How Copyright Violations Cost Me Thousands—and Taught Me Invaluable Lessons as an SLP

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I found myself scrambling to learn the functions of Zoom while trying to keep my preschool speech therapy caseload engaged. Transitioning to teletherapy wasn’t just a challenge—it was overwhelming. I struggled to capture the attention of my special-needs preschoolers through a screen while simultaneously coaching their parents on how to support their children at home. The tools I initially relied on weren’t cutting it, and I felt like I was failing as an SLP.

Then I discovered Boom Cards, and everything changed. These interactive, digital decks became my lifeline, and I quickly taught myself how to design the decks using their online tutorials. The Boom Decks transformed my sessions from frustrating to fun, helping me re-engage my students and feel successful again. But my initial excitement led me down an unexpected path when copyright violations turned my breakthrough into a costly, stressful lesson.

During the pandemic, I created and sold hundreds of adorable Boom Card decks featuring popular characters like Paw Patrol, Super Mario Brothers, Frozen, Moana, Tangled, Toy Story, and even superheroes like Spider-Man and Batman. My caseload loved them, and they sold like hotcakes!

The clipart I purchased was ADORABLE, but I misunderstand copyright laws at the time.

This Paw Patrol Apraxia Deck was my bestseller - and thus, my biggest debt to pay off.

But then came the email that changed everything. Boom Learning contacted me to say my account was being shut down unless I could provide proof that I had the rights to use the intellectual property featured in my decks. Suddenly, I was staring down hundreds of warning emails:“A user has a problem with your deck…” because my store was now closed.

For every single deck sold that violated copyright, I would need to reimburse the money. On top of that, I had to pay a membership fee—again—to reinstate my account. The reality of my mistake hit hard, and plenty of tears were shed as I realized the financial and emotional toll ahead.

Despite the setback, I wasn’t ready to quit. My preschoolers depended on engaging materials, and I was determined to rebuild. I went clipart purchase-crazy, scouring the internet for the most charming, copyright-safe art from talented artists. Each set of drawings I purchased sparked joy as I used them to create beautiful, original products. The best part? My preschoolers loved them. Even through screen shares, the kids were re-engaged, laughing and participating in our speech therapy lessons.

The perfect digital speech game featuring everyone’s favorite: BUBBLES! Fun, engaging, and designed to target apraxia therapy goals!

Boom Cards had become a lifeline during teletherapy. When I first started using them, my therapy sessions felt chaotic and disjointed. I was toggling between unmotivating games and target word pictures, barely keeping my students' attention for 10 minutes. It was exhausting. But Boom Cards changed everything. Their seamless, interactive design kept my kids engaged and made therapy easier to deliver—even through a computer screen.

While the copyright violation ordeal was painful and expensive, it forced me to reimagine how I created materials. I shifted my focus to designing original, creative products that respected intellectual property rights while captivating my students. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

I’ve learned my lesson the hard way, and I’m never looking back. As the song goes, the past is in the past… Let it go!

This is an old Pinterest pin to advertise my Frozen Apraxia Boom Deck. It included 200 target words (much like the current versions) to work on practicing all the early sounds and syllable sequences.

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Let’s Connect!

Have you ever faced unexpected challenges in your SLP journey? How did you overcome them? I’d love to hear your stories and lessons in the comments below!

And if you’re looking for engaging, copyright-safe resources to captivate your students, check out my TPT store and Boom Learning decks for tools that make therapy sessions both effective and fun!