Dysphagia—difficulty swallowing—affects millions worldwide, especially older adults and those in care settings. For these individuals, mealtime can become a source of anxiety, frustration, and even malnutrition. But what if texture-modified diets could be transformed from a clinical necessity into a source of dignity, comfort, and joy?

In a this week’s episode, Andy Cullum—renowned chef, IDDSI trainer, and advocate for person-centered dysphagia care—shared his journey, philosophy, and actionable strategies for revolutionizing the dining experience for people with swallowing difficulties.

This in-depth podcast distills Andy’s expert advice, offering practical guidance for chefs, caregivers, clinicians, and anyone passionate about improving mealtimes for those on modified textured diets.

Episode Show Notes: https://syppodcast.com/377
The IDDSI Guy Website - https://www.theiddsiguy.com/

The post 377 – From Blended to Beautiful: Elevating Texture-Modified Meals with Andy Cullum appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

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.

Get the show notes: https://syppodcast.com/376
Follow Theresa Richard on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theresarichardslp
Folllow the LinkedIn Newsletter here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6925225047716499457/

The post 376 – Tackling the Challenges of Pediatric Feeding: What Every Clinician Should Know appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

Ever leave a CEU course thinking…

“Okay, but how do I actually do this with a patient tomorrow?”

In this episode, Theresa Richard sits down with Dr. Kristen West to talk all things active learning—including how we’ve evolved from death-by-PowerPoint to interactive clinical simulations (yep, even flaming barrels made an appearance ).

Whether you're a new grad, mid-career, or switching settings, this convo will hit home.

Learn more about the MedSLP Collective: https://medslpcollective.com
Find more episodes here: https://swallowyourpridepodcast.com

The post 375 – Beyond the Lecture: The Future of Med SLP Learning appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

What happens when a passionate SLP flies to Hawaii to train a hospital team in FEES—and ends up learning just as much as she teaches?

In this episode, Theresa shares the powerful, behind-the-scenes story of a multi-day FEES training in a hospital system. From the logistics (yes, including rolled up manila folders) to the deeply human moments (like helping a burn patient eat for the first time in months), you’ll hear exactly what it takes to build confident, compassionate FEES providers—without throwing anyone to the wolves.

This isn’t just about technique. It’s about mindset. Mentorship. The language we use. The space we create. And the incredible ripple effect it all has on patient care.

Whether you're a seasoned FEES mentor or considering your very first pass, this story-driven episode will leave you inspired, empowered, and maybe even a little teary-eyed (in the best way).

Listen to the full episode at: https://syppodcast.com/374

Follow Theresa:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theresarichardslp
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheresaRichardMedicalSLP
Subscribe to LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6925225047716499457/

The post 374 – Building Confidence in FEES: The Key to Successful Swallowing Assessments appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

After an unexpected summer hiatus, we’re back with a solo episode that’s part update, part confession, and 100% from the heart. In this deeply personal kickoff to the new season, Theresa opens up about a professional ego check she didn’t see coming—one that hit close to home.As a board-certified swallowing specialist, choosing a feeding tube for my own son was never part of the plan. But what started as a tough decision turned into something surprisingly beautiful: freedom, nourishment, and a whole lot of learning.In this episode, Theresa Richard shares the behind-the-scenes updates on her dissertation, the MSLP-C™ Certification accreditation, exciting changes in the MedSLP Collective—and the very real parenting moments that led her to a new understanding of what feeding success can look like.Whether you're a med SLP, a parent, or someone navigating what it means to truly support patients and families, this episode is for you.

Join the MedSLP Collective: https://medslpcollective.com/

Find out. more about the MSLP-C™ Certification Program: https://medslped.com/certification

The post 373 – From Board-Certified in Swallowing… to Getting a Feeding Tube for My Son appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

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 about RefluxRaft.

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.

We dive into the science behind alginates, the "physics problem" behind reflux, and the collaborative power between ENTs, SLPs, and GIs. This one’s for the med SLPs who want to understand the why behind the symptoms—and the potential tools to help.

https://RefluxRaft.com

Download show notes and references here: https://syppodcast.com/372

The post 372 – What If Reflux Isn’t Just an Acid Problem? A New Way to Think About It with RefluxRaft appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

“They just told me I had a stroke—but no one ever explained what that means.”

In this eye-opening episode, Theresa chats with with bilingual SLP and educator Jackie Rodriguez to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of poor outcomes: health literacy.

Episode Page: https://syppodcast.com/371

The post 371 – When Care Misses the Mark: How Health Literacy Impacts Our Patients appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Wait… are we as SLPs really allowed to be in the esophagus?” — this episode is for you. Theresa brings on two MedSLP Collective favorites, Christoph Schmitz, CEO of PatCom Medical, Inc, and Laura McWilliams, med SLP + board-certified swallowing specialist + all-around powerhouse. Together, they unpack what might just be […]

The post 370 – Improving NG Tube Placement: What Every Med SLP Should Know About the PatCom Introducer appeared first on Swallow Your Pride Podcast.