De Facto Leaders

De Facto Leaders


Latest Episodes

Therapy session structure, narrative language, and commentary on gestalt language processing
March 27, 2024

In this episode, I share a special Q & A session I did with the members of Language Therapy Advance Foundations; my program that provides service providers with a research-based framework for language therapy.I get a lot of questions about how to make

Debriefing, de-escalation, and relationship repair (with Crissy Mombela)
March 20, 2024

Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors dont have to define us.This is an important thing to remember for adults dealing with professional burnout and compassion fatigue; and its also important to model for kids.When school discipline focuses on punitive

The cost of caring: Compassion fatigue in education and healthcare (with Crissy Mombela)
March 13, 2024

People working in school or medical settings are in a position to be caring for others in their professional lives; which makes it difficult to leave work at work.When you combine that with relationships outside of work, family responsibilities or having

Does your SYSTEM support your policy and your curriculum? (with Jalita Johnson)
March 06, 2024

If we try to make schools in the US more like schools in other countries, will that result in more effective practices? Why do policies work in some districts, but not others? Many ideas sound good on paper; but the people working with students or leading

BONUS: SEEing to Lead: Seeing the whole staircase (with Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan)
February 28, 2024

This week, Im sharing an interview I did with another host on the BE podcast network because I think its something youll really enjoy. The episode is going live in the De Facto Leaders podcast feed.Dr. Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts

Am I influencing or trying to control? Reframing advocacy and clinical leadership (with Candice Noss)
February 21, 2024

Theres a difference between influence and control.Whether were making suggestions to a coworker, asking a supervisor for support, setting expectations with kids, or interacting with someone in an online forumwere all attempting to create behavioral c

Audiobooks, homework research, and the "read for 20 minutes" rule
February 14, 2024

If the schools are devoting time and money to improving reading instruction, how should the rest of the day look for kids as it pertains to literacy?Should parents be working with kids at home? If so, how much? What about reading? Can we use apps to help

Unlocking success through sensory processing and team collaboration (with Maude Le Roux)
February 07, 2024

When I first learned about the field of occupational therapy, I had a very superficial understanding of what it entailed. In the school systems, it seemed like referrals often focused on fine-motor skills related to school, like pencil grip. When I learne

High school language therapy: Do we still have time to make an impact? (with Tiffany Shahoumian-Ruiz)
January 31, 2024

Language therapy often focuses on early intervention; but what happens if students continue to struggle with language in the high school years?Many SLPs are pressured to drop students from their caseloads or move to a consult-only model when students tra

The six stages of financial independence for therapists and educators (with Ben Hockema)
January 24, 2024

In this conversation, Ben Hockema and I discuss how to create a solid financial plan in your career so you can focus your time and energy on the impact you can make.We discuss all kinds of possibilities; whether you want to stay in your current position