Our Philosophy

The goal of this center is to provide a dedicated space and resource for all individuals impacted by aphasia, offering interaction and participation in meaningful groups, activities, and events. This is in keeping with our Life Participation Approach to Aphasia Care. We use a person-centered model of care and are dedicated to helping people with their communication, quality of life, and wellness across all aspects of the recovery continuum, regardless of time since aphasia diagnosis. Our work is based upon the principles of neural plasticity and the continued changes that the brain can make.

In This Section

What We Do

This center will provide training of conversation partners to allow for increased socialization in home and in the community.

In addition, collaboration with the varied health-related majors at the college trains future healthcare practitioners on supported communication. 

Isolation, depression, and poor access to healthcare are very common in people with chronic aphasia, and we hope to avoid this by engaging people in everyday activities with others. We also aspire to provide truly beneficial caregiver/care partner support to families, friends, and others impacted by aphasia.

Who We Serve

The Aphasia Center works with those with difficulty communicating after strokes, brain injuries, or other neurological conditions.

A person must be medically stable to attend. Clients are served by the New York State Department of Health TBI-Medicaid Waiver program or are private-paying clients seeking longer-term support after discharge from outpatient services.

Services Provided

A structured day program that runs Monday through Friday

  • Small Group therapy sessions aimed at improving an individual’s ability to communicate and connect with others who are experiencing similar challenges
  • People can be engaged in one group a week or several groups per week, dependent upon need and goals.

Group offerings

  • Communication support groups:
    Designed to increase the ability for a person with aphasia to communicate with others. Communication will be supported, and use of all modalities of communication will be utilized and encouraged. 
  • Current events groups:
    Designed to allow a person with aphasia to participate in meaningful conversation about what is happening in the world around them.
  • Writing groups:
    Designed to support people in improving their functional writing.
  • Reading group:
    Designed to support people to return to reading and sharing common interests with others.
  • Counseling groups:
    Designed to address the mental health needs of those with aphasia, focusing on identity, resilience, and positive growth mindset. 
  • Healthy living groups:
    Designed to address the needs for living a healthy life with aphasia post stroke or traumatic brain injury.
  • Adaptive yoga:
    Designed to help all people, regardless of ability, to participate in a guided, adapted, yoga practice.
  • Gardening:
    Designed to improve the wellness and quality of life of those living with aphasia. They are supported regardless of physical ability to participate.
  • Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) guidance:
    Designed to work with people and the families of those who have been diagnosed with a progressive form of aphasia.

Intake Process

If you, or someone you know is interested in the program, please contact:

Julie Hart, MS, CCC-SLP
Director of The Aphasia Center
[email protected]
518-292-1800

We will get back in touch with you to set up an individual meeting and a tour to determine if this program is right for you.