First Bite: Fed, Fun, Functional SLP Insights

"Initiation" with Filmmaker and SLP Joshua Shah

First Bite: Fed, Fun, Functional SLP Insights

Show Notes

Guest: Joshua A. Shah, MS, CCC-SLP Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode: Complete the accompanying course online with Speech Therapy PD Watch this episode on Youtube: Initiation with Filmmaker and SLP Joshua Shah In a First Bite first, host Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, sits down with Joshua A. Shah, MS, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist, filmmaker, and the creative force behind the upcoming film Initiation, a fictional narrative inspired by lived experiences related to stuttering and communication differences. Joshua and Michelle explore the responsibilities that come with representing communication differences accurately and compassionately and how language, storytelling, and visibility shape public understanding. Together, they examine the connection between communication and power, including how representation can influence whose voices are valued, amplified, or marginalized. Tune in now for a thoughtful, timely conversation, and stay tuned for the film that sparked it. About the Guest(s): Joshua A. Shah is a filmmaker from Fremont, California. He currently serves as a home health speech-language pathologist, primarily working with individuals with neurological and communication impairments. He’s become inspired to bring the narratives of individuals with communication challenges to the silver screen and is dedicated to crafting these stories with both accuracy and creativity, challenging the current media landscape with empathetic storytelling. Show Notes: Contact Joshua: @shahjosh on Instagram Love Money Cause: @initiationshortfilm on Instagram “Initiation” Short Film: seedandspark.com/fund/initiation2026#story The Stuttering Foundation: www.stutteringhelp.org SPACE | Stuttering Organization: www.spacetostutter.org and @spacetostutter on Instagram The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: www.oliversacks.com/oliver-sacks-books/the-man-who-mistook-his-wife-for-a-hat/ My Stroke of Insight: mystrokeofinsight.com/index.html The Sound of Metal: www.imdb.com/title/tt5363618/ American Association for People with Disabilities: www.aapd.com Able South Carolina: www.able-sc.org First Bite Podcast: Subscribe and listen on Spotify or Apple Podcast

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Oct 13, 2026

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