Discovering Your Post-Stroke Self
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I draw from my experiences as a caregiver, partner, therapist, and member of the local Stroke community to provide
Post-Stroke Emotional and Psychological Care to Stroke Survivors, Caregivers, and their Families through a personalized counseling approach that focuses on the need for compassionate mental health support.
It's likely that following your Stroke event, you have, or have had, support to rebuild your physical functioning: time in a hospital and/or participation in physical, occupational, and speech therapies. There is though another area that no one may talk of or tell you about Stroke and that includes the range of emotions you will face.
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One of the ways in which your Stroke may have affected you is emotionally. This is common occurrence when we face a major medical event and sometimes it's difficult to recognize or admit. Even a smaller Stroke event can impact our emotions. Hopefully understanding that there is no shame in this and it is normal response can help.​
A part of your rehabilitation is to recover emotionally. This occurs in stages. It takes time to get stronger after a Stroke and to feel wholeness in the face of loss. Loss may include things like coping with uncertainty, relationship changes, personal identity challenges, job loss, inability to return to work, feelings of isolation, and challenges in getting others to understand your situation, feelings, and emotions.
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Your Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms may include:
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Depression
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Anxiety
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Grief
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Loss
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Chronic Sadness
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Sudden Overwhelming Emotions
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Mood Shifts
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Anger
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Defensiveness
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Blame
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Tearfulness
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Other Behavior Changes
Recovery is a process and a journey. I provide a place for you to tell your story, to understand your emotions, and to develop the coping skills, acceptance, and emotional resilience necessary to rebuild, shift into a 'new normal', and find hope and meaning in your Post-Stroke life.