’s got a brand-new course and an adorable children’s book that make these concepts click for both clinicians and kiddos.

Get ready for a conversation that’s equal parts nerdy, nurturing, and necessary. 💛

Listen here:

If you’ve ever wondered how to incorporate breathwork into your sessions, this episode with Kaitlyn Shrum is for you!

04/29/2025

When it comes to true community reentry after brain injury or stroke, real magic happens through teamwork—and Alexandra Arvidson, M.S., CCC-SLP, is here to show us how. 💬✨
In this episode, Alexandra shares her journey from feeling stuck on "SLP Island" to thriving as part of an interdisciplinary dream team that gets patients back into the real world (yes, that includes trips to Target and even karaoke 🎤).

We dive into:
--How interdisciplinary collaboration changes the game for functional outcomes
--The power of person-centered goals (beyond the workbook pages!)
--Meaningful strategies for aphasia and cognitive-linguistic therapy
--Real patient stories that will make you believe even the most overwhelming recoveries are possible ❤️

Whether you're just starting out or looking for a spark to reignite your clinical creativity, this episode is packed with relatable lessons, inspiring wins, and tangible takeaways you can bring into your sessions tomorrow.

👉 Tune in and imagine what's possible when we treat the whole person—not just the impairment:

When it comes to true community reentry after brain injury or stroke, real magic happens through teamwork—and Alexandra Arvidson is here to show us how.

04/14/2025

In this episode of the "Swallow Your Pride" podcast, host Theresa Richard speaks with Dr. Roxann Diez Gross, an expert in dysphagia with over 38 years of experience. Dr. Gross discusses her innovative Diez technique, which focuses on the interplay between breathing and swallowing to treat dysphagia. She shares insights from her research and clinical practice, including memorable cases and the challenges of conducting research in this field. The episode emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practices, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ongoing education for medical speech-language pathologists to improve patient outcomes.
Get the show notes and full episode here:

Dr. Roxann Diez Gross discusses her innovative Diez technique, which focuses on the interplay between breathing and swallowing to treat dysphagia.

04/07/2025

In this episode of the "Swallow Your Pride" podcast, host Theresa Richard speaks with Dr. Lauren Tabor Gray, a clinician scientist and assistant professor at Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Gray, who directs the Gray Research Lab, discusses her work on respiratory exercise interventions for ALS patients. The conversation covers the complexities of managing swallowing disorders in ALS, emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. Key topics include airway management challenges, innovative therapeutic strategies, and the significance of personalized, patient-centered care. Dr. Gray also shares insights on building a successful multidisciplinary ALS clinic, highlighting the need for collaboration and tailored interventions.

Listen to the full episode here:

This week our guest, Dr. Lauren Tabor Gray, discusses her work on respiratory exercise interventions for ALS patients.

03/25/2025

In this episode of the "Swallow Your Pride" podcast, host Theresa Richard engages with Dr. Stephanie Watts CCC/SLP and Jessica Gregor MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S to discuss advancements in dysphagia care. They introduce the Esophageal CoLab and the Robust Esophageal Screening Test (REST), aiming to improve swallowing disorder diagnostics and treatment. The conversation highlights the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, flexible clinical protocols, and ongoing education. Dr. Watts and Jessica share their experiences and research, emphasizing the need for tailored patient care and effective communication strategies.

Listen to the episode and find out about the upcoming course here:

This week's episode is about the Esophageal CoLab and the Robust Esophageal Screening Test (REST), aiming to improve swallowing disorder diagnostics and treatment.

03/17/2025

In this week's episode of the “Swallow Your Pride” podcast, host Theresa Richard interviews Bennett Blakeman, co-founder of K Pharmaceuticals, about Aquoral, a product designed to alleviate dry mouth (xerostomia). Bennett explains how Aquoral differs from typical water-based products by creating a protective layer in the mouth, offering longer-lasting relief. They discuss the importance of patient education, access, and the cost of Aquoral, emphasizing its benefits for individuals undergoing cancer treatments or dealing with Sjögren's syndrome. The episode underscores the need for innovative, patient-centered solutions in the field of swallowing disorders.

Listen and download the show notes here:

Bennett Blakeman explains how Aquoral differs from typical water-based products by creating a protective layer in the mouth, offering longer-lasting relief from Dry Mouth.