For those who don’t know, aphasia legend Dr. Audrey Holland passed away earlier this month at the age of 91. The aphasia community is mourning the loss of such a distinguished pioneer and friend while celebrating her impact. Audrey wrote hundreds of research articles, books, and tests and mentored so many of today’s prominent aphasiologists. Nearly all researchers and clinicians working in aphasia have been touched by Audrey’s work in some way. She was certainly influential to me.

I’ve been struggling with what to say about this great woman, so I was much relieved when two of the top leaders in aphasia, Dr. Linda Worrall and Dr. Nina Simmons-Mackie, recorded a perfect video tribute to Audrey. They speculated on the 5 things Audrey would want aphasia clinicians and researchers to take from her life’s work as an example of what to do. Today I'm sharing their thoughts, with permission, along with my own.

(If you’re a family member or person receiving speech therapy, take this as a list of what you should expect in good therapy. Share it with your clinician if you’d like.)
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1. Mentor Others. A huge part of our profession as speech-language pathologists is to help each other to become better clinicians. As students, we rely on clinicians working in the field to teach us in our practicum experiences. As new grads, we lean on our CFY supervisor to guide us in our first year. But learning never ends, so it’s vital that we remain open to mentoring others informally in new settings, new areas of work, and better practices.
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2. Give Hope. When it seems all hope is lost for our patients, we can be the ones to give hope. It’s important to be both positive and optimistic. Audrey often reminded her clients that aphasia was not “the end of the road, but the beginning of a new path.” When there’s a chance – even a slim one – there’s a reason to try. Hope is powerful, so give it freely.
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3. Embrace the Whole Person. Aphasia is a language impairment, but it happens to a person. It’s the person we’re treating – not just the aphasia. Our therapy targets can be about language, like saying words or reading sentences, or they can be about communication activities, like ordering food or telling a story. We should target the things that matter most to the person in their unique life, not just the lowest-scored areas of a standardized test.
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4. Include the Family. Aphasia doesn’t just affect one person, it affects their whole family and community. Engaged family members should be included in the therapy process, including education, counseling, training, and support. Care partners should be encouraged to practice self-care. As the adage goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
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5. Remember Aphasia Groups. It’s a meaningful experience when a person with aphasia meets another person with aphasia for the first time. There is tremendous power in aphasia groups as members come together to share, support, and learn from one another. If there are aphasia groups in your area or online, remember to refer your patients to them. If they need support to attend, focus your therapy on enabling them. And if there are no groups, consider starting and running one.

These are the things Audrey would likely encourage us all to do. The world is a bit less joyful without her here, but she left an indelible mark on the treatment of aphasia. She encouraged me personally in the creation of aphasia therapy software and the adoption of the life participation approach to aphasia. I am forever grateful for her passion, her work, and her legacy.

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Sincerely,

-Megan

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P.S. Audrey generously answered questions for stroke survivors in Healing the Broken Brain and literally wrote the book on Counseling in Speech Pathology. Both are available through these Amazon affiliate links if you're interested.

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