Mindfulness and Stroke

The first part of this unique book was written by Jody Mardula over a number of years following a sudden, life-threatening stroke. At the time, Jody was Director of the Centre for Mindfulness, Research and Practice at Bangor University, UK. The stroke - along with a second two years later and a subsequent diagnosis of vascular dementia - affected her psychologically and physically, and over time impacted her neurological functioning. Mindfulness and Stroke describes Jody's personal experience of stroke, and how she has adapted short mindfulness practices to come to terms with these life-changing events and to manage the impact on herself, her colleagues, and her family.

Written chronologically in the form of a journey, the book begins just before Jody's first stroke and ends close to the present day. Each of the seven sections contains short chapters with mindfulness approaches and practices woven in. The practices are supported by downloadable audio files. Jody's text is enhanced by neuropsychology expert Frances Vaughan, whose 'Neuro Notes' comment on and explain the events being described in each section of Jody's personal writing from a scientific perspective. Frances is also the author of Part Two of the book - ten chapters looking at brain injury and its impact on areas of life such as attention, memory, planning, self-awareness and identity.
About the Author: Jody Mardula worked for Bangor University in different capacities for two decades - in group work, substance misuse and other training and later as a tutor on the Mindfulness Masters programme - eventually being appointed Director of the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice (CMRP). She was key to consolidating the centre - appointing a team, establishing new financial systems, and locating CMRP in the School of Psychology in Bangor University. She left her post in 2012, continuing as a mindfulness trainer and teacher until 2017.

Frances Vaughan is a clinical neuropsychologist with a background in cognitive and neuropsychology research. After a PhD in cognitive science, and a series of neuropsychology research posts in hospitals and universities around the UK, Frances trained as a clinical psychologist. She worked in a service for people with dementia, and later, the North Wales Brain Injury Service. At the same time, she had various research and teaching positions at Bangor University. More recently, Frances has carried out research into the effects of learning to practice mindfulness after a brain injury.