Blog Posts

Sunflower Lanyard helps with Hidden Disabilities

By Laura Malis | December 2, 2025

Making the Invisible Visible How the Sunflower Lanyard Helps People With Hidden Disabilities I was going to write a long blog post explaining the Sunflower Lanyard — but I don’t need to. Aphasia Phil and…

Aphasia Stroke. Perfect vs. Imperfect.

By Laura Malis | November 29, 2025

Perfect vs. Imperfect: What Japan Taught Me About Being Human A story about culture, expectations, and learning to feel whole again The Search for ‘Perfection’ In the United States, we grow up surrounded by a…

Aphasia and Balance Problems Walking with Poles

By Laura Malis | November 24, 2025

Balance Walking Poles. Aphasia on the Road Strong on the Way to Michigan On our drive toward Michigan, I had a fantastic surprise: a really good walk.Three miles in Erie, PA. The weather was cool—53°F—perfect…

Brain injury and aphasia recovery. Work hard. Worth it.

By Laura Malis | November 19, 2025

Both traumatic brain injury and aphasia affected by Kitty Tong Today, I want you to meet Kitty Tong, a young woman whose life changed forever in 2018 when she was struck by a car while…

2 million people in the United States have aphasia

By Laura Malis | November 17, 2025

Aphasia on the Connecticut Shoreline: What It Is, Who It Affects, and How to Get Help What Is Aphasia? Aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage to the brain. It can affect speaking, listening,…

Six people with aphasia shared their achievements

By Laura Malis | November 7, 2025

Surviving and Thriving with Aphasia: Stories of Strength, Recovery, and Hope Living with aphasia can feel like entering a new world of communication — one that requires patience, creativity, and courage. In this post, I’m…

Aphasia Vacation

By Laura Malis | October 4, 2025

My Aphasia Vacation On my aphasia vacation, I spent a month exploring life in  Michigan. It was a blast. We hiked in state parks. We filled our camper van, our shoes and our feet with…

Global Aphasia

By Laura Malis | September 21, 2025

Aphasia on the Road: Ryan and Jess’s Journey of Hope Exploring Michigan, understanding Global Aphasia, and celebrating courage and connection. Right now, I’m on vacation in Michigan, traveling in our camping van and enjoying the…

Aphasia Speaking Out

By Laura Malis | September 18, 2025

Aphasia Speaking Out 2025. Free. Aphasia at Home or as a group Whether you’re a person with aphasia, a care partner, a student, or a professional, this event is for you. And the National Aphasia…

My Speech Therapist Taught me about Spoon Theory

By Laura Malis | September 2, 2025

Spoon Theory helped … a lot. The Spoon Theory was invented by Christine Miserandino, an award-winning lupus patient advocate and writer. Christine explained how ordinary activities can consume more energy for someone with a chronic…