Have you ever looked back at a chapter of your life and thought, How did I even get through that?

In this episode of Similar but Different podcast, Samantha Sadow Mayfield is joined by Abby McDowell, a Speech-Language Pathologist who lives between South Florida and Switzerland. Abby shares her journey from starting a family during the height of the pandemic to launching her own private practice focused on supporting children with speech, language, and feeding challenges.

They also explore what it’s really like working in both schools and hospitals, how COVID shaped the landscape of pediatric care, and the importance of mentorship and trauma-informed therapy in today’s evolving educational system.

Whether you're a parent, educator, healthcare provider—or simply someone passionate about purpose-driven work—you’ll find meaningful insights in this episode.

Highlights

• (00:10) – Introducing today’s guest, Abby McDowell
• (03:38) – Life lessons passed down from Abby’s mother
• (04:39) – A clear explanation of what pediatric speech-language pathologists do
• (06:12) – Supporting children with developmental delays and feeding disorders
• (07:19) – The emotional reality of working with medically fragile children
• (09:07) – How mentorship guided Abby into her career
• (12:33) – Becoming a mother during COVID and navigating remote therapy
• (16:44) – Long-term effects of pandemic disruptions on child development
• (19:36) – The shift toward trauma-informed care in schools
• (21:17) – Reflections on postpartum anxiety, pandemic parenting, and public health
• (24:57) – Academic pressure in early education

Connect with Samantha:

Website: https://sadowstyle.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sadowstyle/

Connect with Abby McDowell:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-macdowell-ms-ccc-slp-590021155/?originalSubdomain=ch