Rooted in Connection: Where Relationship Moves us Forward

Humor, Humanity & Feeding Therapy with Deborah Brooks

In this episode, Erin sits down with speech therapist and feeding specialist Deborah Brooks for an honest conversation about confidence, connection, humor, and what it really means to support children and families in a relational way. Deborah shares her unique journey from advertising and comedy into pediatric feeding and speech therapy, and how those experiences shaped the way she communicates with both caregivers and clients. Together, they explore the importance of trusting yourself as a clinician, navigating imposter syndrome, and learning how confidence is built through experience, reflection, and authentic connection rather than perfection. The conversation also dives into the realities of social media in the therapy world, the pressure many clinicians feel online, and the value of long-form conversations that allow for nuance and deeper understanding. Throughout the episode, Deborah emphasizes responsive, attachment-based feeding approaches that prioritize relationship, observation, and the child’s autonomy. Erin and Deborah discuss the importance of seeing children beyond labels or diagnoses, embracing imperfect progress, and creating safety for both children and caregivers throughout the feeding journey. This episode also highlights Deborah’s upcoming course, Feeding Babies with Confidence, which focuses on developmentally appropriate, relationship-centered feeding strategies rooted in attachment and trust. Whether you’re a therapist, caregiver, or professional navigating your own confidence and growth, this conversation offers a thoughtful reminder that connection is often the foundation for meaningful progress. Deborah Brooks’ Course: Feeding Babies with Confidence

When the Body Speaks: Understanding Pain Through Safety and Attunement

In this episode, Erin sits down with physical therapist and craniosacral practitioner Joanna Ferreri to explore what it really means to listen to the body. Together, they unpack the relationship between pain, safety, and somatic awareness—shifting away from viewing pain as something to fix, and toward understanding it as a meaningful signal. Joanna shares her journey from traditional physical therapy into more holistic, relationship-based approaches, and how this shift transformed the way she understands both the body and healing. This conversation weaves through pain neuroscience, trauma, and the role of attunement, especially when working with children and individuals who may not communicate through words. Erin and Joanna reflect on the importance of consent, safe touch, and honoring the body’s cues, while also challenging some of the limitations of traditional clinical models. Joanna Ferrer Bio Joanna Ferreri, DPT, is a physical therapist working with children by day and with adults as a holistic bodywork practitioner by night.  Over her 12 years of experience working in a variety of physical therapy settings ranging the full human experience quite literally from birth to death, she began to notice something missing: despite all the clinical training and experience, there was little space for the deeper internal, intuitive, and often unacknowledged forces that truly guide recovery.  She founded a bodywork practice to bridge that gap.  By integrating spiritual traditions with scientific understanding, she offers a holistic approach to chronic pain and chronic stress treatment.  Utilizing connection through touch, she facilitates body-led wellness, where the client learns to trust their own inner wisdom to guide their own healing from an empowered lens. Instagram @rootsunboundbodyworks

What We Carry: Living With OCD

In this episode, Erin sits down with her friend and fellow SLP, Julia McMichael, MS, CCC-SLP, for a truly open and honest conversation about living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and neurodivergence. Together, they share their personal stories, reflect on their diagnoses, and explore how these experiences shape them both as humans and as clinicians. Throughout the conversation, they discuss how individual differences, including neurodivergence, are deeply woven into how we experience the world. Erin and Julia explore the grief that can come with an OCD diagnosis, the self-compassion they’ve learned along the way, and the strengths they’ve come to recognize within their lived experiences. Self Acceptance and authenticity are a theme throughout this conversation. This episode aims to deepen understanding of what OCD is (and what it isn’t) while challenging common misconceptions. It also offers insight into how we can create safer, more supportive spaces for individuals living with OCD and other forms of neurodivergence. Sticky Thoughts: about mind, health, wellness, and more by Jean-Luc Mommaerts [https://www.amazon.com/Jean-Luc-Mommaerts/e/B086BVMVJK/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1] NOOCD: https://www.treatmyocd.com/ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd Contact: Erin: erin.forward.slp@gmail.com Julia: bearcreekspeech@msn.com

Relationships Shape the Brain: Why Safety Drives Regulation, Learning, and Resilience with Dr. Gillian Boudreau

In this episode of Rooted in Connection, Erin Forward sits down with Dr. Gillian Boudreau to explore how relationships quite literally shape the brain, and why safety is the foundation for regulation, learning, and resilience. Together, they unpack what it means to create true emotional safety for children and the caregivers supporting them. This conversation moves beyond strategies, highlighting how connection, non-judgment, and authenticity are what actually support growth and healing. Erin and Jillian also vulnerably share their own experiences as children who weren’t always easily understood, and how those moments shaped the way they now show up in relationships, both personally and professionally. From the idea that “a safe brain is a smart brain” to the reminder that “adults are basically tall children,” this episode weaves together lived experience and clinical insight in a deeply human way. This is a conversation about being seen, about repairing what wasn’t always held with care, and about the power of relationships to change the trajectory of a child and an adult. In this episode, we cover: * How relationships shape the brain and influence development * Why safety is the foundation for regulation and learning * Supporting caregivers as a pathway to supporting children * The impact of non-judgment, authenticity, and presence * Reparenting, emotional growth, and relational healing * How our own childhood experiences shape the way we show up Resources  Gillian Boudreau (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist in practice in Portland,Oregon with a focus on children families adults and couples at the intersection of autism, adhd anxiety and trauma. Dr. Boudreau's work is about  understanding and addressing our human need for attachment, connection, and effective communication in such a way that can help individuals, family systems, school systems, and larger organizations to support all brains and hearts.  She is a national speaker on topics including psychological safety and emotional intelligence, offers many courses and trainings on fear in institutional systems, trauma, neurodiversity and mindfulness, and provides ongoing consultation for multiple school districts and organizations.  Dr. Boudreau co-hosts two podcasts: "I Hate You. What's For Dinner?" With a focus on parenting and being parented, as well as "Stance of Curiosity" with a focus on school psychology.  Dr. Boudreau offers content and resources related to emotional safety and connection on instagram at @clearconnectionpsychology

Authenticity Isn’t Unprofessional: Building Community as a Clinician & Advocate

In this episode of Rooted in Connection, Erin Forward sits down with her friend and colleague, speech-language pathologist and advocate Colleen Ashford for a deeply honest conversation about what it really means to show up as both a clinician and a human. Together, they explore the tension between professionalism and authenticity, and how social media, storytelling, and lived experience can become powerful tools for connection, advocacy, and change, and truly what it means to be a neighbor. This conversation dives into the complexity of holding boundaries while still being relational, the role of intersectionality in clinical practice, and the courage it takes to challenge systems that were never designed with everyone in mind. Erin and Colleen also speak candidly about navigating IEP systems, building a private practice, and learning to trust your voice, even before you feel fully “ready.” At its core, this episode is a reminder: you don’t have to be perfect to be impactful. Growth, humility, and connection are the work. In this episode, we explore: * How social media can foster safe spaces and meaningful community * The balance between authenticity, vulnerability, and professional boundaries * Why storytelling deepens trust with clients and families * The impact of intersectionality on clinical decision-making and advocacy * Challenging traditional ideas of “professionalism” in healthcare spaces * Navigating systemic barriers within IEP and therapy systems * Starting a private practice with intention (and embracing mistakes along the way) * Building your clinical identity through lived experience, reflection, and growth * The importance of joy, regulation, and celebrating small moments Colleen's Bio: Colleen Ashford is a bilingual speech-language pathologist and non-attorney special-education advocate serving families in San Diego County through her mobile and virtual private practice. She began her career as a public school SLP in a bilingual elementary program, where her commitment to culturally responsive practice and improving her Spanish first took root. After relocating to California, she worked in multidisciplinary clinics, learning from OTs and PTs in ways that continue to shape her holistic, sensory-informed approach. Now in her own private practice, Colleen focuses on AAC, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, and early-intervention parent coaching, with a passion for supporting Spanish-speaking families in her community. As an IEP advocate, she equips parents with clear information about their educational rights and guides them through the IEP process. Through her Instagram page @theadvocate.slp she also brings accessible insights on IDEA, policy, and advocacy to school-based SLPs and teachers. A lot of those insights will be available in a downloadable guide January 2026. Colleen loves to dig into a great conversation with parents and professionals who sit around the IEP table, and does so on her podcast, Unfiltered IEPs. Tune in to Season Two in early 2026!