Beyond Stillness created a safe, fun space for me to openly distill my story to relatable gold nuggets that could help me better connect with others. Molly is an exceptional listener, recognizing meaning beyond the mere words. While collaborating with Beyond Stillness, I was always at peace. The storycrafting process helped me identify catalyst moments in my recovery which I will share with others going forward. I am convinced now, more than ever, that my unique story has a purpose. I was amazed at how many life lessons I learned through my recovery journey. I highly recommend this reflective storycrafting process to stroke survivors. They themselves will benefit from the introspection and, just as importantly, they will realize they can make a difference in other's lives - just by being their authentic self.

I enjoyed every part of the reflective storycrafting process. The most meaningful part was trying to put my perspective into words. I had never done it seriously before. It really made me feel better about all the hard work I’ve been doing and helped me think about my specific strengths and limitations. I embraced my journey long ago and now see why and how I chose this path…I am starting to understand myself better and started to spend time thinking about other opportunities that lie ahead.

I find all the stories and interviews I have listened to very inspiring. I hope mine inspires someone to feel more confident that they can change and that being open about their imperfections can be effective and satisfying. I definitely recommend this reflective process to other stroke survivors.

Beyond Stillness did an amazing job of probing and asking questions to help me develop my story. I also enjoyed the weekly conversations. I felt really comfortable. Sharing my story greatly influenced my perspective on my stroke recovery journey. This was the first time that I spent time reviewing the events surrounding my stroke and my recovery journey. I now have a newfound love and respect for myself, and I am more encouraged to share my stroke story to others. I have found my stroke voice. This is a great way to help stroke survivors find their voice. As more and more people start to experience strokes, it is important let others know they are not alone. Help them break their silence and build a stronger community.

I like the homework to reflect on different parts of my journey. At the end of the sessions, Beyond Stillness translated my story into the root of my purpose after the stroke. I think my story gives hope to other survivors. I realized that recovery is not going back to your old self, it’s a new unique you.

I appreciated how Beyond Stillness guided me through the process of writing my story in stages. I felt the expectations after each week's meeting were achievable. I appreciated how Beyond Stillness helped me to think about the goal of my message and work towards finding my stories that supported the goal. Before this, I had not actually identified and named my purpose. Going through this process helped me come to that realization.

I am thankful for being given the amount of time I needed to craft my story at my own pace…I pushed myself to dive deep and Beyond Stillness was beside me every minute of the way. Laying out my journey helped me let go of some of the blame; I might have done the best I could given my circumstances.

I now have a NEW way to think about my story that I have told a million times in the past twelve years... Beyond Stillness couldn't have made this easier to participate and I highly recommend - both exploring your story and as a guest and listening to the wide variety of guests/perspectives.

The way Molly weaves each piece of a story together is like watching an orchestra conductor in their element - kind of mesmerizing and impressive. I guess that's why I've been listening to Beyond Stillness since it began. I know many of the guests from the show, but each story reveals something new about them that I hadn't known before. I think this sets Beyond Stillness apart from other stroke podcasts (which is what keeps me coming back for more!).

Beyond Stillness allowed me to be myself and share what happened to me.  The storycrafting process reminded that I'm an overcomer.  I'm strong.  I have a voice…I’m a big advocate with a purpose.  You give me purpose.  It’s another way to go.  I have so many things in my head to share.  You helped me.  Thank you for giving me the platform.  I thought it was all over for my voice but I have a new purpose.

I really enjoyed the process…it made me remember how strong I really am. It made me very, very proud of myself and want to share more. Now, I want to find more ways to help others. This process was so awesome!

The meetings really got my creative juices flowing. I thought I wouldn’t like writing, but I ended up enjoying it! Beyond Stillness really helped me organize my story into a structured format, that would have otherwise been all over the place. It is so beautiful!!  The weekly meetings & homework kept me engaged excited! I think so many of us can benefit from hearing each other’s stories in this way. You are forever imprinted in my heart. This brings me so much joy & happiness.  My story can touch and help other survivors, plus it validates my purpose.  Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of Beyond Stillness.

Until this process I would craft the story I thought others wanted to hear, the perspective that made sense for that audience. I got the chance to reflect on some areas of recovery that I had yet to explore. I took a story writing workshop last fall, and while that process was interesting, it didn't pull anything near the caliber of what came out of this. This process was supportive and challenging. The homework was manageable and well paced, it supported the care and feeding of the story. I'm so thankful for this opportunity, it has meant a lot to me.

The meetings were fantastic, fun and occasionally emotional. Molly delicately left a safe, open, space for those emotions to settle. The writing component provided a healthy opportunity to express and process stroke associated feelings that are often lingering and require to be brought to the surface in order to better understand them, and potentially provide guidance for others…I've learnt/learning to become more confident within myself and my achievements, while staying true and having faith in who I am…The experience has been fulfilling and cathartic. It's an honourable quest that Beyond Stillness has embarked upon, empowering many stroke survivors to find their voice and share their stories.

Just to have the opportunity to share my experiences both good and bad, and to be heard and validated gave me the confidence to believe that I had a story worth sharing, and the way Molly listens and picks out sentences, ideas, and themes gave me confidence that we were going to find a story that was really going to resonate. She simultaneously supported me and gave me the freedom to explore. I'm really proud of the story we came up with and I never would have had that without the thoughtful time, patience, and active listening that Molly provides…A great big giant THANK YOU for this opportunity and for the experience.  My whole story is about feeling invisible after stroke and what it takes to feel seen.  Working with Molly and the time she spent with me profoundly moved me. She sees me in the way I’ve always HOPED to be seen.  And for that, I am eternally grateful.

Molly and Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke are the best. The conversations are as intimate as therapy. This opportunity came to me at the right time. I needed to tell my story. I hope that this podcast continues to help stroke survivors and their families. I hope more people share their stories. Molly is a person that you can easily talk to and she understands. I thank God who showed me that it wasn't time for me to go and that it was time for me to get up, speak, and help people after He saved me. I hope all stroke survivors find Molly and Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke so they can listen to each other’s stories, learn, and know they aren’t alone. They will know when it’s time to get up, speak, and help people too.

Meeting with Molly was an incredibly meaningful experience! She is so kind and encouraging, and helped me identify the important things I wanted to say. Even after the first meeting, I felt like I knew Molly and was so comfortable sharing. It was a true honor to work with Molly and gain a deeper insight into myself as a caregiver. I really came to the understanding that I have also been on a recovery journey, separate from my husband’s. I am more able to articulate my “why” for Stroke Awareness Vermont. And I learned that I have important insights to share with other caregivers.

The 1.5 months I spent working with Beyond Stillness in conducting my story was an absolute invigorating experience. The zeal Molly brings each time we connect makes you feel so special. It’s one thing to get the opportunity to tell your story but she brings your story to life. I can say it gave me so much pleasure to relive the memories of how the stroke occurred.  I’m five years post and have maybe blurted a synopsis a couple umpteenth times, BUT never from an outside perspective bringing these type of details about. I now understand my purpose even more clearly! Beyond Stillness, I cannot thank you enough for your timeless service in giving my thoughts a home!

When I started working with Beyond Stillness, I didn't know what to expect. To my delight, I found the process of crafting my stroke story enlightening and creative. Molly helped me so much putting my thoughts and emotions into words that captured the essence of my story. I discovered that by sharing my story, I could encourage other stroke survivors to seize opportunities to find fulfillment in their lives.

The process and reflective conversations were very enjoyable. They helped me tell my story in a meaningful way. Each week, I shared stories about what and who was helpful throughout recovery. I would come up with more and more between weekly meetings. I got to focus on the meaningful and motivating parts of recovery.

Meeting Molly Buccola and being a small part of Beyond Stillness was a fantastic journey. Molly is the most supportive, encouraging, and joyful/grateful person. I looked forward to our weekly Zoom meetings as I told her of my stroke and health problems. She asked the right questions, always listening to my heart more than my words. Going through this process and revisiting my stroke all over again strengthened my confidence and purpose. Molly, you truly are an angel on earth. I can never thank you enough!

It was so easy to share my story with Beyond Stillness. Not only is Molly one of the nicest people I know, her deep and spiritual soul helps you share your post-stroke changes and challenges. I’m thankful that I discovered a deeper meaning to the word HEALING. I miss our chats.

Once I went within it just flowed out of me and with Molly’s kind encouragement and help with words, it has become a very deep personal story to me and totally my truth.

If anyone is on the fence about doing it. I would encourage you. It will help you expunge any pent up frustrations. Molly doesn't bite. Beyond Stillness will gently guide you through, never altering the spirit of what you want to say. And the audience is made up of either people who have lived your experience and can relate, or people who need to hear your experience. Don't be scared. You have been through much much much worse.

Working with Beyond Stillness was rough but worth it. It was hard to go back through my early days of stroke recovery but Beyond Stillness gave me a judgment free space to tell my truth. If you are ready to tell your stroke story but don't know how, contact Beyond Stillness. You will not regret it.

I highly recommend working with Beyond Stillness. The storycrafting process is gentle and accessible for all. As a stroke survivor herself, Molly completely gets what you're trying to say and what you want to get across. I loved the whole process of working on my story and recommend it to stroke survivors. Molly's warmth and kindness shines through the amazing work. Beyond Stillness shines a light on survivors and their stories.

The process of building the story was both easier and harder than I expected. Easier because I suffered no writer's block. Being damned up for 10 years, what I wanted to say came flowing out easily, and fitting it into the allotted time, forced me to focus on what was the singular, most important aspect of my experience. Harder because going through the life changing events of the stroke, it is impossible to explain using words. Only someone who themselves has been on that road, can fill in where my words fail to capture.

The weekly meetings with Beyond Stillness were a way to take something raw, and get it to fit the format. My Story Steward was a gentle editor. Always positive. Never dismissive (though at times she probably should have been :-)) By the time we reached a finished product, I was very happy with the final result. What had been left on the cutting room floor wasn't because it was invalid. It just wasn't useful for this moment and this time.

Meeting Molly Buccola and being a small part of Beyond Stillness was a fantastic journey. Molly is the most supportive, encouraging, and joyful/grateful person. I looked forward to our weekly Zoom meetings as I told her of my stroke and health problems. She asked the right questions, always listening to my heart more than my words. Going through this process and revisiting my stroke all over again strengthened my confidence and purpose. Molly, you truly are an angel on earth. I can never thank you enough!

I’m so grateful for this opportunity. I think I’ve learned so much just from speaking with Molly and listening to prior podcasts. I wish I’d have known about this earlier in my recovery. I really would have benefitted from more realistic expectations, knowing I’m not alone in this and feeling reassured I’m not the first or only person to be struggling with recovery. I hope Beyond Stillness will please market this to recovery facilities. Such a great tool for patients from people who’ve been in and through the struggle legit!

Every single part of the reflective story crafting process was meaningful to me. I have a keen eye if someone is phony or real. This was so real. The questions and conversations were so genuine. The process takes a long time and it made way for a big piece of my puzzle to come through. I have meaning. Beyond Stillness reminds me that I'm not alone. A lot of times I feel alone but this was like a pick-me-up. I have a purpose. We all need each other. Beyond Stillness is absolutely 100% needed. It's needed. We go to therapy and groups. This storycrafting process needs to be part of all of that. I wish therapists recommended this to all stroke survivors. It's needed. If my story touches just one person, it will be worth it. I'm not alone. They aren't alone. We need each other. Don’t stop what you are doing! Go out and let people know they have a story to tell! If they had a stroke, they have a story worth being told. I hope God keeps blessing you all at Beyond Stillness. We need people like you. The world needs people like you. Don’t stop!