CHAT Program Offers Hope and Confidence

Last fall, 31-year-old Lee Walker experienced a stroke on his left side that caused an auditory processing deficit—a neurological condition where one’s brain struggles to process sounds, even with unaffected hearing.

While Lee can hear sounds and noises without a problem, his brain has difficulty interpreting these, making speech, music and noises sound different or jumbled.

“The stroke had a very big impact on my daily life,” Lee explains. “After experiencing many challenges with reading, writing and speaking, I had to leave my job as a mentor and coach in the Denver Public Schools’ Youth Employment Program because it was too hard for me to communicate.”

He adds, “I also felt extremely isolated because many of my friends and family pulled away after my stroke. They didn’t fully understand what I was going through or how to talk to me anymore. It was frustrating and difficult for me.”

After Lee’s stroke, he says he rarely left the house and did not receive a lot of support from his previous care team.

“Five months after the stroke, I finally began speech therapy two days a week for 30 minutes,” he says. “It was a good start to my recovery, but I needed a lot more help. And then a very good friend of mine did some research and found the Craig Hospital Aphasia Therapy (CHAT) program.”

Improving Communication One Day at a Time

For three weeks, five days a week, and five hours a day, Lee participated in sessions with Betsy Batts, speech-language pathologist and CHAT program coordinator.

The donor-supported CHAT Program – which offers specialized, intensive outpatient therapy for individuals with aphasia – focuses on each individual and is tailored to meet the patient’s specific goals.

“Lee’s particular type of aphasia impacts his comprehension, his grammar, his ability to repeat words, and his ability to think of the words he wants to use,” Betsy says. “So we worked on different communication strategies, such as using the ‘Live Transcribe’ app on Lee’s cell phone, which transcribes conversations in real time, enabling him to read along with what is being said, as well as catch his own errors in real-time.”

Betsy also encouraged Lee to slow down when speaking, engage in conversations as often as possible, use his breathing strategies when he can’t think of a word, reflect on the experiences he’s had with a particular word, advocate for himself during communication, consider volunteering opportunities, and wait to return to work until he feels more confident in his communication.

“Lee has made such amazing progress,” Betsy explains. “Before attending CHAT, he did not feel comfortable leaving the house, but now he told me he’s never home because he’s so busy.”

On a High Note

In addition to working with Betsy, Lee also spent time with Craig music therapist Sarah Folsom. CHAT participants are offered music therapy because of how stimulating music is for language.

“Lee was singing at a high level before his injury, but he lost access to a big piece of himself when the stroke altered how his brain processes sounds,” Sarah explains. “So I partnered with Betsy to help Lee find music again.”

Sarah says they began with the basics, including re-establishing Lee’s sense of pitch by using technology that shows your voice’s pitch on a screen, singing simple sounds, and listening to recognize when sounds are higher or lower.

“To help Lee reconnect to the pitch of his voice, we sang very familiar songs, such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and even recorded videos of Lee singing, so he could practice at home,” she says. “I also introduced him to an app that helps improve pitch and provided Lee with a music therapy referral to continue therapy in the community.”

Lee adds, “I have always been a singer and a performer, but after my stroke, music felt confusing. I didn’t think I would ever sing again, but Sarah helped me sing for the first time in months, which meant everything to me.”

Today, Lee insists that he feels more confident and optimistic: “CHAT changed my life. It’s not just speech therapy – it’s a whole community that really sees you and helps you grow. Betsy and Sarah helped me understand my stroke and my aphasia and gave me tools that actually work in real life. I feel more confident, I can talk better, and I’m not afraid to use my apps or ask for help.”

He adds, “The program also changed how I connect with people, including my friends and family. CHAT gave me hope and helped me feel like myself again. I feel very proud of how far I have come.”

To learn more or donate to help Craig patients like Lee, please visit craighospital.org/foundation/help-patients.