LIFE Beyond Aphasia

Inclusion doesn't just happen—it’s something we practice. The loving instinct to protect your person with aphasia can inadvertently shrink their world, but today, host Genevieve shares a practical, evidence-based 3-part Inclusion Routine.

This tactical action plan is grounded in frameworks like Supported Conversation for Adults (SCA™) and is designed to turn the belief that inclusion is participation into a daily reality. Learn to ...

You love them, but are you accidentally slowing their progress? This episode tackles the one mindset that silently holds families back after aphasia: the urge to protect instead of include.

Like Shirley’s family, every care partner struggles with the kind instinct to shield a loved one from frustration or embarrassment. But here’s the truth: this instinct to protect can actually build distance, giving you efficiency but losing conn...

“We used to be better at this.” That thought comes when you open a drawer and find old communication tools — the photo cards, the whiteboard, the worksheets. They were helping once. Then life got heavy, and they slipped away.

If you’re carrying that quiet hum of mental noise — the endless “What did I forget?” — you’re not alone. This episode helps you turn a simple seasonal cue, Daylight Savings, into a chance to pull communicatio...

“He was sent home after only 20 days of therapy. No roadmap. No plan. Just silence.”

For many stroke survivors, that silence turns into helplessness. But for Eric Jackson, it sparked something else. In this conversation, Eric shares how he rebuilt his life after aphasia—returning to work, finding his own speech strategies, and eventually stepping into advocacy and research. This is aphasia recovery that refuses to stop at survival.

When stroke changes who you are and how you see yourself, recovery can’t stop at the physical. This episode explores how rebuilding identity together brings back meaning, purpose, and connection. Work with us.

After stroke and aphasia, most families are told how to recover skills—not how to rebuild a life. In this conversation, Genevieve talks with Debra Meyerson and Steve Zuckerman, co-founders of Stroke Onward and authors of Iden...

“I don’t always do this in public, because it’s exhausting—but I can, if you give me a minute.”

If you've ever filled in the blank, answered for your partner, or just wanted to make life easier—you’re not alone. But there’s a hidden cost to helping too much. And for survivors with aphasia, that cost is steep: they start to believe they can’t.

This episode is about the quiet way learned helplessness takes root in stroke recovery—and...

“He used to try... and now he just sits there.”

Maybe you've said those words to yourself—or out loud to a friend. It’s one of the hardest parts of life after stroke, especially with aphasia. You're watching someone you love shrink. They used to fight. They used to care. Now they won’t even try. But what if what looks like apathy is actually something else?

This episode unpacks a hidden truth: most stroke survivors haven’t given up...

“He remembers every detail when talking to strangers, but with me—it feels like we’re speaking different languages.”

That’s the silent frustration so many couples face after aphasia. It’s not that you don’t care or aren’t trying—it’s that the same old ways of talking don’t work anymore. Better Conversations for Aphasia helps you spot the hidden barriers and find the small facilitators that change everything.

Why does this matter? B...

“I thought I was helping. Turns out, I was shutting him down.”

If that feels familiar—you’re not alone. Most care partners want to support, but the way we “help” can end up adding pressure instead of relief. In this episode, I share three evidence-based moves from Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™) that cut through frustration and bring conversations back to connection. You’ll also hear Joey’s story—how he turned...

“He sat in the meeting with more experience than anyone else in the room—yet he stayed silent and let others speak for him.”

That silence didn’t just happen at work. It followed Kevin home, where the shame and frustration of aphasia turned his marriage into a roommate arrangement. He had done every worksheet, every drill, and still asked himself: “Is this it for me?”

If you’ve ever wondered the same, Kevin’s story will remind you: ...

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...