The Untethered Podcast™

When a child presents with complex speech or feeding challenges, it’s easy to focus solely on the surface-level behaviors. But true, long-lasting transformation happens when we dig deeper to look inside the mouth and assess the underlying muscle function.In this episode, Hallie sits down with Galina Kislin, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and myofunctional therapist, to discuss her clinical journey and the shift that led her to prioritize root-cause assessments. Galina shares her experiences transitioning from Early Intervention into private practice, highlighting how a myofunctional approach became the "missing piece" for her stalled feeding and speech cases.Together, Hallie and Galina dive into the critical importance of looking at a child from the bottom up, executing thorough oral-motor exams, and building local interdisciplinary care teams. Galina also shares actionable, naturalistic strategies to help families integrate therapy seamlessly into their daily routines without feeling overwhelmed.About the Guest: Galina Kislin, M.A., CCC-SLP, CMT®Galina Kislin is a bilingual (Russian/English) speech-language pathologist and Certified Orofacial Myologist (CMT®) with 28 years of rich clinical experience. Her journey began in Early Intervention, where an early exposure to oral-motor therapy ignited her lifelong passion for pediatric feeding. Over nearly three decades, Galina has served children across preschools, elementary schools, and multidisciplinary outpatient clinics.Key Topics & TakeawaysThe Missing Piece:The Root Cause Approach:Interdisciplinary Collaboration:Soundbites"Why has nobody else looked in the mouth? We cannot treat what we don't thoroughly assess.""We need to look at everything from the bottom up. Understanding the underlying root causes completely changes your clinical outcomes.""Therapy shouldn't feel like an extra burden for parents. When we integrate functional, naturalistic strategies into daily life, families feel truly empowered."Timestamps01:01 – Galina's Journey: From Early Intervention into Myofunctional Therapy03:10 – Facing Structural Hurdles and Stalled Feeding Challenges in EI04:46 – The Missing Piece: Embracing a Myofunctional Lens & Finding the Root Cause09:40 – Intentional Parent Education and Functional, Hour-Long Sessions10:58 – Crafting Naturalistic Home Strategies That Blend Into Daily Routines14:03 – Navigating the Real-World Limitations and Rules of Early Intervention16:33 – The Vital Importance of Thorough Oral Motor Exams Over Assumptions24:22 – Boutique Service: Guiding Families Through the Treatment Process with Empathy27:42 – The Clinical Value of True Root Cause Tracking (The Middle School "R" Case)30:11 – Unpacking a Case: Speech, Feeding, and Myo Evaluation Integration33:22 – Unlocking Speech Clarity and Intelligibility Without Traditional Targeting37:58 – Private Practice Growth Mindset, Autonomy, and Overcoming Limitations40:37 – Final Thoughts, Where to Connect with Galina, and Closing ResourceLinks & ResourcesConnect with Galina: Explore her courses and resources at www.Love2communicate.com and follow her updates on Instagram.Clinical Assessment Tool: Easily screen for muscle patterns and oral dysfunction at FastMyoScreening.com.RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVEEP 343: Inside a Mission-Driven Pediatric Feeding PracticeEpisode 145: The Missing Link In Your SLP & OT Screenings with Hallie Bulkin, MA, CCC-SLP, COMSTAY CONNECTED💬 Join the Conversation: Catch behind-the-scenes insights, collaboration tips, and daily clinical pearls on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!If Galina's root-cause approach inspired you to collaborate with new providers in your area, please take a second to leave a review! Your support helps us reach the pediatric professionals and families searching for these exact answers. 

When a child struggles with swallowing, chewing, or food transitions, our first instinct is often to look directly at traditional feeding strategies. But what if the missing piece of the puzzle isn't the food itself, but the foundational resting posture and function of the orofacial muscles?In this solo episode, Hallie Bulkin demystifies myofunctional therapy (Myo) and explores its critical, undeniable overlap with pediatric feeding therapy. She breaks down how addressing underlying myofunctional dysfunction can drastically accelerate your clinical progress, protect airway safety, and create long-term, sustainable outcomes for the children on your caseload.Hallie addresses common misconceptions surrounding Myo, discusses structural considerations like tongue-ties, and explains why a whole-system approach—looking at tongue posture, breathing, and body alignment—is non-negotiable. If you're ready to stop looking at oral motor function in a vacuum and want practical steps to seamlessly weave myofunctional thinking into your next feeding evaluation, this episode is exactly what you need.Key Topics & TakeawaysDefining the Scope of Myo: Understanding what myofunctional therapy actually is and how it targets the resting postures and functions of the oral and facial muscles.The Perfect Partners: Why feeding therapy and Myo should never be treated as entirely separate disciplines, but rather as deeply interconnected systems that support one another.The Trifecta of Function: Exploring how tongue resting posture, nasal breathing, and physical body posture directly dictate a child's success with chewing and safe swallowing mechanics.Debunking Common Misconceptions: Shedding light on the myths surrounding myofunctional therapy and highlighting the evidence-based research that supports its clinical efficacy.Integrating the Assessment: Practical, realistic steps to incorporate orofacial muscle function and structural considerations (like tongue-ties) into your standard feeding evaluations without blowing your timeline.Soundbites"Feeding and Myo are partners, not separate disciplines. When you treat them as a connected system, your outcomes transform.""Addressing myofunctional dysfunction speeds up feeding progress. We cannot build functional feeding skills on top of poor oral resting postures.""Myo literacy makes you a better clinician in any specialty. It completely shifts the lens through which you analyze a child's struggles."Timestamps00:02:29 | Defining Myofunctional Therapy00:03:32 | The Root Cause vs. Symptom Lens00:07:09 | Breaking Through Feeding Plateaus00:11:56 | Where Feeding and Myo Overlap00:14:41 | Airway Management & Nasal Breathing00:18:12 | Debunking the "Just Exercises" Myth00:23:54 | How to Run a Myo Assessment00:30:12 | The 5-Step Integration Framework00:33:33 | The Connected Child SystemLinks & ResourcesClinical Tool: Streamline your assessments and screen for muscle dysfunction F.A.S.T. MYO SCREENING PACKET: Need a simple & science-backed way to screen your patients for potential orofacial myofunctional disorders?WORTH A LISTEN: CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEYThe 4 Layers of Feeding: How to Finally Know Where to StartWhen You Screen a Child and Think 'Now What?STAY CONNECTED💬 Join the Conversation: Connect with our community, catch weekly clinical breakdowns, and get daily practice tips on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn.If this episode helped you see the connection between muscle posture and feeding progress, please leave a quick review! Your support helps us reach the pediatric professionals and families looking for these vital puzzle pieces.

As pediatric therapists, we know that our time with a child is only one small piece of the puzzle. Real, lasting progress happens when parents and caregivers feel confident carrying strategies into everyday family life. Yet, navigating parent communication can sometimes feel like its own clinical challenge.In this episode, Hallie sits down with Johanna Stadtmauer, MS, CCC-SLP, a pediatric speech-language pathologist, feeding therapist, and owner of Ready Stadt Speech. Johanna shares her passion for family-centered care, breaking down how clinicians can intentionally weave counseling skills and active listening into their daily practice to meet parents exactly where they are.They explore how Johanna uses innovative practice models like caregiver classes to build a supportive local community, and dive into how private practice owners can leverage social media and AI tools responsibly without losing the human connection that defines excellent therapy. Whether you’re looking to deepen your rapport with families or want actionable insights on clinical entrepreneurship, this interview offers a refreshing, holistic roadmap.About the Guest: Johanna Stadtmauer, MS, CCC-SLPJohanna Stadtmauer is a pediatric speech-language pathologist, feeding therapist, and the owner of Ready Stadt Speech, serving families in Northern Bergen County, New Jersey. Specializing in the early stages of speech, language, feeding, and literacy development, Johanna is also an SLP consultant and advisor. As both a clinician and a mother to three young children, she brings a uniquely relatable perspective to child development, helping parents feel genuinely empowered rather than overwhelmed.Key Topics & TakeawaysCounseling Skills in Action: Moving past rigid clinical updates and incorporating active listening to facilitate goal-focused, empathetic conversations with caregivers.Building Community Beyond the Table: How designing and promoting local caregiver classes transforms isolated parenting struggles into shared community experiences.Responsible Tech Integration: Navigating the role of AI in modern practice—using tools like Glint to support administrative tasks or visual creation while fully preserving human judgment and clinical intuition.Grounding in Your "Why": Why keeping your core mission at the forefront is the ultimate guide for sustainable private practice growth and marketing alignment.The Multidisciplinary Approach: Empowering families by fostering a holistic care team that treats the whole child.Soundbites"Be transparent with families about what to expect. True collaboration starts with setting clear, honest expectations.""AI can support but it can never replace human connection. Our empathy and clinical intuition are irreplaceable.""Know your 'why' to guide your practice and growth. When things get complex, your core mission is your compass."Timestamps02:18 The Importance of Communication in Therapy 05:25 Navigating Challenges in Therapy 11:11 Building Community Through Caregiver Classes 14:38 Marketing and Positioning in Private Practice 19:09 The Absolute Importance of Human Connection 22:42 Navigating AI in Therapy Responsibly 27:44 Understanding Your Why 31:32 Building a Holistic Care Team 33:58 Empowering Families in Therapy 37:48 The Journey of an SLP EntrepreneurLinks & ResourcesVisit Johanna’s Website: readystatsspeech.comFollow Johanna on Instagram: @ReadyStadtSpeechWORTH A LISTEN: CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEYEpisode 371: When You Screen a Child and Think 'Now What?'Episode 372: From Guessing to Growth: How a Clear Framework Transformed My PracticeSTAY CONNECTED & GROW YOUR PRACTICEJoin the conversation: Get behind-the-scenes insights, clinical pearls, and real conversations over on Substack.

When a child struggles with feeding, it’s easy to get laser-focused on oral-motor exercises or sensory strategies. But what if the root cause isn't a lack of coordination, but a struggle to breathe?In this solo episode, Hallie Bulkin dives deep into a critical, yet frequently missed, component of pediatric feeding therapy: airway screening. Airway issues often hide in plain sight, quietly undermining feeding progress and leaving clinicians wondering why their traditional treatment plans have stalled.Hallie breaks down the undeniable connection between airway health, posture, and feeding mechanics. She highlights the specific signs of airway obstruction every therapist should look out for, outlines clear referral pathways, and explains why screening the airway is fully within your scope of practice. If you want to elevate your clinical outcomes and treat the whole child with true clarity and intention, this episode is a must-listen.Key Topics & TakeawaysAirway in Scope: Why airway screening is not a luxury or a sub-specialty—it is a foundational part of your clinical scope as a feeding therapist.Signs of Airway Obstruction: Recognizing the red flags of compromised breathing, from subtle mouth breathing and poor daytime posture to severe nighttime sleep disturbances.Feeding Mechanics & Tongue Position: How an unsupported airway forces compensatory tongue resting positions, instantly disrupting the mechanics required for safe and efficient chewing and swallowing.The Posture Connection: Why children with airway issues alter their head and neck alignment just to breathe, and how this compromised posture stalls feeding progress.Navigating the Referral Pathway: Knowing exactly when to step back and coordinate care with an ENT or airway-focused specialist before proceeding with direct feeding intervention.Soundbites"Airway screening is not outside your lane - it is a vital part of your scope as a feeding therapist.""If a child is struggling to breathe, their nervous system will always prioritize oxygen over eating. Tongue position impacts feeding mechanics, but airway dictates tongue position.""We cannot out-therapy an airway obstruction. Sleep disturbances and daytime breathing struggles will always affect feeding outcomes."Timestamps01:15 Why Airway Screening Matters03:00 The Biggest Mistake Feeding Therapists Make06:01 Why Airway Is Often Missed in Training09:00 What Airway Dysfunction Looks Like12:00 The Medical System's Blind Spot15:02 Airway Screening: What to Look For18:00 Real-World Case Results & Outcomes21:00 How to Start Screening for Airway Issues24:00 Final Thoughts & Resources Download the Packet here: https://www.feedthepeds.com/f-a-s-t-myo-screening-packet-3WORTH A LISTEN: CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEYEpisode 371: When You Screen a Child and Think 'Now What?'Episode 369: The 4 Layers of Feeding: How to Finally Know Where to StartSTAY CONNECTED & GROW YOUR PRACTICEJoin the conversation: Get behind-the-scenes insights, clinical pearls, and real conversations over on Substack.

When looking into tethered oral tissues, it is easy to focus entirely on visual structural appearance. However, judging a restriction by looks alone frequently misses the true clinical picture. Real progress happens when healthcare providers shift the diagnostic paradigm away from what a tie looks like and focus entirely on how it affects dynamic function over a patient's lifespan.In this episode, Hallie sits down with Dr. Richard Baxter, DMD, MS, FAAPD, a board-certified pediatric dentist, founder of the Alabama Tongue-Tie Center, and lead author of the bestselling book Tongue-Tied. Dr. Baxter shares his personal and professional insights into the complexities of identifying oral restrictions, moving past basic anatomical definitions to explore how a tiny string under the tongue can alter systemic, long-term health.About the Guest: Dr. Richard BaxterDr. Richard Baxter is a board-certified pediatric dentist, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), a Diplomate of the American Board of Laser Surgery, and the founder of the Alabama Tongue-Tie Center. As an internationally recognized speaker and creator of the Tongue-Tied Academy, he has dedicated his career to educating healthcare providers and parents on the structural and functional impacts of oral restrictions. Having experienced a tongue-tie himself and treated his three daughters as infants, his dedication to the field is deeply personal. He resides in Birmingham, Alabama, with his family.Key Topics & TakeawaysSymptoms Over Appearance: Why a visual exam never tells the full story and why diagnostic protocols must prioritize symptom functional profiles over pure aesthetics.Groundbreaking Research in Complex Profiles: Dr. Baxter shares fascinating insights from recent research surrounding oral restrictions and their structural correlations to cerebral palsy.Buccal and Lip Ties Exploded: Clarifying the distinct functional impacts of cheek and lip restrictions, and how they play a role in infant feeding dynamics.The Interdisciplinary Standard: Best practices for post-operative care, follow-up timelines, and maintaining clear, collaborative communication lines across the therapy team.Soundbites"Common does not mean normal." "Digestion starts in the mouth.""Untie the shoelaces for proper function."Timestamps00:00:00 – Intro Hook: The Shoelace Analogy breakdown.00:01:03 – Guest Welcome: Dr. Richard Baxter joins the show.00:02:43 – Clinical Debate: Treating oral restrictions based on symptoms vs. appearance.00:06:51 – Collaborative Care: How a therapist should present a concise, one-page case review to a doctor.00:09:13 – The Post-Op Rule: Why myofunctional therapy is essential (The knee surgery comparison).00:11:51 – Clinical Truths: Why "common" does not mean "normal" when tracking snoring or mouth-breathing.00:13:08 – Complex Case Study: Dr. Baxter's landmark research on tongue-tie releases in children with Cerebral Palsy.00:20:27 – Digestion & The Nervous System: How poor swallowing mechanics trigger chronic fight-or-flight states.00:26:49 – Emerging Research: Survey insights on identifying and treating Buccal (cheek) ties globally.00:32:24 – The Bed-Wetting Link: The surprising connection between airway stress, heart peptides, and nocturnal polyuria.00:48:28 – Reclaiming "No-Man's Land": Why releasing ties between 6 months and 4 years old is critical for core brain development.Links & ResourcesRead the Best Selling Book: Tongue-Tied by Dr. Richard BaxterExplore Clinical Resources: Visit TongueTie.comWatch and Learn: Tune into Dr. Baxter's YouTube ChannelWORTH A LISTEN: CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEYEpisode 200: Functional Impact: When A Tongue Tie Is ACTUALLY A Tongue TieEP 348: Tongue Ties, Sleep Apnea & More: The Patient-Centered Approach to Airway DentistrySTAY CONNECTED & GROW YOUR PRACTICEJoin the conversation: Get behind-the-scenes insights, clinical pearls, and real conversations over on Substack.

Making the leap from a school-based setting into a specialized pediatric feeding niche is an incredible professional transformation. But what happens when that career pivot collides with your own deeply personal parenting journey?In this episode, Hallie sits down with Aerica Walsh, M.S., CCC-SLP, CPFT™, an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist, pediatric feeding therapist, and the founder of Thrive Therapy Solutions. Aerica opens up about her unique path into the world of pediatric feeding—a journey that took a profoundly meaningful turn when her daughter was born with tongue and lip ties that impacted their early breastfeeding dynamic, followed by her son being born with Down syndrome and diagnostic feeding challenges.They dive into the common medical misconceptions surrounding low tone and special needs, the reality of balancing deep grief with profound gratitude as a parent, and the heavy advocacy needed in hospital and NICU settings. This conversation is an invaluable mix of raw personal storytelling, actionable clinical advice, and a beautiful reminder of why compassionate, holistic, family-centered care always trumps generic medical protocols.Key Topics & TakeawaysThe Leap From Schools to Feeding: How Aerica navigated the transition from a traditional school-based SLP caseload into the highly specialized world of feeding therapy.A Diagnosis in the Middle of Training: Aerica shares the emotional and clinical impact of receiving her child's Down syndrome diagnosis while completing her specialized CPFT™ program.The "Low Tone" Misconception: A close look at why low muscle tone is so frequently misunderstood in children with Down syndrome, and how to look past a label to find functional solutions.The Power of Pre-Feeding Skills: Practical strategies for supporting vital pre-feeding motor skills long before a child with special needs ever takes their first bite of solids.Advocacy & "The Mama Gut": Why clinical reasoning and motherly intuition should always come before generic medical timelines in hospital and NICU environments.Building Thrive Therapy Solutions: The challenges, rewards, and exact mindset shifts required to successfully launch your own specialized private practice while parenting children with additional needs.Soundbites"Low tone is often misunderstood in Down syndrome" "Trust your mama gut over medical protocols" "Find your niche and dive deep into it"Timestamps00:00 – Intro Clip00:20 – Welcome to the Untethered Podcast00:57 – Meet Aerica Walsh, M.S., CCC-SLP, CPFT™02:10 – How Motherhood Led Aerica Into Feeding Therapy04:35 – Pregnancy Expectations vs Reality07:15 – Parenting a Child With Additional Needs10:25 – NICU Experience & Early Feeding Challenges13:40 – The Overwhelming Amount of Parenting Advice15:00 – Identifying Feeding & Development Concerns18:20 – Tongue Ties, Breastfeeding & Early Intervention21:45 – Navigating Medical Professionals & Parent Advocacy25:00 – Hospital Experiences & Emotional Impact28:15 – Why Standardized Feeding Support Matters30:00 – Gaps in Pediatric & Feeding Education34:10 – Supporting Families Beyond Clinical Care37:50 – The Emotional Side of Motherhood & Therapy40:00 – Learning to Trust Your Parent Instincts43:25 – Helping Parents Feel Seen & Supported46:40 – Balancing Family Life & Professional Growth50:00 – Building a Career in Feeding Therapy52:30 – Advice for Clinicians Entering Feeding Therapy55:00 – Investing in Education & Mentorship57:00 – Final Thoughts & OutroLinks & ResourcesConnect with Aerica: Follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thrivewithaerica/WORTH A LISTEN: CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEYEP 343: Inside a Mission-Driven Pediatric Feeding PracticeEpisode 361: Why Two Therapists Get Different Feeding Outcomes (And How to Fix ItSTAY CONNECTED & GROW YOUR PRACTICEJoin the conversation: Get behind-the-scenes insights, clinical pearls, and real conversations over on Substack.