Episode 127: Beyond the Plateau: Mindfulness in Aphasia Recovery – A Conversation with Lori Gray
Aphasia Access ConversationsShow Notes
Dr. Katie Strong has a conversation with Dr. Lori Gray about her work which focuses on mindfulness and aphasia. During this episode you will • Learn how mindfulness practices can help manage daily communication challenges including neuro fatigue, word-finding difficulties, and the frustration that comes with living with aphasia. • Discover why recovery "plateaus" should be reframed as "nonlinear pause points" and how challenging traditional beliefs about recovery limitations can open new possibilities for continued growth. • Hear about an adapted Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program for stroke survivors and the positive outcomes from Dr. Gray's pilot study, including improved sleep, reduced stress, and enhanced quality of life. • Experience a guided mindfulness practice designed specifically for people affected by aphasia and learn practical ways to integrate mindfulness into both daily life and clinical practice.
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Episode 143 Hope in Aphasia Clinical Process with Jaqueline Hinckley
In this episode you will: • Learn about the role of stress in communication and how to manage stress through coping strategies. • Learn about spirituality and spiritual practices, along with the distinctions between spirituality and religion. • Learn about the Aphasia Brief-Cope tool. • Learn about the potential adaptive value of spiritual beliefs and practices for individuals with aphasia. • Learn about how to start conversations about spirituality and aphasia. Imagine for a moment that you've lost your connection to a deeply important aspect of your life, a mental space, a conversation, a meditation, a fellowship. Aphasia can alter so many connections, but this strikes at your core. Well, there's hope. Spirituality and spiritual practices are possible after aphasia and clinicians should offer to open these doors if that is what the person with aphasia wants. Welcome to the Aphasia Access Conversations Podcast. I'm Jerry Hoepner. I'm a professor at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and co-facilitator of the Chippewa Valley Aphasia Camp, Blugold Brain Injury Group, Mayo Brain Injury Group, Brain In-Com intensive brain injury program, and Thursday Night Poets. I'm also a member of the Aphasia Access Podcast Working Group. Aphasia Access strives to provide members with information, inspiration, and ideas that support their aphasia care through a variety of educational materials and resources. Hannah Wendel Griffey is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Disorders at Brigham Young University, where she directs the PEARL Lab (Psychosocial Effects of Aphasia on the Rehabilitation of Language) within the BYU Aphasia Center. Her research examines how psychosocial factors shape recovery, participation, and quality of life for people with aphasia, with particular attention to the measurement and treatment of stress, anxiety, coping, and identity. Grounded in participation-focused frameworks derived from the ICF, including A-FROM and the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia, her work promotes culturally responsive, holistic care. A central focus of her scholarship is religion and spirituality as coping mechanisms in neurogenic communication disorders, examining how communication barriers restrict spiritual participation and how adaptations and clinician support can facilitate continued engagement and well-being.
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