In this episode of The Untethered Podcast, Hallie Bulkin sits down with Kelly Wenger to explore the evolution of a pediatric feeding clinician. Kelly shares her raw and relatable journey—from the initial overwhelm of entering private practice as a new mother to finding her voice as a confident feeding specialist.

The conversation dives deep into the "confidence gap" many clinicians face when dealing with complex feeding cases. Kelly discusses how shifting to an integrative approach and moving therapy into the home environment has not only improved patient outcomes but has also allowed for a more profound connection with parents. Whether you are a clinician looking to level up your skills or a business owner wanting to build a stronger referral network, this episode offers a roadmap for professional and personal growth.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:

✔️ The Confidence Catalyst: How specialized training like Feed the Peds transforms clinical uncertainty into expert action.

✔️ The In-Home Advantage: Why the home environment is the "secret sauce" for the generalization of feeding skills.

✔️ Integrative Thinking: How to look at a child holistically to address multiple developmental needs simultaneously.

✔️ Building Your Network: Strategies for creating a robust referral circle that supports your practice growth.

✔️ Empowering Parents: Navigating the shift in parental awareness and how to effectively educate caregivers on their child’s needs.

✔️ The Ripple Effect: Understanding how one clinician’s education creates a wave of positive impact across an entire community.

Join me for this free 3-day training, where I’ll show you how to screen feeding cases clearly, confidently, and with intention — so you know exactly what to do next.

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Episode 314: Navigating Motherhood and Feeding Challenges with Aerica Walsh M.S, CCC-SLP
• When Imposter Syndrome Shows Up in Pediatric Feeding Therapy (and What to Do Next)

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

💬 Let’s hang out on social: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Untethered Podcast, Hallie Bulkin dives into the intricate world of pediatric eating behaviors, pulling back the curtain on why "picky eating" is often a symptom of a much deeper developmental gap.

Many caregivers and clinicians feel stuck when a child refuses certain foods, often labeling it as a behavioral "no." Hallie challenges this perspective, urging us to look at the infrastructure of the mouth. She explores how the transition from a simple vertical munch to a mature circular rotary chew isn't just a milestone—it's the foundation of safe and varied nutrition.

This episode dives deep into the reality that clinical excellence requires a keen eye for motor mechanics and sensory processing. From identifying the three distinct chewing patterns to creating supportive environments that reduce mealtime stress, Hallie provides a roadmap for anyone looking to transform a child’s relationship with food.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✔️ Why "surface behaviors" are red flags: How to stop chasing symptoms and start addressing causes.

✔️ The 3 Stages of Chewing: Understanding vertical, diagonal, and circular rotary patterns.

✔️ Sensory vs. Motor: How to distinguish between a child who won’t eat and a child who can’t eat.

✔️ The Role of Textures: Why certain food groups are "safe" and others are "scary" based on mechanical demand.

✔️ Observation Skills: How to spot "pocketing" or ineffective grinding during mealtime.

✔️ Strengths-Based Intervention: Why building on a child’s current motor abilities is more effective than forcing progress.

✔️ Success Redefined: How improving chewing mechanics directly improves the quality of life for the whole family.

If you’re ready to stop second-guessing your clinical decisions and start leading with confidence, Screen The Peds to Feed The Peds is your next step.

Join me for this free 3-day training, where I’ll show you how to screen feeding cases clearly, confidently, and with intention — so you know exactly what to do next.

👉 Join the free 3-day Screen The Peds to Feed The Peds training

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Episode 276: TOTs, Food Aversions & The Nervous System with Hallie Bulkin
• Ep 338: The Missing Link in Pediatric Feeding: Critical Skills Grad Programs Skip

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

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⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Untethered Podcast, Hallie Bulkin sits down with Cheryl Pelletier ,M.S., CCC-SLP to discuss the essential infrastructure of a successful career in feeding therapy: mentorship, community, and the courage to evolve.

Many clinicians feel like they are on an island when navigating complex pediatric swallowing and feeding cases. Hallie and Cheryl pull back the curtain on why "gatekeeping" in the profession hinders patient care and how transitioning from a solo mindset to a collaborative one transforms clinical outcomes. They explore how the right tools—combined with structured mentorship—can turn clinical anxiety into confident, life-changing intervention.

This episode dives deep into the reality that clinical excellence isn't just about what you know; it’s about who you learn with. From navigating the "imposter" feelings of a new specialty to leveraging innovative tools for safer feeding, Hallie and Cheryl provide a roadmap for clinicians ready to elevate their professional standing and improve their patients' quality of life.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✔️ Why mentorship is a constant necessity, not just a "beginner phase"

✔️ How to overcome the obstacles and "gatekeeping" that stall professional growth

✔️ The role of specialized certification in building clinical reasoning and authority

✔️ Why sharing knowledge across disciplines (SLPs and OTs) is the key to reducing waitlists

✔️ How innovative feeding tools can facilitate safer, more effective therapy sessions

✔️ Why building on a child’s strengths is more effective than focusing on deficits

✔️ How to measure success through improved quality of life for the whole family

If you’re ready to stop second-guessing your clinical decisions and start leading with confidence, Screen The Peds to Feed The Peds is your next step.

Join me for this free 3-day training, where I’ll show you how to screen feeding cases clearly, confidently, and with intention — so you know exactly what to do next.

👉 Join the free 3-day Screen The Peds to Feed The Peds training

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

Episode 318: Feed The Peds®: The Mission with Hallie Bulkin, MA CCC-SLP, CMT®, CPFT™

Ep 337: Unlocking Pediatric Feeding: Expert Strategies with Hallie Bulkin, MA, CCC-SLP, CMT®, CPFT™

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

💬 Let’s hang out on social: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

🥄 Connect with Cheryl Pelletier HERE

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Untethered Podcast, Hallie Bulkin addresses one of the most common challenges clinicians face when entering pediatric feeding therapy: imposter syndrome.

Many speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists feel unqualified or “not ready” to begin working with pediatric feeding cases. Hallie explains why this feeling is normal, why it doesn’t mean you lack competence, and why waiting for confidence before taking action can keep clinicians stuck for years.

This episode explores why confidence in pediatric feeding therapy is not built through endless studying or certifications alone. Instead, confidence is cumulative and develops through real clinical experience, repetition, mentorship, and supported decision-making. Hallie reframes imposter syndrome as a sign of professional growth and stretching into new clinical skills, not a signal to stop.

If you’re interested in pediatric feeding therapy but feel unsure where to start, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and a realistic path forward grounded in action and support.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✔️ Why nearly every pediatric feeding therapist starts out feeling unqualified

✔️ How imposter syndrome shows up in feeding therapy and what it really means

✔️ Why studying alone doesn’t build clinical confidence

✔️ How hands-on clinical reps accelerate learning in pediatric feeding

✔️ The role mentorship plays in developing feeding therapy competence

✔️ Why confidence grows through experience, not readiness

If you’re feeling unsure where to start in pediatric feeding, Screen The Peds to Feed The Peds is the perfect next step.

Join me for this free 3-day training, where I’ll show you how to screen feeding cases clearly, confidently, and with intention — so you know what to do next.

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Ep 336: Feeding Therapy in Schools: Safety, Culture, and Collaboration with Karen Howarth
• Ep 335: The #1 Way to Transform Your Pediatric Feeding Evaluations with Hallie Bulkin, MA CCC-SLP, CMT®, CPFT™

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

💬 Let’s hang out on social: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Hallie Bulkin breaks down one of the biggest shifts in pediatric feeding therapy over the past year: the growing recognition that feeding and airway are inseparable.

In 2025, feeding therapy evolved beyond skills at the table. Clinicians are now expected to screen breathing patterns, observe resting mouth posture, and consider sleep symptoms as part of a comprehensive feeding evaluation. These changes reflect a deeper understanding of how airway, function, and feeding intersect and why early identification matters more than ever.

Hallie unpacks what changed, why it matters for your clinical decision-making, and how this evolution positions feeding therapists as key collaborators in early airway intervention as we move into 2026.

✔️ Why airway can no longer be separated from feeding assessment

✔️ What’s newly expected in modern feeding evaluations

✔️ How breathing, posture, and sleep inform feeding outcomes

✔️ Where feeding therapists fit in early airway identification

✔️ Why collaboration across disciplines is now essential

• Episode 311: The Future of Dentistry and Rethinking Dental Health with Dr. Hilary Fritsch, DMD
• Episode 319: Elevate Your Practice with the Pediatric Feeding Hub, Hallie Bulkin, MA CCC-SLP, CMT®, CPFT™

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

💬 Let’s hang out on social: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leaving a quick review helps more clinicians find the podcast.

📅 Doors to Feed The Peds® open soon | join the waitlist

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In this episode, Hallie Bulkin speaks with Dr. Alyssa Welch, PT, DPT about the vital role of interprofessional collaboration in achieving optimal patient outcomes, particularly for speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Dr. Alyssa Welch, PT, DPT emphasizes that working alongside occupational therapists (OTs), physical therapists (PTs), dentists, and other specialists is not just beneficial—it is now a core competency in modern healthcare.

Dr. Alyssa Welch, PT, DPT and Hallie discuss the necessity of recognizing the limits of your own expertise and knowing when to make a referral. Collaboration ensures a whole-person therapeutic approach and prevents the professional burnout that comes from trying to "fix everything" in isolation. They cover key areas where SLPs and other therapists must coordinate care, such as feeding mechanics, positioning for speech, and addressing core stability and motor skills.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✔️ ️ Interprofessional collaboration is essential for SLPs, leading to better patient outcomes and reduced medical errors.

✔️ Collaboration often involves partnering with Occupational Therapists (OTs) for fine motor skills, positioning, and feeding mechanics, and Physical Therapists (PTs) for gross motor skills, body positioning, and trunk control.

✔️ Collaboration shifts the focus from checking off individual treatment boxes to a patient-centered approach that meets the family's actual needs.

✔️ Poor communication is responsible for an estimated 70-80% of serious medical errors; collaboration significantly reduces this risk.

✔️ Recognizing the limits of your own scope and knowing when to refer is crucial for long-term career sustainability and preventing professional burnout.

✔️ Clinical collaboration can take many forms, including email consultations, case conferences, co-treatment sessions, and shared documentation.

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Episode 234: The Role of Occupational Therapists in TOTs Care with Anna Dearman MBA, MOT, LOTR, CLC
• Ep 332: The Interconnectedness of Oral and Systemic Health with Amber White RDH, HHP

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

💬 Let’s hang out on social: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

📅 Doors to Feed The Peds® open soon | join the waitlist

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Hallie Bulkin addresses what she calls "one of the most misunderstood topics in our field" : tongue tie diagnosis. She challenges the common clinical practice of relying on visual assessment—hearing clinicians say, "it looks tied" or "it's a mild tie"—and emphatically states that function is what determines a diagnosis, not appearance.

Hallie introduces a 4-step framework for making confident, clinically sound decisions : Function, Form, Impact, Decision. She emphasizes that the appearance-based mindset often leads to both over- and under-diagnosis of ties, and that true diagnosis requires observing the tongue's mobility, coordination, and control within the entire system.

Hallie also stresses the importance of addressing compensatory movements, which she believes mask true movement and should not be taught as a form of "survival mode". For optimal outcomes, treatment must focus on function and consider the whole connected system—airway, jaw, spine, and nervous system.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✔️Function is the key determinant of a tongue tie diagnosis, not the visual appearance of the tissue

✔️ The risk of the "appearance-based mindset" leading to over- and under-diagnosis

✔️ A four-step clinical reasoning framework for assessment: Function to Form to Impact to Decision

✔️ Why a short or tight-looking frenulum may not restrict movement, while a hidden posterior tie can create major functional restriction

✔️ Compensatory strategies often mask the need for a release and take more energy, leading to a "survival mode"

✔️ Diagnosis requires a functional limitation PLUS a meaningful impact on the person's life (e.g., feeding, speech, sleep quality)

✔️ Why functional readiness must be assessed to determine if and when the body is ready for a lingual release.

✔️ The release is not a "magical instant fix"; therapy before and after is crucial for neuromuscular reeducation and success.

✔️ Treatment must consider the whole connected system (airway, jaw, cervical spine, nervous system), not just the tongue in isolation.

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Ep 347: Airway First: The Pediatric Dentist's Essential Role in Treating Tongue Ties and Growth Issues
• EP 348: Tongue Ties, Sleep Apnea & More: The Patient-Centered Approach to Airway Dentistry

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

💬 Let’s hang out on social: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

• Free F.A.S.T. Myo Screening Packet: https://FastMyoScreening.com

• Find a myofunctional therapist: https://www.themyodirectory.com

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In this episode, Hallie Bulkin discusses the complexities surrounding tethered oral tissues, specifically tongue ties, lip ties, and buckle ties. She emphasizes that not all ties require surgical release and that the decision should be based on functional impacts such as speech, feeding, and sleep.

Hallie highlights the importance of thorough evaluations and the role of therapy in determining the necessity of a release. She advocates for a patient-centered approach, considering individual goals and the overall impact on health and function.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✔️Not all ties need to be released; it depends on function.

✔️Function is the key driver in determining the need for release.

✔️Research is often behind clinical practice by about 17 years.

✔️Therapy can sometimes eliminate the need for a release.

✔️Evaluations should focus on how tethered tissues impact daily life.

✔️Compensatory strategies can mask the need for a release.

✔️Patient goals should guide treatment decisions.

✔️Open mouth posture is a significant indicator for evaluation.

✔️Therapy before and after release is crucial for success.

✔️Individualized treatment plans are essential for optimal outcomes.

RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVE

• Episode 200: Functional Impact: When A Tongue Tie Is ACTUALLY A Tongue Tie
• Ep 348: Airway Dentistry Demystified: Kassi Klein on Tongue Ties, Sleep Apnea & Childhood Development

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

💬 Let’s hang out on social: Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

⭐ Love the show? Leave a quick review — it means the world to me!

• Free F.A.S.T. Myo Screening Packet: https://FastMyoScreening.com

• Find a myofunctional therapist: https://www.themyodirectory.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.