Beyond Words: Inside Craig Hospital's Aphasia Therapy

What if the words you needed vanished just when you needed them most? For nearly 2 million Americans living with aphasia, this isn't a hypothetical—it's daily life.

Aphasia strips away the ability to speak, understand, read, or write without affecting intelligence. Behind every struggle to communicate lies a person who knows exactly what they want to say but can't access the words. This disconnect between thought and expression represents the fundamental challenge people with aphasia face.

In this enlightening conversation with Dr. Kim Frey and Betsy Batts from Craig Hospital's innovative CHAT program (Craig Hospital Aphasia Therapy), we explore how modern aphasia therapy has evolved beyond traditional picture-naming exercises into comprehensive, intensive treatment that creates real-world results. Founded in 2017, CHAT employs Intensive Language Action Therapy that pairs motor and language networks in interactive, game-like sessions that yield remarkable improvements.

Whether you're a healthcare professional, have a loved one with communication challenges, or simply appreciate the gift of expression we often take for granted, this episode offers valuable insights into the puzzle of language and the remarkable resilience of human connection.

Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, is a world-renowned rehabilitation hospital that specializes exclusively in the neurorehabilitation and research of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and brain injury (BI). Craig is a not-for-profit, free-standing, national center of excellence that has treated more than 34,500 patients with SCI and BI since 1956. https://craighospital.org

For more Information visit: https://craighospital.org/onlyatcraigpodcast

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast is intended for general informational purposes only. Craig Hospital is not affiliated with resources that may be referenced in this podcast. Craig Hospital assumes no liability for any third-party material or for any action or inaction taken as a result of any content or any suggestions made in this podcast and should not be relied upon without independent investigation. Any use of this content by a corporation or other revenue-seeking or -generating organization is prohibited unless first approved by Craig Hospital....