Life After Stroke & Brain Injury | Episode 83 with Alex Katzman & Caitlin Beakes

What does recovery really look like after a stroke or traumatic brain injury? Alex Katzman and Caitlin Beakes join Sunday Afternoon Smokes for a wide-ranging conversation about stroke and brain injury rehabilitation, the hidden challenges patients face, and the impact these life-changing events have on entire families. Alex, an occupational therapist, and Caitlin, a speech-language pathologist, work with patients navigating everything from physical limitations and aphasia to memory loss, executive function, emotional regulation, and the difficult process of rebuilding everyday life. They explain why no two brain injuries are alike and why successful rehabilitation requires treating the whole person—not simply the most visible deficit. The conversation also gets deeply personal as Chris shares his experience walking alongside his wife after her stroke. Together, they discuss grief, identity, marriage after brain injury, the fear of becoming a burden, caregiver burnout, and the importance of giving both survivors and caregivers space to acknowledge when life is simply hard. Alex and Caitlin also share the story behind the Caretaker Support Group they helped create alongside Chris and why community matters for the people quietly carrying the weight of caring for someone they love. Along the way, they break down occupational therapy, speech therapy, aphasia, apraxia, cognition, neuroplasticity, and what meaningful progress can actually look like months—or years—after a brain injury. And before the conversation ends, Caitlin somehow takes us from speech therapy to riding a bicycle across the United States twice. Roger C. Peace: https://www.instagram.com/ph_rogercpeace/ Sunday Afternoon Smokes: https://www.sundayafternoonsmokes.com https://www.instagram.com/sundayafternoonsmokes/