I like to be really transparent. Early after a TBI, I had such magnificently apparent social communication impairments that my verbal blurts were excused. As I recovered in visual processing, attention, balance, auditory processing, and something else I can’t remember (probably memory), I looked a lot less disabled. That made the blurts more noticeable and … Read more
We all start out with dreams and ideas about how our careers will go. It’s hard to foresee when, where or why the forks in the road will come, but it is almost certain that they will. This blog post explores two key ways in which supervision helped me to negotiate a fork in the … Read more
An aneurysm ruptured in my brain when I was 27. The facts are simple enough. Yet, I find this topic resists such simplicity. I had been an American abroad, touring a show to the International Fringe Festival in Scotland. I was onstage when it happened, though I don’t remember when I stopped singing. I don’t … Read more
As a student Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) nearing the end of your training, you begin to feel a bit like you might know a few things. After four years of placements and the range of experiences you have amassed through interaction with a variety of clients and their families, you start to think ‘Ok, … Read more
I have never written a blog before, but the invitation to do so is a timely one as I ‘grow up’ and find my way with social media on my freelance ‘adventure’. Since I took early retirement from my role supporting people with Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (CJD) and their families in the NHS, my goal … Read more
I wrote last month about how some of our neuro-rehabilitation service users benefit from the experience of attending the news group we run on the ward. As a service, we have found that we can use our group provision for a number of purposes: We can use the group to provide different packages … Read more
10.30am and this week’s News Group is about to start on the neuro-rehabilitation unit where I work as a speech and language therapist. As I arrange chairs and sort through the newspapers, John arrives without any prompting, having remembered to consult his diary for his programme for the day. John is working on strategies to … Read more
Aphasia is the name given to a condition where speaking, understanding, reading and writing are damaged. If you experience aphasia, it can be devastating. Speaking is a bit like blinking – it is something you take for granted until that bit of grit lands in your eye, then you realise just how much you rely … Read more
‘Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced’ John Keats One of the greatest challenges in acquiring any new skill is taking the knowledge you have gained and applying it to the real world in a meaningful and positive way. Bridging the gap between theory and experience is something I, as a student speech and language … Read more
Continuing with our two-part blog post on the different strategies people employ to support change, this month’s entry reflects the voice of some of our clients who have generously shared their ideas below: Dom: “When I am planning anything I am always trying to save myself energy and to plan anything I need to be … Read more