SLP Interrupted
Current medical speech-language pathology (SLP) practices are shaped by three forces that "pre-program" how we approach patient care: The healthcare system, clinical training, and your view of yourself as a person.
SLP Interrupted is a counter-cultural gathering designed to challenge these norms and to redefine the culture of care. The goal of this meeting is to interrupt your regularly-scheduled SLP programming with an emergency broadcast message to urge SLPs to change the paradigm of SLP culture. We are calling on you to rethink how we define success, care, and professionalism in our field. At the heart of this disruption is a simple truth: Self-preservation—by both clinicians and institutions—is a leading cause of poor patient care.
To address this, SLP Interrupted offers a dynamic, thought-provoking, and interactive experience focused on the three rings of influence that shape SLP decision-making:
The Patient – Not just a diagnosis, but a whole person with unique needs, values, social contexts, and emotional realities.
The Institution – The systems and structures in which both patients and clinicians must operate.
The Clinician – You. Your psychology, training, biases, fears, and goals all influence how care is delivered.
This workshop is for clinicians who are ready to reflect, be challenged, and challenge the status quo. If you’re committed to transforming your practice—and the profession—join us.
Let’s interrupt the norm.
Let’s rebuild better care.
Time Ordered Agenda
DAY 1
8:00 – 10:00 AM
The Patient. The Institution. The Clinician.
Explore the "Three Rings of Influence" that shape your clinical decisions. Through a relatable SLP journey, we’ll challenge assumptions and reveal how self-preservation subtly drives our actions in clinical settings. Learn how to name it, claim it, and defame it—bringing subconscious motives to light.
10:00 – 10:15 AM
Break
10:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Bearing Fruit: Wealthcare or Healthcare?
Who benefits—and who pays—when you prioritize the patient, the institution, or yourself? This session uses case studies and group discussion to explore the cost of "putting the patient first" and how that burden can lead to burnout. Discover your personal patterns through guided self-reflection.
12:00 – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 – 3:00 PM
Forbidden Fruit: When Research Confirms Bias
Research can be misused—even by well-meaning clinicians. This session examines how to interpret data responsibly, despite our confirmation biases. Through challenging some favorite (but flawed) SLP practices, we’ll explore how to build better reasoning and question the comfortable.
3:00 – 3:15 PM
Break
3:15 – 5:00 PM
Sour Grapes: The Social Pressures of Being a "Good" SLP
Peer influence often shapes practice more than we’d like to admit. From e-stim to diet recommendations, we’ll discuss how social pressure affects our judgment. Critical thinking—not popularity—must fill the gaps where research and tradition fall short. This session calls for honest reflection about belonging versus integrity.
DAY 2
8:00 – 12:00 PM
Planting the Seed: Behavior in the Face of Barriers
You’ve studied the science. Now, let’s talk behavior. How do you respond when your healthcare system or colleagues resist change? Through role-playing based on real institutional challenges, you'll learn to navigate systemic resistance and begin planting the seeds of transformation.
12:00 – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 – 3:00 PM
Fertilize the Growth: Turning Adversity into Advocacy
When people throw sh*t on your garden, use it as fertilizer! On the road to personal and professional growth, every mile matters. In this section, self-discovery will challenge attendees to get comfortable with being uncomfortable when their efforts are not fruitful. Our patients rely on us to keep advocating, even when the path is covered with manure.
3:00 – 3:15 PM
Break
3:15 – 5:00 PM
Harvest Time: From Insight to Action
What have you learned—and how will you apply it? In this closing session, we’ll use focus groups to reflect on new understandings about yourself, your workplace, and your patients. You’ll walk away with tangible strategies to managing the "Three Rings of Influence" into your practice starting Monday.
CEU amounts and course dates are forthcoming. The conference organizers are currently seeking partners throughout the United States to host this unique SLP meeting!
Course Instructors
Dr. Humbert, Ph.D., SLP is a world renowned scientist, speaker, professor, advocate, business owner, and expert in the area of swallowing disorders. More importantly, Dr. Humbert has dedicated her 25 years of experience in swallowing disorders to restoring humanity in healthcare and emphasizing courageous common sense when training clinicians to serve their patients. Prior to founding Swallowing Wellness, her clinical research in swallowing physiology included positions at the National Institutes of Health, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and the University of Florida. Dr. Humbert is a gifted and influential speaker, with both national and international gravitas. She co-founded Swallowing Training and Education Portal (STEP), which offers high-quality, low cost online training to clinicians, with over 40,000 course enrollment - and counting! Dr. Humbert also co-hosted two popular podcasts: Down the Hatch and Evidence and Argument.
Ed Bice, M.Ed., CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist currently in the role of Clinical Consultant for IOPI Medical, LLC. Ed has worked in the health care industry with extensive training in dysphagia. His experience includes a variety of settings; acute care, outpatient, home health and skilled nursing. In addition to his clinical experience, Ed has held various leadership positions. He has worked as a Regional Manager, Vice President of Clinical Services, and Chief Operating Officer. He has been an invited speaker for universities, as well as national and state conventions.