Barbara Wilkinson is qualified as a speech and language therapist and accredited psychotherapist and supervisor. She currently works at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust in stroke rehabilitation, delivering speech and language therapy as well as running a specialist counselling service for people with a communication disability. Her main theoretical orientation is the person-centred approach which emphasises the role of the client as the expert and respects their unique repertoire of communication. She recognises the importance of a flexible, creative stance in order to accommodate their communication needs.

Barbara will draw upon her years of experience working with people with aphasia and their different communication partners (such as family members, doctors, nurses or friends) to encourage an exploration of personal perspectives and attitudes as well as facilitating the development of a set of well-evidenced techniques to help people with aphasia re-join conversations.