Empower Therapeutics, San Angelo, TX (2026)

03/12/2026

Working on back sounds /k/ and /g/ 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series

Next up… Mastering the Back Sounds /k/ and /g/

As parents, we equip our children with strategies to speak clearly and confidently. The back plosives /k/ and /g/ are two sounds that often need extra attention. Plosives are made by briefly blocking airflow and then releasing it with a burst, like /p/ or /t/.

The most common error is fronting: the child replaces the back sound with a front sound (/t/ or /d/), so “cat” becomes “tat” and “go” becomes “do”. In my experience as an SLP, many children struggle because they have underdeveloped tongue proprioception (knowing where the tongue is without looking) and limited auditory feedback skills. That’s why mirrors and recording devices become game-changers.

Why It Matters for Literacy: Persistent phonological patterns like fronting affect a child’s ability to hear and represent the difference between sounds in words. This makes it harder to connect sounds to letters (phonemic awareness), which is a key predictor of reading and spelling success.

Try these steps at home to teach clear /k/ and /g/:

Awareness & Model: Say the word slowly (“caaaat”). When the child says “tat”, smile and say, “I heard ‘tat’—let’s listen together.”

Recording Device Trick: Record yourself saying “cat”, then let the child record their attempt. Play both back. Most children laugh and immediately hear the difference—no arguing “that’s what I said!”

Mirror + Visual Cue: In front of a mirror, show /t/ (tongue tip up front) vs. /k/ (tongue back up). Say, “Your tongue is sneaking to the front for /t/. We need it to go way in the back for /k/.”

Tactile Cue (when needed): Tell the child, “Your tongue is going to fight you and try to come forward, but you’re the boss!” Have them open wide, use one finger to gently hold the tongue tip down, and push the back of the tongue up to make /k/. Praise wildly the first time a clear /k/ pops out!

Build Up: Move from isolated /k/, to syllables (ka, ke, ki), words, phrases, sentences, and finally conversation. Start with voiceless /k/, then add voice for /g/.

Have you tried mirrors or recordings to help with /k/ and /g/? Share your tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

03/09/2026

Teaching /l/ with mandible stability 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series

Next up… Mastering the /l/ Sound: Teaching Tongue Strength and Jaw Stability

As parents, we aim to equip our children with tools to communicate effectively. The /l/ sound is one of the trickiest phonemes in English, often mastered later than most others, whether English is their first or second language. When children struggle, they commonly substitute a /w/ (“wight” for “light”) or produce a distorted, “slushy” /l/.

In my years as an SLP, I noticed a clear pattern: many children rely on jaw movement to “help” the tongue reach the alveolar ridge instead of using tongue strength alone. This reduces space in the mouth and creates that unclear sound. The fix? Teach mandible (jaw) stabilization so the tongue does the work independently.

Why It Matters: Correct /l/ production needs tongue tip elevation to the alveolar ridge with steady airflow and voicing, while the jaw stays relatively still. Jaw stabilization trains precise articulation and prevents compensatory habits.

Try these jaw-stabilization steps at home to teach clear /l/:

Mirror Setup: Have your child stand or sit in front of a mirror and open their mouth wide.

Hold the Chin: Ask them to gently hold their chin with their hand so the jaw stays open and stable. Tell them: “Your jaw wants to close and help the tongue, but you’re stronger than your jaw—hold it open!”

Tongue Stretch: With jaw held, stretch the tongue tip to the alveolar ridge (the bumpy spot just behind the upper front teeth).

Practice “La-La-La”: Say “la-la-la-la” like a dancing tongue. If the jaw tries to close, look in the mirror and win the fight—hold it open! Celebrate every clear /l/!

Build Up: Once stable, practice syllables (la, le, li, lo, lu), words, phrases, sentences, and conversation, always checking jaw stability in the mirror.

Have you tried jaw stabilization for /l/? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

03/05/2026

Building social skills for our teens 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series

Next up… Building Social Skills: Strategies for Teenagers

As parents, we aim to equip our teenagers with tools to communicate effectively. Socialization concerns arise in many settings, homeschooling, public school, or community life, due to limited peer interaction, cultural exposure opportunities, etc. By joining groups, taking hobby classes, role-playing situations, organizing peer gatherings, or traveling, we create opportunities for real-world practice. These experiences build cultural fluency, the ability to communicate confidently using your own language and traditions while respecting and adapting to others in their space, such as knowing your family’s greeting and using a different one when visiting a friend’s home.

Brain development in teenagers strengthens the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that helps with decision-making and understanding others. Language and communication skills grow through peer interactions, improving pragmatic language, the social rules of conversation, like taking turns or seeing another’s point of view. Our aim is to empower communication skills through structured social experiences for independence and cultural fluency.

Social Development Benefits: Peer interactions strengthen brain pathways for empathy and flexible thinking, supporting advanced language use in debates or negotiations.

Try these social-focused steps at home to teach communication and independence:

Join Groups: Enroll in interest-based groups (e.g., church youth, cultural clubs, organizations, etc.) to practice conversations and respect diverse traditions.

Take Hobby Classes: Sign up for classes (e.g., art, coding, language) to initiate interactions and learn cultural norms in new settings.

Role-Play Situations: Practice real-life scenarios like small talk with a store clerk or asking for help in a community space, using scripts to build confidence.

Organize Peer Gatherings: Host same-age meetups for projects, games, or cultural exchanges to encourage turn-taking and idea-sharing.

Explore Through Travel: Visit local cultural events or new places to practice greetings, questions, and adapting to different social norms.

Have you tried group activities or role-play to boost social skills? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

03/04/2026

Breath and voice hygiene 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series
Next up… Breath and Voice Hygiene/Strengthening: Supporting Airflow for Clear Speech

As parents, we teach our children daily habits for independence. As an SLP, I learned that breath and vocal hygiene are equally important for strong, clear speech. Verbal speech needs steady airflow from the lungs to vibrate vocal folds and keep words flowing. Weak airflow leads to low projection or vocal fry—raspy, creaky voice as air fades at the end of phrases.

Strong breath health ensures lung capacity and airflow control. Without it, speech loses volume or clarity. Breath-focused activities expand lungs and build endurance. Our aim is to strengthen communication skills through targeted airflow practice for sustained, clear speech.

Airflow for Speech Benefits: Breath supplies subglottal pressure for vocal fold vibration in the larynx. Consistent airflow prevents vocal fry and allows projection, enabling clear connected speech.

Try these breath-focused steps at home for speech hygiene:

Humming Songs: Hum Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or Happy Birthday twice to practice steady airflow and vocal control.

Blowing Bubbles: Blow bubbles with consistent, long airflow to make a large bubble, building lung capacity.

Breathing on Back: Lay flat on the ground. Inhale filling the lower belly to the upper chest. Exhale lowering the upper chest to the lower belly to practice deep breathing.

4-6-8 Breathing: Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds (quickly). Hold for 6 seconds. Exhale slowly for 8 seconds (through pursed lips) to control airflow.

Loud Voice Practice: Use a teacher or loud voice when speaking to build projection and breath support.

Have you tried breath activities to support speech? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

02/26/2026

Visual tools for communication 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent, But Learned as an SLP Series

Next up… Managing Big Emotions: Using Visual Tools for Communication

As parents, we aim to empower our young children with tools to communicate effectively. Big emotions—behavior as communication—can spark tantrums or overwhelm, disrupting tasks. Visual tools like First/Then visuals and schedules, paired with offering choices, help children calm emotions to express themselves clearly. See prior tips on Dr. Daniel Goleman’s “I feel” statements and Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing for more. These work alongside Maria Montessori’s method of controlling the environment, not the child.

Visual tools and choices create a structured environment for young children. First/Then visuals and schedules guide tasks with clear steps, while choices give children control within boundaries. These support communication by calming emotions. Our aim is to empower communication skills through visual tools for emotional regulation and independence.

Self-Regulation Benefits: Visual tools like First/Then charts and task lists, paired with choices, build self-regulation through practice, fostering emotional balance for communication and task completion.

Try these steps at home to teach communication and independence with visual tools:

Model Choices: Offer two options: “Would you like to put your shoes or toys away first? I’ll help—choose!” to give control within acceptable boundaries.

Practice with First/Then: Use a First/Then visual (e.g., “First shoes, then play”) or First/Then/Then (e.g., “First shoes, then toys, then snack”) to show task order leading to a reward.

Start Small: Introduce a visual schedule or task completion list (e.g., picture chart for morning tasks like “brush teeth, get dressed”) to guide one task independently.

Build Independence: Praise the child for choosing a task, following the visual, and/or completing it independently to finish the sequence.

If your child feels overwhelmed by a task but wants to try, reach out to Empower Therapeutics for a fully customized visual based on their individual needs at www.empowertherapeutics.us or message us directly!

Have you tried visual tools to support communication? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

02/25/2026

Whole body listening 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series

Next up… Teaching Whole-Body Listening: Building Skills for Effective Communication

As parents, we aim to empower our children with the tools to communicate effectively, including listening skills. Struggles with listening can hinder communication readiness. By teaching whole-body listening skills—using ears, eyes, mouth, body, hands and feet, brain, and a happy heart demonstrating caring—we can help foster listening habits for effective communication.

Underdeveloped listening skills, common in children due to still-developing executive function, can make engagement challenging. Whole-body listening strategies teach kids to stay focused through practice, building resilience for confident communication in any setting. Our aim is to empower effective communication skills by using listening-focused strategies for clarity and independence. Whole-body listening strengthens attention and focus, critical for processing sounds and social cues.

Try these listening-focused steps at home to teach whole-body listening strategies for better focus:

Discuss Communication: Explain that communication involves two or more speakers, usually one at a time, and highlight the difference between speaking (sharing your message) and listening (focusing on the speaker’s message).

List Body Parts: Teach that good listening uses these body parts: ears (listening to the message), eyes (looking at the speaker), mouth (closed, not making noises), body (facing the speaker), hands and feet (quiet and calm), brain (thinking about the speaker’s message), and a happy heart (showing caring for the message).

Demonstrate: Show good listening (body facing, eyes on speaker, mouth closed, hands still) versus bad listening (clapping hands, stomping feet, noises, body facing away), asking the child to identify why bad behaviors don’t show caring.

Build Independence: Praise the child for keeping their body facing the speaker, asking for help with their listening strategy, or using it independently to stay focused.

Have you tried whole-body listening strategies to encourage better listening skills? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

02/23/2026

Auditory discrimination 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series
Next up… Sharpening Auditory Discrimination: Building Self-Help Skills for Effective Communication

As parents, we aim to empower our child with the tools to communicate effectively, guiding them with all the tools! Auditory discrimination—the ability to distinguish sounds, like telling “cat” from “hat” or picking out voices in noise—can falter when distractions like background chatter, fatigue, or lack of practice interfere. Struggles with auditory discrimination can lead to missing instructions, confusing words like homophones, missing social cues in conversations, or disengaging in noisy settings, causing frustration in group interactions. By teaching self-help skills, we can build strong listening habits, fostering a holistic approach that empowers effective communication and independence through enhanced auditory clarity and focus.

Targeted self-help activities using visuals, recording devices, and strategies strengthen this skill, building resilience and preparing children for confident communication in home or community settings. Our aim is to empower effective communication skills by integrating auditory-focused self-help for sound clarity and independence.

Auditory discrimination relies on the brain’s auditory cortex to differentiate sounds, critical for speech comprehension and social interaction. Children are born with millions of neural connections, and through synaptic pruning, their brains refine these pathways for efficiency. With auditory discrimination difficulties, these pathways are underdeveloped and need more practice for synaptic pruning to establish the best connections. Activities like minimal pair practice or sound sorting guide this process, improving sound clarity and reducing confusion for communication readiness.

Try these auditory-focused steps at home, tailored to your child’s stage to teach self-help skills for better sound discrimination and effective communication:

For Younger Children:

-Model: Use a visual card to model minimal pairs like “cat” vs. “hat,” saying “This is cat,” recording with an auditory device to listen back and check for correct sounds to follow instructions.

-Practice: Guide them to match sounds in a noisy room (e.g., bell vs. whistle) using a visual checklist, teaching them to say, “Can you say it again?” to catch social cues.
Practice a phoneme task, like identifying /s/ in “sun” with a sound toy, using the recording device to self-check and build focus in noisy settings.

-Building Independence: Praise the child for asking for help with their sound-matching strategy, using a visual card, or applying it independently to distinguish sounds.

For Older Children:

-Model: Model distinguishing “pair” vs. “pear” in a homophone game, using an auditory recording to listen back and confirm correct choices for clearer conversations.

-Practice: Teach them to identify social cues, like a friend’s tone in “play” vs. “pray,” with a visual checklist, encouraging “Can you repeat that?” or “I’m tired, can I take a break?” to manage group settings or fatigue.

Practice distinguishing inflection in “That’s my cookie?” (question) vs. “That’s my cookie!” (statement), recording to self-assess accuracy and reduce frustration in interactions.

-Building Independence: Praise the child for referencing their visual checklist, asking for clarification, or applying their inflection strategy independently to process sounds.

Have you tried auditory activities to boost sound discrimination and communication? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

02/23/2026

Looking for a speech therapy provider? We are in the San Angelo area!

We are a private-pay only speech therapy practice.

What does this mean?

Well, for starters we get the professional freedom to tailor therapy to fit your family's needs in ways that the one-size-fits-all insurance models does not. The biggest bonus is that the unique tailoring of services comes at cost equivalent to most insurance deductibles!

We offer FREE screeners in order to see if further evaluation is necessary.

Check out our website: EmpowerTherapeutics.us for more information about services and useful tools to empower effective communication skills at home.

02/20/2026

Deregulation through movement 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series

Next up… Deregulation Through Movement: Teaching Self-Help Skills for Better Focus
As parents, we’re eager to guide our kids toward clearer expression, supporting them with warmth along the way. When children are unsettled—whether from excess energy, poor nutrition like sugary snacks, lack of sleep, overstimulation from screens, or even a busy day—their ability to concentrate can waver, challenging their engagement. With emerging executive function, we can teach self-help skills through movement to build healthy habits, fostering a holistic approach that empowers effective communication by enhancing body awareness, emotional balance, and verbal readiness.
Without these tools, unsettled energy can hinder focus, but movement-based self-help—such as deep breathing or heavy work—supports emotional regulation and prepares them for better engagement.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates involuntary functions like heart rate, breathing, and digestion, with two key branches: the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest). Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing technique activates the parasympathetic branch, slowing the heart rate and promoting relaxation by extending the exhale. This calms the body’s stress response, reduces anxiety, and enhances focus, supporting emotional regulation—key for communication readiness.

Try these movement-focused steps at home, to teach and use self-help skills for deregulation:

• For Younger Children:
◦ Model with Movement: Join them in bear crawls, showing how to move steadily to demonstrate deregulation.
◦ Practice with Guidance: Guide them through frog hops, encouraging steady pacing to release energy and regain calm.
◦ Start Small: Introduce heavy lifts and moves, like carrying a gallon or two of water across the room and back, guiding them to repeat for self-regulation.
◦ Build Independence: Praise the child for asking for help with their wall push strategy or using it independently to settle.
• For Older Children:
◦ Model with Movement: Engage in throwing a ball back and forth, showing a rhythmic motion to model deregulation.
◦ Practice with Guidance: Lead them in running laps, teaching them to pace themselves for calm and focus.
◦ Start Small: Practice push-ups, then transition to a relaxed sitting position with Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing—4-second inhale through the nose, hold for 7 seconds, 8-second exhale through pursed lips, repeated for at least 4 cycles—to soothe the autonomic nervous system and promote relaxation.
◦ Build Independence: Praise the child for referencing their visual of the breathing strategy or applying it independently to deregulate.

Have you used movement for teaching deregulation and self-help skills? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

02/18/2026

Communication confidence 🧰

Things I Wish I Knew as a Parent (But Learned as an SLP) Series

Next up… Building Confidence: Supporting Kids Who Resist Communication Practice

As parents, we’re always looking for ways to nurture our children’s ability to express themselves, offering care as they grow. For some children, especially those with communication delays, a lack of confidence can make them resist repeating or practicing when asked. They might show big emotions like sadness, frustration, or irritation, or use avoidance behaviors such as turning away, staying silent, or changing the subject to avoid challenging tasks. This hesitation can hinder their growth.

Avoiding difficult things can lead to real-life consequences, like missing social connections, struggling in school, or feeling isolated as communication skills lag. Conversely, pushing through challenges strengthens the brain through neuroplasticity—neural connections grow with practice, boosting learning and adaptability. This builds resilience for future efforts. Our aim is to foster a holistic approach, empowering effective communication skills by supporting their whole development—emotionally, socially, and verbally.

Try these steps at home, tailored to your child’s age and using gentle techniques like parallel play (playing alongside and narrating without pressure), recasting (repeating their words correctly in a natural way), modeling (demonstrating clear speech), and auditory bombardment (repeatedly exposing them to target sounds or words to boost receptive skills):

For Younger Children:
•Model with Ease: Sit beside them in parallel play, modeling “The car goes fast” with auditory bombardment of sounds to nurture their verbal growth.
•Practice with Guidance: Start with an easy sound, using modeling and recasting “ball” to “The ball is fun” while saying “I feel happy because we’re playing” to encourage them holistically.
•Start Small: Pick one sound, reinforcing with modeling and auditory bombardment through songs to empower their skills.
•Reward Progress: Say, “Wow, I see how hard you were trying there!” or “You did it! How does that make you feel?”

For Older Children:
•Model with Ease: Engage in parallel play, modeling “I like to draw now” with auditory bombardment in conversation to support their overall development.
•Practice with Guidance: Work on a sentence, using modeling and recasting “dog” to “The dog runs” while saying “I feel proud because you shared” to guide them comprehensively.
•Start Small: Practice a sentence with modeling and auditory bombardment via repeated phrases to enhance their communication strength.
•Reward Progress: Say, “Big brain! Let’s do that again!” or “When we try at things that are difficult, we are helping our brain grow in different areas!”

Have you noticed your child resisting due to confidence issues? Share your experiences or tips in the comments—we’d love to learn together!

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