#180

#180_Ambiguous loss, the profound emotional response to the loss of communication, self, and previous, aka, the hole you feel after a stroke and aphasia.
This discussion offers valuable insights into "grief and loss" and highlights strategies for supporting your "mental health" during the "healing process."
👉 Are you a care partner or aphasia survivor ready to move beyond aphasia? Work with us:
https://tinyurl.com/RebuildLIFEBeyond...

Our conversation today is with Megan Young, a grief and life transition coach, who discusses the profound concept of "ambiguous loss." She explains this type of grief as mourning things that were present but are now diminished or gone, touching on the pain of losing not just loved ones but also the life one envisioned.

In this episode, we name the grief and identity loss many survivors feel but struggle to explain.
Watch next week’s caregiver episode for insights you need together—because aphasia happened to both of you.

Free Grief Guide from Coach Megan: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ji4a...

Many people with aphasia reach a point where therapy has helped, progress is visible, and others are quick to say how well they’re doing — yet something still feels wrong.

I interview Coach Megan Young, a grief specialist, where we talk about what happens when recovery looks successful on the outside, but internally, you don’t feel like yourself anymore.
We explore survivor grief, identity loss, and the quiet sense that something important is missing — even when words are hard to find.

This conversation is for people with aphasia who:
-- feel disconnected from who they were before
-- struggle to explain what feels off
-- feel pressure to be grateful instead of honest
-- wonder why progress hasn’t brought relief

Aphasia doesn’t just change how you communicate. It can change how you see yourself, your relationships, and your place in the world. When that grief goes unnamed, survivors often feel isolated or misunderstood — even by the people closest to them.

Naming these experiences is not complaining or giving up. For many survivors, it’s the first step toward rebuilding a life that feels meaningful again.

00:00 Introduction & Ambiguous Grief
01:19 Grief in Aphasia Survivors
04:49 Navigating Identity and Loss
07:53 Steps Toward Healthy Grieving
14:38 Expressing Emotions Creatively
25:58 Care Partner Perspectives
33:21 Embracing Change & Moving Forward

🎥 Watch next week’s episode — Episode 181:
Caregiver Grief After Aphasia: Guilt, Shame, and Anger
Watch next:    • Видео  

This episode helps care partners understand what’s happening beneath the surface — and why aphasia affects both people in the relationship.

🤍 Support Beyond the Episode by following and subscribing today.
Rehab may end, but recovery doesn’t.

If you’re ready to move beyond aphasia and rebuild communication, connection, and life — for yourself and the people you love — you’re invited to work with us.

https://tinyurl.com/RebuildLIFEBeyond...