Rooted in Connection: Where Relationship Moves us Forward

In this heartfelt conversation, Erin Forward sits down with speech therapist and mother Marlee Brandon to talk about navigating her son’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis at just 12 months old. Marlee shares the emotional realities of receiving a life-changing diagnosis, learning to manage insulin and food with a toddler, and the unexpected ways the experience reshaped her perspective as both a parent and clinician.Together, they explore how trauma-informed communication, connection, and including children as part of the care team can build confidence and self-advocacy, even in the face of chronic illness. Marlee also discusses how sharing her family’s journey on social media has helped educate others, challenge misconceptions about Type 1 diabetes, and build community for families navigating similar experiences.This conversation is an honest look at parenting through uncertainty, the power of advocacy, and the resilience that can grow when children are invited to be active participants in their own care.

Navigating autism services can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re both the parent and the professional.In this episode of Rooted in Connection, Erin Forward sits down with Casey Quinn-Daly to talk about what it really feels like to support a child with developmental delays and autism while navigating speech therapy, provider recommendations, and complex healthcare systems.At the center of this conversation is one powerful truth: you are your child’s expert.Together, we explore:How to build the right autism and speech therapy support teamWhat collaborative, neurodiversity-affirming care actually looks likeHow to advocate without burning outThe questions to ask therapistsWhy flexibility and real connection matter more than rigid plansCasey shares her personal journey of finding the right providers for her son and the emotional weight of holding both clinical knowledge and maternal instinct. We talk honestly about systemic challenges, provider transparency, and the courage it takes to trust your gut when something doesn’t feel right.If you’re a caregiver navigating services, or a therapist who wants to better understand the parent experience, this episode will remind you that connection changes every session, and empowered caregivers change outcomes.

Today on Rooted in Connection, Erin Forward sits down with friend and trailblazer in the trauma-informed space, Rachel Archambault, to talk about what trauma-informed care actually means in practice.Awareness of trauma-informed care is growing, which is needed, but it’s also so much more than a buzzword. Rachel and Erin vulnerably explore their therapeutic use of self, how they show up in sessions, and the small shifts clinicians, caregivers, and humans can make to help children feel truly safe.In this conversation we talk about recognizing our own triggers as providers, how language can unintentionally create or reduce safety, removing compliance-based or harmful phrasing, supporting regulation in the moment, and why trust is built through relationship rather than technique. We also discuss cultural humility, community responsibility, and the role systems and policies play in trauma-informed care.This conversation matters deeply to both of us, and we hope you enter it with an open mind, curiosity, and plenty of grace for yourself.

In this first episode of Where You’re Rooted, Erin shares her journey into DIR/Floortime and explores why this relationship-based model became central to how she understands development, communication, and feeding.Erin breaks down the foundations of DIR/Floortime, shares clinical stories, and reflects on how connection, emotional safety, and individual differences shape growth in children. This episode invites listeners to look beyond strategies and consider how relationships influence learning, regulation, and meaningful engagement.If you are curious about DIR/Floortime and want to learn more head to ICDL.com

In this episode of Rooted in Connection, Erin Forward sits down with Brooke Nutting to explore a relationship-based approach to advocacy for children with disabilities, especially within the IEP process.Brooke shares her journey from mental health professional to caregiver advocate and reflects on how relationships, vulnerability, and collaboration shape meaningful change. Together, they unpack why advocacy is not about conflict or perfection, but about connection: with educators, clinicians, caregivers, and communities.This conversation dives into navigating IEP meetings with clarity and confidence, understanding evidence-based practices, and building partnerships that truly support children’s individual needs. Erin and Brooke also discuss the emotional weight caregivers carry, the challenges within education systems, and how empowerment begins when caregivers feel seen, informed, and supported.Whether you’re a caregiver, clinician, or educator, this episode offers practical insights and grounding reminders that advocacy works best when it’s rooted in trust, communication, and human connection. Topics include:Navigating IEPs through relationship-based advocacyBuilding collaborative relationships with educatorsThe role of vulnerability in effective advocacyEmpowering caregivers and children to use their voicesCommunity resources and systems-level changeBecause advocacy isn’t a battle. It’s a relationship.

In this episode of Rooted in Connection, Erin Forward sits down with Angelyn Franks for a deeply human conversation about burnout, identity, and what it means to keep showing up for others when your own nervous system is depleted. Together, they explore the emotional and physiological cost of caring, the ways professional roles can quietly overtake our sense of self, and how stress and exhaustion show up in our bodies and relationships.This episode invites listeners to slow down and reflect on their core values, boundaries, and the stories they tell themselves about who they are supposed to be. Erin and Angelyn talk honestly about self-awareness, personal growth, and the importance of reconnecting with ourselves in order to truly connect with others;  both personally and professionally.If you’ve ever felt like you’re pouring from empty, this conversation offers validation, language, and gentle reminders that you are more than what you produce, and that tending to your own nervous system is not selfish. It’s essential for sustainable, meaningful connection.

In Part 2 of Care Beyond the Cart, Erin and pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Jordan Whatley move beyond relationship-building to explore what it means to remain attuned when feeding care is emotionally heavy and outcomes are uncertain.This conversation centers on humility in medicine and therapy, the power of saying “I don’t know,” acknowledging when feeding is genuinely hard, and resisting the urge to fix or reassure prematurely. Dr. Whatley reflects on supporting families navigating medical complexity, feeding tubes, and long-term care, and how honesty and presence can foster trust more deeply than answers alone.Together, they discuss how emotional safety, collaboration, and shared humanity shape pediatric GI and feeding relationships, particularly during moments of grief, overwhelm, or decision fatigue. This episode invites clinicians to consider how sitting with discomfort, naming hard truths, and staying connected can be just as meaningful as clinical expertise.

In this first part of a two-part conversation, Erin Forward sits down with pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Jordan Whatley . Not just as a colleague, but as a trusted collaborator and friend.This episode is rooted in shared values: humility, curiosity, and the belief that healthcare works best when it is relational. Jordan speaks openly about his journey through medicine and podcasting, offering honest reflections on learning, making mistakes, and the responsibility providers carry when families place their trust in us. Together, Erin and Jordan explore what it means to be approachable in medical spaces, especially when families are navigating fear, uncertainty, and complex feeding and GI concerns. We hope this episode opens the door of more approachable and collaborative conversations between clinicians. providers, and caregivers. What stands out most in this conversation is Jordan’s willingness to be vulnerable, to name the emotional weight of pediatric care, the limits of any one discipline, and the power of interdisciplinary collaboration when providers truly listen to one another and to families. This episode honors the reality that parents are experts on their children, that dignity and respect matter, and that simple moments of affirmation — “we’re here with you” — can profoundly shape a family’s experience of care.Part 1 lays the foundation for a deeper exploration of collaboration and relationship-building in pediatric GI and feeding therapy, reminding us that before treatment plans and protocols, there is always a human relationship , and that relationship is where care begins.

In this episode of Rooted in Connection, host Erin Forward, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, is joined by her oldest friend, Julie, an emergency medicine physician assistant, for an honest conversation about connection in high-stress healthcare environments. They explore emergency medicine, caregiver burnout, anxiety in healthcare professionals, the importance of listening to patients, and the role of self-care in sustaining compassionate care.This episode offers insight for healthcare providers, caregivers, therapists, and anyone navigating emotionally demanding work. Through personal stories and reflection, Erin and Julie discuss how relationships, communication, and human connection remain essential—even in moments of crisis.Topics include:• Emergency medicine and emotional resilience• Anxiety and mental health in healthcare• Compassion fatigue and burnout• The importance of listening and communication• Friendship, self-care, and staying human in high-pressure roles

In this episode of Rooting Connection, host Erin Forward explores the foundational role of relationships in therapy and why true healing requires more than techniques. It requires authenticity, vulnerability, and attuned connection. Erin discusses how trauma shapes the therapeutic process, how family dynamics influence behavior, and why recognizing individual differences is essential for meaningful care.She also dives into the realities many caregivers and therapists face behind the scenes, including secondary trauma, emotional overwhelm, and burnout in healthcare. Erin shares practical reflections on navigating rupture and repair in therapeutic relationships, maintaining boundaries, and advocating for yourself in professional environments that don’t always support emotional well-being.Whether you’re a therapist, caregiver, healthcare provider, or someone curious about the relational side of healing, this episode offers grounded guidance, compassion, and insight. It sets the foundation for future conversations about connection, co-regulation, resilience, and the heart-centered work of supporting others.

In this introductory episode, host Erin Forward, relationship-based speech and feeding therapist, CLC, and educator, shares why Rooted in Connection was created and why relationships sit at the center of everything we do.Erin reflects on how the most meaningful learning comes through people, stories, and connection. She explores how our clients, colleagues, caregivers, and communities shape us — and how this podcast will be a safe space to learn from each other and about ourselves.This episode sets the tone for honest, relational conversations about feeding, communication, child development, neurodiversity-affirming care, and the human experiences that connect us all.