Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Navigating life after stroke can feel overwhelming, and no one should have to do it alone. Over the years, I’ve discovered a mix of trusted organizations, supportive communities, and practical tools that have helped me through recovery, healing, and daily life.

These are the clinics, apps, resources, and personal favorites that have genuinely made a difference in my recovery, independence, and well-being.

Stroke Education & Support
These resources provide reliable, evidence-based information and guidance for survivors and caregivers at every stage of recovery.

American Stroke Association – Resource Library – Stroke warning signs, rehab options, caregiver resources, and prevention.
Pregnancy and Stroke - Resources from the CDC to learn about the connection between pregnancy and stroke.
Life After Stroke Guides (ASA) – Downloadable guides to help manage daily life, rehabilitation, and emotional well-being after stroke - in English and Spanish.

Therapy, Tools & Technology
These tools and platforms can help with cognitive training, motor skills, memory, and daily organization.

BrainHQ – Evidence-based cognitive exercises to support attention, memory, and processing speed.
Lumosity – Fun brain games to help maintain and challenge cognitive skills.
Peak – Daily challenges designed to strengthen focus, problem-solving, and memory.
Otter.ai – Auto-transcription tool to help track meetings, therapy sessions, or personal notes.

Work & Disability Support
Practical guidance for returning to work, planning accommodations, and navigating workplace challenges

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) – Confidential advice on workplace accommodations, accessibility, and employment rights.
Stroke.org Work Readiness Tools – Checklists and resources to help evaluate readiness to return to work safely and effectively.

Community & Connection
Recovery is about more than therapy — it’s also about finding support, sharing experiences, and building community.

Stroke Family Warmline – Trained specialists provide listening support, guidance, and resources for survivors and caregivers. Call our Stroke Family Warmline at 1-888-4-STROKE (1-888-478-7653).
Support Groups (ASA Finder) – Search for in-person and virtual stroke support groups near you.
Beyond Stillness – Stories After Stroke – A platform for storytelling where survivors share and listen to lived experiences.

In August 2021, I attended the LoveYourBrain Yoga & Facilitation Training, excited—and a little nervous—to begin holding space for groups.

In August 2023, I joined my first LoveYourBrain retreat in Maine, an experience that felt deeply meaningful and grounding.

By May 2024, I returned as a volunteer and was later invited to become a Retreat Ambassador. I’m proud to support these retreats, which are offered free to participants and provide mindfulness, connection, and community for survivors and caregivers.

The LoveYourBrain yoga and mindfulness programs continue to be an important part of my healing journey.

My Personal Favorites & What Helped Me
These are the people, practices, and tools that supported me most in my own recovery — not medical advice, but lived experience.

Cognitive Support

Auditory processing challenges led me to one of the most meaningful supports I didn’t know I needed—a cognitive health coach. Through this work, I began to see wellness more holistically, understanding how interconnected each area of life is and how they shape overall well-being.

Working with Taryn supported real shifts in my daily life. Her ability to craft strategies and language that are both practical and authentic has helped me better understand and navigate my cognitive needs. Her curiosity and empathy have made a meaningful difference in my quality of life. The Well Brain offers cognitive health coaching consultations; if this resonates, explore.

Physical Therapy & Wellness

Traditional OT couldn’t fully identify what was happening with my hand until I began working with Rehabologym. Through their Neuro-Robotic Rehabilitation program and data-driven approach, we were able to develop a plan that more precisely addressed my needs and helped refine my therapy.

While the technology is impressive, the most meaningful part of this experience has been the care and attentiveness of the clinicians. The therapists make you feel seen, heard, and supported throughout the process.
They are based in New York and offer TeleRehabilitation.

Body & Sensory Integration

Relearning how to trust my eyes and ears—how my brain makes sense of the world—was just as important as learning to walk steadily again. These resources helped me reconnect to my environment with more clarity, confidence, and calm.

"Sight is how little you can see. Vision is how much you can see!"

I did not lose sight, but my visual processing was impacted. Mind-Body-World Optometry takes a comprehensive, holistic approach to neuro-optometric visual rehabilitation, and Dr. Slotnick offers intuitive, thoughtful support throughout the process.

This work has supported meaningful improvements in my balance, spatial awareness, and overall sense of orientation in the world. It has also helped expand how I experience my environment and, importantly, allowed me to return to creating art.
I am grateful for the trust and patience this process continues to require.

For the first two years following my stroke, I struggled to understand what I was experiencing and was consistently told there was nothing wrong with my hearing. That was true—I did not lose hearing function. The challenge was in auditory processing, the stage where sound is interpreted by the brain.

Beyond standard hearing tests, auditory processing therapy can support how the brain filters sound, manages background noise, and maintains attention—skills that can be affected after brain injury.

Finding Dr. Datino at Audiology and Speech Solutions, someone who truly understood what I was describing, was an important turning point in my recovery. This work helped me re-engage with environments I had been avoiding, including my very loud Cuban family and live music.
Without continued support, I likely would have remained in a much quieter, more isolated version of life.

Elizabeth Arnold at Elite Health Services recognized that trauma was keeping my body in a persistent state of protection, limiting the reflexes needed to support higher-level motor, communication, and cognitive recovery.

Through reflex integration work, I learned how specific movement patterns can help “awaken sensory-motor memory,” supporting the nervous system in restoring impaired functions more efficiently. In my experience, this work supported not only movement, but also vision, hearing, focus, memory, thinking, and emotional regulation. Over time, I began to feel more integrated—more connected within my body—and more aware of my left side as part of my whole system again.

Naboso – Helping Me Feel Grounded
After my stroke, neglect and reduced sensation on my left side sometimes made me feel unsteady, almost as if I were floating. The textured surface of Naboso products sends sensory input back to my brain, helping me feel my feet on the ground, stand taller, and move with more confidence and balance.

Receive 10% off your purchase using this link and the discount code STROKE_MAVEN.

Everyday Tools That Help Me

Noise-reducing headphones for sensory overload
Captioning and transcription (like Otter.ai) for auditory processing support
High-contrast text and enlarged fonts for visual fatigue

Every stroke journey is different. These are simply the tools and supports that helped me feel more present in my body, clearer in my mind, and more confident in my life again. Use these resources as a starting point, and always check with your care team to determine what’s right for your unique recovery.