Strong, Katie

Associate Professor

FACULTY

Biography

Katie Strong, Ph.D. CCC-SLP is an Associate Professor at Central Michigan University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders where she leads the Strong Story Lab and is the Midwest Regional Coordinator for Project BRIDGE. Dr. Strong’s research uses qualitative methods to explore how clinicians can support people with aphasia rebuild their identity and improve their quality of life by co-constructing stories about who they are and will be. Dr. Strong is an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Fellow and Tavistock Distinguished Aphasia Scholar and a regular host of the Aphasia Access Conversations Podcast.

More about Katie Strong

Publications & Presentations

Recent Publications

Sather, T. S., & Strong, K. A. (2024, September). Supporting participation through project-based intervention: A tutorial for working with people with aphasia in individual sessions. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_AJSLP-24-00094.
O’Bryan, E. L., & Strong, K. A. (2024, April). Person-centered stories on the main stage in intervention: Case examples from the My Story Project, Aphasia! This Is Our World, and Aphasia-Friendly Reading. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups. https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2024_PERSP-23-00272.
Archer, B., Azios, J. H., Douglas, N. F., Strong, K. A., Simmons-Mackie, N., & Worrall, L. (2024, January). “I could not talk…She did everything…She's now my sister”: People with aphasia’s perspectives on friends who stuck around. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 33(1), 349-368. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_AJSLP-23-00205.
O’Bryan, E. L., Regier, H., & Strong, K. A. (2023, October). “I wasn’t just sitting there”: Empowering care partners through Aphasia-Friendly Reading Treatment. Aphasiology. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687038.2023.2272956.
Strong, K. A. (2023, October). Supporting mental health in people living with aphasia: A call to action. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(6), 1321-1334. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-23-00042.
Strong, K. A., & Sather, T. W. (2023, October). “It’s not often that people want to hear me talk about my life”: Storytelling experiences of people with aphasia in an interdisciplinary songwriting project. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2023.2251724.
Strong, K. A., Douglas, N. F., Johnson, R., Silverman, M., Azios, J. H., & Archer, B. (2023, February). Stakeholder-Engaged Research: What Our Team Friendship and Aphasia Team Learned about Processes and Pitfalls. Topics in Language Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1097/TLD.0000000000000302.
Douglas, N. F., Archer, B., Azios, J. H., Strong, K. A., Simmons-Mackie, N., & Worrall, L. (2022, September). A scoping review of friendship interventions for older adults: Lessons for designing interventions for people with aphasia. Disability and Rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2117866.

Presentations

Regier, H., O’Bryan, E. & Strong, K. A. (2024, September). Engaging care partners in a storytelling intervention for people with aphasia. 90-invited oral presentation. Kansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Conference, Wichita, KS.
Strong, K. A. (2024, September). Instilling hope: The power of partnerships in aphasia rehabilitation. 60-invited oral presentation. Kansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Conference, Wichita, KS.
Strong, K. A. (2024, September). Supporting mental health and aphasia: What's our role as SLPs? 90-invited oral presentation. Kansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Conference, Wichita, KS.
Farrell, B., & Strong, K. A. (2024, September). Making sense of the world through storytelling. Oral presentation. Brain Injury Association of Michigan Annual Fall Conference, Lansing, MI.
Strong, K. A. (2024, August). It takes all of us: The role of rehabilitation professionals in supporting mental health in patients with aphasia. Invited 60-minute presentation. American Congress on Rehabilitation Medicine Stroke Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group Community Group Webinar.
Strong, K. A. (2024, June). Using story to make meaning, heal, and move forward with aphasia. Invited 90-minute presentation. Just ASK 6th Annual Aphasia Conference. Virtual.
Strong, K. A. (2024, March). Co-constructing stories: Supporting people with aphasia in meaning-making and moving forward. Invited lecture. Center of Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation Seminar Series, LaTrobe University, Virtual.
Strong, K. A. (2024, February). Building Partnerships and Instilling Hope through Mutual Respect and Shared Decision-Making with Clients and Families Living with Aphasia. Invited speaker 4-hour workshop. Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.
Rieger, H., O’Bryan, E., & Strong, K. A. (2023, November). Actively engaging care partners in a storytelling intervention through the Aphasia-Friendly Reading Approach. Session 1493, 1-hour invited oral seminar. American Speech-Language Hearing Association Convention, Boston, MA.
Strong, K. A., Kosch, B., & *Conrad, A., (2023, November). Supporting identity negotiation for people living with aphasia through story. Session 1737, 1-hour oral seminar. American Speech-Language Hearing Association Convention, Boston, MA. **Selected Changemaker Session. Virtual Live! Streamed session.
Strong, K. A., Douglas, N. F., Archer, B., Azios, J. H., Simmons-Mackie, N., & Worrall, L. (2023, June). Friends are key players in comprehensive aphasia treatment. Nordic Aphasia Conference, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Hinckley, J., Bush, E. J., & Strong, K. A. (2023, May). Picturing quality of life: Perspectives of individuals living with neurogenic communication disorders. Clinical Aphasiology Conference, Platform Presentation, Virtual.
Shadden, B. B., & Strong, K. A. (2023, March). On identity and aphasia: Our story. Invited Keynote Speakers, 2023 Aphasia Access Leadership Summit, Raleigh-Durham, NC.

Credentials, Certifications & Awards

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Fellow
Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)
State of Michigan Speech-Language Pathologist
Guided Autobiography Instructor
Distinguished Contribution Award, Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Honors of the Association, Michigan Speech-Language-Hearing Association
The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia Distinguished Scholar Award in the United States
Central Michigan University Faculty Excellence Exhibition Nominee

Education

PhD, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Western Michigan University, 2015
MA, Speech-Language Pathology, Kansas State University, 1993
BS, Psychology, Washington State University Pullman, 1990

Research Interests

Life participation approach to aphasia
Personal narratives and identity
Adult cognitive-communicative disorders
Clinical education and supervisor training
Reflective supervision
Strong Story Lab

Membership in Professional Organizations

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
ASHA Special Interest Division 2: Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders
ASHA Special Interest Division 10: Issues in Higher Education
ASHA Special Interest Division 11: Administration and Supervision
International Center for Life Story Innovations and Practice (ICLSIP)
Michigan Speech-Language Hearing Association (MSHA)
Aphasia Access Affiliate
National Aphasia Association Affiliate
Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences (ANCDS)
American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM)
Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists (CATS), Societal Impact Working Group

Current Licenses/Certifications Held

Holder, Speech-Language Pathology, State of Michigan

Courses Taught

CSD 432WI: Clinical Communication in Speech-Language Pathology
CSD 439: Diagnostic and Intervention Methods in Speech-Language Pathology
CSD 540: The Engaged Clinician: Our Behavior Matters
SLP 717: Aphasia and Right Hemisphere Disorders
SLP 749: Clinical Practicum in Speech-Language Pathology