In this episode, Ruth Rowntree interviewed by Libby Hall, takes a clear-eyed look at why speech apraxia remains so poorly understood within speech and language therapy. She examines the persistent gaps in university training, the limited exposure many clinicians have to apraxia in practice, and the consequences this has for diagnosis, confidence, and care.

Ruth also speaks candidly about the often unspoken barriers faced by people entering the SLT profession with a speech difference. Drawing on lived experience and professional insight, she challenges assumptions about competence, communication, and credibility, and makes the case for a profession that better reflects the diversity of the people it serves.

This is a thoughtful, uncompromising conversation about education, bias, and what needs to change if speech and language therapy is to truly understand and include speech apraxia.

In this episode, Jodie Simpson, an autistic speech and language therapist, talks openly about her journey into the profession and her research on neurodiversity within speech and language therapy. Jodie explores the realities faced by neurodivergent therapists, including discrimination, ableism, and barriers within training and clinical practice. She challenges deficit-based thinking and makes a clear case for recognising and valuing neurodivergent differences rather than framing them as disorders.

Jodie also discusses her research into professional identity and highlights the distinct strengths and perspectives neurodivergent therapists bring to their work with clients, families, and colleagues. We underline the urgent need for more inclusive education, workplaces, and professional cultures. The episode ends with a clear message: embracing difference strengthens the profession, and neurodivergent therapists deserve recognition, support, and equal opportunity to thrive.

Kimberley Williams explores the realities of working with acquired apraxia of speech, a rare motor speech disorder that most often presents alongside aphasia following stroke. Drawing on extensive clinical experience, Kimberley explains the specialist skills required, the challenges clinicians face, and what effective support looks like in practice. She also reflects on the personal and professional motivations that led her into this field, offering a grounded, honest perspective on why this work matters and what continues to drive her commitment to people living with acquired apraxia of speech.