IEP meetings can feel like walking into a room where everyone speaks a different language and you’re expected to keep up. We sit down with Samantha Taylor, founder of Olive Speech Therapy and the Empowered Parent Network, to talk about how families can move from overwhelmed to grounded and confident when navigating special education services, accommodations, and school communication. Samantha brings both professional expertise as a pediatric speech-language pathologist and lived experience as a mom raising a deaf son and a son with ADHD.

We dig into what actually helps before a first IEP meeting: doing light research, learning basic terminology, and showing up ready to collaborate instead of brace for a fight. Samantha explains why you are the key voice at the table, how to ask the questions you’re worried will sound “dumb,” and why it’s worth asking for what your child needs even if you end up compromising. We also talk about the emotional side, including how fear, uncertainty, and past experiences can make advocacy harder than it looks on paper.

Then we shift to the long game: teaching kids self-advocacy skills they can use in real life. We share ways to model “advocating with grace,” create a home culture where kids can ask why and express feelings respectfully, and build practice into everyday routines like dinner, car rides, and simple errands. For middle school and high school, Samantha offers concrete strategies like co-writing an email to a teacher, stepping back during introductions, and role playing different responses so kids feel prepared rather than panicked.

If you want calmer IEP meetings, stronger communication, and kids who can speak up for themselves without burning bridges, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a parent who needs support, and leave a review telling us what advocacy skill you’re working on right now.

Connect with Samantha

Visit the Empowered Parent Network website and join the newsletter to get the FREE guide, "5 Things to Say in an IEP Meeting." Then check out Parenthood Unscripted on Instagram, and Olive Speech Therapy on Instagram and Facebook.

Welcome to Speak Out Stand Out — the show where we build confidence in our future, one voice at a time. I’m your host, Elizabeth Green.

I grew up shy, so I know firsthand how life-changing it can be when someone helps you find your voice. Now, I get to help kids and teens do exactly that — and this podcast is a place to share those tools with you.

Each week, I talk with experts and inspiring guests about simple, practical and tangible ways to help the young people in

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