After a stroke at 38, Keith Taylor struggled to rebuild some of his life and move through recovery. As he worked to process his identity and the entire experience, a dark season of depression followed. In this episode, he’s joining me to discuss surviving his stroke, picking up the pieces after the fact, and how he came to found Strength After Stroke, a mental health resource and program for fellow survivors.
“It was right in that time period that I thought, ‘Wait a minute. I’m here for a reason. There’s something that’s happened here that’s caused this for me, and I’m not going to allow it to take over. I think it’s a message that tells me that it’s time to get some things put in place for others.’ And that’s what I went to work on.” (9:51)
When Keith was in recovery, he discovered an obvious need for mental health care for survivors. While physical care and rehabilitation were top of mind, psychological health was less of a priority. He touches on how this realization came to him, how it helped him create various resources for survivors, caregivers, and families, and where he hopes to take these programs in the future.
“The mental health aspect, I feel like there is still a huge hole… That gap is huge, and we have to fill that gap.” – (18:47)
In This Episode
(0:43) Life before Keith’s stroke and the state of his professional life
(2:38) The day of Keith’s stroke
(5:35) The deficits at the time of the stroke, the emotional ramifications, and where he is years later
(8:47) How he coped with the obstacles that came and the realization he had about his experience
(10:27) Why he chose not to share his suicidal thoughts with his wife and how long it took to find his way to the other side of that depression
(15:20) The intricacies of Keith’s care after his stroke and the lack of emotional care
(19:14) When Strength After Stroke began
(20:48) How the BASE Program works, the mission behind it, and his hope for the future
Our Guest
After surviving a stroke and struggling with his mental health and suicidal thoughts, Keith Taylor made his way to the other side of that depression and decided to use his experience to help others. He founded a mental health resource and program called Strength After Stroke to help others through that season of depression after a stroke.
Resources & Links
Henry Hoffman on LinkedIn
Saebo
On YouTube
On Instagram
On LinkedIn
Saebo’s Stroke Caregiver Support Group
Saebo’s Stroke Survivor Support Group
Keith Taylor – Strength After Stroke
YouTube
BASE Program
Mentoring Program
