Listen for LIFE Aphasia Podcast

She looked angry. He pulled back. Later, he realized—it wasn’t anger at all. It was aphasia.

If you’ve ever replayed a hard moment thinking, “I should’ve been more patient, I should know what to say by now”—this episode is for you. The guilt spiral is real. But what if the story you’re telling yourself isn’t the real one?

• Why guilt and self-blame show up so quickly in caregiving
• The hidden difference between acting as “the ...

He asked what’s for dinner. She saw his blank stare, thought he was angry, and pulled away. But it wasn’t anger at all.

We don’t talk about this enough—the way aphasia and stroke can twist how care partners interpret every look, every sigh, every silence. You end up carrying blame that was never yours. That’s why I teach the ACE Filter: Aphasia, Cognition, Emotion. It’s a way to stop, pause, and ask what’s really happening before y...

The hardest thing Oscar ever did as a brother was sit in silence and wait. Three seconds felt like forever.

When you love someone with aphasia, silence can feel heavy, awkward, even unbearable. You want to jump in, help, finish the word. But what if the greatest act of love is actually the pause?

In this episode, we unpack the Kitchen Timer Experiment—the “weirdest” aphasia strategy that works. You’ll see why waiting just three sec...

“They handed me a discharge packet. Not a manual.”

You’re the care partner. The advocate. The one who shows up. But the truth is—no one trained you for this. You’ve been expected to manage appointments, medications, your partner’s moods and words and losses… all while trying to keep the groceries stocked and the lights on.

And the hardest part? You’re doing it with love. But you’re also doing it without a roadmap.

In this episode, ...

Maura Silverman, Executive Director of the National Aphasia Association, advocates for individuals with aphasia and their families, emphasizing the need for increased awareness and community education. The discussion highlights the isolation faced by those with aphasia and the importance of building meaningful relationships, as well as the NAA's role in providing resources and support. With initiatives like the "Listen for Life Aph...

Are you caring for someone with aphasia? In this episode, Genevieve Richardson, a speech pathologist and care partner coach, busts the 7 most common myths that can hold caregivers and spouses back—and shares one practical tip for each.

You’ll learn:   

•    How to set boundaries without guilt     

•    The truth about “procrastination” and what it really means     

•    Why self-care isn’t selfish     

•    How routines give you ...

Are you an aphasia care partner feeling lost, overwhelmed, or like you're navigating this journey without a map? This YouTube episode is for you. In this powerful live event replay, we dive deep into the often-unseen struggles of care partners and reveal a revolutionary pathway to thriving beyond aphasia and stroke.

Discover the crucial epiphany: recovery is truly maximized when the care partner is taken care of. For too long, care...

We dive into the challenges faced by individuals with aphasia and their care partners and the crucial role that community support plays in navigating aphasia care. Here's a comprehensive summary of what you can expect:

We start by sharing the inspiring story of Betty, a retired store manager whose husband experienced a stroke and now lives with aphasia. Betty initially felt overwhelmed and hesitant to accept help, but we explored...

What if the reason you feel overwhelmed isn’t because you’re doing it wrong—but because no one ever showed you how to structure your day?

In this episode, Genevieve shares a training from inside the LIFE Aphasia Collective®—a private membership group for stroke and aphasia care partners—focused on the one tool that changes everything: frameworks.

Care partners like Teresa are carrying it all: schedules, therapy, communication, emot...

In this episode of the Listen for LIFE Aphasia podcast, we dive into the world of caregiving for individuals with communication with Dr. Kristin Schaffer Mendez. Dr. Kristin Schaffer Mendez, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and an assistant professor at the University of St. Augustine in Austin, TX. Her primary areas of focus are in adult neurogenic communication disorders and counseling. Kristin researches holistic t...

“I wasn’t lazy. I was lost.”

If that line hits too close to home, this conversation is for you.

After stroke or aphasia, it’s easy to believe you’re just not trying hard enough. That you should feel more motivated. But what if it’s not a lack of willpower? What if the real issue is apathy, grief, or a recovery mindset that no longer fits?

This episode with Aaron Avila (Stroke TV Media) is honest, grounded, and deeply needed. We tal...

He looked down and said, “I don’t even know how to talk to her anymore.”

That moment didn’t happen in the hospital. It happened at home—months after stroke rehab ended. When the support disappeared, and recovery got… quiet.

If you’ve ever felt like the plan vanished after discharge, like you're carrying something no one prepared you for—this episode is for you.

We’re naming the therapy shift no one explains. And we’re breaking do...

Why Speaking Up After Stroke Feels So Hard If you’ve ever left a doctor’s office thinking, “I should’ve said something”—you’re not alone.

This episode breaks down why communication after stroke feels so difficult—and what you can do about it.

• Understand how executive dysfunction and aphasia fatigue make speaking up harder than it seems
• Learn why care partners sometim...

Have you started saying no to life without even realizing it? You might be living in quiet resignation — a natural, but heartbreaking, place many stroke carepartners find themselves after months or years of survival.

In this episode, Genevieve shares how resignation quietly creeps into the lives of carepartners after stroke and aphasia — often unnoticed, disguised as “being realistic” or “doing what has to be done.” Through real-...

After a stroke, even everyday conversations can feel like uphill climbs. Maybe you’ve found yourself nodding instead of asking. Staying quiet even when something didn’t feel right. Wishing afterward that you’d said more.

This episode is about those moments.

Genevieve shares what the research says—and what survivors know—about why speaking up gets so complicated after stroke. You’ll learn the hidden steps of self-advocacy and how to...

“He’s still here—but we’re not us anymore.” That’s what one care partner told me. And she’s not alone.

If your marriage feels muted—like you’re functioning as a caregiver, not a partner—this episode is for you. You’re not imagining the distance. And you’re not the only one wondering how to fix it without making it worse.

What no one tells you is this: caregiver burnout is one of the strongest predictors of divorce after stroke. Es...

She looked calm. Capable. But when I asked what she needed—she couldn’t answer. Not because she didn’t care. Because she didn’t remember how to.

If you’re the one keeping everything afloat—managing meds, moods, meals, and meaning—you might not realize what’s been lost. Not your partner. You.

This episode is about what happens when caregiving stops being something you do… and quietly becomes who you are. It’s not about blame. It’s ...

I didn’t expect a movie to call me out—but one line stopped me cold.

If you’re a stroke care partner lying awake at night, looping through your to-do list, bracing for tomorrow before today is even over—this might be the reset you didn’t know you needed.

In this episode, I share the moment that hit me hard, what it taught me about mental clutter, and the 5-minute routine that’s helped me finally sleep again. No fixing. No faking. J...

If your spouse or loved one survived a right hemisphere stroke and now feels… different—you’re not imagining it. In this heartfelt Q&A, Genevieve answers real questions from care partners grappling with subtle but life-altering changes: blank stares, flat affect, lost affection, impulsive speech, and “he’s totally fine” denial. If you’ve ever wondered is this the stroke… or j...