Apraxia Aphasia Speech Therapy Can Make You Happy

Speech Language Pathologist

       Moshe Mark Ittleman

Apraxia Aphasia Speech Therapy Can Make You Happy

It is said that education can have a profound influence on how happy we are.  Weakness in any subject, especially when it comes to speaking difficulties, leads to a weakness in thinking which in turn can lead to unhealthy thoughts..

Not Knowing what To Do To Help Your Spouse or Client can be Demoralizing

Unhealthy thinking is demoralizing thinking.  There are those who wish to learn what they can do to help people with aphasia talk better, or parents of children with developmental speech difficulties.  Without education in these areas those who are lacking in knowing what to do can have their thoughts tumble and demoralize into pools of unhappiness and negative thinking.  

Many Spouses are Upset and Unhappy 

Not knowing what to do to help your spouse or client who cannot speak can be demoralizing.  Many Facebook groups include many who are unhappy, and upset because a mate had a stroke and aphasia, and they feel helpless because of no personal control of the situation, and not knowing what to do to help their loved one talk, or they think that only "someone else" can help their spouse speak better.  

Spouses and Therapists Don't Have to Go Back To School to Learn What to Do

You don’t have to go to University to learn what to do.  The information is available.

Apraxia Aphasia Speech Therapy Can Make You Happy

Teaching of Talking Book

The Teaching of Talking, a book, audio book, video training course and private one on one mentoring were developed for family members and therapists of those who have difficulty talking. The Teaching of Talking Method is like a “rule book” to show how family members and therapists can improve speech and language with those who do not talk or for those who once talked prior to stroke, aphasia or neurological insult.  

The Teaching of Talking Method is a What to Do and What Not to Do Method

The Teaching of Talking  Method is a what to do and what not do book to improve talking.  If you follow it, chances are you will be able to help your client or loved one improve talking.

But it’s just a book; a compilation of empowering beliefs and exercises that really will help you learn how to easily stimulate the speech of your loved one or client.

You can order the autographed copy of the Teaching of Talking if you go to: Get the Book

The method and the results you obtain with it will come alive when you mix them and develop a relationship with inspirational author, and expert speech language pathologist Moshe Mark Ittleman, M.S. whether in the online video course Teaching of Talking Online Video Course or within the many coaching opportunities that are available for spouses, family members and therapists.

Coaching is offered online and new opportunities for live group conferences are on the horizon.  Moshe Mark Ittleman, M.S., CCC/SLP  has been lauded for his positivity and encouragement which are highly contagious, and therapists and caregivers are inspired by his methods and teaching.  

Inquire today about coaching opportunities and how you can help your loved one speak better.   E mail  You can also visit us at teachingoftalking.com and access lots of information that will help you understand aphasia and what you can do to help those speak better.  

APRAXIA APHASIA SPEECH THERAPY MAKING IT FUN

Apraxia Aphasia Speech Therapy it Fun

Apraxia Aphasia Speech Therapy Should
Be Fun!

There are some therapists who really like to have a good time when they are doing therapy with someone who has apraxia or aphasia.  Often one can hear laughing and joking coming from some speech therapy rooms.  We know that learning takes place best when there is a minimum of stress and pressure.  Learning can also take place indirectly.  We can learn very well when we  we can enjoy talking while improving speech.  There has not been alot of information about the use of humor in apraxia or aphasia speeech therapy literature, yet we all know that humor can be fun, relaxing and enjoyable.  So can learning to talk better!

Apraxia-Aphasia Speech Therapy Making it Fun:  An Example

Many people like music, whether it be rock and roll, pop, classical, country, opera etc.  A perfect example of learning indirectly occurs when we like a song and listen to it often.  We do that not to learn the words, but because we like the song.  And something magical occurs within a period of time.  We find that the words are there when we want to sing it, or sing along with the piece of music.  This proves that you don't have to "try" to learn  as long as you are subject to what is stimulating repeatedly.

Often Those with Apraxia Aphasia are Easily Depressed:  It Can be Fun!

Humor and laughter are often what the person with aphasia needs.  It is a pattern breaker, and interrupter.  It is easy for those with aphasia to think about their disability.  It can make anyone sad and depressed when thinking of ones life before aphasia and the drastic changes afterwards.

It is what the brain is experiencing at any given moment that affects mood and emotions.  When things are kept light and fun, the subsequent emotion matches that:  light and fun or an absence of stress or negative thoughts.

Often people who have aphasia may enter the therapy room and if the therapist is upbeat and engages the person with aphasia into a fun and interesting conversation with humor, learning occurs more naturally, and there is more of a tendency towards talking and sharing.  In addition the therapist if knowledgeable in language stimulation and The Teaching of Talking Approach to talking can engage in a conversation that is appropriate for the person with aphasia.  The therapist knows if the person is stimulable or able to repeat a specific number of sounds, syllables, words, phrases and sentences and also knows what types of cues would be best in order to stimulate the person with aphasia to utter meaningful speech.

Making it Fun for Those with Apraxia Aphasia:  Use Cues

Have you ever been talking with someone, or even in a group of people and all of a sudden you go to say a word, and it's not there?  The temporary loss of recall for a word or idea that one wishes to use in conversational interchange can be very stressful and embarassing.  Does the stress from embarrassment help the individual find the word that has temporarily disappeared?  Most of us would answer with a definite NO.

Now what happens in a conversation when someone in the group may know what we are talking about and non-chalantly supplies the thought that we were missing? 

Apraxia Aphasia Speech Therapy Making it Fun:  How do you spell relief?  CUE!

If a listener can cue the individual who is experiencing anomia, the loss in recall of a word or idea in a non-threatening and accurate way the conversation can continue with no stress or embarrassment.  There are theapists who believe that making a person struggle to get through an utterance is therapeutically good.  If a person develops stress or negative emotion during conversation, it does not lead to improved recall, nor does it foster the desire to converse since the whole process after a while can get associated with an uncomfortable feeling that is charaterized by fear and diminished self worth and confience.  That only leads to avoidance and wanting to withdraw from speaking altogether.  Is that what we want?  (An emphatic NO!)

Enjoyment and Laughter  Important Aspects of Any Speech Therapy Visit

Laughter and enjoyment of an experience has proven beneficial to our biochemistry. It has been shown that humor and laughter lead to reductions in stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine. When laughing the brain also releases endorphins that can relieve some physical pain.  

Is it a correct assumption that many of us enjoy experiences that are comfortable, light, entertaining, and interactive?  Would it be safe to surmise that the same may be true for those who undergo speech therapy for Apraxia and Aphasia?  Let's make sure we adopt the ways to help people talk that are enjoyable and fun.  It is very possible that speech and language stimulation when given by a trained spouse, caregiver or therapist using the Teaching of Talking Methods can be alot of fun, no matter what those unfamiliar with the method may say about their approaches.

About the Author

Author Moshe Mark Ittleman

Moshe Mark Ittleman, M.S., CCC/SLP  is a Speech Language pathologist who has been helping people with aphasia talk better for over 40 years.  He is the author and developer of The Teaching of Talking Method which is out in book, audio, and video formats.  The Teaching of Talking teaches carers, therapists and support workers how to help those with aphasia talk better through conversation.    Ittleman lecures throughout the United States and globally teaching this approach to others.  He also personally mentors family members, students, and others who are interested in learning the method to help others with apraxia or aphasia learn to talk or talk better.   teachingoftalking.com for information how to obtain educational materials or contact us.  teachingoftalking.com     e mail:  talkwithmark1@gmail.com

Apraxia Aphasia Therapy Wisdom to Live By

Apraxia Aphasia Therapy Wisdom 

To Live By

Stroke Victim and Prime Minister
Winston Churchill

Not many Americans are that familiar with Winston Churchill who was the Prime Minister of England during World War II from 1940-1945 and then once again from 1951-1955.  Churchill led Britain to an allied victory in the Second World War.  He was an accomplished Statesman, army officer and writer.  

In 1941 he helped inspire British resistance to Adolph Hitler and continued to lead Britain in the war against Nazi Germany with the Allied forces.  In the beginning he was one of the only leaders who realized the dangers and rallied Britain and its allies to resist.

Churchill suffered from a serious stroke in 1953 and retired as prime minister in 1955.  He was named the Greatest Briton of all time in a 2002 Poll.  He died in 1965.

Some quotes he was famous for still have credence in today’s world.  They include:

Never, Never, Never give up!

You have enemies?  Good.  That means you stood up for something, sometime in your life.

Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence is the key to unlocking our potential.

All great things are simple and many can be expressed in single words:  FREEDOM; JUSTICE, HONOR, DUTY, MERCY AND HOPE.

I am easily satisfied with the very best!

Lastly.......

Victory at all costs.  Victory in spite of terror.  Victory however long and hard the road may be.  For without victory, there is no survival.

Never give in; never give in; never, never, never, never in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions and good sense.

Prime Minister Churchill suffered from a stroke in 1953, and although not the perfect statesman, had the right ideas about how to go about living ones life.  

We could all benefit from the wisdom of Mr. Churchill.

Moshe Mark Ittleman
Senior Speech Language
Pathologist

Moshe Mark Ittleman, M.S., CCC/SLP  is a Speech Language pathologist who has been helping people with aphasia talk better for over 40 years.  He is the author and developer of The Teaching of Talking Method which is out in book, audio, and video formats.  The Teaching of Talking teaches carers, therapists and support workers how to help those with aphasia talk better through conversation.    Ittleman lectures throughout the United States and globally teaching this approach to others.  He also personally mentors family members, students, and others who are interested in learning the method to help others with apraxia or aphasia learn to talk or talk better.   You may contact us at teachingoftalking.com for information how to obtain our products or contact us.  talkwithmark1@gmail.com

Apraxia and Aphasia How to Help Them Talk

Apraxia and Aphasia How to Help Them Talk

Many people do not truly understand the importance of the speech model when doing apraxia and aphasia speech and language stimulation.  Whomever is helping the person with apraxia or aphasia talk must keep the following rules in mind.

How to Help those with Apraxia and Aphasia Talk

Carers and family members learning how
to help their loved ones talk or talk again.

1. BEFORE YOU STIMULATE SPEAKING YOU MUST KNOW IF THEY CAN IMITATE.  USE THE TEACHING OF TALKING SCREENING TEST TO SEE IF THEY ARE A GOOD CANDIDATE.  Test the vowel, single syllables, multi-syllable words and word pairs.  If they are unable to imitate you must get an epert opinion from a speech therapist familiar with adult neurological speech difficulties.
2. If a person is not talking start with a single syllable word only if they were able to say a single word on the screening test and see if they can imitate it.
3. Make sure your voice is full and easy to hear.
4. If the person with the speaking difficulty is sitting, you sit and face him or her and say the word loudly and clearly.
5. If he person is standing, you stand, face to face, and say the word loudly and clearly.
6. If you get a negative response about your loudness, make your voice slightly softer.
7. Say the word slowly and over emphasize sounds within the word.
8. Prolong the word slowly.
9. When you speak to the person with the brain injury or aphasia speak with full voice and speak ONE-WORD-AT-A-TIME.  If they are only saying a few words ONLY SPEAK WITH THEM IN FEW WORDS, AND SLOWLY!
10. If a person is only speaking in single words, you stimulate only single words at first.  Once they can say any single word after you, then go to 2 word imitation.
11. If the person is speaking an average of 2 words, then you help them say 2 words, until they can do that easily and effortlessly.  Stay with that until you see and hear them start to say 2 word combinations then expand to 3 word phrases.

If you attempt to have a person with aphasia imitate what you are saying, and they don't get it, restimulate them again with the same word. You will know if they can imitate from the screening test on pages 16-20 (Teaching of Talking Learn to Do Expert Speech and Language Stimulation at Home with Children and Adults.) Morgan James Publishing, New York.

These are general guidelines to follow if you are trying to help a person with aphasia talk.  For more detailed instruction see the Teaching of Talking Book or go to teachingoftalking.com and enroll in the Teaching of Talking Video online course where you will learn more about helping those with aphasia or brain injury talk or talk again.

Questions

1.  Should you have any questions you can e mail me at talkwithmark1@gmail.com

Moshe Mark Ittleman, M.S., CCC/SLP is the author of the Teaching of Talking.  He has been helping those with aphasia talk for the last 44 years.  He published the audio book on audible.com and has produced a video program to help others learn to talk at teachingoftalking.com  He has worked at someof the best rehabilitation hospitals in the United States.  

Apraxia and Aphasia Speech Therapy Help Them Talk at Home

Learn how to help your loved
one speak at home.

Apraxia and Aphasia Speech Therapy How to Help Your Loved One Talk At Home

This is a note to remind caregivers or spouses of those with aphasia of how important it is for you to learn how to stimulate speech and langauge at home. When you avail yourself of expert training from a therapist who is an expert in aphasia therapy you can learn to do therapy just like him, think like him and do like him. That's what happens when you have a mentor you can learn from who is more than willing to teach you the ropes of what to do, and why. 

You Learn How and Why Speech Therapy Works to Help Them Talk Again

You learn not only how to help them, but the principles behind the method. Caregivers or spouses can be as capable or more so than anyone I know at stimulating speech and language. Don't leave it totally up to someone else; take the bull by the horns and learn what to do. 

You Can Help Those With Aphasia Improve Talking Faster at Home

Even if your hubby or wife thinks he can do it himself or with his therapist, realize that those who truly succeed are those who are speaking and conversing.  To simplify these statements:  It takes talking to improve speaking.  It's not about worksheets, or work books or technology.  It's about talking, and having a loved one at home talking with the person who has a speech and language difficulty.   Those who do not have families or support can progress, but by comparison it is is typically slower. 

Find an Expert Therapist if you want an learn how to  Help Your Loved One Talk at Home

Find an expert therapist today and find out what you can truly learn to do in order to help your loved one/client speak better.  You will be glad you did.  It's much easier than you might imagine.  And remember, we learn to talk at home, and those who teach us to talk are parents and family members.  teachingoftalking.com

Take Advantage of Our New Years Discount of 25% for Video Training in The Teaching of Talking Method You Can Learn independently at Home

You can learn how to stimulate speech and language independently in the comfort of your own home 24/7 with our online training that you can learn more about at teachingoftalking.com.  You progress through the modules at your own speed, while mastering each step.

You Can Learn Expert Speech and Language Therapy Methods Through Onine Mentoring

You may also want to consider online mentoring from an expert speech language pathologist who has over 40 years of 1:1 direct experience helping those with aphasia and children with delayed speech and language talk.

Find out today how you can help your loved one or client:  teachingoftalking.com