Stroke and Speech Therapy for Adults with Higher Functioning Language Challenges after Stroke, Chemotherapy or Brain Injury – Excellent Book “What I Mean Is…” Puts Language Back Together Again
The technical name for us (and I am part of this group myself) is the “higher functioning speech impaired” and we fall through the cracks when it comes to our need for therapy. Over the years my disability has all but disappeared… (unless you know what you’re looking for!) This book, “What I Mean Is…” changes all of that.
Yes we can form words. But we can’t fully express all the thoughts in our minds. Especially when we are tired. We’re always ‘losing words’ and having trouble remembering exactly how to say what we want. We also say things we can’t believe we said! Hence the title of this book “What I Mean Is…”!
With this Stroke Speech Therapy workbook, “What I Mean Is” we can get better. No question. There is hope that we can live as fully as we did before. Maybe our life will be different but it can be just as full. We need help to re-file the thousands of bits of information that were exploded everywhere during our brain injury.
Hilary Dibben is a gifted speech and language therapist and she wrote this book because there was no text book or workbook (other than for young kids) out there to help the clients she was treating. Who were these patients? Mostly adults following stroke or other brain injuries. Chemotherapy is causing an epidemic of ‘chemobrain’. These exercises also help the survivors of chemo. There are so many of us who are unable to express ourselves in a way that is satisfying and meaningful. This book is the answer we’ve been waiting for.
“What I Mean Is…” started out as a collection of worksheets for Stroke Speech Therapy and gradually grew from there. The development of this book was completely in step with the needs of the client and grew from what worked in real life to help rehabilitate patients to their fullest potential.
Simple but brilliant!
“What I Mean Is” workbook available here.
This book can be used directly by clients with some help from either their own speech therapist, an occupational therapist, other rehabilitation therapist, nurse, caregiver or friend.
If you or a loved one have suffered a stroke, chemobrain or another brain injury and need help expressing yourself fully and with ease, this book is for you. This Stroke Speech Therapy book works best when there is a non-injured person working with the client – although I admit that I worked on parts of this book in the waiting room with the other brain injured patients in my group!
I love this book! It’s the material I used myself in neuropsych-rehab with Hilary Dibben, who was the senior speech pathologist at my local hospital. Until I started working with Hilary I had no idea that I had need of language therapy. I knew deep down that I had difficulties but I was embarrassed to admit I was struggling. Everyone else seemed to think I was ‘OK’ – or at least, this is what they told me?! I was happy to keep my head down and avoid admitting that, in fact, I was not OK.
Before this round of rehab no-one had ever suggested that I seek out speech therapy. However as speech therapy was part of this neuropsych-rehab package – and not wanting to miss any potential improvements – I went to my first session with Hilary. I had never met anyone before who really understood what was going on inside my head! Amazing!
The exercises in “What I Mean Is…” may seem simple. But do them! In reality they are very powerful. I’ve always been able to write my thoughts down but now I can speak my thoughts too… (Although not well when I’m tired.)
The best thing of all is that I can now organize and sort out (more easily) what my difficulties are. And that, of course, is the first step to healing and real improvement. Now I know what it is I need to re-learn and “What I Mean Is” shows me how to do it.
Words and language are an important part of ‘me’. I love to write! And talk! Thank you Hilary…
The company – www.Lulu.com – that’s fulfilling the orders for the book is 100% reliable and trustworthy. Your credit card details are totally safe with them. I was very impressed with their integrity and professionalism. Ordering the book was easy and quick and just over a week later (after keeping me posted with 2 emails to let me know where my book was) I received my parcel. My grandson opened it for me – and as you can see it arrived in a cardboard package, firmly sealed inside in a protective bubble. Quick, easy, safe, guaranteed!