Chattanooga, Tennessee — the right support shouldn’t depend on where you live.
Specialized adult speech therapy — available from home across Tennessee and Kentucky. Marina Coakley, M.S., CCC-SLP, licensed in both states.
Many families in southeast Tennessee complete intensive rehabilitation and still want outpatient care that carries momentum — steady sessions that fit daily life while communication keeps growing.
For adults in the Chattanooga region — including Tennessee communities near state lines — working with a Tennessee-licensed clinician over telehealth can keep specialized care consistent and easier to repeat week after week.
Aphasia recovery continues long after inpatient rehab ends. Research supports meaningful gains across years when therapy stays focused and regular. Consistency often matters as much as timing.
I'm Marina Coakley. I work with adults and families through every stage of communication recovery — from soon after discharge to years of continued progress. Virtual sessions are available to adults across Tennessee.
Whatever brought you here, the fact that you're looking is the most important part. If you're in Chattanooga and want to talk through what's going on and what might help, a free consultation is the right next step.
Services Available in Chattanooga
Aphasia Therapy
Specialized help for the language changes that can follow a stroke or brain injury. Starting sooner helps, and meeting online means you can begin without the drive.
Apraxia of Speech
Focused, repetition-based work to rebuild reliable speech, all done online so where you live never gets in the way of the care you need.
Adult Communication Therapy
If words won't come, thinking feels slower, or conversation tires you out after a TBI or brain injury, I can help with that and with fluency, voice, and everyday communication, all online across Tennessee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do families continue aphasia care after intensive rehab in the Chattanooga area?
After inpatient or acute outpatient rehab, many adults still need ongoing outpatient therapy that fits home life. Virtual therapy with a Tennessee-licensed clinician can keep specialized care consistent while you stay in your own environment — which supports the regular practice aphasia recovery often needs.
Can Affinity Therapy serve clients in North Georgia near Chattanooga?
Affinity Therapy is licensed in Tennessee and Kentucky — not Georgia. Clients must reside in Tennessee or Kentucky to receive telehealth services. For clients in the Chattanooga area of Tennessee, including Hamilton County and surrounding communities, services are fully available. For those in North Georgia just across the state line, we'd recommend searching for a Georgia-licensed SLP offering telehealth.
How long do aphasia therapy sessions last and how often are they?
Session length and frequency are individualized based on the client's needs, goals, and schedule. A typical session runs 45–60 minutes. Frequency varies from once a week for maintenance-phase clients to two to three times a week for those in more active recovery. During the initial consultation and evaluation, we'll discuss what schedule makes sense for your specific situation — including what's realistic given transportation, caregiver schedules, and the client's fatigue levels.
Does Affinity Therapy take insurance?
Affinity Therapy is a private-pay practice. Sessions are not billed directly to insurance. However, a superbill can be provided after each session for you to submit to your insurer for potential out-of-network reimbursement — many clients receive partial reimbursement this way. Health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) can also be used. We'd encourage you to check your out-of-network benefits before your first session so you have a clear picture of what reimbursement may be possible.
What's the difference between aphasia and a cognitive communication disorder?
Aphasia is specifically a language disorder — it affects speaking, understanding, reading, and writing. The person's intelligence and personality are fully intact; it's the pathway between thought and language that's disrupted. Cognitive communication disorders affect the thinking skills that support communication — attention, memory, organization, reasoning — and can occur after stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other neurological events. The two can co-occur. An evaluation helps identify which is the primary challenge and guides the treatment approach.
My spouse hasn't had any speech therapy since leaving the hospital two years ago. Is it worth starting now?
Yes. Two years is not too late. The belief that recovery is only possible in the first months after a stroke is one of the most persistent and damaging myths in aphasia care. Neuroplasticity — the brain's ability to form new pathways — continues throughout life. Consistent, targeted therapy produces meaningful improvement at any stage. The most important thing is not how much time has passed, but whether therapy is happening consistently. If it's not, starting now is better than waiting.
Let's get started right from home
The first call is free and there's nothing to commit to. I meet with people online all across Tennessee.
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