214. Why Speech Therapy Falls Apart for Kids with ADHD+Anxiety (And How to Fix It)

If you’re feeling like your therapy sessions are “working” but chugging along at a slow pace, this episode is going to hit a nerve in the best way. Because here’s the truth that most of us weren’t trained to see clearly: When a child has anxiety or ADHD, you are not just treating speech and language. You are working against a nervous system that is dysregulated, overloaded, and constantly scanning for what feels safe, predictable, and doable. And if your therapy doesn’t account for that, it won’t stick. Not because the child can’t learn, but because the system isn’t ready to hold onto what you’re teaching. In this episode, we break down what is actually happening underneath the surface with anxiety and ADHD, and why traditional, sit-and-work therapy models often fall apart with these learners. We walk through what to look for, what to shift immediately, and how to build sessions that regulate first so language, speech, and AAC can actually follow. We’re talking about real, Monday-morning changes that increase engagement, reduce shutdown behaviors, and create the kind of momentum that leads to true generalization. If you’ve ever thought, “They can do it with me, but nowhere else,” this episode is for you. Because that gap is not a mystery. It’s a systems problem, and you can fix it. And when you do, everything changes. If you are ready for therapy that actually works for children with anxiety and ADHD, where movement, regulation, literacy, and communication are all working together instead of competing, then it’s time to step into a model that was built for exactly that. Inside the SIS Membership, you get ready-to-use, literacy-based, movement-rich therapy activities designed to support regulation, attention, and engagement first, so that speech, language, and AAC gains can finally stick and generalize across settings. No more piecing things together. No more guessing what will work. Just open, implement, and watch the shift. Join the SIS Membership here: https://www.kellyvess.com/sis Roll up your sleeves and meet me at the intervention drawing board.💚KellyVessSLP