Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of medical trauma, depression, and suicidal ideation.
One minute she was living her dream as a school SLP. The next, she was using eye gaze to communicate in the ICU…
In this deeply personal episode, Vanessa Abraham, M.S., CCC-SLP shares her profound journey from school-based SLP to ICU patient, offering insights that will forever change how we think about patient care.
Within just one week, Vanessa's life changed completely.
From being a busy working mom living her everyday life to being paralyzed in the ICU relying on a trach, vent, and eye-gaze board to communicate.
But this isn't just another medical story…
With remarkable courage, Vanessa opens up about:
✨ The emotional weight of being tube fed
✨ The reality of PMV trials from a patient's perspective
✨ The heartache of multiple NPO diagnoses
✨ The healing power of human connection
✨ The often-overlooked impact of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS)
“The depression was real… Your life is flipped upside down and inside out overnight.”
Through sharing her experience, Vanessa gently reminds us that behind every medical chart is a human being – someone's parent, child, spouse, or friend. Her insights on trauma-informed care and the profound importance of seeing our patients as people first offer a perspective that every healthcare provider needs to hear.
Listen with an open heart as Vanessa shares her story of vulnerability, resilience, and hope.
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Vanessa Abraham is a certified speech pathologist, author, and passionate ICU advocate with over 15 years of experience in helping individuals overcome speech and language disabilities. After facing her own medical journey that left her with upper body paralysis and unable to speak or safely swallow food, she underwent months of intensive swallowing therapy as part of her recovery. This experience, combined with her time as a patient in the ICU, gave her a unique perspective on the field of speech therapy and deepened her understanding of the challenges patients face in regaining these vital functions.
Vanessa combines professional expertise with the invaluable insight of having been a patient. Her personal experience—has made her a compassionate and empathetic therapist, one who truly understands the physical, emotional, and psychological complexities of recovery.
Vanessa now runs a business focused on helping others heal from neurological disorders using innovative therapies, including direct current electrical stimulation through a device called the Neubie. This cutting-edge technology is designed to help stimulate the nervous system and accelerate the recovery process. Vanessa is passionate about integrating this advanced approach into her therapeutic practice, offering patients a holistic, comprehensive plan for recovery.
Vanessa is also an author who shares her insights and personal journey to inspire others facing similar challenges in her book SPEECHLESS: How a Speech Therapist Lost Her Ability to Speak and Her Silent Struggle to Reclaim Her Voice and Life. Her writing emphasizes the power of hope, perseverance, and the importance of a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation.
Outside of her practice, Vanessa is a dedicated advocate for Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS), working to raise awareness about the long-term physical, cognitive, and emotional effects experienced by patients following critical illness and intensive care. Through her advocacy, Vanessa is committed to improving the recovery process for ICU survivors, highlighting the need for comprehensive rehabilitation plans that restore not only physical health but also overall better quality of life.
Website: www.aneuhealing.com
