22 of My Favorite Tools and How to Use Them
Written by Char Boshart, M.A., CCC-SLP
Therapy tools can add a powerful, tactile dimension to speech and swallowing therapy—especially when used with purpose and strategy. Without clear intent and technique, tools can be ineffective—or even counterproductive.
22 of My Favorite Tools, And How to Use Them is a practical, clinician-focused guide that takes the guesswork out of therapy-tool use. This comprehensive resource not only introduces 22 essential therapy tools, but also shows you exactly how, when, and why to use them. Grounded in the fundamentals of speech production, the book emphasizes thoughtful, goal-directed applications—ensuring every technique supports a specific, meaningful client outcome.
- Use therapy tools with a greater knowledge-base, clinical intent, and confidence.
- Balance oral awareness and intra-oral localization (as in areas of the tongue).
- Localize lingua-dental stabilization to enhance lingual movement control.
- Avoid ineffective or inappropriate tool use—especially with the tongue.
- Enhance outcomes for challenging speech production targets.
- Strengthen your clinical reasoning with a clear understanding of why each technique works.
- 134-page practical paperback guide.
- Provides detailed instructions for 22 therapy tools, including how and when to use each.
- Guidance on where to purchase commonly used tools.
- Clear emphasis on purposeful use: where to place the tool, how to apply tactile input (e.g., pressing, stroking, tapping), and the intended outcome.
- Techniques to increase oral awareness and localization of specific oral structures.
- Specific methods for developing lateral tongue stabilization (tongue-teeth bracing) to reduce imprecise, “slushy” speech.
- Strategies to facilitate posterior tongue elevation for /r/, /k/, and /g/.
- Foundational overview of speech production principles to guide tool use.
- Practical guidance on tool cleaning and disinfecting.
- Numerous additional clinical tips for everyday therapy application.
Paperback: #TOOLS