The ability to do what matters most but in your 
unique way. 
Speech and language therapy:
Speech and language therapy: 
Finding 
Finding your voice again
your voice again 
MS can affect speech, swallowing, and 
cognitive communication. That can be 
discouraging especially when your mind 
knows what you want to say, but your body 
doesn’t cooperate. 
Speech therapy can address swallowing 
difficulties (dysphagia), memory lapses, and 
word-finding challenges. SLPs use cognitive 
retraining to strengthen your mental processing 
and communication skills. 
Communication is about connection and 
therapy helps rebuild that bridge when MS 
tries to weaken it. 
MS doesn’t stop at the physical body, it 
touches your emotions, relationships, and 
sense of identity. Depression, anxiety, grief, 
and fear of decline are all common, but often 
unspoken.  
That’s where mental health therapy becomes 
essential. Speaking with a counselor, psychologist, 
or psychotherapist helps you process feelings 
that can’t be addressed with medication alone. 
Therapy isn’t about “fixing” you, it’s about 
supporting you through change. Whether 
through 
cognitive 
behavioral 
therapy, 
 
mindfulness, 
or 
trauma-informed 
 
approaches, 
therapy 
helps 
you 
find 
 
emotional balance, self-compassion, and  
resilience in the face of uncertainty. 
How to ask for and access therapy
How to ask for and access therapy 
One of the biggest challenges people face 
is how to start. Here’s a roadmap: 
Begin with your neurologist or primary 
care provider. Ask directly for referrals to PT, 
OT, speech therapy, or mental health services. 
A medical prescription may help with insurance 
coverage. 
Ask specific, empowering questions, such as: 
• Would occupational therapy help me manage 
fatigue? 
• Can I get a referral for a speech therapist 
familiar with MS? 
• Do you know a mental health therapist 
experienced in chronic illness? 
Look into local resources. Many MS 
foundations and community centers offer 
therapy grants, home visits, or telehealth 
programs. Use teletherapy if traveling is difficult. 
Virtual PT, speech therapy, or counseling 
sessions can still make a powerful difference. 
If finances are tight, look into university 
clinics, hospital-based programs, or nonprofit 
organizations as many offer sliding-scale fees 
or free sessions. 
Choosing the right therapist
Choosing the right therapist 
Finding a therapist who truly understands 
you is as important as the therapy itself. 
Here’s what to look for: 
• Experience with neurological conditions: 
Ask if they’ve worked with MS or similar 
chronic illnesses. 
• Empathy and communication: You should 
feel listened to, not lectured. 
• Flexibility: MS symptoms fluctuate. Your 
therapist should be ready to adjust sessions 
when fatigue or flare-ups hit. 
• Collaboration: The best therapists’ partner 
with you, not just treat you. 
When meeting a new therapist, ask  
questions such as: 
• How do you adapt sessions for fatigue or 
limited mobility? 
• How do you measure progress when my 
symptoms fluctuate? 
• Are you comfortable coordinating with my 
neurologist or other therapists? 
And remember: it’s perfectly okay to 
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