Our team at Jefferson Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute includes talented clinicians who are instrumental for conducting rigorous, clinically-relevant research. We’re excited to spotlight one of our clinical staff members Anna Beeghly, MA, CCC-SLP. Ms. Beeghly is a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) and a research therapist in the Language and Learning Laboratory, directed by Erica Middleton, PhD. In this interview, she shares more about her career and her current role at the Institute.
Can you tell us more about your academic background and training?
I have a bachelor’s degree in psycholinguistics, which combined coursework from linguistics and psychology, and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Following graduation, I worked as an SLP in acute inpatient rehabilitation with patients who had a variety of cognitive-linguistic, speech, and swallowing impairments.
What attracted you to research on language and aphasia?
In graduate school, I held a research assistantship which introduced me to language research and working with human participants. The combination of precision and attention to detail with big-picture thinking was especially appealing to me. Later, as a clinician, I saw how difficult it can be to implement evidence-based treatments in a real-world setting. Many of the well-supported interventions were difficult to implement in a hospital setting or didn’t apply neatly to the medically complex individuals I worked with. I hope that applying my clinical expertise to aphasia research can help our field take steps toward bridging this gap.
Why did you choose to work at the Institute, and what do you do in your current role?
I chose to work at the Institute because of its excellent reputation for conducting clinical research. More specifically, the Language and Learning Lab’s focus on improving our understanding of word retrieval deficits in aphasia and designing interventions utilizing powerful learning principles nicely aligns with my background and interests.
As a Research Therapist, I work with participants with post-stroke aphasia. I am involved in administering the Aphasia Battery, characterizing various aspects of language abilities in people with chronic aphasia, as well as several ongoing treatment studies.
What is something that you are working on that you are really excited about?
The Language and Learning Lab is beginning to look at how word retrieval treatments may be able to impact language abilities during connected speech. This is a very important step forward in being able to make a meaningful impact on the lives of people living with aphasia.
What has it been like for you to interact with participants in the lab?
Working with participants has been one of the best parts of this job. It has been especially interesting for me to work with individuals who have been living with aphasia for many years, as most of my clinical experience has been with those in the acute stages post-stroke. I have loved seeing the variety of communication strategies that participants use to navigate everyday conversations and have been inspired by how determined and hardworking every one of them is.
Can you tell us more about the impact or potential impact of your work?
I am hopeful that our work here will lead to a better understanding of word retrieval deficits in people with aphasia. In addition, the research I am contributing to may help identify new treatments that can improve functional communication skills and ultimately quality of life.
What is something that you have learned or hope to learn in your position at the Institute?
I have learned so much already! It has been eye-opening to see just how carefully each variable needs to be controlled in order to complete high-quality research. I am gaining a much better understanding of the barriers in translating research from the lab to applications in the clinic.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Most of my free time is spent at home with my husband and two children. I love to bake, especially sourdough bread, and I’m a regular at the gym where I like to lift heavy weights.