Amy Karas SLP

06/04/2025

This morning in our Mindful Communication Group we talked about the challenges and triumphs of advocating for oneself when you have aphasia from a stroke. Group members took turns sharing tips, and then we used ChatGPT to turn the tips into an acronym focused on how we ADVOCATE.

Let me know if you have any thoughts to add!

06/04/2025

🌬️ Ever feel like your mind’s racing and you just need to hit pause?
Try Boxed Breathing — a powerful yet simple technique to calm your mind, reduce stress, and regain control. It’s used by athletes, first responders, and even Navy SEALs to stay focused under pressure… and now, it’s your turn. 🙌

What is Boxed Breathing?
It’s a 4-part breathing method that helps you reset your nervous system and return to the present moment. Best part? You can do it anywhere — at your desk, in your car, or lying in bed.

✨ Why it works:
✅ Lowers stress by reducing cortisol
✅ Improves focus and mindfulness
✅ Promotes relaxation through intentional breath control

🧘‍♂️ How to Practice Boxed Breathing:
1️⃣ Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds
2️⃣ Hold your breath for 4 seconds
3️⃣ Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds
4️⃣ Hold again for 4 seconds
🔁 Repeat for at least 5 cycles — or as long as you need.

💡 Tips for success:
✔️ Practice daily (even when you're not stressed)
✔️ Start with 2- or 3-second intervals if 4 feels too long
✔️ Set a 5-minute timer to stay consistent
✔️ Make it your moment — no phones, no distractions

Remember: You don’t have to control everything. Just start with your breath. 🌱

🫶 Ready to try it? Let us know how it felt in the comments — or tag a friend who could use a moment to breathe today.

05/28/2025

Struggling with memory or keeping up in conversations after a brain injury or neurological diagnosis? You’re not alone—and there’s help. 🧠💬

Speech-language therapy can boost thinking and communication skills, and group sessions provide the perfect space to practice, connect, and build confidence with others who get it.

At Amy Karas, SLP LLC, we offer expert neuro-based therapy and weekly groups focused on real-world communication. Let’s work together toward progress that lasts. 💪

Click the link to learn more about our specialized therapy courses.
🌐 Learn more: https://www.slpamykaras.com/
📧 Email: slpamykaras@gmail.com
📞 Contact: 617-893-8807

I'd love your support—please like and follow our page to stay connected!

05/23/2025

🌬️ Ever feel like your mind’s racing and you just need to hit pause?
Try Boxed Breathing — a powerful yet simple technique to calm your mind, reduce stress, and regain control. It’s used by athletes, first responders, and even Navy SEALs to stay focused under pressure… and now, it’s your turn. 🙌

What is Boxed Breathing?
It’s a 4-part breathing method that helps you reset your nervous system and return to the present moment. Best part? You can do it anywhere — at your desk, in your car, or lying in bed.

✨ Why it works:
✅ Lowers stress by reducing cortisol
✅ Improves focus and mindfulness
✅ Promotes relaxation through intentional breath control

🧘‍♂️ How to Practice Boxed Breathing:
1️⃣ Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds
2️⃣ Hold your breath for 4 seconds
3️⃣ Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds
4️⃣ Hold again for 4 seconds
🔁 Repeat for at least 5 cycles — or as long as you need.

💡 Tips for success:
✔️ Practice daily (even when you're not stressed)
✔️ Start with 2- or 3-second intervals if 4 feels too long
✔️ Set a 5-minute timer to stay consistent
✔️ Make it your moment — no phones, no distractions

Remember: You don’t have to control everything. Just start with your breath. 🌱

🫶 Ready to try it? Let us know how it felt in the comments — or tag a friend who could use a moment to breathe today.

05/22/2025

Community Connections

A monthly online membership group for adults with cognitive-communication difficulties—designed to support, empower, and connect you from the comfort of your home.

💬 Join one of our online groups:
✔️ Parkinson’s Communication
✔️ Cognitive Communication
✔️ Aphasia Support
✔️ Caregiver Groups

Why join?
• Practice communication
• Build confidence
• Find support
• Have fun and feel less alone

👩‍⚕️ Meet Amy Karas, MS, CCC-SLP
A neuro speech-language pathologist with a passion for helping adults with neurological conditions improve their communication, cognition, and independence.

🔗 Click the link to learn more & enroll today. Your brain will thank you.
🌐 Learn more: https://www.slpamykaras.com/
📧 Email: slpamykaras@gmail.com
📞 Contact: 617-893-8807

05/21/2025

Living with brain injury, stroke, cognitive decline or dementia?
You deserve a space where communication feels possible — and connection feels real.

Our Community Enhancement Groups offer guided support from certified speech-language pathologists, designed for individuals facing cognitive or communication challenges. Whether you’re navigating memory changes or recovering from injury, our groups meet you with patience, purpose, and encouragement.

Choose from supportive groups like:
- Complex Conversations
- Sharing Thoughts about Poetry
- Harmonizing Speech and Communication
- Mindful Communication with Aphasia
- Let’s Talk
- Conversation with Intent
- Speak Up! Parkinson's Communication Group

Each group is structured, welcoming, and tailored to your communication needs — helping you connect, express yourself, and grow confidence in a safe and meaningful way.

Join any time — we offer flexible, pro-rated options.
🔗 www.SLPAmyKaras.com/store
📧 Email: slpamykaras@gmail.com
📞 Contact: 617-893-8807

05/20/2025

Struggling to focus, remember things, or express yourself when you're stressed?
You're not alone—and you're not imagining it. Stress has a powerful effect on the brain and body, especially when it comes to how we think, speak, and connect with others.
When stress hits, it can cloud your thinking, make it harder to find the right words, and even impact your decision-making and empathy. This isn't just about being overwhelmed—it's about how your nervous system responds, and how that response affects your cognitive communication skills.

🧠 That’s why we created a self-paced, 2-part workshop led by Amy Karas, a licensed speech-language pathologist and certified brain injury specialist with nearly 30 years of experience.
In this on-demand series, you'll dive deep into how stress affects your memory, focus, and ability to communicate—and, more importantly, you'll learn how to take control of it.

💡 What You’ll Learn:
Part 1: How Stress Impacts Your Brain and Body
- Brain & Body Effects: How stress alters brain function and disrupts communication.
- Micro stressors & Chronic Stress: The cumulative toll on health, focus, and clarity.
- Nervous System Connection: The role of the vagus nerve in digestion, mood, and immunity.
- Fight, Flight, Freeze Response: How stress affects decision-making and cognitive function.
- Cognitive and Communication Changes: Why stress makes it harder to remember words, impairs thinking and empathy—and how to address it.

Part 2: Strategies to Improve Cognitive-Communication Skills
- Self-Awareness Practices: Techniques to manage triggers, reduce fatigue, and stay focused.
- Communication Tools: Strategies to stop negative self-talk, use calming pauses, and communicate confidently.
- Mindfulness Techniques: Grounding exercises like boxed breathing to stay present under pressure.
- Gratitude Practices: Simple ways to incorporate gratitude into your routines creating a more positive outlook that naturally reduces stress.
- Healthy Habits: The impact of movement, nutrition, and sleep on stress resilience.
- Planning & Prioritizing: Tools for managing tasks and keeping stress in check.

What’s Included:
✅ Lifetime access to the full 2-part workshop
✅ Downloadable PowerPoint guide for review anytime
✅ Practical handouts for mindfulness, awareness, gratitude & cognition
✅ Tools you can start using today to feel more clear-headed and in control

Whether you're managing daily stress, supporting someone through burnout, or looking to sharpen your communication under pressure—this workshop gives you the tools and knowledge to take your power back.

🔗 Click the link to learn more & enroll today. Your brain will thank you.
📩 Learn more: https://www.slpamykaras.com/stress
📧 Contact: slpamykaras@gmail.com

05/19/2025

This Tuesday, join us for a dynamic and supportive group that uses music alongside proven language strategies to foster communication, enhance memory, and encourage social connections.

Experience the power of music in supporting communication and building connections. Real talk, real support, real community — all from the comfort of your home

Click the link to learn more about our specialized therapy courses.
🌐 Learn more: https://www.slpamykaras.com/
📧 Email: slpamykaras@gmail.com
📞 Contact: 617-893-8807

12/11/2024

Does stress hold you back from thinking clearly, making decisions, and connecting with others? Stress impacts our communication, memory, focus, and overall mental clarity. Now, you can take control with a powerful two-part pre-recorded workshop series designed to help you understand, manage, and overcome the cognitive and communicative effects of stress.

Click here to learn more:

Whether we worry about illness, injury, and aging or our thoughts are consumed about work or personal demands, the environment or the news around the world, when stress lingers it can effect our brains and bodies as well as have a long-lasting impact on our thoughts and communication skills. Unfortu...