Support Resources

Organizations, crisis lines, support groups, therapy directories, disability resources, and supplement verification — because recovery does not happen in isolation.

Recovery does not happen in isolation. These organizations, crisis lines, and professional directories can connect you with the right people.

Organizations

American Stroke Association

Recovery resources, support groups, and comprehensive information for stroke survivors and caregivers.

Phone: 888-478-7653

Stroke Association (UK)

International stroke charity providing support, information, and research funding. Helpline and online community.

Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA)

National advocacy, state affiliates, and a helpline for brain injury survivors and families. Stroke is a form of acquired brain injury.

Phone: 800-444-6443

Stroke Foundation (Australia)

Evidence-based resources, StrokeLine support, and recovery programs.

Crisis Resources

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 — available 24/7. Free, confidential support for anyone in emotional distress.

Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741

Support Groups

ASA Stroke Support Groups — Find local and virtual support groups for stroke survivors and caregivers through the American Stroke Association.

Inspire — Online peer-to-peer health communities. Search for stroke, brain injury, or your specific condition.

CaringBridge — Free personal health journals to keep family and friends updated during recovery.

Local hospital support groups — Ask your neurologist's or care team's office or the hospital social worker about stroke support groups in your area. Many meet monthly and are free.

Therapy & Rehabilitation Directories

Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS) — Find certified brain injury specialists in your area (hosted through BIAA).

ACRM (American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine) — Professional organization for rehabilitation. Patient resources and provider directories.

Psychology Today Therapist Finder — Filter by specialty: “brain injury,” “neuropsychology,” “medical trauma.”

EMDR International Association — Find EMDR-trained therapists for processing stroke-related trauma.

Disability & Workplace Rights

ADA National Network — Information and guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act, including workplace accommodations.

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) — Free, expert guidance on workplace accommodations for any disability. Can help you and your employer find specific solutions.

Social Security Disability — Information on SSDI and SSI benefits if your recovery prevents you from working.

Supplement Verification

ConsumerLab — Independent testing and reviews of supplements. Subscription-based but worth it for verifying quality.

IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards) — Third-party testing specifically for omega-3 supplements (now managed by Nutrasource). Look for the IFOS seal.

Full affiliate disclosure: Dr. Whitney is an affiliate partner of Fullscript and Neuronic. He may receive a small commission on purchases made through those two links. Both are marked with “(affiliate link)” where they appear on this page. These recommendations reflect his clinical judgment and would remain the same without the affiliate relationship. Revenue from those relationships currently helps keep these resources free and is intended to transition into the Still You Foundation as its nonprofit structure is finalized. Patients should feel free to source any recommended product from the vendor of their choice. The 10% discount offered through both links is passed directly to you.

References & Evidence Base

Evidence tiers reflect Dr. Whitney's clinical assessment of the current literature. Tier 1 = strong RCT or meta-analysis evidence. Tier 2 = moderate evidence or strong mechanistic rationale. Tier 3 = emerging or preliminary evidence.

  1. Glymphatic system & sleep: Xie L, et al. “Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain.” Science. 2013;342(6156):373-377. PMID: 24136970
  2. Omega-3 & stroke treatment/prevention literature: Xu Q, et al. “The effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on stroke treatment and prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Nutr Hosp. 2022;39(4):924-935. PMID: 35916137
  3. Creatine & neuroprotection: Sakellaris G, et al. “Prevention of traumatic headache, dizziness and fatigue with creatine administration.” Acta Paediatr. 2008;97(1):31-34. PMID: 18053002
  4. Magnesium L-threonate & brain bioavailability: Slutsky I, et al. “Enhancement of learning and memory by elevating brain magnesium.” Neuron. 2010;65(2):165-177. PMID: 20152124
  5. NAC & TBI neuroprotection: Hoffer ME, et al. “Amelioration of acute sequelae of blast induced mild traumatic brain injury by N-acetyl cysteine.” PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e54163. PMID: 23372680
  6. Vitamin D & neurological outcomes: Balion C, et al. “Vitamin D, cognition, and dementia.” Neurology. 2012;79(13):1397-1405. PMID: 23008220
  7. Physiological sigh: Balban MY, et al. “Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal.” Cell Rep Med.2023;4(1):100895. PMID: 36630953
  8. Exercise & neurotrophic factors: Cotman CW, Berchtold NC. “Exercise: a behavioral intervention to enhance brain health.” Trends Neurosci. 2002;25(6):295-301. PMID: 12086747
  9. Mediterranean diet & brain health: Valls-Pedret C, et al. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(7):1094-1103. PMID: 25961184
  10. TMS for post-stroke recovery: Lefaucheur JP, et al. “Evidence-based guidelines on the therapeutic use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.” Clin Neurophysiol.2014;125(11):2150-2206. PMID: 25034472
  11. Photobiomodulation & brain injury: Hamblin MR. “Shining light on the head: photobiomodulation for brain disorders.” BBA Clin. 2016;6:113-124. PMID: 27752476
  12. Nature exposure & cortisol: Hunter MR, et al. “Urban nature experiences reduce stress.” Front Psychol. 2019;10:722. PMID: 31019479
  13. EMDR for trauma: Shapiro F. Perm J. 2014;18(1):71-77. PMID: 24626074
  14. Sleep apnea & stroke: Johnson KG, Johnson DC. “Frequency of sleep apnea in stroke and TIA patients.” J Clin Sleep Med. 2010;6(2):131-137. PMID: 20411688
  15. Music therapy & stroke: Magee WL, et al. “Music interventions for acquired brain injury.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;1(1):CD006787. PMID: 28103638
  16. Melodic intonation therapy: Schlaug G, et al. “From singing to speaking: facilitating recovery from nonfluent aphasia.” Future Neurol. 2010;5(5):657-665. PMID: 21088709
  17. Citicoline & stroke recovery: Dávalos A, et al. “Citicoline in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke.” Lancet. 2012;380(9839):349-357. PMID: 22691567
  18. Naturalistic lighting in stroke rehabilitation: West A, et al. “Impact of naturalistic lighting on hospitalized stroke patients in a rehabilitation unit: Design and measurement.” Chronobiol Int. 2017;34(6):687-697. PMID: 28430522
  19. CIMT for upper extremity: Wolf SL, et al. “Effect of constraint-induced movement therapy on upper extremity function 3 to 9 months after stroke.” JAMA.2006;296(17):2095-2104. PMID: 17077374
  20. VNS paired with rehabilitation: Dawson J, et al. “Vagus nerve stimulation paired with rehabilitation for upper limb motor function after ischaemic stroke.” Lancet. 2021;397(10284):1545-1553. PMID: 33894832
  21. DASH diet & vascular risk reduction: Saneei P, et al. “Influence of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials.” Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2014;24(12):1253-1261. PMID: 25149893

Last medical review: March 2026 • Eric Whitney, DO • Board-eligible neurosurgeon

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