Guests: Joanne Steel, PhD, BSPTH (Hons), CPSP, and Elise Bogart, PhD, for "TBI Grand Rounds: The Role of Narrative Language in TBI Recovery," an episode of the Brainstorms: Functional Neurorehab for SLPs podcast.

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Join host Renee Garrett in an in-depth discussion with Dr. Joanne Steel from the University of Newcastle and Dr. Elise Bogart from the University of Sydney. This episode covers many topics, including the TBI Bank—a comprehensive international database featuring language samples from individuals with brain injuries designed to educate speech pathology students. Further insights include the development of narrative-based interventions, cognitive communication assessments, and the importance of functional treatment approaches in SLP practices. The guests share their journeys, experiences in TBI rehabilitation, the challenges in integrating research with practice, and the efficacy of various communication strategies and interventions. The discussion also touches on the complexities of access to care and the importance of a patient-centered approach in speech therapy. This episode offers valuable information for clinicians, researchers, and anyone passionate about improving communication recovery post-TBI.

Episode Timeline:

00:00 Introduction and Host Disclosures

01:29 Guest Introductions

03:05 Overview of TBI Bank

04:38 Clinical Experiences and Challenges

07:05 Importance of Discourse in TBI Recovery

16:33 Narrative-Based Treatment and Research

28:00 Challenges in Inpatient Rehab for Brain Injury

28:37 Collaborative Development of Narrative-Based Treatment

30:04 Flexible and Accessible Treatment Resources

31:05 Importance of Education and Continuity of Care

33:46 Communication Partner Training and Functional Tasks

37:49 Objective Data and Conversational Skills

44:31 Aphasia in TBI Patients

52:12 Access to Care and Insurance Challenges

57:49 Conclusion and Future Research

About the Guests:

Dr Joanne Steel, PhD, is a lecturer at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She is a practising speech pathologist with over 15 years of research and clinical experience with adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Her research focuses on improving clinical methods for cognitive-communication assessment and intervention after TBI. She has published over 20 journal articles and two book chapters and is co-developing a story-based intervention program for cognitive-communication disorder after TBI.

Elise Bogart, PhD, is a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, Australia. Elise is a certified speech pathologist with over 10 years of clinical and research experience. Elise holds a PhD in acquired brain injury and has led the development of an internationally utilised educational resource and research database called TBIBank. Elise is passionate about equipping clinicians with the knowledge and skills to implement evidence-based practice. Elise was the 2024 conference chair and an ongoing committee member for the Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment.

Mentioned in this episode:

Beyond Words with Garrett Oyama

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