Episode 029 -- Meet Ocular Stroke Survivor Richard Kaufman

 

Richard Kaufman has had a fascinating life. At various points he has been...

An addict

Homeless

In the Army

Wounded in a Humvee

A retail salesperson

A survivor of an ocular stroke

Podcaster

 

He talks about these assorted adventures this week as he shares lessons he's learned from life.

An ocular stroke is similar to the brain stroke we are all too familiar with. Basically a clot cuts off the blood supply to the retina or optic nerve and cells die. Partial blindness is often the result.

Things we can do to reduce the risk of an ocular stroke are the same things we do to reduce our risk of a brain stroke.

 

Control cholesterol and blood pressure. Manage blood sugar. Live a heart healthy lifestyle. And get checked for glaucoma.

 

 

Links

Richard's Hashtag	#supplementguynj
Richard's Website	https://supplementguynj.wordpress.com/
Richard on Twitter	https://twitter.com/Rickkaufman07
#Supplementguynj on Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/Supplementguynj-910300085804341/
#supplementguynj on Instagram	https://www.instagram.com/supplementguynj/
Richard's "Recovery and Redemption" Podcast	https://anchor.fm/richard-kaufman/episodes/There-is-no-tomorrow-e1sg9o

 

Where do we go from here?

• What does this episode make you think about? Let us know in the comments below.
• Check out Richard's various sites and podcasts in the links section above.
• If you listen on the Apple platform, leave a rating and review for Strokecast in Apple Podcasts.
• Don't get best...get better.

 

Here is the latest episode of The Strokecast

Episode 077 -- Influence One Person and Meet Patricia Missakian

2-Minute Tip

 

Influencing dozens or hundreds or thousands of people can be intimidating. That's a lot of work, and it's a lot of minds to change. So how do you do that when the public speaking jitters start rattling your stomach? Don't.

 

Think about influencing one person in your audience, instead. Then that person can influence others and help spread your message.

 

The interesting thing about this mindset is that the bigger the crowd, the less intimidating the goal. Influencing one person in a group of five is tough. Influencing one person in a group of 500 is easy.

 

Post Tip Discussion

 

Patricia Missakian is the founder of the Akashic Records Institute. While Akashic Records as a concept has hundreds of years as a spiritual element, for our purposes, it can be thought of simply as the collection of conscious and unconscious memories we start building the day we are born.

 

Those memories -- our early wins and traumas help form the adults we grow up to be. Those memories and patterns can block our success. They contribute to how we sometimes "can't get out of our own way."

 

Patricia helps folks work through those patterns to be more successful.

 

In this episodes, we talk about how those patterns impact our public speaking.

 

We also talk about how and why she became an international speaker by leveraging technology and social media to create her own stage.

 

Patricia Missakian is an international speaker, coach, and spiritual teacher. She is the founder of the Akashic Records Institute, a school for spiritual development, specializes in uncovering and releasing the old beliefs that block success in finances, relationships and health.

 

Accessing the Akashic Records, Patricia guides clients to align themselves, pinpoint money blocks and discover how to break through these blocks to achieve full potential.

 

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Patricia now lives in Glendale, CA with her family, enjoying her kids, and working with clients. She brings together her Brazilian roots, colorful creativity, positive energy, genuine happiness, advanced training and unquestionable mystical connection to everything that she does.

 

Relevant Links

 

Akashic Records Institute	http://akashicrecordsinstitue.com
Akashic Records Institute on YouTube	https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXaUWpjiOJ7ZTeLtEj0UJQA
Akashic Records Institute on Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/AkashicRecordsInstitute/
Patricia's Facebook Live Videos	https://www.facebook.com/pg/AkashicRecordsInstitute/videos
Patricia on Twitter	http://twitter.com/AkashicRecordsI

 

 

Call To Action

 

• What are thoughts on breaking through blocks to unlock your success? Let us know in the comments below.
• Visit http://akashicrecordsinstitute.com to learn more about Patricia's program and how you can work with her.
• Adapt your mindset to influence one person in your audience.
• Do you know someone who might benefit from this episode? Send them to http://2minutetalktips.com/patricia to listen.
• Don't get best…get better.

 

Check out this episode!

Episode 028 -- The Slow Road to Better

Shortly after my stroke, I wanted to learn more about just what was going on with my brain. Naturally, I turned to a combination of podcasts and book. There weren't a whole lot of podcasts, though. That's one reason I started this one, But there were a few.

One of them was The Slow Road to Better. This podcast, from the Stroke Comeback Center in Vienna, VA, is about life with aphasia. But it's not just by aphasia researchers. The show is a panel discussion by folks living with aphasia and working to recover more and more of their language skills every day.

This week I talk with the folks from The Slow Road to Better. We explore what they get out of doing the show, what the wish other folks knew about aphasia, and much more.

Technical Notes

Usually when I do a remote interview, I conduct it over Skype or Zoom. This time, it was a little different. We needed to accommodate 5 people in Virginia plus my connection and maximize the audio quality in the process. Since they are already podcasters, that meant we could do a double ender.

That means Melissa recorded their end of the conversation, while I recorded mine. We talked with each other via cell phone. I had my phone headset on while they put me on speakerphone on a cell phone in the middle of the conference table.

Melissa then sent her recording in Audacity to me via Dropbox, and I stitched them together. It came out fairly well.

 

Hack of the week

The group had two main tips for living life with aphasia.

First find a support group. Look for other folks navigating life with aphasia and share your experience.

Second, if you find a task is too frustrating and you keep trying again and again and again, and it's just not working. Take a break from it and work on some other aspect of your recovery. There's always plenty of stuff to work on.

 

Related Links

The Slow Road to Better on Apple Podcasts	https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-slow-road-to-better/id1208357373
Stroke Comeback Center	https://strokecomebackcenter.org/
Stroke Comeback Center on Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/StrokeComebackCenter
Stroke Comeback Center on Twitter	https://twitter.com/StrokeComeback
National Aphasia Association	https://www.aphasia.org/
Bill's conversation about aphasia with Reva Zimmerman	http://strokecast.com/reva
Hand in Hand Show	https://handinhandshow.com/
Enable Me	https://enableme.org.au/Community/Podcasts

 

Where do we go from here?

• What's your reaction to this episode? Let us know in the comments below.Visit the Stroke Comeback Center on Facebook and say "Hi," to the team.
• If you are a survivor or caregiver, find a support in real life or online. It can make a big difference.
• When you encounter folks with aphasia, be patient. They are smart folks who've simply lost access to some of their language skills.
• Subscribe for free to the Slow Road to Better in your favorite podcast app.
• Subscribe for free to Strokecast in your favorite podcast app.
• Don't get best…get better.

 

Here is the latest episode of The Strokecast

Episode 076 -- Make Eye Contact and Meet Social Media Consultant Louise Brogan

2-Minute Tip: Make Eye Contact

 

Making eye contact with your audience is a great way to show them that you care and are interested in their success. It's much more effective than looking down and a script or shuffling note cards around.

 

Bonus Tip: Watch the Air Quality

 

Before you go someplace to speak, check the air quality in the city. A simple web search should bring up the latest data. For example, the air quality in Seattle right now is 153. That's unhealthy. Good air quality is between 0 and 50. In our case, it's because of forest fires throughout the US and Canada.

 

This means speakers who spend a lot of time outdoors may have problems with the throat. A speaker may find themselves sneezing a lot more or generally stuffed up. We may fatigue more. Our lung capacity may seem lower because we're inhaling so much more than just air.

 

Plan for local air quality. That may mean you bring more tissues or lozenges. You should probably drink more water. Consider wearing a mask while out and about. Reduce your exposure to outside air.

 

In general, protect your voice.

 

Post Tip Discussion: Meet Louise Brogan

 

Louise Brogan (Social Bee) is a social media consultant and trainer, who teaches entrepreneurs and established companies and organizations to market their business online. Louise's aim is to explain how to do things online in a simple, straightforward way.

 

Louise has been working with organizations and small businesses for over five years. In 2017, Louise was listed in the Small Business Saturday Top 100 Small Businesses in the UK, and in March 2018, Louise was awarded Top 50 Small Business Advisors in the UK by Enterprise Nation

 

As you would expect, our discussion focused on the intersection of public speaking and social media.

 

There were a number of key lessons I found in this episode.

 

1. Reach out to local councils, governmental organizations, or Chambers of Commerce about speaking opportunities they may have available. Some of these gigs may or may not be paid, but they can be great for lead generation.
2. Use LinkedIn to make sure your professional network knows you're a speaker. It's a great tool for finding those opportunities.
3. As a business, focus on only 1 or 2 social media platforms where your customers are most likely to be and are most likely in their customer mindset.
4. Speaking because you have the fire for it is great, but there's also tremendous value in it if you don't like speaking for speaking's sake.
5. Social media for business is profoundly different from social media for personal use.

 

Relevant Links

 

Louise on the web	https://socialbeeni.com
Louise on Twitter	https://twitter.com/socialbeeni
Louise on Instagram	https://instagram.com/socialbeeni
Louise Brogan on LinkedIn	https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisebrogan/
The Social Bee podcast	https://socialbeeni.com/category/podcast/
The Social Bee Podcast on iTunes	https://itunes.apple.com/mn/podcast/the-social-bee-podcast/id1294334198
The Social Beehive on Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/groups/socialbeeni
The Social Bee on YouTube	https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6EDuPVWHu8OM0z0x777bMw

 

Call to Action

 

• What are your thoughts on speaking and social media? Let us know in the comments below.
• Be sure to subscribe for free to the Social Bee Podcast, and, of course 2-Minute Talk Tips in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
• Does someone you know run social media for their small business? Send them this link: http://2minutetalktips.com/socialbeeni, and ask what they think about it.
• Make eye contact with your audience
• Don't get best…get better.

 

Check out this episode!

Episode 027 -- Meet Neurologist Dr. Nirav H Shah

 

Shortly after I started this show I began asking folks at Swedish about who I should speak with about this project. I got really lucky, and the team there connected me with Dr. Nirav H Shah. He's involved with research, clinical patient care, and development of new technologies.

 

What's really awesome is how his face lights up when he talks not only about his work, but the work other researchers are doing in this field to improve the quality of life of stroke survivors and to reduce the amount of strokes to begin with.

 

Bio

Dr Nirav H Shah a fellowship trained neurologist and sub-specialist in cerebrovascular and stroke medicine with board certifications in t: neurology, stroke medicine, carotid neurosonology, transcranial doppler ultrasound, and neuroimaging.

He is a practicing neurohospitalist and stroke medical director at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. Academically, he is interested in emergent and critical care neurology research and is an associate editor for The Neurohospitalist, a peer-reviewed journal. H enjoys mentoring trainees and collaborating on publications and conference presentations.

Outside of clinical care Dr Shah is collaborating with experts to develop scalable technologies capable of ameliorating healthcare’s challenges. He consults with startups and investors to develop technologies and devices so that one day they are available to his patients. He has worked with companies to meet FDA regulations for approval as well as to help them understand the provider perspective of product-market fit.

Dr. Shah is also the CEO and Founder of Sentinel Healthcare. He is also a passionate traveler and photographer.

 

Notes on Audio Quality

My audio is not great this week. I think the batteries were too low in my recorder when we met onsite at Swedish. This mainly affected my side of the conversation. I spent some time tweaking it and pulling it out from the low-volume graveyard to get it to the point where it works, but you'll notice it seems a little thinner this week.

Relevant Links

Nirav H Shah on LinkledIn	https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirav-h-shah/
Nirav H Shah at Swedish	https://www.swedish.org/swedish-physicians/profile.aspx?name=nirav+h+shah&id=271893
Nirav on Twitter	http://twitter.com/NeuroNirav
The Neurohospitalist	http://journals.sagepub.com/home/nho
ARTSS-2 Study	https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/strokeaha.117.016720
Nirav H Shah Letter on ARTSS-2	https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.117.018121
ARCADIA Study	https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03192215
Sentinel Healthcare	http://www.sentinel.healthcare/
Nirav's Photography	www.thoughtpotential.com

 

Where do we go from here?

• What questions do you have about neurology? What would you like Nirav to talk more about in the future? Let us know in the comments below.
• Do you know anyone else who finds brains interesting? Send them the link http://strokecast.com/nirav so they can listen, too.
• Subscribe to Strokecast in your favorite podcast app.
• Don't get best...get better.

 

Here is the latest episode of The Strokecast

Episode 075 -- Write Your Thoughts Down and Meet Magician Victoria Mavis

 

2-Minute Tip: Write it Down

 

In the run up to a talk, our minds can go all over the place. Thoughts come and go, and it can get pretty loud inside our heads. It becomes hard to focus on what we need to do and to be present like we ought to be to maximize our success.

 

One way to deal with this is to write down all those thoughts on a piece (or pieces) of paper. That gets them out of your head and your brain can let them go since you can deal with them later if you choose.

 

I find this helpful at other times, too, when I get overwhelmed with stress or my mind starts racing. Just write it all down and get on with the things you need to do.

 

Post Tip Discussion

 

Victoria and I talked about this focus and the importance of being present for the audience and in conversation. We also talked about the power of speaking to an audience and the possibilities with podcasting today.

Victoria Mavis is worldwide one of only a few professional female magicians. She started doing magic at the age of 4 and had her first stage show at the age of 7. She has two academic degrees, a background in hypnosis, is a member of the magic circle in Germany as well as Rotary International. She also published her first book in 2017. While performing a lot of mental magic on stage she started getting closer to the real secrets of magic... tools that can improve our lives, bringing us closer to our dreams, break through blocks and even get in touch with quantum physics.

 

One thing stage magic and public speaking have in common is the importance of being present. A magician uses discipline, focus, and misdirection to create an experience that challenges an audience's perception of reality and tries to interrupt the patterns the live their life with. That requires tremendous effort and skill on the part of the magician. They can't just let their mind wander on stage.

 

As a speaker you need to be focused on your audience, delivering the message, and driving to your goal of what you want the audience to do.

 

Relevant Links

Victoria's Website	http://victoria-mavis.com
Victoria on Twitter	https://twitter.com/VictoriaMavis2
Pure Mind Magic Podcast	https://victoriamavis.podbean.com/
Pure Mind Magic on Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/puremindmagicshow
Was, wenn alles möglich wäre? (Victoria's first book)	https://www.amazon.com/Was-wenn-alles-m%C3%B6glich-w%C3%A4re/dp/3832734635/ref=pd_ybh_a_1
How Podcasting Can Change Your Life: Unleash Endless Possibilities (Victoria's new book)	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FNR5MYZ
Get Chapter 1 of the new book	http://goldmine-podcasting.com/

 

Call To Action

 

• What do you think of the intersection between magic and public speaking? Let us know in the comments below.
• Check out the Pure Mind Magic Podcast in your favorite podcast app.
• Check out Victoria's new book and get chapter 1 here.
• Write down your thoughts before your next talk.
• Don't get best…get better.

 

 

Check out this episode!

Episode 074 -- Use a Checklist and Thoughts on Crowd Size

2-Minute Tip: Use a Checklist

Everyday, thousands of airline pilots around the world pull out the same task list them read hundred or thousands of times and it out loud to their colleague. Even though they have the whole thing memorized by now, they still refer back to that list to nearly guarantee they don't forget anything. The consequences of failure are huge. Forgetting one thing can cost hundreds of lives and millions of dollars in damage. So the use a check list.

 

The consequences for skipping a step in your talk are not nearly as serious. No one is going to die if we make a mistake. That doesn't mean we should skip check lists as speakers, though. Working from a checklist as we prepare a talk, pack our bag, and wrap-up an event can make a big difference in our effectiveness. We come across as more professional when we have those procedures in place, and we get to off load some of the cognitive load from our brains. We don't have to remember to not forget things because we can work from the list.

 

Sample check lists include: 

• 
  What to pack
  • Luggage
    • Day 1 Shirt
    • Day 2 shirt
    • Pants
    • Workout shoes
  • Presentation kit
    • Projector cable
    • Timer
    • Slide clicker
    • HDMI adapter
    • Tissues
    • Gaffers tape
• Actions at event
  • Greet organizer
  • Greet AV Tech
  • Check room sight lines
  • Confirm projector works
  • Find rest room
• Tear down
  • Shut off computer
  • Shut off projector
  • Pack extension cable
  • Pack notes
• Follow up
  • Thank the organizer
  • Complete event report
  • Follow up on questions you said you would follow up on
  • Submit expense report

 

I'm sure you can come up with more things for theses check lists.

 

Post Tip Discussion: Thoughts on Crowd Size

 

The size of the crowd you are speaking to determines how you deliver your message. It impacts the content and activities that are part of you presentation. It even impacts what you wear to an event.

 

Some folks might say that the bigger a crowd gets, the harder it is to deliver a talk, but that's not necessarily true. There are different strategies to deploy in a large group versus a small one, and there are different results you can expect. Here are some thoughts of crowd size. Theses are ideas to get you thinking about what you'll do in your talk, but the are not strict absolutes -- merely a starting points that inform your prep work.

 

• Small Crowd (under 15 people)
  • It's probably a meeting
  • A conversational approach works best
  • Interactivity is key
  • Time management can be harder since folks are more likely to pursue tangents and cross talk
  • Group dynamics play a big role
  • They might make a decision
• Medium Crowd (15-50 people)
  • Likely a class or educational seminar
  • Small group activities are more practical
  • Speaker appears to be an authority figure
  • Sessions can run multiple hours
• Large Crowd (51-100 people)
  • Presentation is more formal
  • Small group activities are less practical
  • Folks will help you control the room
  • Need to determine if you are addressing all of them or a subset of them
• Auditorium (100+)
  • Beyond 100 people the crowd tends to blur together
  • Often lights block most of the crowd
  • Allow time for humor to work
  • Timing is critical
  • Clothes should accommodate a mic pack
  • Stage location may be important

 

The key with any talk is to get the information you need ahead of time so you can bring the right sized talk to the right sized crowd.

 

Call To Action

 

• What's the toughest size crowd for you? How do you adapt to crowd size? Let us know in the comments below.
• Build checklists for your next talk.
• Subscribe to 2-Minute Talk Tips for free in your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
• Don't get best...get better.

 

Check out this episode!

Episode 025 -- Meet Aphasia Researcher Reva Zimmerman

 

I met Reva back in October when I first joined the Young Adult Stroke Survivors group. She is a doctoral student at the University of Washington studying aphasia. She also coordinates the UW student volunteers who help make the YASS meetings function and ensure a pleasant experience for attendees, be they survivors, caregivers, or guest speakers.

We met up last week at the Wayward Coffee House on a bright summer day. I secured a good parking spot on the street. Reva trekked over on her bike and we found some comfy seats in the back. We geeked out about language and the work Reva does while surrounded by Firefly, Star Trek, and Star Wars stuff. This might be my new favorite coffee shop to record at.

Many stroke survivors live with aphasia and struggle to communicate. Speech Therapists, like Reva, help folks recover those language skills, but they also do so much more. They help with memory and cognition. They even help with fundamental human functions like swallowing and breathing. The field is incredibly complex and fascinating.

Did you ever wonder about the difference among aphasia, apraxia, and dyarthria? We cover it here.

Reva's Bio

Reva M Zimmerman

Research Assistant, Doctoral Student

Education

University of British Columbia, MSc in Speech-Language Pathology

University of Washington, BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences

University of Washington, BA in Linguistics

 

Reva M. Zimmerman, MSc, CCC-SLP, is a PhD student and research associate on the Clinical TALSA study in the Aphasia Research Lab. She currently serves as a research associate on a multi-site study to create a clinical test of verbal short-term memory in aphasia (PI Nadine Martin, Ph.D., Temple University). She also recently completed work on a study exploring conflict resolution and short-term memory in aphasic comprehension (PI Malcolm McNeil, Ph.D., VA Pittsburgh). Reva also coordinates UW student volunteers for the Young Adult Stroke Survivor group. In her free time, she enjoys chasing her preschooler, dancing, and engaging in activities to uplift students of color at the UW.

 

Links from Episode 025

Reva M Zimmerman Email 1	aphasia@uw.edu
Reva M Zimmerman Email 2	robinrm@uw.edu
Reva's Profile	https://sphsc.washington.edu/content/reva-m-robinson
University of Washington Aphasia Research Lab	https://sphsc.washington.edu/research-labs/aphasia-research-lab/
Northwest Aphasia Registry and Repository	https://sphsc.washington.edu/research-projects/northwest-aphasia-registry-and-repository
Wayward Coffee House	http://www.waywardcoffee.com/
Strokecast Episode 7 -- Meet Gerrit Barrere	http://strokecast.com/2018/03/30/episode-007-meet-gerrit-barrere/
Seattle Young Adult Stroke Survivors Group	http://seattleyass.weebly.com
University of Washington Speech and Hearing Services on Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/uwsphsc
University of Washington Speech and Hearing Services Blog	http://blogs.uw.edu/sphscsvs/

Where do we go from here?

• What did you think about our chat? Let us know in the comments below.
• If you live with aphasia in the Pacific Northwest, or care for someone who does, check out the Northwest Aphasia Registry and Repository. If you live elsewhere, check with local Universities for research opportunities.
• Share this episode with a friend, colleague or relative by giving the link http://strokecast.com/reva
• Don't get best...get better

 

Here is the latest episode of The Strokecast