Working with couples: solution focused aphasia therapy

Abstract

This paper describes solution focused aphasia therapy (SFAT), using a case study of an individual who benefited from four weeks of SFAT, four years post-stroke. The method uses conversation as the medium, couples as the participants, and authentic, relevant dependent measures derived by the couple for measuring improvement. Two SFAT strategies discussed are exception-finding (exceptions to problem situations) and scaled questions. The case study reveals improvement in communication independence, in facilitative gestures and in most of the scaled questions derived from the couple. In considering the needs of clients with aphasia, SFAT is a method that addresses the communication, rather than the aphasia. Further, the communication is addressed in a context and format that the client can understand.