This week on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we welcome Tania Saiz—advocate, mindset facilitator, and neurodivergent artist whose creations celebrate perfect imperfections. After surviving an ischemic stroke in August 2020, Tania faced an overwhelming sense of disconnect. Mirrors became adversaries, and her own reflection felt like a stranger—fragile and unrecognizable. Yet, amidst this void, she began to rebuild.

Through courage and patience, each moment of eye contact became an act of reconnection. What once reflected weakness grew into a mirror of strength and possibility. Tania’s story is a journey from disconnection to profound connection—with herself and her community—a testament to resilience, growth, and the beauty of rediscovery.

Tania's Suggested Resources:

American Heart/Stroke Association's Life After Stroke Guide
American Heart Association Spanish Language Stroke Website
Love Your Brain
Tania on Instagram
Tania on Facebook
Tania's Blog - Stroke of Luck

Community Conversation Prompts:

1. What has helped you rebuild your sense of self post stroke?
2. What are some small ways you’ve noticed your confidence growing since your stroke?

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

This week on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we welcome Tania Saiz—advocate, mindset facilitator, and neurodivergent artist whose creations celebrate perfect imperfections. After surviving an ischemic stroke in August 2020, Tania faced an overwhelming sense of disconnect. Mirrors became adversaries, and her own reflection felt like a stranger—fragile and unrecognizable. Yet, amidst this void, she began to rebuild.

Through courage and patience, each moment of eye contact became an act of reconnection. What once reflected weakness grew into a mirror of strength and possibility. Tania’s story is a journey from disconnection to profound connection—with herself and her community—a testament to resilience, growth, and the beauty of rediscovery.

Tania's Suggested Resources:

American Heart/Stroke Association's Life After Stroke Guide
American Heart Association Spanish Language Stroke Website
Love Your Brain
Tania on Instagram
Tania on Facebook
Tania's Blog - Stroke of Luck

Community Conversation Prompts:

1. What has helped you rebuild your sense of self post stroke?
2. What are some small ways you’ve noticed your confidence growing since your stroke?

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

This week and next on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we take a moment to look back before venturing forward. Over the past year, we’ve been privileged to publish forty-four individual stories. Each guest has spent an average of seven weeks working one-on-one with Beyond Stillness to reflect on the wisdom gained through their recovery and craft a story to inspire fellow survivors.

In this season of thanksgiving, we’ve compiled a snippet of recovery wisdom or gratitude from each guest. Their courage to pause, reflect, and share their journey speaks volumes about the strength of the human spirit. It’s through their vulnerability and resilience that others find hope, connection, and healing.

I’m deeply honored to live and work in your presence and humbled by the Beyond Stillness community that has flourished this past year. Together, we offer our experiences to uplift and inspire one another. As Chris Wilder said in his story, “We are part of something greater.” For that, and for each of you, we are profoundly grateful.


Community Conversation Prompts:

• When reflecting upon your recovery, for whom are you grateful?  Why?
• How could you show and/or tell them this week?

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

This week and next on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we take a moment to look back before venturing forward. Over the past year, we’ve been privileged to publish forty-four individual stories. Each guest has spent an average of seven weeks working one-on-one with Beyond Stillness to reflect on the wisdom gained through their recovery and craft a story to inspire fellow survivors.

In this season of thanksgiving, we’ve compiled a snippet of recovery wisdom or gratitude from each guest. Their courage to pause, reflect, and share their journey speaks volumes about the strength of the human spirit. It’s through their vulnerability and resilience that others find hope, connection, and healing.

I’m deeply honored to live and work in your presence and humbled by the Beyond Stillness community that has flourished this past year. Together, we offer our experiences to uplift and inspire one another. As Chris Wilder said in his story, “We are part of something greater.” For that, and for each of you, we are profoundly grateful.


Community Conversation Prompts:

• When reflecting upon your recovery, for whom are you grateful?  Why?
• How could you show and/or tell them this week?

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

This week and next on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we take a moment to look back before venturing forward. Over the past year, we’ve been privileged to publish forty-four individual stories. Each guest has spent an average of seven weeks working one-on-one with Beyond Stillness to reflect on the wisdom gained through their recovery and craft a story to inspire fellow survivors.

In this season of thanksgiving, we’ve compiled a snippet of recovery wisdom or gratitude from each guest. Their courage to pause, reflect, and share their journey speaks volumes about the strength of the human spirit. It’s through their vulnerability and resilience that others find hope, connection, and healing.

I’m deeply honored to live and work in your presence and humbled by the Beyond Stillness community that has flourished this past year. Together, we offer our experiences to uplift and inspire one another. As Chris Wilder said in his story, “We are part of something greater.” For that, and for each of you, we are profoundly grateful.

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

This week and next on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we take a moment to look back before venturing forward. Over the past year, we’ve been privileged to publish forty-four individual stories. Each guest has spent an average of seven weeks working one-on-one with Beyond Stillness to reflect on the wisdom gained through their recovery and craft a story to inspire fellow survivors.

In this season of thanksgiving, we’ve compiled a snippet of recovery wisdom or gratitude from each guest. Their courage to pause, reflect, and share their journey speaks volumes about the strength of the human spirit. It’s through their vulnerability and resilience that others find hope, connection, and healing.

I’m deeply honored to live and work in your presence and humbled by the Beyond Stillness community that has flourished this past year. Together, we offer our experiences to uplift and inspire one another. As Chris Wilder said in his story, “We are part of something greater.” For that, and for each of you, we are profoundly grateful.

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

Imagine plunging into the depths of the English Channel, thirty meters below the surface, utterly alone. Panic takes over, your breath spiralling out of control when survival depends on calm. What happens next doesn’t just save the dive—it changes your outlook on life.

Years later, a sudden stroke brings an entirely new challenge. Recovery plunges you into a different kind of depth—one filled with uncertainty, frustration, and self-discovery. Through this chaos, creativity ignites, lessons emerge, and breathing transforms from a reflex into a powerful symbol of resilience.

This week on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we welcome retired IT manager, guitar teacher, history buff, and music lover Peter Cass who invites us on a breathtaking journey through two defining moments: a near-drowning experience and the long road to recovery after a stroke. Both tested his limits and reshaped his identity, revealing the human spirit's ability to rise from life’s deepest challenges.

Peter's Resource Suggestions:

Different Strokes
Markus Birdman
Peter Cass' Substack
Peter Cass' Facebook
Peter Cass' Instagram
Same You
Stroke Association UK
What is Yoga Nidra - WebMD

Community Conversation Prompts:

1. What reminds you to stop and focus on your breath each day?  
2. What is a surprising lesson you’ve learned from a difficult experience?

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

Imagine plunging into the depths of the English Channel, thirty meters below the surface, utterly alone. Panic takes over, your breath spiralling out of control when survival depends on calm. What happens next doesn’t just save the dive—it changes your outlook on life.

Years later, a sudden stroke brings an entirely new challenge. Recovery plunges you into a different kind of depth—one filled with uncertainty, frustration, and self-discovery. Through this chaos, creativity ignites, lessons emerge, and breathing transforms from a reflex into a powerful symbol of resilience.

This week on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we welcome retired IT manager, guitar teacher, history buff, and music lover Peter Cass who invites us on a breathtaking journey through two defining moments: a near-drowning experience and the long road to recovery after a stroke. Both tested his limits and reshaped his identity, revealing the human spirit's ability to rise from life’s deepest challenges.

Peter's Resource Suggestions:

Different Strokes
Markus Birdman
Peter Cass' Substack
Peter Cass' Facebook
Peter Cass' Instagram
Same You
Stroke Association UK
What is Yoga Nidra - WebMD

Community Conversation Prompts:

1. What reminds you to stop and focus on your breath each day?  
2. What is a surprising lesson you’ve learned from a difficult experience?

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

This week on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we welcome musician and author of Saigon Siren: Memoir of a Stroke Recovery.  Antonio Iannella's journey through recovery became a testament to the healing power of creativity. From early sparks of inspiration in childhood to the intense, life-changing challenges of rebuilding himself, Antonio found music and writing to be both a refuge and a guide. Tune in to hear how he transformed adversity into a renewed sense of purpose, finding hope and joy in simple moments, and ultimately, reconnecting with the passion that saved his life.

Community Conversation Prompts:

1. What helps you get through the tough times?
2. How do you arrange your schedule to encounter moments of joy each day?

Antonio's Resources:

Saigon Siren: Memoir of a Stroke Recovery
Social Media Links - Facebook and Instagram

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth

This week on Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke, we welcome musician and author of Saigon Siren: Memoir of a Stroke Recovery.  Antonio Iannella's journey through recovery became a testament to the healing power of creativity. From early sparks of inspiration in childhood to the intense, life-changing challenges of rebuilding himself, Antonio found music and writing to be both a refuge and a guide. Tune in to hear how he transformed adversity into a renewed sense of purpose, finding hope and joy in simple moments, and ultimately, reconnecting with the passion that saved his life.

Community Conversation Prompts:

1. What helps you get through the tough times?
2. How do you arrange your schedule to encounter moments of joy each day?

Antonio's Resources:

Saigon Siren: Memoir of a Stroke Recovery
Social Media Links - Facebook and Instagram

Support a Stroke Survivor:

Your gift sponsors a stroke survivor through our seven-week reflective story crafting journey.
👉 Donate at beyondstillness.org

Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke is a nonprofit that empowers stroke survivors to articulate and publicly share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

Follow us: Instagram · Facebook · YouTube · beyondstillness.org

#BeyondStillness #StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #StrokeStories #StrokeAwareness #Storytelling #StrokeSupport #Recovery #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #LifeAfterStroke #Inspiration #NarrativeIdentity #StorytellingHeals #RewritingMyStory #IdentityAfterStroke #PostTraumaticGrowth