Transforming Lives Through Story Immersion: Innovation of Aphasia Rehabilitation Therapy through Storytelling Learning Landscapes

Abstract

Aphasia is a disease that renders its victims unable to effectively use language. Evidence supports the efficacy of treatment for aphasia yet the effectiveness or transferability of learned communicative abilities to everyday conversation continues to be investigated. In this paper we explore an alternative approach to aphasia treatment based on the art and science of storytelling. Inherent in storytelling are the motivations to share an experience, the cognitive abilities to organize story, and the language system to convey the experience. This approach is based on decades of research in aphasia therapy and immersive storytelling (in other fields) and has been used to engage a subject's creativity and emotions to produce transformative results in real life. We report on early, promising results that could radically innovate the rehabilitative practice of aphasia.