The Power of Relationship-based Therapy with Desiree Rusch

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Transcript of “The Power of Relationship-based Therapy with Desiree Rusch” – Bright Conversations Podcast

Shontaye Glover-Jones: Hi and welcome to another episode of Bright Conversations. I am Shontaye Glover-Jones of Bright Ideas Media, and today I'm super excited to have a discussion about fostering meaningful connections and research on relationship-based therapy with our guest, Desiree Rush. Hi, Desiree.

Desiree Rusch: Hi, how are you, Shontaye?

Shontaye: I'm great, thanks. How are you?

Desiree: Good, I'm excited to meet with you today.

Shontaye: It's great to have you here. I just want to tell everyone a little bit about you and your background.Desiree is a PLP, a pediatric SLP, who has advocated for building relationships with students, patients, and their families across a variety of settings. Her career spans over 20 years in early intervention, public schools, private schools, preschools, hospitals—always ensuring that she's focusing on building relationships and positive working connections with her colleagues, patients, and their families.Desiree incorporates play-based activities, promoting an inclusive, motivating, and safe space to grow. She recognizes the privilege of meeting students and patients where they are, which is so important, and is honored to be included in their journey.It's fantastic to have you here today, and I'm excited to talk more about the work you do in such a critical component that's sometimes overlooked. I think people sometimes forget how important it is to build those relationships.

Desiree: They do. It really is the foundation to therapy across all environments, all settings. I focus on pediatrics, but whether it’s pediatrics or adults, it’s a part of human connection in general. It’s really a foundation that we need to focus on, and yet it isn’t often explicitly taught when you’re going through school.I find that even for myself, I have to constantly check and recalibrate to ensure I’m staying mindful and present in that space. Human connection in general—outside of speech therapy—even impacts physical health, increases longevity, reduces chronic illnesses, and enhances mental well-being.

Shontaye: Absolutely. Without that connection, if we were just sitting there talking to ourselves with no one to hear or understand, then we wouldn’t have communication. It’s really about the connection that drives us toward communication.

Desiree: Exactly. And when you develop that human connection, it helps foster more effective communication skills. It also takes you from just being in clinical mode as a therapist to being a human. Sometimes we forget that.I think, as a profession, we deeply care for our patients and their families. We become invested, and it’s a very intimate relationship when you're working with a child and their family. Parents often see us as an extended part of their family.

Shontaye: And it’s easy to get caught up in focusing on the outcome that we’re looking for and forget that we’re human, they’re human. Sometimes you just need to step back and do a check-in. “How are you feeling? How do you feel about what’s happening? Are you comfortable with what we’re doing? How do you feel about your performance?” That makes a big difference when we don’t put so much weight on the goal.Of course, we’re here to make progress, but it’s okay to just check in and be human during sessions. And I often find that those are the moments when I see the most progress or when something unexpected occurs because we paused to reconnect.

Desiree: Yes! That connection creates a team environment. We could drill all day long, but if there’s no meaning behind it, no engagement from the child or buy-in from the parents, then there’s no carryover. What I care about isn’t just what happens in my therapy room—it’s what happens outside of it.

Shontaye: That’s the ultimate goal. You mentioned earlier that relationship-building isn’t explicitly taught in graduate school. Do you think it’s something that clinicians become more aware of over time through experience?

Desiree: Absolutely. I remember in graduate school, a supervisor told me that my interpersonal skills with patients were strong. She emphasized that while clinical strategies change over time, the ability to build connections isn’t always taught—it has to come intrinsically.That feedback had a huge impact on me because she highlighted that developing a strong connection is what sets apart great therapeutic outcomes. If the parents and child have buy-in, and you do too, then you create a more effective and empowering environment.

Shontaye: That makes so much sense. When parents trust that you genuinely care about their child as a whole—not just their speech or communication goals—they’re more likely to engage fully in the process.

Desiree: Exactly. And I always tell parents that if their child comes home excited about an activity we did, I want to know about it. But equally, if they didn’t enjoy something, I want to know that too. The more positive the experience, the more likely they are to practice at home, which leads to greater progress.

Shontaye: Right! You want them to associate therapy with a positive, empowering experience.

Desiree: Yes. Research backs this up as well. A study from 2024 found that fostering strong relationships with caregivers improves a child’s academic achievement and peer relationships. Another study from 2023 showed that children with speech sound disorders past the age of eight are twice as likely to report self-harm with suicidal intent compared to those without speech sound disorders. That statistic is staggering. It really reinforces the importance of ensuring kids feel supported and empowered.

Shontaye: Absolutely. And when parents feel informed and included in the process, they’re better advocates for their child—whether it’s with insurance companies or schools.

Desiree: Yes! Collaboration across settings is critical. In 2024, a study found that Spanish-speaking mothers often felt excluded from therapy. That’s something we need to be mindful of—ensuring that we’re including all caregivers and considering the child’s entire cultural and linguistic environment.

Shontaye: That’s so important. And beyond just fostering relationships with clients and families, we also need to build strong relationships with the entire multidisciplinary team.

Desiree: Definitely. As SLPs, we sometimes feel isolated, but we need to build bridges with teachers, OTs, and other professionals. When I co-treated with OTs, I saw techniques that helped me better support my students. Likewise, teachers appreciated knowing how to support communication in the classroom.

Shontaye: That’s a great point. Do you have any tips for initiating collaboration?

Desiree: Yes! Embed yourself in the school or hospital setting. Get involved with activities, even something as simple as lunch duty—it helps you connect with students and staff. I also started a communication STEM lab where kids could engage in speech-supporting technology activities before school. It became a fantastic way to foster engagement.Another activity we did was Bubbles for Autism Awareness. The entire school would go outside and blow bubbles together—it was a beautiful, joyful way to create awareness and foster community.

Shontaye: I love that! Before we wrap up, I want to mention that you and your daughter, Marley, share content together on social media. She’s currently studying speech and hearing sciences, right?

Desiree: Yes! She’s a junior at Ohio State University, studying speech and hearing sciences and minoring in ASL and disability studies. It’s been amazing to share this journey with her.

Shontaye: That’s so special. Where can people find you online?

Desiree: You can find me on Instagram and social media at SLPTalk, and I also have resources on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Shontaye: Fantastic! We’ll share those links in the show notes. Thank you so much for joining me today, Desiree. This was a wonderful conversation.

Desiree: Thanks, Shontaye! I really appreciate it.

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