Guest: Megan Sutton, MS, RSLP, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/rewiring-language

Join your host, Renee Garrett, for an enlightening discussion with Megan Sutton, co-founder of Tactus Therapy, as they explore aphasia therapy. In this episode, Megan and Renee discuss effective treatment methodologies, the importance of communication partner training, integrating technology into speech therapy, and the role of home practice in achieving optimal outcomes. Gain insights into Megan's journey, discover the significance of patient-centered care, and explore various assessment and treatment strategies. Whether you're a seasoned speech therapist or new to the field, this episode is packed with valuable information to enhance your practice.

Episode Timeline:

00:00 Introduction and Disclosures

01:19 Meet Megan Sutton

02:13 Megan's Journey into Speech Therapy

05:22 Aphasia and Its Impact

07:27 Person-Centered Care in Speech Therapy

09:17 Assessment Techniques and Challenges

15:54 Cognition and Aphasia

25:03 The Importance of Home Practice

30:10 Energy Management in Aphasia

31:44 Mental Health and Communication Challenges

33:00 Holistic Approach to Stroke Recovery

36:42 Favorite Aphasia Treatments

38:01 Conversation Partner Training

41:00 Verb Network Strengthening Treatment

44:57 Oral Reading for Language in Aphasia

54:14 Importance of Group Therapy

56:16 Empowering Patients and Clinicians

56:48 Conclusion and Future Directions

About the Guest: Megan Sutton is a speech-language pathologist and the co-founder and CEO of Tactus Therapy, a leader in speech therapy apps and creator of the new Virtual Rehab Center online software. She is the co-author of the book "Healing the Broken Brain," which focuses on stroke recovery, and is an internationally invited speaker on topics including aphasia and the use of technology. Megan has worked clinically in a wide variety of healthcare settings, including an intensive aphasia program. She currently leads the Tactus team from her home outside Vancouver, Canada.

Here are the references and code:

Become a member of the Tactus Virtual Rehab Center and get 10% off your first month or year when you enter the coupon code "BRAINSTORMS" when you sign up. https://tactustherapy.com/rehab

References cited:

Simmons-Mackie, N., & Cherney, L. R. (2018). Aphasia in North America: highlights of a white paper. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 99(10), e117.

REhabilitation and Recovery of peopLE with Aphasia after StrokE (RELEASE) Collaborators. (2022). Dosage, intensity, and frequency of language therapy for aphasia: A systematic review–based, individual participant data network meta-analysis. Stroke, 53(3), 956-967. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8884127/

Olsson, C., Arvidsson, P., & Blom Johansson, M. (2019). Relations between executive function, language, and functional communication in severe aphasia. Aphasiology, 33(7), 821-845.

Nikravesh, M., Aghajanzadeh, M., Maroufizadeh, S., Saffarian, A., & Jafari, Z. (2021). Working memory training in post-stroke aphasia: Near and far transfer effects. Journal of communication disorders, 89, 106077.

How-To articles (VNeST, Communication Partner Training) https://tactustherapy.com/how-to/