Understanding Aphasia: When Language Changes After a Stroke or Brain Injury

Aphasia is a communication disorder that affects a person’s ability to speak, understand language, read, or write. It most often occurs after a stroke or brain injury, but can also result from progressive neurological conditions. While it can be a deeply frustrating experience for individuals and their families, effective therapy and support can help rebuild communication and confidence.

At Blue Ridge Speech & Voice, we specialize in treating aphasia through evidence-based, individualized therapy provided via telehealth—so you can make meaningful progress from the comfort of home.

What Is Aphasia?

Aphasia happens when the parts of the brain responsible for language—most commonly in the left hemisphere—are damaged. It does not affect intelligence. People with aphasia know what they want to say; they simply have trouble getting the words out or understanding others.

There are different types of aphasia, including:

• Broca’s aphasia (non-fluent aphasia): Speech is effortful or halting, but comprehension may remain relatively strong.

• Wernicke’s aphasia (fluent aphasia): Speech may sound smooth but may contain nonsensical or incorrect words, and understanding spoken language can be challenging.

• Global aphasia: Severe language loss affecting both understanding and expression.

Each person’s experience with aphasia is unique, and recovery looks different for everyone.

Signs and Symptoms

Aphasia can appear in many ways. Common signs include:

• Difficulty finding the right word

• Speaking in short or incomplete sentences

• Saying words that don’t make sense in context

• Trouble understanding conversation

• Challenges reading or writing

• Frustration or withdrawal during communication

If you or a loved one notice these symptoms after a stroke or brain injury, it’s important to seek an evaluation from a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP). Telehealth speech therapy has been shown to be just as effective as in-person care for aphasia, and it allows clients to participate from a familiar, low-stress environment.

How Speech Therapy Helps

Speech-language therapy focuses on rebuilding communication skills and teaching new strategies to express thoughts, feelings, and needs. At Blue Ridge Speech & Voice, our licensed clinicians use evidence-based techniques such as:

• Language re-training to strengthen word retrieval and sentence formulation

• Conversational coaching to improve everyday communication

• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools when speech is limited

• Family and caregiver training to create supportive home communication environments

Our telehealth model makes it possible to connect with an experienced SLP from anywhere. With secure video sessions, shared digital exercises, and real-time feedback, therapy is interactive, personal, and effective—without the need for travel.

Sample Aphasia Therapy Activities

Speech therapy for aphasia is always tailored to the individual’s needs, but here are a few examples of how therapy may look at different stages of recovery:

1. Early / Severe Aphasia: Rebuilding Basic Communication

Activity: Yes/No Questions and Picture IdentificationTherapy may start with simple yes/no questions (e.g., “Is this a dog?”) or having the person point to named items in a picture field (“Show me the apple”). These tasks rebuild comprehension and offer a way to communicate even when speech is limited.Goal Example: Respond accurately to yes/no questions with 80% accuracy using gestures or verbal responses.

2. Moderate Aphasia: Word-Finding and Sentence Practice

Activity: Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA)Clients describe an object’s features—what it looks like, what it’s used for, where you find it—to strengthen word retrieval. For example: for “apple,” they might say “It’s a fruit, red or green, grows on trees.”Goal Example: Name pictured items using at least two descriptive features with minimal cues.

3. Mild Aphasia: Conversational Coaching

Activity: Role-Play and Script TrainingFor people returning to work or social situations, therapy may include rehearsing real-world conversations like ordering at a restaurant or making a phone call.Goal Example: Use trained conversational scripts in 3 out of 4 opportunities with appropriate intonation and word choice.

4. Functional / Home Practice: Family Communication

Activity: Supported Conversation StrategiesFamily members learn communication techniques such as slowing down, verifying understanding, or writing key words. Practicing these skills at home helps reduce frustration and builds confidence.Goal Example: Communication partners will use supportive strategies (e.g., verification, written keywords) during daily routines with 80% success.

Why Telehealth Works for Aphasia

Telehealth speech therapy provides the same professional care you’d receive in person—often with added comfort and flexibility. Research shows that outcomes for aphasia via telepractice are comparable to traditional in-person sessions, and in many cases, people actually make faster progress.

One key reason? Stress has a direct impact on communication.When someone with aphasia feels anxious, rushed, or self-conscious, their ability to find words and express themselves can worsen. In contrast, telehealth sessions take place in a familiar, low-stress setting, which helps reduce performance anxiety and allows the brain to focus on language recovery rather than environmental pressure. Clients often report feeling more relaxed, confident, and engaged when working from home—especially when surrounded by supportive family members or familiar routines.

At Blue Ridge Speech & Voice, we make it easy to connect with your therapist through secure video sessions, digital practice materials, and ongoing support between appointments. The result is a highly effective, stress-reducing therapy experience that supports not only language recovery but also emotional well-being.

Getting Started With Therapy

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with aphasia, know that recovery is possible—and you don’t have to face it alone.

Our licensed speech-language pathologists provide telehealth aphasia therapy for adults across multiple states and are in-network with most major insurance providers.

👉 Ready to begin? Contact us today or schedule a consultation to discuss how we can help you reconnect through communication.