This episode is about how to thrive as a preschool SLP. The episode opens with an acknowledgement that working as an SLP will probably never be easy, but it asserts that thriving is possible. It then moves into a brief recognition of the uniquely challenging and exhausting work that preschool SLPs do each day. The episode then goes on to offer three strategies to thrive as a preschool SLP. The first strategy is embracing authenticity. There’s a common idea that preschool SLPs are bubbly all the time, but students value authenticity more than a specific personality type. The episode also notes the importance of encouraging our students to be authentic as well, and this may mean adjusting some of our behavioral expectations. The second strategy involves being willing to seek out preschool experts, especially because preschool intervention can be a niche area. It’s difficult to thrive when we believe that we have to figure everything out on our own! The third strategy is about simplifying our therapy and focusing on activities that are backed by research and can target multiple skills at once.

This episode is about SLPs and conflict management. It opens with a discussion of Nonviolent Communication, an approach that focuses on using empathy during challenging interactions. There are four main components in Nonviolent Communication: observation, feelings, needs and requests. A core understanding within Nonviolent Communication is that everything we do is in service of our needs. This idea can help us understand why others do what they do—and why we do what we do! Nonviolent Communication also uses animal metaphors to describe different communication styles. Jackal communication is aggressive and judgmental, and operates with a limited perspective. Giraffe communication comes from the heart, and it uses a more expansive perspective. After exploring Nonviolent Communication, I talk about strategies from Harvard’s Program on Negotiation. These strategies focus on finding common ground during a conflict. I close the episode with a reminder that listening can be one of our most powerful actions in a conflict. In his book Never Split the Difference, well-known hostage negotiator Chris Voss emphasizes that the listener is the participant who controls a conversation.

This episode shares communication tips to use during situations that tend to involve complex and nuanced conversations; e.g., at family gatherings over the holidays, and during meetings with parents or caregivers. The strategies that are included in the episode come from three recently released books about communication. The first book I discuss is Permission to Speak, by Samara Bay. The tips from this book include deep belly breathing and an intentional approach to glottal fry and upspeak. The second book I discuss is Supercommunicators, by Charles Duhigg. The tips from this book include knowing what type of conversation you are having, looping for understanding, and preparing for conversations ahead of time. The third book I discuss is How to Know a Person, by David Brooks. The tip from this book is all about working towards using communication to see the best in others.