I have had many personally profound interactions in my very long career, but few have
been more meaningful, persistent, or educational than my long association with Mark
Ylvisaker. For one thing, I directed Mark's dissertation. No, that is incorrect. I
was chosen by him to be his partner in a collaborative, conceptualized process that
resulted in his obtaining a Ph.D. This collaborative process never ended for me. Mark
has influenced my interests and work in coaching, both as a tool and a metaphor (see
Ylvisaker and Holland,[1] way back in 1985), as well as my work in scripting for aphasia (cf. Holland, Cherney,
and Halper[2]), and how the principles so eloquently described here with traumatic brain injury
(TBI) agree with my conception of good treatment for aphasia.
I first met Mark when he was deciding to begin basic coursework in Speech Pathology,
thereby abandoning study of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh where he had
completed all the requirements for a doctorate except a thesis. Of course, I asked
him why. His response was simply that he wanted to do something that he felt would
be of use to people and that he wanted his use to be tangible to him. This issue of
Seminars demonstrates how he filled that goal: Mark was “of use” (how plain but nourishing
the term!) to individuals with TBI and their families, his students, and his professional
colleagues. Readers of this issue will gain universal perspective on his profound,
worldwide effect on the practice of TBI rehabilitation and, it is hoped, stand to
enjoy a ripple effect to their own work.
Leanne Togher, who is the Guest Editor for this issue, planned it before Mark died,
largely as an introduction to North American readers to the splendid body of work
in TBI that comes from the English-speaking southern hemisphere. Although we chose
finally to focus on Mark's contributions, I suspect the issue would have a similar
frame even if we did not make that choice. His influence is perhaps more profound
in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa than it is here, and he bears much responsibility
for its high quantity and superior quality, as readers will note as the dig into this
issue. The bibliographies alone are eye-opening!
Leanne Togher, from the University of Sydney in Australia, initiates the articles
by a description of how her own fascinating work on everyday conversations and interactions
dovetails with Mark's notions. She also shares the essence of her highly productive
efforts in collaborative partner training. Jacinta Douglas, of La Trobe University
in Bundoora, Australia, focuses on the importance self-identity and how to increase
it following TBI. The final Australian contribution is from Skye McDonald, of the
University of New South Wales in Sydney. Her topic is the importance of metaphor and
its relevance to clinical work, largely in TBI, but with far greater implications.
In her contribution, Brigette Larkins, of both the University of Queensland in Brisbane,
Australia, and the University of Auckland in New Zealand, sets out to describe the
influences of Mark Ylvisaker on her own clinical work and ends up with very clear
description how she applies it to persons with TBI in New Zealand. Glenn Goldblum
moves us to the University of Pretoria, in South Africa, and provides a picture of
TBI management in her homeland, Not only is filled with fresh ideas, but it provides
insight into service delivery in one of the world's most multicultural societies.
Our world tour ends in here in the United States. Lyn Turkstra is at the University
of Wisconsin. Her article deals with principles of positive behavioral intervention
and the critical importance of strong support systems in recovery from TBI. The final
contribution is, appropriately enough, by Tim Feeney of the School and Community Support,
Inc., in Latham, New York. Tim has been a long-time collaborator of Mark's, and here
he presents a full description of their work in developing and applying the model
they designed, called Positive Behavioral and Intervention Supports (PBIS). It is
a brief handbook on its application to treatment of TBI.
I have never been more excited about an issue of Seminars. I think you will see why when you read it. And please bear in mind that most of
the concepts and approaches that the authors suggest here have implications not only
for TBI, but across the profession.
Mark's fascination with metaphor will become apparent in what follows. It just is
possible that “TBI” is his metaphor for “Speech-Language Pathology.”
