Aphasia Access Conversations

Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, Director of the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay, speaks with Judy Walker of the University of Maine about how we can use technology to improve the lives of individuals with aphasia, and how telepractice can promote the values of the life participation approach. Dr. Judy Walker is an associate professor and coordinator of the University of Maine speech therapy telepractice program. Her academic and research interests include speech therapy, telepractice, neuro linguistics and cognitive neuroscience. Dr. Walker established the University of Maine speech therapy telepractice program whose mission encompasses graduate student telepractice clinical training while providing speech therapy telepractice services to children and adults throughout Maine and at an international school in Fiji. In addition to coordinating this program, she provides clinical supervision to graduate students in the speech therapy telepractice practicum and teaches graduate courses in traumatic brain i

During this episode, Jerry Hoepner, a faculty member in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, speaks with Wayne Zorn, CeCelia Zorn, and their speech-language pathologist Tania Riske, about primary progressive aphasia. They also discuss the trio’s article, “Three Voices at the Table.” Wayne Zorn is a man of many dimensions. As others discover who he is, they find a person with a giving heart, a curious, precise, and engineering mind, and a fun-loving soul. CeCelia and Wayne met in high school in rural northeastern Wisconsin. Married for 45 years, CeCelia brings a threefold background to our discussion about PPA. CeCelia strives for a life enriched by kindness, joy, perseverance, curiosity, patience, and collaboration. Tania Riske is a speech-language pathologist at Mayo Health Systems – Eau Claire. She initially entered the speech language pathology field through her volunteer work with the Chippewa Valley Aphasia Group and graduated from the Unive

During this episode, Dr. Katie Strong, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Central Michigan University talks with Dr. Hsinhuei Sheen Chiou from Minnesota State University, Mankato about metacognitive instruction and goal attainment scaling for people with aphasia and clinical education. Dr. H. Sheen Chiou, Ph.D. CCC-SLP is a full professor in the Department of Speech, Hearing and Rehabilitation Services at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She teaches courses in adult neurogenic disorders including aphasia and acquired cognitive disorders and runs language and cognitive rehabilitation research. Her current research and clinical practice focus on patient-centered language and cognitive intervention for people with brain injuries (stroke, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative disorders) and meaningful engagements for people with dementia and their care partners. She leads an aphasia conversation group for Minnesota Connect Aphasia Now in Minnesota.  In this ep

Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, Director of the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay speaks with Megan Sutton about how to empower individuals with aphasia to engage with home practice goals and how incorporating apps may enhance practice opportunities. Megan Sutton is a speech-language pathologist and the co-founder of Tactus Therapy Solutions, an app development company that creates popular aphasia therapy apps. She has designed 20 apps for adult speech pathology, including the best-selling Language Therapy 4-in-1. Megan has over 15 years of experience working with people with aphasia in a variety of clinical settings including acute care, inpatient and outpatient rehab, and an intensive aphasia treatment program. She is the co-author of the stroke recovery book entitled Healing the Broken Brain and is an international speaker on the topic of using technology in aphasia therapy. Megan lives near Vancouver, Canada where she regularly helps with the Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp and is on the clinical faculty of

Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, Co-director of the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay speaks with Carol Dow-Richards about the importance of social connection for individuals with aphasia and their care partners and how it became the driving motivation behind The Aphasia Recovery Connection. Carol Dow-Richards is the Director of The Aphasia Recovery Connection, (ARC) a nonprofit organization. Carol spends her days walking alongside families as they navigate the road to recovery.   That is a road she knows all too well as her son David had a massive stroke destroying over half his left brain when he was only ten years old resulting in global aphasia and paralysis. While one Doctor suggested placing the fourth grader in a nursing home, David opted to fight - and clocked over 3,000 clinical hours of therapy over the next 15 years. Today, the mother and son duo are authors, have appeared on The Doctors, lead aphasia cruises and boot camps, speak at CEU events, and connect families like their own so others don

Katie Strong, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Central Michigan University, talks with Jodi Morgan about aphasia programming at Brooks Rehabilitation Aphasia Center. Jodi Morgan, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist, manager and co-founder of the Brooks Rehabilitation Aphasia Center. She serves as Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences at Jacksonville University. She also teaches courses in adult language disorders and cognitive disorders and rehabilitation. Her research interests and publications are in the area of aphasia and cognitive-linguistic rehabilitation in adults. Jodi has received multiple ASHA ACE awards and is an active member of Special Interest Groups through ASHA. She is a member of the Jacksonville Area Speech Pathology Association and the Florida Speech and Hearing Association. Jodi recently received Brooks Rehabilitation Research Award.  She is currently a board member of Aphasia Access and serves as co-ch

Janet Patterson, Chief of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Service at VA Northern California, speaks with Amber Richardson about the intersection of aphasia rehabilitation, group treatment, and telehealth service delivery. Amber is a staff speech-language pathologist at the VA Northern California Health Care System. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the College of William and Mary and completed her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at California State University, East Bay. Amber is pursuing her clinical doctorate in Speech Language Pathology at Northwestern University where her focus includes the study of aphasia group treatment, outcome measures and continuum of care. In today’s episode you will learn: strategies to create and sustain a virtual aphasia group the importance of a whole-patient support network for patients using telespeech-language pathology how aphasia rehabilitation and group treatment use the Internet to connect people in California and Washington

Jerry Hoepner, a faculty member in the department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, speaks to today’s guest, Julia Halvorson, from MnCAN – Minnesota Connect Aphasia Now. Julia Halvorson is a founding member and Executive Director of MnCAN and is passionate about the opportunity to develop aphasia programs that will connect people with aphasia and their care partners in Minnesota.  MnCAN is a nonprofit organization that has focused on providing supported conversation and life participation approaches to aphasia since it began in 2014.  Julia directs a staff of 17 Speech pathologists and 2 licensed counselors who provide aphasia groups and programs as well as support groups for people with aphasia and their care partners.  She has worked in the area of neurologic communication disorders for 40 years in acute care, long term rehab and outpatient settings as well as in rehab management. In this episode, listeners will hear and learn about: The logistics of devel

Dr. Katie Strong, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Central Michigan University talks with Dr. Thomas Broussard about broadening the importance of aphasia advocacy and awareness. Thomas G. Broussard, Jr., Ph.D. is an awarded author, public speaker, and three-time stroke survivor.  He was a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, naval officer, naval shipbuilder, and a business owner in career development and training. He received his Ph.D. at The Heller School at Brandeis University in 2006.  His work was focused on helping people with a disability find work. Dr. Broussard was associate dean at The Heller School at Brandeis University until his stroke in 2011.  He lost his language and could not read, write or speak well, but kept a 500-page diary using metaphorical drawings with text that didn’t make any sense. He started his company, Stroke Educator, Inc. in 2015. He is conducting a national “Aim High for Aphasia” awareness campaign dedicated to educating people about aph

Janet Patterson, Chief of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Service at VA Northern California, speaks with Cathy Off about creating and sustaining an aphasia group in a rural community. Dr. Off is an associate professor in the School of Speech, Language, Hearing, & Occupational Sciences in the College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Montana, where she directs the Big Sky Aphasia Program. In today’s episode, you will learn: • about disparities in health care for persons living in rural communities • strategies to identify challenges specific to sustaining an aphasia group in a rural community • how art, aphasia, and teaching and learning intersect in Missoula, Montana Download the Full Show Notes

Julie Hart is the Director of the TBI Medicaid Program in the Lally School of Education within the College of St. Rose. She developed the Moving Message Walk, which is celebrating its 10th year, and the Moving Message Fund, along with individuals with stroke and brain injury. In her everyday work, Julie Hart truly follows LPAA principles, nothing about us without us.  In today's episode, you will hear and learn as: Julie shares her years of collaboration with a cohesive, person-centered and innovative department at the College of St. Rose  After the first year, the Moving Message Fund was created to provide $2500 scholarship for therapy, technologies, and anything that will support communication of stroke and brain injury survivors The mission of the Moving Message Walk - celebrating people who have communication impairments, recognizing the strength they have, honoring their human nature, making people more aware of the reality of living with a communication disorder All of this takes place in collabo

Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, Co-director of the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay speaks with Jerry Kaplan about the history, structure, and future of the Boston University Aphasia Community Group.  Jerome Kaplan received his B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany and his M.A. from New York University. Now in his fiftieth year as a practicing SLP, Jerry has worked in academic, medical, rehabilitation, and research settings as well as in private practice. Founder of the Aphasia Community Group of Boston, now in its 30th year, Jerry has advocated for aphasia awareness and education through diverse and innovative programs, collaborating with noted actors, artists, filmmakers, and musicians. He has presented at the Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine, National Aphasia Association, and ASHA Conferences. He is the recipient of the Partners Health Care Community Service Award and the Aphasia Access Innovator Award.  In today’s episode you will:  Learn about the structure and flow of a month

During this episode, Dr. Katie Strong, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Central Michigan University talks with Robyn O’Halloran about broadening the role of the SLP in acute care assessment. Robyn O’Halloran is a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Speech Pathology at La Trobe University. She worked as an SLP in community and hospital settings before undertaking a M.Phil and PhD with Professor Linda Worrall on the role of SLP in the acute hospital setting. Robyn is the lead author of the Inpatient Functional Communication Interview: Screening, Assessment and Intervention, which will be published by Plural in November this year. In this episode you will: learn the importance of supporting your patients participate in their health care while they are in the hospital and how that might impact their overall health outcomes. be challenged to imagine how your role as an SLP in acute care can broaden by addressing the barriers to communication in the hospital e

In this episode, Janet Patterson speaks with Janice Dittelman, Technology Coach at the Adler Aphasia Center in New Jersey. Listening to this episode, you will: Hear how incorporating technology, in particular, mobile technology, can expand the experiences and connectedness of persons with aphasia, their family members, and individuals in the community, Learn tips on managing expectations for incorporating mobile technology into an aphasia group and encouraging group members to use mobile technology beyond the aphasia group activity, Learn what aphasia and fantasy football have in common.  Download the Full Show Notes

Jerry Hoepner, a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, speaks with Ronelle Hewetson about the social intervention framework and parallels to the LPAA framework for individuals with right hemisphere damage.  Ronelle addresses the gap in knowledge about a social intervention framework so evident in clinical contexts. Dr. Hewetson has examined social participation following right hemisphere stroke and has great insights into the application of the LPAA framework among persons with right hemisphere damage.  In today’s episode you will: Learn about the impact of right hemisphere damage on social communication, including returning to work roles and returning to relationships. Learn about the role of speech-language pathologists in addressing the social consequences of right hemisphere damage after right hemisphere damage. Learn about how proxy input gives a better idea of the social consequences after right hemisphere damage, given reduced awareness of change and the underestimation of

Deborah Hersh, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Speech Pathology at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia. She is a Fellow of Speech Pathology Australia and Deputy Chair of the Australian Aphasia Association. Deborah is interested in how people with aphasia experience rehabilitation and how SLPs can make their recovery journey more person-centered, inclusive and successful. During this episode, Dr. Katie Strong, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Central Michigan University talks with Dr. Hersh about Meeting in the Middle: Augmenting Person-Centeredness in Acute and Sub-Acute Post-stroke Aphasia. Material from today’s episode was first presented at the 2018 ASHA Convention in Boston, MA. In today’s episode you will: Hear the analogy of ‘therapy in transit’ as applied to acute and subacute aphasia care and how LPAA applies to participation in hospital settings Learn how therapeutic assessment differs from traditional assessment Expand your co

Jerry Hoepner, a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, speaks with Ian Kneebone about our roles in addressing mental health concerns among individuals with aphasia. Ian Kneebone is head of discipline within the discipline of Clinical Psychology in the Graduate School of Health at the University of Technology – Sydney. Professor Kneebone has made many contributions to clinical psychology and care of older people, specifically with those who experience depression and anxiety after stroke and other neurogenic diseases, including aphasia. In recent years, part of his work has included collaborations with several speech-language pathology researchers in addressing psychosocial consequences and interventions for persons with aphasia In today’s episode you will: Learn about common mental health concerns among individuals with aphasia. Learn about the role of speech-language pathologists and other professionals in the stepped model of care. Learn about Ian Kneebone’s past and current colla

In this episode, Dr. Katie Strong (Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at Central Michigan University) is talking with Dr. Sarah Wallace and Dr. Elena Donoso Brown about their work on participation gaps in research and clinical environments. Sarah E. Wallace PhD, CCC-SLP is an Associate Professor and Program Director for the Adult Language and Cognition clinic in the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Wallace also directs the Communication and Cognition Lab. She is a Tavistock Trust for Aphasia Distinguished Scholar in the United States.  Elena Donoso Brown PhD, OTR/L is an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Department at Duquesne University. Dr. Donoso Brown’s previous clinical experience was in-patient rehabilitation for persons after traumatic brain injury and stroke. At Duquesne University, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in evaluation, qualitative research methods and

Janet Patterson, Chief of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Service at VA Northern California, speaks with Ken Bado about the power of a passionate and dedicated executive board for a community aphasia group. Ken Bado is Chairman of the Executive Board of Voices of Hope for Aphasia in St. Petersburg, Florida. Ken, who is based in Dallas Texas, has been transforming IT companies for the last 30 years. In addition to being CEO of GMB Consulting LLC, he sits on boards of high growth software companies and various non-profits, including Voices of Hope for Aphasia. In today's episode you will learn: How having clearly stated mission and intent statements contribute to successful operation and stewardship of a community aphasia group About the most important qualifications that members of an executive board should demonstrate The value of applying solid business practices to aphasia group operations and activities to assure decisions align with the mission of the group. Download the Full Show No

Dr. Katie Strong (Assistant Professor at Central Michigan University Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders) presents another segment on “A-ha!” Moments in Aphasia Care as she speaks with Dr. Maria Muñoz about providing culturally responsive aphasia care. Maria L. Muñoz, Ph.D, CCC-SLP is a Professor at the University of Redlands. She received her doctorate from the University of Texas as a participant in the Multicultural Leadership Training Program and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in aphasia at the University of Arizona. She conducts research, teaches, and publishes in the areas of treatment outcomes and aphasia, and the manifestation of aphasia in Spanish/English bilinguals. In this episode you will: Hear a story that provided an aha moment in making treatment culturally relevant. Learn about how cultural adaptation applies to LPAA philosophy and challenges clinicians to see a different world view. Discover some ‘lessons learned’ on facilitating a bilingual aphasia support gro