Functional dysphagia is often treated as a physical issue, but for many patients, swallowing is shaped just as much by the brain as it is by the body. In this episode of Brainstorms: Functional Rehab for SLPs, host Renee Garrett, MSEd, CCC-SLP, CBIS is joined by Rebecca Klam, PsyD, and Jaimie Anderson, MS, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS, to explore the psychological side of dysphagia and why perception, not just physiology, matters.
Through a psychologist’s lens, the conversation focuses on hypersensitivity and how heightened sensory awareness, anxiety, and learned fear responses can intensify swallowing challenges even when no structural impairment is present. You’ll gain a clearer understanding of how the nervous system influences swallowing and why some patients experience persistent symptoms despite normal findings.
The episode also highlights evidence-informed approaches grounded in cognitive-behavioral principles, interoceptive awareness, and nervous system regulation. Practical insights are woven throughout to help you better recognize these patterns and support more holistic, patient-centered dysphagia care.
Through a psychologist’s lens, the conversation focuses on hypersensitivity and how heightened sensory awareness, anxiety, and learned fear responses can intensify swallowing challenges even when no structural impairment is present. You’ll gain a clearer understanding of how the nervous system influences swallowing and why some patients experience persistent symptoms despite normal findings.
The episode also highlights evidence-informed approaches grounded in cognitive-behavioral principles, interoceptive awareness, and nervous system regulation. Practical insights are woven throughout to help you better recognize these patterns and support more holistic, patient-centered dysphagia care.
