38 min
Navigating the "Slow Road to Better": A Conversation with Melissa Richman and the Podcast Team from the Stroke Comeback Center Aphasia Access Conversations
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- Medicine
For today’s episode, Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, Program Specialist and Past Director for the Aphasia Treatment Program in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at Cal State East Bay, speaks with Melissa Richmond and members of the Slow Road To Better (SRTB) podcast group from the Stroke Comeback Center (SCC). This show celebrates Aphasia Awareness Month and is honored to feature 5 individuals with aphasia who are consumer advocates through their work on the Slow Road to Better podcast.
Guests:
Melissa Sigwart Richman, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist with 30 years of experience working in rehabilitation with stroke and brain trauma survivors. She holds degrees from James Madison University and the University of Maryland, College Park. Her career has included inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, long-term care, home care, community-based and virtual settings. Melissa served as a Senior SLP on the inpatient Stroke Recovery Team for Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital for over ten years and in 2006 became the Program Director for the Stroke Comeback Center in Vienna, Virginia. During her tenure, the organization grew to three locations starting with a handful of groups to well over 50 classes per week utilizing a life participation approach. In 2019, Melissa moved to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and started the Virtual Stroke Comeback Center which has continued to grow and thrive. She continues to focus her energy on improving the lives of survivors and families living with aphasia, with the primary focus of helping them get back to the business of living.
Slow Road to Better Podcast Team Members:
Kitti Tong: At the age of 27, Kitti Tong earned the CEO’s Exceptional Performance Award at Choice Hotels – the highest recognition in the company. A data analyst, growth strategist, and event facilitator, she founded a Toastmasters Chapter in Maryland and co-chaired several committees for women’s leadership and human rights. Kitti’s life was changed forever when she was struck by a car walking home from work, sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury. With determination and grit, she relearned to walk, talk and participate in life. She has founded S.A.Y. Younger Aphasia on YouTube to help create awareness of this isolating condition.
Kitti's YouTube channel is: S.A.Y -- Younger Aphasia Group - YouTube
Pat Horan: My name is Pat Horan, I was a Captain in the Army. In 2007 I was wounded in combat serving in Iraq. After my injury I couldn't talk, read or write. Over the past 10 years the Stroke Comeback Center has helped me improve my writing, reading and speech more than I could have ever thought possible. Today I am a proud father of a new son and an adopted nephew. My continued recovery will help me be a better father and husband.
Erin Adelekum: Erin's Instagram is: stroke.mama
Chris Vincent
Dante Thomas
Listener Take-aways
In today’s episode you will:
Learn how interprofessional education with physical therapists led to the launch of this member-focused aphasia podcast. Find out how the members prepare for the podcast by embracing spontaneous conversation Listen to members share insights on the benefits of being part of the SRTB podcast Hear the podcast team share the insight that even though aphasia is not “leaving it, but we’d like to crush it a little bit.” Crush it, they do!
Edited show notes
Ellen Bernstein-Ellis 00:54
Welcome to the Aphasia Access Aphasia Conversations Podcast. I'm Ellen Bernstein Ellis, Program Specialist with the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences and 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.
In recognition of June being Aphasia Awareness Mont
For today’s episode, Ellen Bernstein-Ellis, Program Specialist and Past Director for the Aphasia Treatment Program in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at Cal State East Bay, speaks with Melissa Richmond and members of the Slow Road To Better (SRTB) podcast group from the Stroke Comeback Center (SCC). This show celebrates Aphasia Awareness Month and is honored to feature 5 individuals with aphasia who are consumer advocates through their work on the Slow Road to Better podcast.
Guests:
Melissa Sigwart Richman, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist with 30 years of experience working in rehabilitation with stroke and brain trauma survivors. She holds degrees from James Madison University and the University of Maryland, College Park. Her career has included inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, long-term care, home care, community-based and virtual settings. Melissa served as a Senior SLP on the inpatient Stroke Recovery Team for Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital for over ten years and in 2006 became the Program Director for the Stroke Comeback Center in Vienna, Virginia. During her tenure, the organization grew to three locations starting with a handful of groups to well over 50 classes per week utilizing a life participation approach. In 2019, Melissa moved to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and started the Virtual Stroke Comeback Center which has continued to grow and thrive. She continues to focus her energy on improving the lives of survivors and families living with aphasia, with the primary focus of helping them get back to the business of living.
Slow Road to Better Podcast Team Members:
Kitti Tong: At the age of 27, Kitti Tong earned the CEO’s Exceptional Performance Award at Choice Hotels – the highest recognition in the company. A data analyst, growth strategist, and event facilitator, she founded a Toastmasters Chapter in Maryland and co-chaired several committees for women’s leadership and human rights. Kitti’s life was changed forever when she was struck by a car walking home from work, sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury. With determination and grit, she relearned to walk, talk and participate in life. She has founded S.A.Y. Younger Aphasia on YouTube to help create awareness of this isolating condition.
Kitti's YouTube channel is: S.A.Y -- Younger Aphasia Group - YouTube
Pat Horan: My name is Pat Horan, I was a Captain in the Army. In 2007 I was wounded in combat serving in Iraq. After my injury I couldn't talk, read or write. Over the past 10 years the Stroke Comeback Center has helped me improve my writing, reading and speech more than I could have ever thought possible. Today I am a proud father of a new son and an adopted nephew. My continued recovery will help me be a better father and husband.
Erin Adelekum: Erin's Instagram is: stroke.mama
Chris Vincent
Dante Thomas
Listener Take-aways
In today’s episode you will:
Learn how interprofessional education with physical therapists led to the launch of this member-focused aphasia podcast. Find out how the members prepare for the podcast by embracing spontaneous conversation Listen to members share insights on the benefits of being part of the SRTB podcast Hear the podcast team share the insight that even though aphasia is not “leaving it, but we’d like to crush it a little bit.” Crush it, they do!
Edited show notes
Ellen Bernstein-Ellis 00:54
Welcome to the Aphasia Access Aphasia Conversations Podcast. I'm Ellen Bernstein Ellis, Program Specialist with the Aphasia Treatment Program at Cal State East Bay in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences and 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.
In recognition of June being Aphasia Awareness Mont
38 min