What does it really take to conduct a realist review when you are new to realist research, and there is no simple methodological roadmap to follow? How can realist approaches help us understand why communication partner training works in some contexts but is difficult to sustain or embed in others?

In this open and highly practical conversation, Alejandro is joined by Yvonne Fitzmaurice, an experienced speech and language therapist, educator and PhD researcher, currently working in clinical speech and language therapy education at the University of Galway.

Drawing on more than 20 years of clinical experience, Yvonne explores her work on communication partner training (CPT) for people with communication impairments followingstroke. She explains why realist review felt particularly well suited to an intervention whose success depends not only on the training itself, but on the people delivering it, the settings in which it is introduced, the wider systems surrounding it and whether it can be sustained and embedded into healthcareeducation. Yvonne also reflects candidly on her transition from experienced clinician to novice realist researcher. She shares how developing a protocol, undertaking realist training working closely with supervisors and building acarefully selected advisory group helped provide structure and direction.

The discussion explores what Yvonne’s realist review has revealed about the multiple, interacting and layered contexts surrounding CPT. Yvonne also describes the crucial contribution of realist advisors, educators, students, and public and patient contributors with lived experience of communication impairment in developing and refining programme theory.

Whether you are a clinician, speech and language therapist, educator, researcher, student, PhD researcher, PPI contributor or someone beginning a realist review of a complex intervention, this episode offers an honest and encouraging account of learning to grow as a realist researcher.