BONUS: Why Building Rapport Is Everything in Secondary Speech Therapy

Hallie chats about the importance of building rapport with older speech students.In this bonus episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie shares the moment that completely changed how she approached working with older students—when one small connection turned reluctant teens into willing participants. She dives into how that experience inspired Chapter 7 of her new book, The Secondary SLP Roadmap, and why building rapport isn’t extra—it’s everything. If you’ve ever wondered how to get buy-in from your students or make therapy a space they actually look forward to, this one’s for you.Bullet Points to Discuss: What rapport really means—and why it matters most. The story that changed how Hallie connects with students. How trust turns reluctant learners into willing participants. Simple ways to build rapport while still hitting goals. A peek into Chapter 7 of The Secondary SLP Roadmap.Here’s what we learned: Connection comes before correction—rapport is the real starting point. Trust makes students more willing to try, fail, and try again. Small moments of authenticity build big buy-in. You can build relationships and meet goals—it’s not either/or. When students feel safe, real progress follows.Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets