Welcome to Stroke Recovery: What Now? When Physical Therapy Ends but Your Recovery Continues

Parts of this course includes videos from my Stroke Recovery Specialist Course created for the fitness industry and parts of this course are based on my book Stroke Recovery, What Now? When Physical Therapy Ends but Your Recovery Continues.

These materials were created when I became aware that many professionals in the fitness industry and physical therapy have not deepened their studies or attained advanced education in stroke recovery and neuro education. If you have heard me speak or read any of my books, you have heard me say, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! This goes both ways. If a professional has limited knowledge, it can limit a stroke survivor’s recovery.

Although the brain can limit recovery, sometimes it is not the brain — it is the limited knowledge and experience of the professional that leaves the stroke survivor limited in recovery. Many survivors feel it is their brain because their physical therapy ended due to insurance or a therapist’s decision, when in fact that is not always the case.

I teach as much as I know to help survivors and caregivers learn what they need to continue recovery. The knowledge gained in this course can also help you find professionals with the training and skills needed to help a survivor regain movement and rebuild life as much as possible.

When I say KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, I mean that having — or not having — the right knowledge can make the difference between a survivor walking again and driving again… or not.

You will notice this course is not in a strict order. Stroke recovery does not happen in a fixed sequence for most survivors. The brain does not heal in one specific order, and each survivor recovers at their own pace.

Essentials of Communication for Stronger Recovery

In this video, I share how communication between a stroke survivor and their professional support team, family, and caregivers can help lead to a stronger recovery. This video comes from my main Stroke Recovery Specialist Course. The knowledge and tips shared here are extremely important for both survivors and caregivers, even though at times it may sound like I am speaking directly to professionals. In this video, I discuss different ways to communicate small and big wins, how to clearly express needs and progress, and I also touch on communication challenges such as aphasia. Clear communication can help survivors receive better support, stay motivated, and continue moving forward toward the best recovery possible.

This is the only PowerPoint-style video in the course. You will still see me on screen guiding you through the material as I teach.

In this video, I explain what a stroke is and review the three main types of strokes. I do not go into heavy medical detail, as I assume your doctors have already covered that. My focus here is on understanding stroke from a recovery and healing perspective.

I use muscle illustrations and movement examples to help you understand the essential muscles involved in recovery and how they work together. This foundational knowledge helps you better understand your body, movement patterns, and why certain recovery strategies matter.

Additional anatomy resources are available separately for those who want to go deeper into muscle structure and biomechanics.

Biomechanics of Your Body: A Simplified Way to learn Human Movement and Muscles - on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/author/tracymarkley