Healing Out Loud with Jesse Aron, Ken Bernson, and Melissa Capo

Healing Out Loud with Jesse Aron, Ken Bernson, and Melissa Capo

From Brainstorms: Functional Neurorehab for SLPs by Renee Garrett, MSEd, CCC-SLP, CBIS

April 23, 2026 · 1h 8m · Season 3 · Episode 14

About this episode

This episode features brain injury survivors discussing their journeys and the importance of sharing their stories.

What happens when brain injury survivors don’t just rebuild their lives, but pick up a microphone and invite others into the journey? Guests: Jesse Aron, Ken Bernson, and Melissa Capo, MS, CCC-SLP Earn 0.10 ASHA CEUs for this episode with Speech Therapy PD Watch on YouTube In this powerful episode, Jesse Aron, an anoxic brain injury survivor, and Ken Bernson, a stroke survivor and peer advocate, join Renee alongside Melissa Capo, MS, CCC-SLP. Together, they share how their lived experiences led them to create a podcast that centers on connection, perspective, and life after injury. Through their conversation, Jesse and Ken reflect on what it means to build a meaningful life years after a brain injury and why sharing that journey matters. They discuss identity shifts, navigating communication and cognition, and the confidence it takes to show up in a public space. They also speak to the responsibility and vulnerability that come with telling your story and how survivor-led platforms are creating community where isolation is still common About the Guests: Jesse Aron sustained an anoxic Brain Injury 17 years ago in his early 20s and enjoys talking with Ken about his perspectives on…

People in this episode

Host: Renee Garrett

Guests: Jesse Aron, Ken Bernson, Melissa Capo

Topics covered

  • brain injury
  • survivor stories
  • communication
  • identity shifts
  • community building

Keywords

  • brain injury
  • survivor
  • podcast
  • communication
  • ASHA CEUs
  • identity
  • peer advocacy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Speech Therapy PD, The Center for Independent Living

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