by: Lisa Carberg
Posted: Sep 22, 2025 / 06:07 PM EDT | Updated: Sep 23, 2025 / 05:03 PM EDT
WALLINGFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Recovering from a stroke can be challenging, and the recovery is different for everyone. A stroke left Paula Gallagher unable to communicate in some ways.
“I didn’t have any physical deformities, but I couldn’t talk and I couldn’t write,” she said.
Gallagher’s recovery involved a lot of outpatient speech therapy at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Wallingford. Her determination and hard work have paid off.
“When we first met, she was speaking in single words,” Tammy Speurgeon, a speech language pathologist at Gaylord, who worked extensively with Gallagher, said. “We were able to progress to short phrases and then eventually meaningful conversations.”
Gallagher learned that Gaylord was offering integrative medicine to heal patients mentally. She was a Reiki instructor and offered to volunteer. She has been enjoying giving back and helping others on their healing journeys.
Kara Gonzalez was bucked off her horse in August. Her back was broken, but her prognosis is good. She is walking and will go home soon. She describes what Gallagher’s Reiki feels like.
“You see, like lots of colors that you can just calm your mind and your space, and it like detaches you from all of the noise that is here and what happened and whatnot,” she said.
Integrative medicine can play a key part in a Gaylord patient’s journey because they typically suffer life-altering injuries such as strokes or spinal cord injuries.
Lee Grimaldi is the Gaylord Integrative Medicine Coordinator who explains what is offered.
“We have massage, mindfulness, meditation, stress relief techniques,” she said.
Paula is thrilled to be able to communicate again and spend time giving back.
“Gaylord gave me my life back again, and I feel at home here.”