Frequently Asked Questions

All treatment is provided by licensed Master's degree or Ph.D.-level professionals.

Approximately 4-4.5 hours of each 5-hour day is spent in 1:1 sessions.

All sessions are spent in aphasia rehabilitation. There are no music or art therapies. Some sessions may include cooking, technology use, community integration or other activities lead by licensed speech-language pathologists.

Caregivers do not participate in all of the sessions.  We  provide education and feedback daily during the last hour. You will be invited into the sessions frequently to watch the treatment, receive education regarding the treatment, and conduct the treatment under the supervision of the therapist.

The Center accepts credit cards, checks, and cash. Alternative programs are available to meet other therapy budgets, please call us to discuss potential therapeutic options.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide full scholarships because we receive no outside funding. However, many clients receive compensated services, or materials, once they are at the program.

Aphasia is a condition that can improve over time with the proper tools and motivation. Unfortunately, there is no complete cure for aphasia. The best and most supported method of treatment is intensive therapy. Just as each individual with aphasia is unique in his/her strengths and areas of concern, each individual with aphasia will experience different outcomes (See our case studies ).

To provide the type and amount of benefit needed for aphasia, we cannot directly accept insurance. Each insurance plan has different benefits and coverage policies for therapy and out-of-network treatment. We can also help you try to get reimbursement from your non-Medicare/Medicaid insurers. Results will vary based on the details of your plan. Some plans have reimbursed 60%, some $0. Our payments are split into an initial deposit, then the remaining balance is split into two payments.

In order to make this as easy as possible for the family, we include housing recommendations, homework, home program materials, community outings, your Aphasia Action Plan™, weekly progress meetings, My Aphasia Coach software, caregiver counseling/groups with Dr. Bartels, and expert therapy.

Yes, we do accept foreign clients. A consultation is required. Clients who do not use English as a first language may also benefit from intensive treatment, but each client is accepted on an individual basis after consultation.

Absolutely! There is the potential to continue to make gains throughout your life. While you will make the most gains in the first two years following your stroke, you may still continue to make gains at a slower rate throughout your life. As with any treatment, motivation, follow-through, and practice are essential. There really is no such thing as a plateau!

A typical 4-week program is going to cost you around 30% less at The Aphasia Center and we include a lot of extras you won't find anywhere else. As a small, private facility, our goal is to make intensive aphasia treatment accessible for more families. We know that you have a lot to do, so we make your recovery as easy as possible.

Yes, we have treated persons with Primary Progressive Aphasia. This diagnosis requires a consultation to develop a specialized program (program length and daily hours may vary depending upon type and duration of PPA).

We work on whatever the client tells us is important to him. Our focus is on communication success for real-life activities, not just treating the aphasia. We work on texting, emailing, ordering coffee or at a restaurant, navigating an smartphone or Ipad, writing names, multimodal forms of communication, giving a speech, reading Bible verses, reading the newspaper, etc.

The recommended program length depends upon the client's status and what they wish to accomplish. Six weeks is the standard recommendation for new clients. In our experience, a cumulative effect produces the best results. Moderate to severe clients who stay for only 4 weeks are typically just beginning to use strategies and reach more independence in communication. In these cases, the family or other providers must take over immediately to reach higher proficiency of skills. We also see that their awareness of their speech and auditory processing takes about 3-4 weeks for some clients to get to the point at which he/she can reliably use strategies and/or fix their errors.

Client goals are based upon testing, observation, and wishes of the client and family. We set goals that can be met based upon the session length. For example, a 4-week program would have time to work on one major skill area.

Please see the Intensive Aphasia Treatment Daily Schedule page.

Many people attend for 6-8 weeks for their first session, then 2-6 weeks for their next sessions. Each client makes gains during each session. We recommend shorter sessions every few months to continue improvement in all language areas.

Bring your own car, rent a car, taxi or Lyft/Uber. Trolley service is an option to go around St. Petersburg.

If you're coming from the northeast, the Amtrak Auto Train can transport you and your car nonstop from the Washington, DC area to just outside of Orlando.