Episode Details

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Ana Hernandez, a speech pathologist who found herself on the other side of the therapy room after undergoing brain surgery. Ana shares her deeply personal journey through the road of recovery.

As someone who has spent her career helping others communicate, Ana opens up about what it was like to struggle with communication herself. She discusses the emotional and physical challenges she faced, the strategies that aided her recovery, and how her experience has changed her approach to her work.

Ana Hernandez is a speech-language pathologist, founder of Adult Stuttering Services, P.C., and the creator of Green Social and the Safe Spaces of Stuttering approach. She collaborates with leading stuttering organizations, speaks at international conferences, and provides professional training for schools and businesses. Ana’s focus in stuttering support is to foster comfort with speaking and empower people who stutter with care that prioritizes quality and dignity.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• The unexpected diagnosis that led to brain surgery
• The impact of surgery on her speech, cognition, and emotions
• Key milestones and setbacks throughout her recovery journey
• Practical tips for self-advocacy
• How this experience has reshaped her perspective as a therapist

Why Listen?

This episode is a testament to resilience, empathy, and the power of communication. Whether you or a loved one are navigating recovery from brain injury, or you simply want to hear an inspiring story of perseverance, this conversation will leave you feeling encouraged and empowered.

You can connect with Ana on her Adult Stuttering website here: https://www.adultstuttering.com/therapist

On Instagram here @adultstuttering (https://www.instagram.com/adultstuttering/)

On LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-hernandez-015b69293/

Finally, I also mentioned my free Executive Functioning Implementation Guide for School Teams. You can sign up for the guide here: http://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efguide

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL and Renaissance:

Learn more about Renaissance:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-o