When parents are overwhelmed, stressed, or running on empty, it does not just affect them. It impacts the entire family dynamic. In this episode of More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child, we sit down with therapist Stephanie Kaiser to talk about a topic that often gets overlooked: parent mental health.

Instead of focusing only on strategies for children, this conversation shifts the lens back to the parent. Stephanie shares why taking care of your own mental health is one of the most powerful ways to support your child’s emotional development, behavior, and overall well-being. We also break down what therapy actually looks like, how change happens, and where parents can realistically start.

If you have ever felt burnt out, reactive, or unsure how to better support your child, this episode offers both reassurance and practical next steps.

• Why parent mental health directly impacts child behavior and development
• How stress and burnout show up in parenting moments
• What actually happens in therapy and how it creates change
• Common patterns parents fall into without realizing it
• How to respond differently when you feel overwhelmed
• Realistic ways to start prioritizing your mental health
• The connection between self-regulation and your child’s regulation
• A simple mindset shift that can reduce stress at home

Stephanie Kaiser is a psychotherapist who works with adults, with a focus on supporting parents as they navigate stress, emotional regulation, and personal growth. Drawing from her background in child and adolescent mental health, she helps parents better understand how their own experiences, habits, and emotional patterns influence their children. Stephanie is passionate about making therapy feel accessible and helping families create healthier, more supportive environments by starting with the parent.

If this episode helped you see your role as a parent in a new way, please subscribe, rate, and review on your podcast platform. It helps other parents and educators find support and practical tools.

• Mid-Atlantic Psychotherapy: https://midatlanticpsychotherapy.com/
• RLLC's Website: http://www.readingllcenter.com
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• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWlbl8Ea8DJFADaNU9ZK1Vw
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reading-and-language-learning-center

In this episode of More Than Words, we take a closer look at what actually happens during an AAC evaluation and why it is much more than choosing a device. Speech-language pathologist Carleton Levert walks us through the full process, from initial referrals and case review to device trials, observations, and recommendations.

We also explore what makes AAC successful in real life, including team collaboration, personalization, and ongoing support. Along the way, Carleton addresses common myths that can delay access to AAC and shares practical ways families and professionals can better support communication across environments.

• What an AAC evaluation looks like from start to finish
• Why AAC evaluation includes language, motor access, vision, hearing, and environment
• The role of device trials in finding the right communication system
• How collaboration with OTs, teachers, and caregivers supports success
• Red flags that an AAC system is not truly being used or supported
• Why personalization and buy-in are essential for meaningful communication
• How AAC support should evolve as a child grows and changes
• Common myths about AAC, including funding, readiness, and perceived ability

Carleton P. Levert, M.S., CCC-SLP is a licensed speech-language pathologist based in Washington, D.C. He is the founder of We Ask Speech, where he provides speech-language therapy and AAC services across school, clinic, and community-based settings. Carleton works with individuals across the lifespan and is especially passionate about functional communication and real-world application of AAC. His approach emphasizes collaboration, personalization, and empowering individuals to communicate across environments. Outside of his clinical work, he values community-based care and creative ways to support communication in everyday life.

• Carleton’s Website: https://weaskspeech.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/we_ask_speech/
• DC Assistive Technology Program: https://odr.dc.gov/page/assistive-technology-resources

If this episode helped you see your child’s communication, learning, or behavior in a new light, please subscribe, rate, and review on your podcast platform. Your support helps other parents, educators, and clinicians find tools and conversations that make daily life a little easier.

To learn more about services, resources, and upcoming programs, visit us online and connect with us on social media:

• Website: http://www.readingllcenter.com
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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reading-and-language-learning-center

Psychoeducational evaluations can sound intimidating for families, but they are designed to do something very important: help us understand how a child learns. In this episode of More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child, host Tristen speaks with licensed school psychologist Megan Davis about what psychoeducational evaluations really are and how they help uncover the strengths and challenges that shape a child’s learning experience.

Megan explains how these evaluations look at the whole child by examining cognitive skills, academic performance, executive functioning, and social-emotional development. She also walks through what parents and children can expect during the evaluation process, how private evaluations differ from school-based testing, and when it might be the right time to consider an evaluation.

If you have ever wondered whether your child might benefit from an evaluation or felt unsure about what the process involves, this conversation helps remove the mystery. Megan reframes evaluations as a tool for understanding and advocacy, giving families a clearer path forward to help their child thrive.

🔎 What a psychoeducational evaluation is and the questions it helps answer about a child’s learning

🧠 The different components of an evaluation, including cognitive, academic, executive functioning, and social-emotional assessments

👪 What parents and children can expect during the evaluation process from intake to feedback

📊 Signs that it may be time to consider an evaluation for your child

🏫 How private psychoeducational evaluations differ from school-based evaluations

📚 How evaluation results can help families advocate for support at school, in therapy, and at home

💡 Why diagnoses are not about labeling children but about creating clarity and access to the right supports

Megan Davis, Licensed School Psychologist, is the co-owner of Counseling and Assessment Practice of Fairfax (CAP Fairfax). She has over 20 years of experience in school psychology, including 15 years working in public schools before transitioning into private practice. Megan specializes in comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations that help families better understand how their children learn and what supports will help them succeed.

In addition to her clinical work, Megan supervises graduate students at George Mason University, helping train the next generation of school psychologists. Her work focuses on providing clear, practical insights that help families navigate complex educational and developmental systems while supporting each child’s unique strengths.

Counseling and Assessment Practice of Fairfax Website: https://capfairfax.com

Social Media Instagram: @capfairfax Facebook: @capfairfax

More Than Words is brought to you by The Reading & Language Learning Center, where we believe in treating the whole child.

Website: https://www.readingllcenter.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/readingllcenter Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingllcenter YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWlbl8Ea8DJFADaNU9ZK1Vw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reading-and-language-learning-center

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast so more families can find these conversations and resources.

What if supporting speech and language started with the body? In this episode, Tristen is joined by speech-language pathologist and yoga teacher Jennifer Schmid to explore how movement, breath, and regulation can directly support communication.

Together, they unpack why a calm, organized body creates better conditions for speech and language learning, how yoga-informed strategies can fit naturally into speech therapy, and what parents can try at home. This conversation is practical, grounded, and accessible for families and clinicians who want to better support the whole child.

• Why regulation is foundational for speech and language development
• How movement and breath support attention, motor planning, and communication
• What “yoga-informed” really means in a speech therapy context
• How speech-language pathologists can integrate yoga-based strategies without losing focus on goals
• Examples of yoga-informed activities used during speech therapy sessions
• Simple breath and movement routines parents can use at home
• Why supporting the body can help words come more easily

Jennifer Schmid is a speech-language pathologist and yoga instructor who specializes in integrating mind–body practices into speech and language therapy. She brings together evidence-based speech therapy with yoga-informed strategies to support regulation, communication, and learning in children. Jennifer is passionate about helping clinicians and families understand how the body and nervous system influence speech, language, and connection. Through her work, she supports a whole-child approach that is practical, accessible, and grounded in both clinical expertise and compassion.

Learn more about Jennifer and her work at jenschmid.com.

• Jennifer Schmid: https://www.jenschmid.com
• RLLC’s Website: http://www.readingllcenter.com

Follow RLLC on social media for more learning-focused content:

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reading-and-language-learning-center

Subscribe, rate, and review More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child wherever you listen to podcasts.

Why does it feel like kids forget instructions the moment they hear them? In this episode of More Than Words, host Tristen is joined by licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Erika Madison to unpack how executive function plays a critical role in memory. Rather than being a true “memory problem,” many everyday struggles with forgetting directions, losing materials, or blanking on tests are rooted in how the brain organizes, holds, and retrieves information.

Dr. Madison breaks down executive function in clear, relatable terms and explains how skills like attention, working memory, organization, and planning directly impact learning and recall. Together, they explore why memory demands increase as children get older and share practical, realistic strategies parents and educators can use to reduce memory load and better support kids at home and school.

What You’ll Learn

• What executive function is and why it acts like the brain’s “CEO”
• How working memory supports learning and following directions in real time
• Why kids can seem to “know it yesterday” but forget it during tests
• How executive function challenges can look like memory problems
• Why memory demands increase as academic tasks become more complex
• How organization and planning affect memory retrieval
• Practical strategies to reduce memory load and support executive functioning

About Dr. Erika Madison Dr. Erika Madison, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist at MindWell Psychology, where she specializes in comprehensive psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults. Her clinical focus includes executive functioning, attention, learning differences, ADHD, autism, and emotional regulation. Dr. Madison is known for helping families understand the “why” behind a child’s learning or behavioral challenges and translating assessment results into clear, actionable recommendations that support success at home and school. With a background that also includes forensic psychology, she brings a deep understanding of cognitive processes and behavior, along with a practical, compassionate approach to care.

Links & Resources

• Learn more about Dr. Erika Madison and MindWell Psychology: https://mindwell.us/

Subscribe, Rate, and Review If this episode helped you see your child’s behavior in a new light, please subscribe, rate, and review More Than Words on your podcast platform. It helps other parents and teachers find tools that make daily life easier.

Connect with RLLC

• Website: http://www.readingllcenter.com
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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reading-and-language-learning-center

In this episode of More Than Words, we sit down with Madison Brumbaugh, M.S., CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist and clinical assistant professor at The George Washington University whose work focuses on supporting individuals with complex communication needs. Madison has experience serving clients across the lifespan and working in public schools, private practice, and home health settings. She holds master’s degrees in Educational Research and Communication Sciences and Disorders from Georgia State University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Translational Health Sciences at GW. Madison is also active in professional leadership and advocacy, including roles with ASHA and state speech-language-hearing associations.

Whether you are new to AAC or have some background, this conversation highlights a fresh and essential perspective: how we can design AAC supports with students, not for them.

Madison breaks down what AAC actually is and what it looks like in real classrooms and therapy settings. From there, we explore how involving students in the design of AAC tools can increase engagement, support literacy, and help learners express themselves more meaningfully across environments.

We also discuss both low-tech and high-tech AAC supports, including visual organizers and personalized digital tools, and how students can help shape these tools to better meet their communication and learning needs. Throughout the conversation, Madison shares practical examples and mindset shifts that educators, therapists, and families can apply right away.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What AAC is and who it can support
• What it means to design AAC supports with students
• Why student involvement matters for meaningful communication
• How students can participate in designing both low-tech and high-tech AAC tools
• The connection between AAC, literacy, and classroom engagement
• Practical steps educators and families can take to center student voice

This episode is ideal for educators, therapists, and caregivers who want to better understand AAC and create communication supports that truly reflect the students using them.

Links and Resources:

• Madison’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madison-b-b171a9155/
• Madison’s information at George Washington University: Madison Brumbaugh
• About Madison Brumbaugh | DC Speech & Literacy

Make sure to subscribe and follow us on social media so you never miss an episode!

• Website: http://www.readingllcenter.com
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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reading-and-language-learning-center

Oral health is about so much more than cavities. In this episode of More Than Words: Treating the Whole Child, Tristen sits down with Dr. Sheyda Maghsoudi, board-certified pediatric dentist and founder of Lansdowne Pediatric Dentistry, to explore how oral structure, airway health, and daily habits influence speech, feeding, sleep, behavior, and learning.

Dr. Maghsoudi explains how tongue position, jaw and palate development, and breathing patterns play a critical role in how children communicate and function at school. She also shares early warning signs families and therapists can watch for, why collaboration between dentists and other specialists, like speech language pathologists, matters, and how personalized, sensory-informed dental care can transform a child’s experience.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that supporting the mouth and airway is a part of supporting the whole child.

What You’ll Learn:

• How oral health connects to speech, feeding, and learning
• Why tongue posture and nasal breathing are critical for development
• Early signs of oral or airway issues, including mouth breathing and picky eating
• How tongue ties can impact function and why team-based care matters
• The importance of collaboration between dentists, SLPs, OTs, and other providers
• How dental care can be adapted for children with sensory sensitivities
• Everyday habits that support healthy jaw, facial, and airway development
• A real-life example of how improving breathing changed a child’s focus and behavior

Dr. Sheyda Maghsoudi is a board-certified pediatric dentist and the founder of Lansdowne Pediatric Dentistry in Lansdowne, Virginia. She takes a whole-child approach to oral health, focusing on how dental development, airway health, and oral function influence speech, feeding, sleep, and learning. Dr. Maghsoudi is passionate about early intervention and interdisciplinary collaboration, working closely with speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and other pediatric specialists to support children’s overall development. She is especially known for her compassionate, individualized care for children with sensory sensitivities and neurodiverse needs.

Dr. Maghsoudi’s Practice: https://lansdownepediatricdentistry.com/

Lansdowne’s Phone number: 571-210-2771

Reading & Language Learning Center:

Website: http://www.readingllcenter.com

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In this powerful episode, we’re unpacking what Speech-Language Pathologists really know, and wish they knew, about dyslexia. After interviewing dozens of SLPs and graduate students at the 2024 ASHA Convention, we discovered clear themes: misinformation, missing training, personal stories of struggle and resilience, and a deep desire for better tools to support dyslexic learners.

Joined by Susan (RLLC Owner) and Maggie (RLLC Therapist), host Tristen dives into what today’s SLPs are experiencing in the field: everything from misconceptions like “letters flipping” to the reality that most grad programs barely touch structured literacy or dyslexia at all. We explore what this means for families, how SLPs fit into the dyslexia landscape, and why specialized language-based literacy training is more important than ever.

This episode is honest, validating, and packed with insight for parents, educators, and clinicians who want to understand dyslexia through a truly language-based lens.

• The top myths SLPs reported hearing about dyslexia
• Why dyslexia is not a visual issue, but a language-based learning difference
• The nationwide training gap in graduate programs
• Emotional stories from SLPs who personally have dyslexia
• System-level challenges around screening and assessment
• Why SLPs are the right professionals to support dyslexia — when properly trained
• Practical questions SLPs are asking: identification, intervention, evaluation, bilingual learners, and more
• How training, clarity, and a structured literacy framework can transform SLP confidence

If this episode left you thinking, “I want to learn this, I just never got the training.” you’re not alone. And we can help.

RLLC now offers several professional development courses, including:

• Orton–Gillingham Spelling Rules — practical and immediately applicable
• How to Test for Dyslexia — evaluation guidance for SLPs and educators

And coming soon:

Our signature structured literacy training is now IDA Accredited at the Accreditation Plus level, the highest recognition IDA offers. This program provides the tools you need to become a:

• Certified Structured Literacy Teacher
• Structured Literacy Specialist
• Structured Literacy Interventionist

Join the interest list or explore current courses at: 👉 www.readingllcenter.com/professional-development

The Reading & Language Learning Center

Website: http://www.readingllcenter.com

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If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review as it helps more families and clinicians find this content!